Bizarre Questions & What Library School Never Taught You

You know, when you are in library school, there is the inevitable class where you practice your reference interview. You pair up with someone- they are the "librarian" and you are the "patron." The librarian interviews you to find out what you are looking for. You know what really gets my goat? The fact that NOT ONE PERSON who is the interviewee will ask a bizarre question!! You won't get people asking you where to locate the "real" photo of Jesus or where in the law it says they can't have twelve emus in their backyard. Oh no. Most library classes are filled with people who are (relatively) sane and will act like a sane person when the librarian conducts the reference interview.

I am utterly serious in the following statement. If you want to truly help your classmates and give them a "real world" reference interview, do one or more of the following:

1. Sob hysterically


2. Rage against "they system" - legal or otherwise


3. Conduct a cell phone conversation while answering your question


4. Have three small children under the age of 5 hanging off you clamoring for attention


5. Try to get the librarian to come with you into the stacks so you can ask them questions about top secret documents away from the prying eyes of others (who are spies of course- duh!)
   
6. See how close you can stand to the librarian and when they back away, advance on them. Pretend you don't understand personal space.


7. Speak in a heavily accented voice (doesn't matter what kind of accent) and become enraged when the librarian has a hard time understanding you or asks you to repeat yourself.

I am sure I will think of others. In the mean time, use some of these tactics so you can help your fellow students get a taste of "the real world." They may hate you for it now, but later on in their career, they will thank you for it. Maybe.

Hi all. I know you have missed me (ha!). In any case, I changed jobs so I have a bit more intellectual freedom now and I am going to actively start writing/posting more often. In order to do this, I need your weird stories too. I plan on posting mine so people will be inspired to submit their own. If you want to remain anonymous, that's fine too. Just let me know. Looking forward to kicking this back up into high gear...