Library closed for rest of year

[Vickie Rabourn <vrabourn@CALINET.COM>]

I had so much fun today!  I posted a large sign that said, "Starting
Monday, the library will be closed to all students for the remainder of the
year.  Sorry."  It's amazing how many folks I "fooled" : the library clerk,
the principal, teachers, custodians, a volunteer, and, of course, lots of
students.  When asked occasionally by disbelievers if it were really true,
I told them straightfaced and in all earnestness, that we were going to be
much too busy converting our old card catalog to a new electronic one to
have enough time to accommodate students. One teacher was outraged that
after all our planning for her students' upcoming research papers, they
were not only not welcome to come to the library for research anymore, but
that I also didn't want them coming in to check out books, etc.  When she
called later in the day to ask if one student could come over and do a
make-up test, I told her yes, but to not bother with such a request after
Friday.  After she bristled some more, I finally confessed.  It was really
amazing how gullible so most people were.  The library clerk was very
worried that the principal was going to start getting calls from irate
parents as soon as their kids got home.  Even one of our faithful
volunteers grumbled about how our tax dollars were going to be wasted.  It
was really a kick. It was very apparent that some people suddenly realized
how important the library is in their lives and how much they were going to
miss it.  They resented having their access cut off.  It was a positive
outcome I hadn't anticipated.  Those who were fooled will be pleasantly
surprised tomorrow when they hear on the bulletin that closing the library
had been a foolish idea, and that the librarian has decided to keep it open
after all. :-)


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Vickie Rabourn
vrabourn@calinet.com
Los Osos Middle School Librarian
San Luis Coastal Unified School District

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=
To quit LM_NET (or set NOMAIL or DIGEST), Send an email message to
    listserv@listserv.syr.edu    In the message write EITHER:
 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL or 3) SET LM_NET DIGEST
  * NOTE: Please allow time for confirmation from Listserv.
For LM_NET Help & Archives see:  http://ericir.syr.edu/lm_net/
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=