Actually, I do have some work to get done...

I will never understand why people think that librarians have nothing to do. If they only knew how very very busy we actually were. Perhaps then, they wouldn't waste our time flippantly as if we had nothing better to do than constantly call back and forth and never manage to arrange anything or actually accomplish something. As it is, I'm only doing this person a favor because they work in another department - but it's really starting to get to me.

First, he told me he could only come for a tour on a Saturday. At the end of the month. I then had to explain I only work the first and third, not the fourth Saturday. I offered one of the other Saturdays... but he said he had to talk to his students. Two weeks go by. I realize my Saturday is coming up - so I give him a call to find out the status of the visit. If he isn't going to come on my Saturday, I need to forward the request to the librarian working the appropriate Saturday. He talks to me a bit, then says he'll come by in 45 mins. I'm not sure what is wrong with talking over the phone, but ok.

So he apparently came, and no one was at the reference desk. (Yes, we do actually work, perhaps we were out helping a patron somewhere... ) and when no one returned, went downstairs to the excellent first line of defense from crazies. Who wouldn't help him. This was because after I told him my name, three times in the phone call, he couldn't remember it when he got here. 45 mins later.

So life goes on, and later that day my boss comes up to me tell me about the earful she got from this person and how peeved and angry he was that no one was around to help him. (Like it's our fault he can't remember my name, or it never occurred to him to say to the first line of defense from crazies, "I've already spoken to someone about a tour" and letting the staff put two and two together. They aren't idiots, in fact, they are pretty darn amazing when you consider what they have to deal with...) Regardless, my boss managed to get out of him that he also has this class in the mornings on M, T, Th. from 8 - 9:30.

Now... we don't open till 10. I don't get to work till 9. And if you haven't already heard me say it - I'm NOT a morning person. I don't reach the state of awake until 10am. Add in my night shift and a class I take in the mornings from 9-10 (a work thing)... that left one day. As I'm talking to him, (on the phone while he is at work, on call)... being interrupted by him doing his job and getting frustrated with the conversation - I explain I do not normally come to work till 9am.... yes, I could come earlier... (GRRRRR).... how about 8:45.... and of course, he is not listening to a bloody word I have to say... "It's not like I'm asking you to come in at 8, but 8:30 would be best..."

Politely steamrolling me because of his position.... does not endear me. In fact, it makes me want to stab him through the phone. Repeatedly. And before we settle something, he has to go. Again. (Let it be noted the other times he had to go he was not at work and not on call). The sheer amount of back and forth time I've spent with this patron, his inability to have told me all his actual possible class times, then asking for a visit without a weeks notice, before I am scheduled to work and well before we open.... really really REALLLY makes me angry.

I hate patrons who believe they are the only people in the world, and that as librarians and public servants we ought to just bow down to serve their every whim and desire. Normally I wouldn't take this. But my boss pigeon-holed me into it by saying we could do a visit before 9 am. And this why I am a hard-ass about the rules. It just gets too messy when you make exceptions.