While I’ve always been a fan of the library card, I do have to disagree with her assertion that buying books online is out. I prefer shopping online, especially this time of year. It saves time and frustration (dealing with Christmas crowds puts me in a rather un-Christmas-like mood). And the more time I save by avoiding the malls, the more time I have to read!

Here at USF, your student ID works as your library card. If you qualify for a public library card (this would include students who live on campus) you should get one for there also. Even if you think you will never need it for books, remember that the public library has a lot of other stuff available, such as DVDs. And who knows? You may end up needing a book after all.

There are a wide variety of books in this collection. Just to give you an idea of what’s available for those who haven’t checked it out yet . . .

We have several Anne Tyler books.  Her novels center around interpersonal relationships and the growth of the characters.  She’s consistantly on the best seller list and her book Breathing Lessons won a Pulitzer, the best of both worlds.

There’s a copy of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams.  If you appreciate British humor, you have to read this. If you prefer your science fiction a little more serious, there are 3 books from the Dune series also.

For horror lovers we have Anne Rice’s Queen of the Damned. 

If you like romance with a Christian focus, try Janette Oke’s Measure of the Heart.  There are also several other romance novels, including romantic thrillers.

We also have titles by John Grisham, Mary Higgins Clark, Agatha Christie, Danielle Steele, Barbara Kingsolver, Nicholas Sparks, James Patterson, and Nora Roberts. 

If you prefer non-fiction, we have books for you too.  There is a biography of Cary Grant, a copy of Chicken Soup for the Soul, and a copy of The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren, just for starters.

 The Recreational Reading books are located on the second floor of the library just past the help desk.

This year’s focus for National Adoption Month is on adopting children out of foster care.  According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in 2005 there were 115,407 children waiting to be adopted out of foster care. The number of infants available for adoption has fallen over the last several years. Older children were once seen as unadoptable but now make up a large number of the children waiting for a permanent home.

Our hours are posted several places, including the library web site which also includes  holiday closing information.  Please check to make sure you know when the library closes before you sign on to take the test. The Cyber Cafe closes at the same time as the library.

 I have also been told that it is not a good idea to take one of these tests on a laptop as they are not as stable as desktop computers.  I know of at least one student who has been kicked off a laptop computer in the middle of a test.

In order to make a copy, you must put money on your OneCard. There is a machine right outside the second floor library entrance for adding money to your card.  It only takes paper money but you can load as little as $1. It doesn’t give change, so keep that in mind before you put that $20 in there.

The machine is pretty user friendly and the library staff are happy to help if needed. We can help with the copier too.

If you need to make copies but don’t have any cash, there is an ATM machine outside the library on the second floor.

Your other option is to scan what you need and print it off or email it to yourself to print at home. Scanners are available at some of the public computers on the first floor, near the periodicals.  If you need help scanning, there are scanners in the help desk where staff from UTS can help you.

I can’t imagine how someone gets along without some of these things - glasses, car keys, calculators, photos - all kinds of things get turned in to the library’s Lost and Found.

 The most common item seems to be flash drives.  It’s really easy to forget to remove that little drive from the computer.

 Personally I don’t think you’re ever too old for costumes and carving pumpkins but if you would like to celebrate Halloween in a little more grown up way, check out the Halloween book display on the second floor of the library.

If you don’t find something interesting there, try the Read It Forward display in the corner near the Help Desk. These books are free to take without checking out. Just bring them back when you’re done. The bottom shelf has scary and suspenseful books you may enjoy.

How has this stereotype played into your experiences as a librarian?  Do you find it offensive or amusing?

Personally, I choose to laugh over it rather than take offense. I love the idea of a librarian action figure (seen here http://www.mcphee.com/laf/) and find that most people know the stereotype is inaccurate. I’m more worried that too many people have no idea what we actually do it or what skills, education, and training are required.