You get tons as a librarian. I used to always encourage students to never be afraid to ask for assistance because “there’s no such thing as a stupid question” but I’ve modified that in recent years to “there’s no such thing as a stupid question when it comes to catalogs or electronic information sources” (though even that’s not true, just more often true).
From just the past few days:
“I need stuff on disorders.”
Me: What type of disorders?
“Any kind.”
Me: Are you referring to physical disorders… respiratory disorder, immune system disorder, or psychological disorders like bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder…
“Any kind. Professor didn’t really say.”
Me: What class is it for?
“Psychology.”
One of my favorites from last year: “My history professor wants me to do a paper in which I compare and contrast the role of the radio and newsreels in World War II to the role of TV in covering Vietnam to the Internet and cable TV in covering the Iraq war.”
I help him find articles and books on all of the above but he’s still staring blankfaced.
“This one mentions like Vietnam and TV and stuff… and this one mentions Internet and Iraq… and this one does like news reels and WW2… but where’s the articles that compares and contrasts them all?”
Well, there don’t seem to be any, I tell him. There are a couple that refer to media and wars in general, but none that are specifically geared to compare and contrast exactly what he’s looking for, so that’s your job for the paper is to take the info from these books and articles and make comparisons and contrasts.
“Do you have any books on how to compare and contrast stuff from articles?”
Well, we have some guides for writing term papers…
“Do they mention Vietnam and TV and WW2 and news reels and Internet and Iraq and all?”
No, they tell you how to find the information and give you tips for formulating it…
“I got the information, you just gave it to me. Where can I find something that puts it altogether for me? Is there a website that could do that if I type it in?”
Did I mention he was a football player? (Yes, yes, yes, I know- lots of college athletes are very good students- this one, however, is somewhere on the scale with Forrest Gump and Randy from My Name is Earl [if Randy was a college athlete]).
Question from a new library employee:
“When we get a new book in, how do I decide where it goes on the shelves?”
It’s going to have the call number already on it before you have to put it on the shelf. Cataloging does that so you don’t have to worry about it.
“This place isn’t like the public library with all the numbers and stuff.”
No. Public libraries use Dewey Decimal, academic libraries generally use The Library of Congress’s call number system. It’s a lot more popular with academic libraries.
“Who started that system?”
The Library of Congress (with as non-sarcastic an inflection as I can muster).
“Why?”
Well… very long and not interesting story- but it allows you to be way more precise than Dewey and others. The Library of Congress is the largest library on Earth so they needed a way to be as specific as possible.
“Why don’t they just shelve all books like… alphabetically?”
Well, if you went by author you’d have books by Jim Smith who’s an expert on coal mining next to books by Jim Smith who’s an expert on cat diseases and the other books on coal mining and cat diseases are going to be all over the library. If you alphabetized by subject you’d have books on… well, algebra next to books on alcohol and alkali batteries… it’s better to have them by subject matter so algebra’s with math and alkali is with chemistry and all.
“Who decides the subject matter?”
Generally it’s pretty obvious, and you can always ask the author.
“So authors have to know how the Library of Congress is going to shelve it before they even write the book?”
Yeah, I’m guessing.
