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This woman wasn't totally sucky, though her attitude was holier than though.
Holier-than-Though: Where would your Ancient Greek plays and Shakespeare be?
Me: Well, that depends on what you're looking for. Most of them are in 822, but a few might be shelved in our poetry collection.
I point her in the right direction for the 800s.
She comes back maybe 15 minutes later with 3 of Shakespeare's plays and an collection of Aeschylus to check out.
HTT: *as I'm checking her books out, in a disbelieving and somewhat snotty tone* Your selection is very *holds fingers an inch apart* . . . small.
Me: *blank customer service smile*
HTT: I suppose that's all I'll find here?
Me: *blank non-smile*
HTT: *not quite a frown, but disapproving look*
Me: *blandly* I can either order them from another library for you or I can show you how to access the digital copies.
HTT: *slight--surprise maybe?* Oh. No. No need.
She backed up rather quickly after that. Maybe it was the threat of the dreaded DIGITAL BOOK?
So not only can I get her all the Shakespeare and Greek Drama she could ever possibly love either instantly via our fabulous digital catalog (or via inter library loan which, in all honesty, would probably be in on Tuesday), but also 2 of the 4 cherished classics (and don't get me wrong, Shakespeare is faboo, though I prefer it performed and hey, I've got a useless degree in Classical Studies; Aeschylus and me are total buds) were so unloved by our patrons that they were not even in the system which means they haven't been checked out since before 2006, when we joined the Big Consortium.
Eh, it was mostly her attitude, like we were doing something wrong by not filling our shelves with unwanted classics. I'd rather we spent our money on resources and entertainment folks want, but some people just can't get beyond the idea of the stuffy lieberry that's only good for cramming proper literature down the throats of the unwashed masses.
Holier-than-Though: Where would your Ancient Greek plays and Shakespeare be?
Me: Well, that depends on what you're looking for. Most of them are in 822, but a few might be shelved in our poetry collection.
I point her in the right direction for the 800s.
She comes back maybe 15 minutes later with 3 of Shakespeare's plays and an collection of Aeschylus to check out.
HTT: *as I'm checking her books out, in a disbelieving and somewhat snotty tone* Your selection is very *holds fingers an inch apart* . . . small.
Me: *blank customer service smile*
HTT: I suppose that's all I'll find here?
Me: *blank non-smile*
HTT: *not quite a frown, but disapproving look*
Me: *blandly* I can either order them from another library for you or I can show you how to access the digital copies.
HTT: *slight--surprise maybe?* Oh. No. No need.
She backed up rather quickly after that. Maybe it was the threat of the dreaded DIGITAL BOOK?
So not only can I get her all the Shakespeare and Greek Drama she could ever possibly love either instantly via our fabulous digital catalog (or via inter library loan which, in all honesty, would probably be in on Tuesday), but also 2 of the 4 cherished classics (and don't get me wrong, Shakespeare is faboo, though I prefer it performed and hey, I've got a useless degree in Classical Studies; Aeschylus and me are total buds) were so unloved by our patrons that they were not even in the system which means they haven't been checked out since before 2006, when we joined the Big Consortium.
Eh, it was mostly her attitude, like we were doing something wrong by not filling our shelves with unwanted classics. I'd rather we spent our money on resources and entertainment folks want, but some people just can't get beyond the idea of the stuffy lieberry that's only good for cramming proper literature down the throats of the unwashed masses.
Yes. 
And my whole county library system has only two copies of anything by Trollope. 
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