Last August I got a job shelving books in a public
library. While I practically grew up in
libraries, and have spent many hours in this particular branch, there were some
things I’d just never noticed before.
Never spent much time around trashy romance novels until now, and boy am I surprised. Some of those women on the covers are something else. And I’m talking about the back covers, the author pictures. I’m sorry, but that Jude Devereaux is hot!
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| And also 65 |
The Dewey Decimal System has been retired, along with the Huey Humorous System and the ever popular Louie Longitudinal System. Now everything has categories, sub-categories and sometimes sub-sub-categories. My personal favorite is “Cooking – Kids.” Who knew they’d have an entire shelf devoted to veal?
Sometimes juvenile books are organized by author,
and sometimes by series. How they are cataloged and to be shelved is printed on
the spine. My most bitter disappointment
so far was discovering that Batman is not, in fact, writing children’s
books. Then I realized Roald Dahl’s
books would look cheery and optimistic in comparison.
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| "What is this trash? I could write better than this. I'll call it, 50 Shades of I'm Batman." |
All the old series are still alive through reboots
and prequels. Ever wonder about Amelia
Bedelia’s childhood? Me neither. But we can find out! Nancy Drew is a vampire slayer. The Hardy Boys track zombies. I haven’t found them yet, but I’m sure the
books about adult Madeline preventing the Fourth Reich, and the Boxcar
Children’s adventures hunting rogue demons are out there somewhere.
Twice now I’ve had people come up while I’m
shelving books and ask, “Do you work here?”
I always want to say something like, “No, I just bring my own shelving
cart,” or, “No, I’m just trying to blend in so I can spy on the
librarians.” Or, people who recognize me
from one of my other jobs will come up and say, “Do you have a twin who works at
Cornerstone?” As if the world could be so
blessed as to have two of me running around town. However, I think from now I’m just going say,
“Yes, actually. His name is Travis.”
