more of the little things

[orangerful]

So today was a pretty typical day at work. Helped some people, moved some books, fought with thermostat.

Then, around 8:20, a little boy comes up to the desk to ask me for help. He has me search for a couple different books and while we're talking, his buddy comes up behind him and says "look what I got!" and holds up the Star Wars Ultimate Visual Guide. I said "That book is awesome. I own it, it's fantastic." He's like "yeah, it tells you all sorts of stuff, even when Yoda was born!" and I replied that I liked it because it gave you a little info on the comic book and novels and where they fall in the timeline. Then he held up a 'Band of Brothers' DVD and said "how about this?" and I told him that too was awesome, and that actually, oddly enough, I owned it too! So he talks about how he's seen it on the history channel a bunch of times, but never the first episode. He shows me the dvd he currently is holding and it's disc 4 in the series. So I offer to order disc 1 for him.

Anyway, later on, while we're wandering around, I see him reading the Star Wars guide, so I stop over and say hello, mention that we might get the 501st guys to visit our branch and see if he looks interested in something like that. His eyes get all wide and he's totally sold, and then he tells me about the program he saw over the weekend at Severna Park library. We chat for a minute but then i have to help shut down the branch so I wander away. I end up at the desk picking up, and he comes up to me.

"I have to go now." he says "but when are you working here again?"

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaw! He thought I was cool! I told him that I'm here all the time so just to check. Like a total dufus though I didn't actually introduce myself! But hopefully I'll see him again and remember. It really brightened up my night, I was giddy. Heck, I guess I still am giddy.

Ah, I love it when I fool them into thinking I'm cool!

Comments

[nycshelly.livejournal.com]

Aw, that's such a neat story. It's what the work really is all about. :)

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

It really is. It's funny, I don't usually think of myself as very good with kids, but if they have a fandom in common with me, I usually end up chatting with them. And I guess I'm pretty approachable because even the ones I don't have anything in common with still chat with me! haha.

I really love how the little Pre-K and Kindergarden kids will come up to me and say hello because they remember that I gave a tour of the library for their class a few months ago!

I'm always shocked when I actually make an impression on someone!

[nycshelly.livejournal.com]

I was a YA specialist for 8 years. The key was to never talk down to them. And if you can find common ground, kids see you as someone interesting.

A week ago, we had a little boy howling on the first floor and I could hear him in my office on the second floor. No one, especially not his exasperated mother, could get him to stop crying. I'm not good with kids, but inspiration hit. I told him everyone could hear him cry and he was making them cry too and he didn't want that, did he? He was so stunned by what I said, that he stopped crying. Everyone was amazed, even me.

Kids. They can be great once you find a way to communicate with them. heh

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

oh yes, it's so true. I've probably said this before but I've decided to break down my communication style by age group - adults I sit up straight and act my most professional (though I tend to be a silly person, so I usually editorialize comments "That item should be in for you by tuesday...as long as everything goes smoothly"). Kids I tend to hop off of my chair and lean towards so that I'm looking at them and giving them my full attention. Teens, I usually give them a hard time when I can, sarcasm seems to work well. They really seem to be happier when you're not acting like a librarian haha.

My best example was when this one kid needed me to look up his card number for him and he spelled out his last name and it was insanely long (mousckowosdsowichodvidtz) so I did a double take and told him he must have had a rough time in kindergarden having to spell that one out. Him and his friend laughed and went to use the computers. Then he came back over with an actual question. Actually, he came back over several times, even when 2 other librarians were on the desk, he'd walk over to the side where I was to ask a question! That cracked me up. If I'd just been "normal" and given him his number, I doubt he would have been quite so comfortable approaching me.

But that's not really something that can be taught, can it? haha. I could see the MLS course now - Harassing Teens 201: Monster Sarcasm Rallies

[nycshelly.livejournal.com]

I think it can be learned by example, but no, not taught formally. By exchanging anecdotes, just like we're doing, perhaps. ;)