(I’m in my local library on the computers searching for a book, when I hear a child yell suddenly and feel someone tug at the back of my shirt.)

Boy: “HEY, LADY!”

(I turn around to see a little boy I worked with at his preschool while doing work experience.)

Boy: “I know you. You were a teacher at my school. You were teaching with Mrs. [Teacher].” *turns to dad* “Dad! Dad, this is Miss [My Name]; she was at my school.”

(The dad and I nod to each other.)

Me: “Hi there, [Boy]. I sure was! I had lots of fun with you guys, too. Want to know something pretty cool?” *the boy nods* “Your teacher, Mrs. [Teacher], was my teacher when I was little.”

(His eyes go really wide.)

Boy: “Wow, you’re really old!”

(His dad laughed and told him they had to go. I guess 16 is really old to a four-year-old.)

Customer: “Hi, I’m looking for some books on the wartime occupation of the Channel Islands.”

Me: “Sure, I’ll show you where to look. They’ll be in the Second World War section.”

Customer: “Would that be fiction or nonfiction?”

(I am helping a patron who has been bantering with me during his transaction. At the end, he asks about the location of some movies, except what he actually says is this:)

Patron: “So, if a wicked witch were to fly in here on her broom and turn you into a stack of DVDs, where would he—” *indicating my coworker* “—shelve you?”

Our library has become an after-school hangout for kids and teens, which we encourage with programs and activities. One group of kids in particular have become regulars; they stop by every day after school to check out movies and play games on our computers, and they have a reputation for being loud and somewhat obnoxious.

We have a fairly lax dress-code at work, as well, so one day I’m shelving books while wearing a T-shirt with a video game character on it. Three kids from this group spot my shirt and immediately begin to follow me around asking questions: “Do you play [Game]?” “Which character’s your favorite?” “Can we download [Game] onto the library computers?” “Do you think [Game]’s scary?” I answer questions for a while, then tell the kids I have to go back to work.

The next day, when this group of kids comes in, the three kids who were full of questions the day before come up to me and hand me pieces of paper. Each one of them drew me pictures of the characters from that game as presents. I felt both touched and very guilty for complaining earlier to a co-worker about how obnoxious these kids were.

The pictures are now taped to my desk. And while these kids can still be annoying at times, I know their hearts are in the right place.

(I’m sitting in the library near the main desk reading a book when a 30- to 40-year-old man enters the library, walks up to the desk, and has the following interaction with a librarian.)

Patron: “Hi, I’d like to get a new library card. I think I had one, but it’s been a while since I used it.”

Librarian: “Sure. What’s your name?”

(The patron gives his name and the librarian looks him up in the system. While he’s waiting, he starts to take stickers from the basket that is set out for kids. He then begins to stick them on his face at random.)

Patron: *in a serious tone, after adding a second sticker along his jawbone* “I’m going to put some stickers on my face.”

(The librarian looks up at him, a bit surprised, but doesn’t say anything.)

Patron: “I have to cover up the bite marks” *he leans over the desk, sticking his face out for inspection* “See the marks? That’s where my dog bit me.”

Librarian: *seems a bit startled, but carries on as if this is normal* “Wow, um… That’s too bad. So, you do have an account, and you can get a new card for $5, or I can just give you the number to use the computer.”

(The patron took the number and walked off to the computers with multiple children’s stickers still stuck to his face.)