Since I felt I may have been overly judgmental/harsh towards the branches of the Indianapolis Public Library in a recent class discussion, I decided to visit the branch nearest my house (The Garfield Park Branch).
I haven't been to this branch since I was a child, which is part of why I felt I should go check out the library and see if/how they've changed. The pros: they now have a computer room, the librarian was friendly, and they had a lot of current books that I liked. The cons: the building is still inky dinky and as such their collection is relatively small.
So, here's how it went down:
I walk into the building feeling quite conspicuous. I had just left an interview (to be a librarian, YAY!) and as such was dressed up quite a bit more than the rest of the patrons (I had my fancy shmancy Guess jacket on that I only wear for special occasions). Anyways, I casually walk around getting a layout of the shelving system and see that their fiction books all run along the outside wall to the right when you walk in. After about a minute I walked up to the desk and (in my most timid voice) stated that I haven't been here since I was a child and how should I go about signing up for a library card. She asked for my name and looked to see if I was still in the system (I wasn't, it has been a very long time). The staff member then stated I just needed a picture id with my current address. I was slightly interested in the fact that she seemed taken aback when I pulled out my drivers license and said, "Okay...?" So she asks to see my id and hands me a surprisingly simple form to fill out while she plugs in my info. I hand her the form, she finalizes stuff, and gives me my card (and it has a keyring card too! So awesome!)
As she was handing me the final information on checking out policies and such, I casually said that I was getting really tired of reading series books and could she possibly help me find something to read. I said that I had read the Anita Blake books and Sookie Stackhouse books but didn't want a series. The woman stated that she was unfamiliar with those books and immediately started looking around and said, "Uh, let me see where the librarian is." Finally she sees someone whom I'm assuming is either A) the librarian they had on staff or B) someone in a higher position, and tells her I need help locating a book.
The woman agreed instantly with no trace of reservation or annoyance. I definitely felt welcomed by this woman. She asked me what books I liked to read and I said that I had read the Anita Blake and Sookie Stackhouse books but I was tired of huge series and wanted something that didn't require such a long commitment on my part. She neither belittled my reading preferences or attempted to get me to read something else. In fact, she said that she was familiar with those books, and immediately started walking me towards the fiction section. She walked me towards Heather Graham and asked if I'd ever read her. I hadn't and she explained that she had some paranormal elements but wasn't a huge series. I told her I kind of wanted something more light-hearted and funny. She then recommended a series I have read by Lyndsay Sands in which each book can stand on its own
I think she thought we were done so she started to walk away right as I started to ask another question. I feel like if she'd just asked me if there was anything else I needed we might have avoided that situation. She didn't seem annoyed to be coming back to answer my questions, but I definitely felt bad pulling her back a couple of times. I told her I also like young adult fiction and asked if they had a Teen area. She walked me over to the area and I asked if they had any Libba Bray books and if there were any newer authors she would recommend. She pointed me to a couple of books that looked interesting and found one of the Libba Bray books I've been wanting to read (Beauty Queens).
Overall, I felt like the transaction went okay. Maybe not great, but okay. She didn't use any RA sources, but with a collection that small I think she was familiar enough to walk me around herself. They did have one Read-A-Like bookmark in the teen section for Steampunk novels, but that was all I saw and she didn't show it to me or ask me if I was interested in Steampunk (which I am, thank you very much. I'm wanting to read The Friday Society and The Girl in the Steel Corset), but unfortunately they were both checked out.But hey, I now have: a library card, access to NoveList, and walked out of the library with six books in tow.
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