A Trip To Customs or The Library?

You know, everyone is always saying to me, "You should just rent your movies from the library", "you shouldn't buy books, just rent them from the library", "you know Janet, the library is right across the street from your house, why don't you use it". My responses to this have always been as vague as possible since I enjoy purchasing DVD's and CD's (it's kind of a collecting thing for me) and when I actually have a book I want to read, it's usually one I wouldn't mind keeping. And, the truth is, I haven't stepped foot inside I library since I was MAYBE 13 and I rarely read for fun (gasp - yes it is true). You can all feel free to be amazed and ashamed simultaneously and if you are all doing the math (for those of you that know how old I am at least) that means that I haven't been inside the doors of a library in 14 years! I'll admit I have been a little curious at this place so many of my friends tell me about. I couldn't figure out why I had never found at least a small reason to go. Last night, I found that reason and it wasn't pretty.

You see I have this Music 1010 class (which is so hard and has so much busy work I want to cry and have before) and I had a report due on a composer of my choice so after much consideration and study... I went with a composer that one of my bosses recommended :) He seemed cool okay? Anyway, my boss told me about a book that had a very interesting chaper all about this man so I thought "what the heck, I'll go get myself a library card and check out the book" - famous last words my friends, famous last words.

I entered the parking lot to the Hunter Library (which is always packed - as a non-reader and knowing I live in West Valley, I assume it's because a lot of drug deals go down there... there's always cop cars there and that supports my theory okay?) I parked my car; trying not to hit any others, something that has become a problem for me as of late. And I stepped out and into some chunky liquid that I couldn't identify (probably vomit from the drug users) so right off the bat my trip was not going well. As I went through the doors I saw that the only way in was through one of two metal detector type things. I've had bad experience with those type of things before so I was definately nervous but I moved onward and luckily made it through without incident. I see an unapproachable women at the front counter so I walk up to her and she says [in a voice I imagine a prison guard might have] "can I help you?" she seemed so annoyed by my very presence that my fight or flight instincts almost kicked in and I almost turned to run but instead I bravely said "yes, I need to get a library card", she rolled her eyes and said "go back to the computers and fill out an application". So, I followed orders and found the computers, mostly kids were using them, they had 3 highset ones and only three feet from the floor, of course this was the only open computer because it's me. I knelt down and filled out the application struggling to type on the keys - I mean, I'm 5'1" but not 3'2". I get the application done and then it gives me a temporary bar code to "take to the counter". Naturally I go back to the women that was so helpful before and I realize there is a young man in front of me. He is checking in some videos; now I'm not trying to be judgmental but this was not the kind of kid I would want to meet in a dark alley and from the looks of the videos he was checking in I felt justified in my judgment. I waited for him to finish and then spoke to the women again, I said "I finished my application" and she let out the largest sigh I've ever heard and said "then YOU need to go to the card counter". My first thought was "why didn't you tell me this before when you knew what I was here for?" but then my next thought was "that would have entailed you being helpful so of course you wouldn't want to do that". When she could see that I didn't know which one of the SIX counters she was talking about she sharply pointed to a desk behind her.

I walked over to the desk where there was a women on the phone. Ten minutes later after waiting for this women to do everything for the customer on the phone but order her pizza I learned that she didn't even work at that desk and was just using it as a place to sit while she talked on the phone. You see a man had been standing beside her the entire time and had asked what I needed and said I'd have to wait, however, while I was waiting to get my library card (as I had told him I needed) he took the women in line behind me and used the other computer to get her a new card.... Yeah, you try and figure it out. Finally the women (who never even acknowledged me or offered an apology) gets off the phone and the man sits at the computer. He takes my information and within less then a minute I finally have a library card.

I had now been there for 25 minutes for a process that took less then 5 but I wasn't about to leave without the book so I asked him where I would find it (because last time I was at a library you had to go to the card files and use the dewey decimal system) He directed me to the computers and the information desk. I went to the computers and found that they didn't have the book in their system. They listed the auther and the 20 plus books she had published but they of course didn't carry them or even list the one I needed. It wasn't like I was looking for some obscure book written by a witch doctor in africa with only 3 copies in print! So I decided that I would check with information before calling this mission a total failure. So I walk up to the information desk where a women stares at me - I kinda of thought for some CRAZY reason that she would say something to me. Something like... I don't know.... off the top of my head "can I help you?" but she just stared so I finally said "can you help me?" and she said "yeah" so I told her the book I was looking for and that I hadn't seen it in the computer but I wanted to make sure they didn't have it. She looked it up and said "well it looks like we have one copy but only at the Sandy library and only on cassette, do you want me to have it transfered?" I just looked at her wondering if my head might explode but instead I said politely "you have 10 plus branches in the SL County area and not one carries this book?" and she said "no, it is a very popular author though" at this point, I wasn't about to risk getting arrested and facing jail time or community service since I learned that MANY of the people working at the library are doing just that - working off their community service.

I left after almost 40 minutes of wasted time; realizing that this entire trip was a bad idea and I should have listened to my instincts. You see while expensive and probably not worth the money I could have just went to Barnes & Noble and bought the book and been in and out in less then 5 minutes with the book in my hand and NOT fearing for my life or that I might get hepatitis from touching anything, working with people who don't wish they were dead or that they could kill me with their death stares!!! I realize this makes me look like a snob but can you really blame me? Honestly, this was the craziest most frustrating experience of my life and I have been through customs in Florida!

Needless to say, I have no distrespect for those that choose to use the public library however, I will probably not be going back any time soon.