So, all my hopes and dreams that the public library and I could join together in the education of my children were dashed to pieces yesterday.
About a month ago I trekked down to the main library, which is much bigger but also further than the one I usually go to, because they have supposed "home school services". I talked to the lady in charge and she said that they would indeed pull the books for me as long as I gave them at least a week. I had given them a month so I thought we were in the clear.
Our school starts this Monday so I was getting a little nervous that I had not received a call from the library. So I gave them a ring yesterday. This is how it went:
Library Lady: Hello Youth Services.
Me: Yes, Hello, my name is Kristen Jones and I came in a few weeks ago with a list of books,...
Library Lady: Yes Mrs. Jones, I was just about to call you!
Me: Oh wonderful!!
Library Lady: I was just pulling your list yesterday, (Oh my Goodness), and I could only get 11 of your books. Did you need them from other libraries as well?
Okay at this point I had to do a major temper checks. What I wanted to say was:
What??? You have had an entire month and you only started to pull these books yesterday? You knew there were 21 books and I expressed to you that I needed as many as I could get from wherever. I told you that you would have to put holds on them!! I could have come to the library and pulled them off the blippin shelf!! Also, I just have to wonder if this would have happened if I were a teacher in the public school system!!!!
BUT I didn't say any of that. What I said was:
Me: Yes, I would really like for you to get them from the other libraries as well. How long will that take?
Library Lady: Well, it is Friday so not before Tuesday.
Now let me just stop here to say that when she said Friday you have to imagine her saying it like it was my fault that I didn't get it to her until now. But to my credit, still I kept my calm.
Me: Okay, so can I come pick up the 11 now?
Library Lady: Yes, any time!
Me: Thanks.
All right, so I got off the phone and about cried. Found out the one of the books that she didn't pull was the literature book of 250 pages that Faith is supposed to have half read this week. And normally I could be flexible but there are so many reasons I am not feeling flexible right now. I called Barnes and Noble and they have it for 6 dollars so that is where I am going for that one today.
I totally felt like that Seinfeld episode where he goes in to rent the vehicle but they don't have his car.
You know how to take the reservation but you don't know how to hold the reservation. And really isn't the holding the most important part of the reservation?
Kristen
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5 comments:
Looks like Illinois is very much like Ky-no one is in a hurry to help you! Did you say they had the list for a month? Two months would not have helped!
Oh, I'm definitely going to need the insurance, I'm going to be the tar out of this thing.
Sorry, I like that Seinfeld episode a lot. One of my favorites.
Crazy stuff. Entertaining though. I mean, come on, you'll remember that one. If it had gone smoothly, you know, you would have just said great and gone there all the time. But now, you get to have this WONDERFUL adventure where you find some other library or way of doing it. Or better yet, spend every week digging through the misfiled library books to find the ones you need. How fun is that! ;)
Actually Kristen, I'm surprised that you do not get preferential treatment by the Illinois library system. My goodness! After all the buildings and books you have purchased for the system through late fees, I can't understand why you do not have a gold library card! :)
Hey, I totally should have thought of that!!! I practically own that library!!
sorry about the frustrating library experience!
your seinfeld line at the end is cracking me up -- you know how to TAKE reservations but don't know how to HOLD them ... LOL!
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