(This is during the 2008 primaries. Our library has been set up as an early voting center. We have information sheets to help the voters make their choices.)

Customer: “I just don’t know what I should do. These things are so confusing. Who did you vote for?”

Me: “I didn’t vote.”

Customer: “That’s what’s wrong with you young people today. No ethics.”

Me: “You misunderstand. I didn’t vote because I can’t vote.”

Customer: *shocked* “Oh MY GOD! You’re a FELON? Why would they let a FELON work here?”

Me: “No, ma’am. No. I’m not a citizen.”

Customer: “Oh. You’re just saying that aren’t you?”

Me: “No, ma’am. I’m not a citizen. Would you like to see my green card?”

Customer: “So, you’re from Canada?”

Me: “No, I’m from Europe.”

Customer: “That’s in Canada, isn’t it?”

Related:
Canada: America’s Hat, Part 4
Canada: America’s Hat, Part 3
Canada: America’s Hat, Part 2
Canada: America’s Hat

Customer: *in writing* “Where are the encyclopedias?”

Me: *slowly, making sure he can lip read me* “One floor up–”

(The customer gestures me to write. I assume he can’t lip read. He goes on his way after I write the instructions. Suddenly there’s a crash and he looks towards the sound.)

Me: “I thought you couldn’t hear!”

Customer: *in writing* “Stop talking, this is a library!”

Patron: “Do you have any books about division?”

Me: “Sure, we have lots of books about arithmetic. One of them is bound to have what you’re looking for.”

Patron: “Good. The radio frequencies around my house interfere with my calculator, so I have to learn math again.”

Me: “Let me just show you those books.”

Customer: “I want books on gynecology.”

Me: “Okay. This way, please…”

(I start to take her to the health section.)

Customer: “Yeah, I really want to learn about my ancestors.”

Me: *quickly change course to the genealogy section*

Related:
The Horrors Of Mispronunciation, Part 3
The Horrors Of Mispronunciation, Part 2
The Horrors Of Mispronunciation

(A customer is returning a large pile of overdue books – about 90 for the entire family. She’s waiting while I process them in order to pay the fine.)

Me: “Well, they’re not very overdue. It’s just that there’s a lot of them.”

Customer: “Yeah, I know. I’m sorry they’re late.”

(I scan the last few books.)

Me: “Okay, over the three cards, there’s $50 in fines, but I’ll halve that to $25 as they’re not too late.”

Customer: “Oh, thanks so much. I just couldn’t get them in as we’ve all had scarlet fever.”

(I look at the pile of books, every one of which I have handled.)

Me: “Oh…”

(I’m a librarian. I am walking through the children’s section and see a boy of around 12 browsing through ghost stories. He
picks up a book, opens it, and immediately drops it back on the shelf.)

Boy: “Ooh! That book’s too scary!”

Me: “What book is it?”

Boy: “Ghosts of Prostitutes.”

Me: “What?!”

(I walk over and pick up the book. It is titled “Ghosts and Poltergeists”.)

Related:
The Horrors Of Mispronunciation, Part 2
The Horrors Of Mispronunciation

(The computers in the computer lab are all in use. There is a sign up station to get the next available computer.)

Customer: “I signed up, but it didn’t work.”

Me: “I see your name. You will get the next available computer.”

Customer: “Which one?”

Me: “It depends which other customer leaves first.”

Customer: “So, it’s random?”

Me: “No, it’s not random. You are in the queue to get the next available computer.”

Customer: “Why didn’t you just say that? It’s random.”

Me: “No, sir, it’s not random. You will–”

Customer: “Queue isn’t a regular English word. Just say it’s random.”

Me: “Sir, computer number 14 is ready for you.”

Customer: *muttering* “It’s random.”

Patron: “Hi, can you help me find this book?” *hands me piece of paper with call number* “I went to look for it, but I couldn’t find it.”

Me: “Sure, let’s go take a look.”

(I take him to the stacks and start to walk down the correct row.)

Patron: “Yeah, this is where I was looking.”

(I pull down the book with that call number. This particular copy is brown.)

Me: “There you go!”

Patron: *disappointed* “Oh, I was looking for a black cover!”

(A young boy approaches the check out desk with a DVD of classic cartoons featuring characters like Popeye, Felix the Cat, Woody Woodpeck, and Betty Boop. I proceed to quiz him to see if he knows the characters.)

Me: “Do you know this one?”

Child: “That’s Popeye!”

Me: “And this one?”

Child: “Woody Woodpecker!”

(He gets all of the ones right until my finger lands on Betty Boop.)

Me: “How about her?”

Child: *uncertain* “Um…”

Me: “It’s Betty Boop!”

(A look of instant recognition spreads across the child’s face.)

Child: “Oh yeah! My dad’s got naked pictures of her!”

(A woman and her son have just entered the library. They walk straight to me while I am sitting at the circulation desk. There
is only one entrance to the library. All other doors leading outside are clearly and brightly marked fire exits.)

Patron: “How do I come in?”

Me: “Sorry?”

Patron: “How do I come in here?”

Me: “Through the door?”

Patron: “Which one?”

Me: “The one you just walked through.”

Patron: “Oh okay, so I just do that again?”

Me: “Yes…that should work perfectly.”

Patron: “Thanks!” *walks away*