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Re: strange reference stories



ok - I will jump in - my staff insists I tell the story ...

 Several years ago my library acquired a large book collection on human
sexuality. The vast majority of the collection was dull technical stuff
but a few titles were, well, more on the "visual" side. It was decided to
put these in my Special Collections closed stack area rather than the open
stacks, where the rest of the collection went. The reasoning was that
students would tear out pages to decorate their dorm walls, etc.

 The material was all cataloged, and as time went by we noticed that
NOBODY ever asked for anything from this collection. We figured users were
probably too shy to ask for anything from the collection. One afternoon I
was working alone when a young man came in and handed me a slip with a
call number to be be pulled from Spec. Coll. I should point out that this
young man looked like the very stereotype of the "science nerd" with the
thick glasses, pocket protector, etc., etc. I went and retrieved the
volume and noticed it was a book on vibrators from the Human Sexuality
Collection. At least someone was using this material - great!

 I brought the book back to the table where the young man was sitting. He
took the book, glanced at the cover page, and got a very shocked look on
his face, as if I had just handed him a ticking bomb. He threw the book
down and jumped out of his seat. "I was looking for books on vibration -
not vibrators!" He ran out out our department as fast as he could.


 Steve in Denver


On Thu, 11 Jul 2002, Roberta Ransley wrote:

> I have had the best time reading those strange reference stories-
> thanks for the great laughs. The "King of Bees" one is just great.
> Maybe someone should compile all this and definitely write a book.
> My contribution to the strange happenings is when I was a librarian
> at a museum with several historic properties on site. The oldest
> house is 1664. The settlement dates to about 1629-30. I had a
> woman call me insisting that HER ancestor's house was still on
> the grounds from 1602 and that she recalled seeing it. She also
> told me that she knew this because she had been there in a past
> life. Maybe the Twilight Zone?? Roberta; Osher Map Library
>
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A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List!

To subscribe or unsubscribe, send e-mail to listserv@listserv.muohio.edu
      In body of message:  SUB ARCHIVES firstname lastname
                    *or*:  UNSUB ARCHIVES
To post a message, send e-mail to archives@listserv.muohio.edu

Or to do *anything* (and enjoy doing it!), use the web interface at
     http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/archives.html

Problems?  Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <rschmidt@lib.muohio.edu>