Librarian Mind?

[Yllaria]

Do you have your library card number memorized? The 2/25/08 panel of this webcomic (http://www.unshelved.com/) implies that this would mean you have a "Librarian Mind"?

I have my library card number memorized. Do you?

[CapnPitt]

I'm an academic librarian, but I never remember my number. In fact, I never remember my card. So I always have to use the super-secret back door into the catalog to check books out to myself. Don't tell anybody! :)

However, I always have my public library card in my wallet...y'know, just in case. No idea what the number even starts with though.

[dangermom]

I'm a librarian, and I have my card number memorized. I don't actually carry my card (we have a silly system where employees file their cards onsite, and then no one ever looks at them again because it's too inconvenient to go look through the file)--so I type in the number from memory when I want to put a hold on a book at home or whatever. My fingers know it cold.

I read that comic daily, and my husband pointed and laughed at me for the "librarian mind" one.

[GilaB]

I know my 14-digit number, but I have to enter it in whenever I want to log onto the library's website, which I use all the time to find out when things are due, renew stuff, request books, find out how much I've racked up in fees, etc. It's got a bunch of repeats in it, making it pretty easy to remember, and I'm not even a good memorizer. I suppose I've got Library Mind - who knew?

[Siam Sam]

Our library, the Neilson Hays Library (http://www.neilsonhayslibrary.com/index.shtml), does not have numbers on the cards. Just our names.

It has old-fashioned card catalogues, too, which I like. :)

[Giles]

It has old-fashioned card catalogues, too, which I like. :)
I used to be head cataloguer in an academic library with a card catalogue. I don't miss filing cards, or removing cards to make corrections or to weed the collection.

And I don't know my library card number, though I do know by heart an unreasonable number of MARC tags. (http://www.loc.gov/marc/bibliographic/ecbdhome.html)

[Lamar Mundane]

The funny and most accurate part of the strip was the bit about "Librarian shoes."

At ALA last summer, my colleages and I were at a hotel that was one of the ALA recommended ones, and also housed attendees to a Baptist convention. The "Baptist or libraian?" drinking game was much fun after a long day.

[Dunderman]

I have mine memorized, but they're only ten digits 'round these parts. Took me ages before I had it down, which is surprising as I usually learn numbers really easily.

[Hey, It's That Guy!]

I'm a librarian too*, and I have my public library card number memorized. I work two very non-traditional library jobs right now, though.


*I will be a full-fledged, official librarian on May 3rd, when I officially graduate with my MLS.

[KneadToKnow]

All 14 digits of it, yes.

And I still remember the significant 5 digits of my library card from 15 years ago. (It made a conveniently easy-to-remember shape on the 10-key.)

Knead
Librarian

[Yllaria]

Forgot to say how many digits. Mine is 12. And I'm afraid that the librarian shoes thing probably applies. I'm guessing they mean comfortable, clunky, and maybe showing wear.

I'm not a librarian, but I've thought about it.

[CapnPitt]

I'm a librarian too*, and I have my public library card number memorized. I work two very non-traditional library jobs right now, though.


*I will be a full-fledged, official librarian on May 3rd, when I officially graduate with my MLS.

Congrats in advance!

[peedin]

Another liberrian who doesn't have her card number memorized. Why would I?

[Emily Litella]

I had my number memorized when I was a kid back in the 1960s, but my number was only 4 digits, probably because I come from a small town. The librarian always asked people if they knew their number before asking for thier cards, and most of the time they did. Sometime in the 1990s my number was replaced with a barcode on a plastic card that's the same size as a credit card. I didn't know it had a number too until I looked at it just now. I suppose if I memorize it they'll replace the barcode with a magnetic strip.

[Motorgirl]

However, I always have my public library card in my wallet...y'know, just in case. No idea what the number even starts with though.

If it's the Erie Public Library system, it probably begins with 2 1211

[as_u_wish]

I have my number memorized because I use it to log on to the on-line catalog. My account number = my library card number.

[CapnPitt]

If it's the Erie Public Library system, it probably begins with 2 1211

I'll be darned...that's exactly how it starts!

[Inner Stickler]

I have mine memorized. It's only 13 digits and the first 7 are the same on every card so really I only need to know 6 numbers. It's used as a login for the library website. Even if my mind blanks my fingers know what to type!

[Justin_Bailey]

I'm a librarian and I've never had my number memorized. Why should I when I just type my name in? And I know I have that memorized. I think...

[Count Blucher]

A girl I had a crush on in college became a librarian.

(Og, I wanted into her dewey decimal system (http://www.oclc.org/dewey/)....)

[Justin_Bailey]

A girl I had a crush on in college became a librarian.

(Og, I wanted into her dewey decimal system (http://www.oclc.org/dewey/)....)

Do you really think it's a coincidence that the Dewey number for sex is 613.95?

[MovieMogul]

I don't have a library card (though I'm not sure whether I should feel guilty about that or not). :confused:

[thirdname]

I haven't used it in a while, but I do remember it. That comes from having to log in to check by account status online.

I also know my car's VIN. A girl at the parts counter thought it was unusual when she asked for it out of the blue and I just rattled it off. When I bought it I had to fill out so many forms, run Carfax reports and all.

[Lsura]

I knew my work (academic library) and my local public library one before I moved this summer.

Here, I don't know them at all. I'm at the point where I *almost* know the public library one, but just enough to screw it up each time I punch it in.

[Zsofia]

I'm a librarian, and I do not remember my card number. That's because, like many librarians, I don't remember a time when I didn't have too much in fines to check anything out.

[cwthree]

I have mine memorized, but it's all of 6 digits long with only 3 unique digits. I use the card a lot, too. I'd worry if I couldn't remember it.

[Motorgirl]

I'll be darned...that's exactly how it starts!

Back when I worked for a systems vendor Erie was one of my customers. I remember the stupidest stuff about my time in that job. The barcode prefixes of several of my customers are some of the more useless bits.

Of course, if I just used it to amuse a doper, is it really useless information?