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 WEIRD LIBRARY REFERENCE QUESTIONS

 All of these situations are real and some of them were mighty embarrassing.
 Enjoy!

 Part 1: Actual reference queries reported by American and Canadian library
 reference desk workers of various levels.

 "Do you have books here?"

 "Do you have a list of all the books written in the English language?"

 "Do you have a list of all the books I've ever read?"

 "I'm looking for Robert James Waller's book, 'Waltzing through Grand
 Rapids'." (Actual title wanted: "Slow Waltz in Cedar
 Bend.")

 "Do you have that book by Rushdie: 'Satanic Nurses'?" (Actual title:
 "Satanic Verses")

 "Where is the reference desk?" This was asked of a person sitting at a desk
 who had, hanging above her head, a sign saying "REFERENCE DESK"!

 "I was here about three weeks ago looking at a cookbook that cost $39.95.
 Do you know which one it is?"

 "Which outlets in the library are appropriate for my hairdryer?"

 "Can you tell me why so many famous Civil War battles were fought on
 National Park sites?"

 "Do you have any books with photographs of dinosaurs?"

 "I need a color photograph of George Washington [Christopher Columbus, King
 Arthur, Moses, Socrates, etc.]"

 "I need a photocopy of Booker T. Washington's birth certificate."

 "I need to find out Ibid's first name for my bibliography."

 "Why don't you have any books by Ibid? He's written a lot of important
stuff."

 "I'm looking for information on carpal tunnel syndrome. I think I'm having
 trouble with it in my neck."

 "Is the basement upstairs?" (Asked at First Floor Reference Desk)

 "I am looking for a list of laws that I can break that would send me back
 to jail for a couple of months."

 [forwarded by Lisa Farris]

 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 Mikey's Thot for the Day:
 I'm trying to imagine you with a personality.

 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 MIKEY'S FUNNIES, brought to you
 by Mike Atkinson @ YOUTH SPECIALTIES
 A Funny just 4 u, nearly every weekday.
 ~ To subscribe or unsubscribe, go to the
 YS E-mail List Subscription Center:
 http://www.YouthSpecialties.com/special/lists.html
 ~ Questions? Problems? YS@YouthSpecialties.com
 ~ Youth Ministry on the Net: http://www.YouthSpecialties.com
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  >>

Paula Carrano, Librarian
Brooklyn Public Library (Homecrest Branch), Brooklyn, NY
Home =  Bklynldy@AOL.com   Work = fullmoon26@hotmail.com
http://www.brooklynpubliclibrary.org

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