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I usually joke around at the library, with something along the lines of a patron coming to ask for a "book with red cover" and not having any other info at all about it.
Well, a few days ago it really happened, although not exactly like that. Good thing she wasn't sucky though.
A patron calls in and wants to make a few reservations to books. Nothing unusual, I put them into our system. After
that's done, this conversation takes place (not verbatim, since I really am bad at remembering exact words used):
P = Patron
M = Me
P: I'm also wondering if you could find another book for me...
M: Sure thing, do you have the author's name and/or the name of the book?
P: That's the thing, I can't remember that.
M: *starting to feel this can't end well, patrons usually don't have the ISBN number either* Do you remember anything that could help me find the book?
P: I remember it was about a Finnish woman who worked in a high-end shoe store in England and she wrote the book
about her experiences from there..
M: I really don't remember a book like that *tries looking through our system which isn't designed for queries like this*
P: Don't worry, I didn't expect you to actually find it, I just thought I'd ask. Could you try finding out about it, ask your colleagues perhaps?
M: Sure, I'll get right back to you if I find it.
After the call ended, I spoke to a co-worker who was manning the counter with me and she had no idea. Our head librarian who came a few seconds later had no idea. I decided to give it one last Google search (had done several whilst on the phone, just a load of shoe stores
) and there it was.
It was actually about a woman who worked in a high-end shoe store in New York, but it was definitely the same book.
Phoned up the patron and she thanked me profusely for the "ridiculously good service"
Well, a few days ago it really happened, although not exactly like that. Good thing she wasn't sucky though.
A patron calls in and wants to make a few reservations to books. Nothing unusual, I put them into our system. After
that's done, this conversation takes place (not verbatim, since I really am bad at remembering exact words used):
P = Patron
M = Me
P: I'm also wondering if you could find another book for me...
M: Sure thing, do you have the author's name and/or the name of the book?
P: That's the thing, I can't remember that.
M: *starting to feel this can't end well, patrons usually don't have the ISBN number either* Do you remember anything that could help me find the book?
P: I remember it was about a Finnish woman who worked in a high-end shoe store in England and she wrote the book
about her experiences from there..
M: I really don't remember a book like that *tries looking through our system which isn't designed for queries like this*
P: Don't worry, I didn't expect you to actually find it, I just thought I'd ask. Could you try finding out about it, ask your colleagues perhaps?
M: Sure, I'll get right back to you if I find it.
After the call ended, I spoke to a co-worker who was manning the counter with me and she had no idea. Our head librarian who came a few seconds later had no idea. I decided to give it one last Google search (had done several whilst on the phone, just a load of shoe stores
) and there it was.It was actually about a woman who worked in a high-end shoe store in New York, but it was definitely the same book.
Phoned up the patron and she thanked me profusely for the "ridiculously good service"
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