So I had an interesting IM experience. I started my job at the Reference Desk back about mid-August. I won't identify my library because I don't want you showing up at my doorstep but I will say I'm in the Chicago Suburban area. I'm on the desk by myself in the evenings. The library is small but busy.
Anywho, during training I was introduced to the IM feature on our library's webpage. I thought, "that's cool. How modern. All we need now is a MySpace presence." I haven't worked public in about 10 years so all these neat new innovations are really cool. I was told when I receive IM's I need to be courteous, patient, informative....all that.
So I'm sitting at the desk minding my own business out on the world wide web when I receive an IM. Cool, I thought. My first. I got very excited, cracked my knuckles and prepared to answer.
"Do you have any books on Cookie Monster?"
"Why Sure, we have plenty of books, are you looking for one in particular?"
"Cookie Monster goes to Rehab."
"Give me a minute and I'll check"
(Now that's a funny name for a title.... but, being the helpful librarian that I am, I actually go check. Local library level - nope. System level - nope. Quick look into FirstSearch - um, nope. So I go back to the patron....)
"I'm not finding any book by that title that exists. Are you sure this is the correct title?"
"Of course it is! I need it for my kid. By the way, are you hot?"
(Um, what???! What's going on?)
"Are you wearing panties?"
" What color are they?"
" I'm touching myself, will you touch yourself?"
OMG, what is this??! As I stare open-mouthed at the screen, I realize (belatedly) that someone's idea of a joke is to make dirty comments to the librarian. Isn't that against the law? I'm a bun-wearing, graying, shushing librarian with lots of cats! (At least that's what THEY think!) I could have had a heart attack getting an IM like that.
So I signed off and blocked the user from my IM circle. My innocence has been shattered.
"Do you have any books on Cookie Monster?"
"Why Sure, we have plenty of books, are you looking for one in particular?"
(I'm so helpful.......)
"Cookie Monster goes to Rehab."
"Give me a minute and I'll check"
(Now that's a funny name for a title.... but, being the helpful librarian that I am, I actually go check. Local library level - nope. System level - nope. Quick look into FirstSearch - um, nope. So I go back to the patron....)
"I'm not finding any book by that title that exists. Are you sure this is the correct title?"
"Of course it is! I need it for my kid. By the way, are you hot?"
(Um, what???! What's going on?)
"Are you wearing panties?"
" What color are they?"
" I'm touching myself, will you touch yourself?"
OMG, what is this??! As I stare open-mouthed at the screen, I realize (belatedly) that someone's idea of a joke is to make dirty comments to the librarian. Isn't that against the law? I'm a bun-wearing, graying, shushing librarian with lots of cats! (At least that's what THEY think!) I could have had a heart attack getting an IM like that.
So I signed off and blocked the user from my IM circle. My innocence has been shattered.
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