At the Children's Desk: A Day of Questions, Volume II

In the weeks before I left my job, my duties away from the reference desk began to dwindle, and I started really focusing my attention on answering questions. There were several days in September and early October where I was on the desk more often than I was not, and on those days, I took notes, keeping track of every question I was asked, and by whom. Today's post focuses on the questions I handled during the last shift of the day on Thursday, September 19. I mostly let the questions speak for themselves because they're more interesting - and funnier - that way, but I have included some notes in brackets where necessary.

3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

• Senior Citizen Woman: Do you have a post-it note? Do you have Scotch tape? Do you have a pen? Is this book [just sitting on the desk] available?
•  Staff Member: Can you find out how old the person on computer 2 is? 
• Teacher: You were a CYBILS judge, too? Where do you blog? Do you have a graphic novel collection? 
• Same Senior Citizen Woman:  I need to rewrite my note. I guess this is the paper? And this is the tape? Did you hear about that library in Fairfax that threw away all those books? 
• Middle Schooler: I came up with an adjective at school today that seemed really obvious at the time, but now I can't remember what it was. It starts with D, and it means horrible. (And I need it to do my homework.)  [Answer: Dreadful] 
• Same Senior Citizen Woman: What is this library, four or five years old now? 
• Same Middle Schooler: Do you know where Miss [name of coworker] is? Is she going to be on the desk? 
• Child: Can I borrow a pencil? 
• Adult: How do you get to use a computer?

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5:30 p.m. - LIBRARY CLOSES

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To see a full day of questions, check out Day of Questions Volume I.