h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

My friend Miztres sent me the following URL

http://home.hawaii.rr.com/kingcharles/Library/weirdqst.htm

It's a list of really strange reference questions.

One question I had once was "Do you have 'The Black Ship' by Colin Toban" actual title and author was "Blackwater lightship" by Colm Toibin. Kind of an easy mistake to make really, but I thought it was amusing.

I work on the enquiries desk of an academic library. Best question so far:

'Do you have any books on Shakespeare?'

'Yes, lots. [explanation of how to get to the room where they are kept].'

'No, I don't want those. I want the interesting ones.'

Bite your tongue, Agapanthus, bite your tongue.

I particularly like the queries about Mr Ibid...

David

I have a friend who works in a Theological library who was once asked, "Do you have any books on religion?"

People!

That list is a hoot. I sent it to some of my librarian friends.

I've been asked some pretty dumb questions. But the dumbest had to be the woman who asked me when the War of 1812 was - 2 years in a row - when her kids were doing reports for school.

Last week we got a call from a woman who wanted to know if we had a rule that you couldn't come into the library if your hair was wet.

!!
I hope you told her that her hair had to be dry! You don't want her catching a cold on library premises

This week we had someone ask us if we sell pain killers!

I don't think the library looks very much like a pharmacy...

Could be an interesting fundraising option?

Hmmm... interesting...

A few weeks back we had a man call and ask if we had a fully articulated skeleton he could check out. When we said no, he asked if we had any skeletons at all. Do medical libraries even check out skeletons?

Not even any in the closet? sorry it had to be said.