We're taking a bit of a breather while the world rearranges its underpants. Meanwhile, the other blog is here.

Friday, September 24, 2010

Field-dressing a moose

Thelma is fed up.

Epiphany Library is closed on Fridays so she has to come in to Helminthdale to provide a spare body in the lending library.

"Every time I come in something else has been changed and the people who know anything about it aren't in. It's embarrassing watching people floundering, trying to find out where something's been moved to this time while the customer's stood there tutting and drumming their fingers."

It's true enough: it's falling apart upstairs. You can never guess from one day to the next which staff are going to be in. No sooner do they get their coats off they've got to rush out to cover an unexpected hole in one library or another. It's been months since they've had a staff meeting with more than two people in it. It's a constant wonder they know which town they're in, let alone where the library cards have moved to this week. Frog and Bronwyn have given up asking for anything to be done up there unless they're doing it themselves. That's my working relationship with most of the library service this days.

Unfortunately I don't see it getting any better.

Quite the reverse, in fact.

7 comments:

Madame DeFarge said...

You should beware the body in the library. I've heard that it's usually prelude to a murder investigation.

Pat said...

I'm lost. Where are the pigs?

Macy said...

Ah Musgrove, I was going to post a witty reply along the lines of "Cheer up, there should be plenty of wealth cascading down soon what with it being being bonus season and all"
But sometimes the cruel gene eludes me..

Kevin Musgrove said...

Madame DeF: it's only a matter of time.

Pat: pigs?

Macy: yes, we can always count on the trickle-down effect for a cheap laugh.

Pat said...

The flying pigs on a blue background.
Did I dream it?

PixieMum said...

Having worked behind the scenes in a public library I'm enjoying your blog, such shenanigans go on everywhere in libraryland. Can look back and be pleased that I left public libraries when I decided I'd had enough of being bullied.

At the age of 16 I said I didn't wish to work in a public library, my gut instincts were right, there are plenty of other kinds.

Kevin Musgrove said...

Pat: I'm trying to work out how to put them back in on this template. Not a dream, honestly!

Hi Pixiemum! The sad thing is that there's so much potential in public libraries. Sigh...