Workin' The System

We made it to the library today for the first time in a long time. It has been closed due to snow for the last week or so. We returned some books that were due today and I wanted to recheck one of the books. When we went to check out the woman at the front desk said that one of the dvds that we had just checked out was on hold so we probably wouldn't be able to recheck it. Odd, if it was on hold then why were we able to check it out? Then when it came to rechecking my book the lady said I couldn't recheck it because I'd already rechecked it once online. Then she asked if I wanted to keep it. What? She told me it was due today. She told me I wasn't allowed to recheck it. Why would I want to keep it? I'd incur 25 cents a day in fines! After repeatedly saying that I didn't want to keep the book or write down the page number I was on, I was able to convince the lady that I was just going to leave the book.

On the way out of the library Ross and I were lamenting the dumb library policy of not being able to recheck a book twice, but we could check out a book that someone had on hold. I was a little bummed because I only had like 20 pages left in the book. Then I suddenly had this idea. What if they have another copy of the book? Our library has multiple copies of almost every book. We marched back into the library and quickly looked up the book (cause they were about to close). The online card catalog is terrible. We looked up the book by the title and it didn't show up at all. We had to look up the book online and then search by the author's name. Our library has three copies. I went and found a copy on the shelf and checked it out at the nifty self check out. I was so pleased with myself. I found a way around their dumb policy and now I can finish the book.

Gripe

Our library here is kind of cool. It has that self check out machine, wii games, is very large and looks great from the outside (and the inside too I guess). I do have gripes about a few things:

1. They have 4-5 copies of each book in the children's story (easy) book section. I'd rather they had 2 of each book and had more selection.

2. They are on the Dewey Decimal system.

3. They have way too many different sections of books. They have a section for easy books, cardboard books, concept books, youth books, young adult books, and adult books (and there are more). These sections are even further broken down. Then they have different sections for all different kinds of new books. Graphic novels can be found in 4 different sections of the library! It is annoying! This is why I read Maus II before Maus I--I couldn't find Maus I. I must admit that one of the librarians was very helpful today and helped Ross find a book. It is just frustrating that they don't have all the books on one topic in one section. 

4. Their definition of non-fiction is interesting. I spotted Star Wars books in the youth non-fiction section. I've always found it interesting that some story books and fairy tale books are in the non-fiction section.  What makes one book about Baba Yaga a fiction/easy/picture book and one non-fiction? It's the same freaking story!

That's Cool Too!

Yesterday we finally managed to go to the library when it was open.  I picked up some graphic novels and more bed time books.  I used the awesome self check out machine, and Ross went through the line. Why?  Because our library has video games, including wii games! Ross had to go through the line to get the disc--he checked out wii SSX Blur (snowboarding game).  So cool.

That's So Cool!

Yesterday we went to the library because I wanted more children's books, a new graphic novel, and maybe a cookbook or two.  I picked out some stories about chickens.  I seem to like those.  I picked up Maus II, which probably wasn't a good idea, but I've already finished it.  I also threw Nigella Bites onto my pile of books.  I've always been attracted to the book.  Maybe it is because Nigella Lawson is hot. Okay, now I'm getting off track.

When we went to check out the books they had a self-service check out that Ross wanted to try.  It looked like the self check out at a grocery store.  There was a bar code reader, a space that said read area, and a huge touch screen.  All fun stuff for my engineer husband.  We scanned our library card with the bar code reader, then the touch screen asked for how many books we had.  We had 8 and it only went up to 5.  I was confused (as usual).  Ross took three books off of the stack and then pressed 5.  The screen showed which books were left and that we had checked them out.  We put the last 3 books on the counter and then it checked those out.  Just like that!  We didn't scan each book individually.  I guess the books all have RFID tags, so it just read them and checked them out to us!  It was super cool!