Spending so much time working in a public place, you get to not only see a lot of people, but some of them you see so often that you inadvertently learn a lot about them...or sometimes they tell you far too much. For example, I know that Patti* loves to look up facts about country music on the computer, and Stephen will automatically spell his whole name to you over the phone instead of saying "Stephen with a 'ph'," and Elizabeth will remind you she is legally blind every single time she can.
These interactions are what you just get used to, and you try to shape your conversations around this information. And then, there are these moments, where people tell you things they probably shouldn't, and that you definitely can't "unhear":
- Patron informs me their colonoscopy came back clear, so I'll still see them around
- Severe drug addiction caused patron to lose custody of their children
- "Well, now that cannabis is legal here, I figured I'd try it!" (while they take out cannabis cookbooks)
- "Sorry I'm talking a bit loud. I'm drunk"
- Their doctor diagnosed them with severe inflammation, so these are the dietary changes they are making, along with weekly progress updates
- Patron's their family used to swim naked together...even in their teen years
- Their doctor diagnosed them with severe inflammation, so these are the dietary changes they are making, along with weekly progress updates
- Patron's their family used to swim naked together...even in their teen years
- Full details on how their neighbour spies on them and is a bully
- They store their library books in their bathroom
- They store their library books in their bathroom
- "The man in the backyard behind me is often naked, what do I do?"
- Way too many details about their court case
- Highly inappropriate blond jokes and "Newfie" jokes (for any non-Canadians out there, this is a joke that pokes fun at people from Newfoundland, Canada, and is the equivalent of a 'blond joke' for the country)
- Way too many details about their court case
- Highly inappropriate blond jokes and "Newfie" jokes (for any non-Canadians out there, this is a joke that pokes fun at people from Newfoundland, Canada, and is the equivalent of a 'blond joke' for the country)
Things like this occur on a regular basis, and they are anything from hilarious, to awkward and uncomfortable, to outright depressing. It's both flattering and frustrating at the same time that people feel comfortable enough and free from barriers to discuss these kinds of things with us. When looking for information on a topic, I'm so glad you are able to be candid - this helps me help you/ Yet, I find it sort of mind-boggling when people will just out-of-the-blue tell me this information.
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Thanks for joining me once again while I babble about what working in a library is really like. What are some odd or funny stories you have from interactions at work/in public?
Thanks for joining me once again while I babble about what working in a library is really like. What are some odd or funny stories you have from interactions at work/in public?
*Names and situations may have been changed slightly to protect the privacy of the people involved
I can see how that could be both nice (that they feel comfortable enough to share - and maybe they need it?) but also awkward and TMI lol
ReplyDeleteKaren @ For What It's worth
Definitely TMI a lot of days! But my goodness can it also be funny!
DeleteLOL! You're the master of titles!
ReplyDeleteI never cease to be amazed at how different is to be a librarian in the U.S./Canada than here in Italy (until things have changed in the...um...years since I've last been in a library). I mean...I don't think people talk about ALL THE THINGS with their librarians in Italy, also because it's pretty much just a book thing here - it's not like you can do much else in a library (again, I can only speak from my own experience, which is a bit dated and limited to small-town libraries).
"They store their library books in their bathroom".
😶 Now THAT's too much information LOL.
Haha, thank you - I couldn't resist the title! ;)
DeleteIt's funny because a lot of people assume my job is working with books, or is about reading. Nope, I also deal with a lot of online content, virtual reality and 3D printers, and sometimes have to be a social worker and listening ear. I would definitely be interested in discovering how similar and different these things are in libraries around the world! I'm in a city that is big enough to have several libraries, but is also pretty small at the same time. I guess we're getting to the "mid-size" stage? Teenager city?
Yeah...we disinfect all of that gentleman's items when they come in...it makes us feel pretty icky.
I feel like I get a lot of these just from working in the retail industry haha! Some people are definitely over sharers. One woman decided to show me a photo of her naked grandchildren, who were NOT babies. That was not a fun time.
ReplyDeleteRight?? Retail is a funny life. I always find it funnier when people overshare in retail (especially if it is a store they just visit once in a while). I kind of understand it with the people that I see every few days (or weeks) because they feel like we know each other, but I can't imagine these conversations with strangers!
Delete...yikes! I'm scared that she even had those with her!