Op-Ed: That's Just the Nature of "Libraries"

A short rant tonight, and it's of no permanent importance.  I'm grousing to myself over a small slight that I've been dealt, and how it relates to an overall situation I face.  But I've promised before, due to circumstances that bugged me more than they really should have, not to discuss the particulars of this precise element of my life.  So I'll have to come up with something creative to call it instead of what it really is.  Let's just say I'm ticked at...  my "local library."  No offense intended to the Weber County Library, but calling something that is really bugging me "my local library" is less trouble than naming it as it really is.

The problem?  I can't openly complain to my "local librarian" about problems that arise when I'm "perusing" the shelves of my "local library," because said local librarian just tells me that my concerns with the... shall we say the way the books are being shelved, or the way they are delivered to the shelves or even perhaps the way the hold system works or any of a thousand other little things is not my business.  Of course, as stated, these are not my real concerns.  But the idea is the same.  Procedure and such, I suppose you'd say.

And then that "local librarian"-type goes to subtle but annoying efforts to chide me for worrying about things that should qualify me to be an "assistant librarian," and as such would allow me to just fix the problems all myself.  As though to say: You think you could do any better?"  In answer to that, no, but I don't see that as a reason not to speak up.  I didn't say I could be a better "librarian" than you, dude, but I am saying you aren't perfect at the job either.  And then, best of all, I get the lame excuse that the concerns I have are just "the nature of 'libraries'."

Now let me first say, "libraries" are human constructs.  Saying that they have a specific integral nature is pure crap.  Yes, they may have walls and desks and a door for people to come and go by and an emergency fire exit or two, but the way they are run does not have to conform to some preconceived notion of "library-ness."  Maybe to a certain extent, yes, but if somebody has concerns about how the "books" are being delivered to the patrons, or how the employees of the library do their jobs, then you'd think somebody in authority would give a damn.  Just enough to maybe listen and not deride the person making the observations to the point that this individual (me, if you are trying to keep up with my analogy) gets to the point that they don't feel like putting forth any suggestions due to the constant bureaucratic junk that gets thrown up when that person (i.e.: me) makes any sort of observations about how people might not really enjoy getting their "library books" based on... well, let's say the order of the dates of when their publisher's oldest first cousin on their mother's side first ate at Taco Bell.  Or something else that qualifies as completely asinine, like my previously mentioned fictitious example. 

My point is, when you have somebody telling you that a "library" - or "libraries" in general for that matter - has an intrinsic nature in all its myriad ways and thereby implies that your suggestions on how the "books" might be better delivered to the "patrons" and then sorted back when they are returned to the "library" are pointless because the "library" will never change, that tells me that either A) the "librarian" is too dumb to figure out how to improve things and afraid to really get on board with a subordinate's opinion (because they didn't think of it themselves and therefore it can't be a good enough suggestion to gain approval with the "librarian's" superiors), or B) the "librarian" is too lazy to challenge the status-quo and won't back anybody up who would challenge it.  So that's either incompetence or impotence.

Or some combination of the two.

Great.

I'm starting to really hate my "local library."

I can't wait to get out of the area and find a new "local library" to "check my books out of."


The parting comment:

Source: OnlyFunnyJokes.com

While I'm griping about "libraries," I gotta remember that it could always be worse.  I could have to use the toilet in China.