I don't know the title of the book but do you have it?

[dbblsanta]

This happens at least twice a day. A student (usually a freshmen -- sorry freshmen) comes up to the front desk needing to borrow a book for a course (all required reading for courses is on reserve). The following conversation usually ensues:

Me: Okay, and what is the title of the book?
Student: It's for Professor Blabla.
Me: But what's the title? Professor Blabla has several books on reserve.
Student: Uhhh...I don't know.
Me: Alright...do you have the syllabus?
Student: I don't know. I don't think so.

So then I have to go into the library's records, looks up the syllabus for their course, and find the book for the week we're in. So a process that should go like this:

Student: Hello. I need to borrow [TITLE OF BOOK] for Professeur So-and-So's class.
Me: Certainly.

and should take all of 45 seconds ends up taking 10 minutes.

Also, the freshmen here have a difficult time pronouncing the titles of the reserve books they need to borrow for their courses. Always gives me a good chuckle.

Student: Do you have the Collected Writings of Thomas ACK-wee-nuss on reserve?
Me: The Collected Writings of Thomas Uh-QUIY-ness? Yes we do.

The look of "oops I just done stoopid" on their face is priceless.

[raw456]

If it was me, I wouldnt waste my time looking it up for them. I'd make them get the info themselves and come back to me when they have it. I have a reallly low tollerance for this kinda thing. (I can also be a complete biatch too)

[Blueberry]

Don't laugh... I was that student, sort of, but it was the prof's fault!!
I even had all the info, title, author, even the call number!

The poor librarian was so confused because the book wasn't anywhere in the course reserves.

Turns, out the prof had spelled the author's name wrong and only included the title of the chapter, not the book, in the syllabus.
She had helpfully included the call number in the syllabus, but it was the wrong call number too.

[ottid]

Oh dear, poor Blueberry! Hugs!

dbblsanta, no first years at my Uni could mispronoune Aquinas, its the name of one of the Halls of Residence

[EricKei]

Well, I suppose I could understand mispronouncing Aquinas' name if you'd not seen it before...but, if they want to come and check out these books, it IS their job to know what they want. They could always ask the prof the week before...