I have a feeling that the desk clerks at my library think I'm a little bit strange.
Now, I don't know about you, but when I was small and visited the library, patrons were allowed to check out a limited number of books and were only allowed to keep those books for 2 weeks. The library system here allows a patron to check out a seemingly limitless number (I currently have 15 at my house) and to keep those books for 4 weeks. Four weeks! That seems like a very long time to me, and I typically check out a large number of books to keep myself busy during those 4 weeks.
So here's why I feel they think me strange. A couple of weeks ago, I requested several books to be transferred to my branch of the library from other branches across the county. My husband and I were taking a long trip, and I hoped that my requests would arrive before we left. However, when my requests were delayed, I just wandered the library picking random books from the shelves. I checked out 6 books and headed off on my trip. (Which was very nice, thank you for asking...)
When we returned after our long weekend away, my requests had arrived at the library, and I gathered the 3 books that I had read during our trip (leaving at home the 3 books I had not yet read) and went to pick up my requested books. I dropped the already-read books into the book return slot and got in line to tell the desk clerk why I was there. Here's how the conversation went...
Me: Hello. I requested some books and was told they were here. My name is Rebecca ----.
Clerk: Ok, those are right down here...You requested quite a few!
Me: Yes. (I slide my library card across the counter.)
Clerk: Oh. You still have some books at home? (Gives me an odd look.)
Me: Yes, I just returned three, so I still have three at home.
Clerk: Oh. Well, those are due Sept 1. Do you need to renew those today?
Me: No, thank you. (It was only Aug. 8.)
Clerk: (with a confused look) Oh. Ok, well, um, I'll just check these out for you then.
Me: Thanks.
Now, this might not be so strange except that that she stared at me like I was a bug the whole time I was there, and this is not the first time I've been treated in this way. I don't know if it's the number of books that I check out at a time that is considered so peculiar or the assortment. (I do understand that I could get fewer books and go to the library more often, but it's really more convenient this way.) I know that if I were a library desk clerk, I'd read the titles of the books that people brought to me to check out and possibly think to myself, "Ok, he likes science fiction" or "She must really like mysteries." Perhaps most people stick to just one or two types of fiction, and I'm an odd duck for reading lots of kinds of fiction. I really have no idea. I guess I'll just continue to mystify them! But until then...I've got some library books to read!
