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

I wonder what video she was watching when she felt compelled to disrobe?

Years ago our nonfiction collection was locked behind iron gates. If someone wanted in to browse they had to ask the librarian to unlock it for them. That was taken down back in the 40's I believe.

I've never been in a university library with closed stacks. I can see both the advantages and disadvantages of the system. It would cut down on left knickers, fuzzy dice and naked Barbies.

Certainly a library with an irreplaceable collection should have closed stacks.

I think that the problem of books walking out of Berkley got so severe they closed the stacks because of it. When I worked at the U of Alaska Library we went through a year of putting big metal book labels in EVERYTHING and a detection system at the front door. That did not address the problem of the books stashed in corners by grad students, misfiled on the wrong shelves, etc etc ad nauseum. The closed stacks do not insure that the books are always shelved correctly, but it makes a huge difference.

We can't afford the anti-theft sensors on our books. Since we're a small library, the cost of the strips would cost a lot more than replacing the odd book here and there.

The Magna Carta, Shakespeare first folios, first edition of The Beano

Er, that was a reply to this btw - "The British Library works in much the same way, but they have an awful lot of stuff that you wouldn't want random members of the public to be allowed within spitting distance of."

I hadn't really noticed that it was posted seven hours ago and the page had turned

The Beano? I guess I missed it when I was there, Gosho.

That's because they wouldn't allow you within spitting distance of it

oooOOOooo the BeanO eh! do they have a Dandy??

I am a well-behaved hootoozian, Gosho. No spitting is allowed. They could have trusted me with the Beano.

I am happy to report that the fuzzy dice were claimed today from our lost and found box. They belonged to a boy with Down's Syndrome who was very relieved to find them. Apparently they are a comfort blanket of sorts for him and he has been distressed since misplacing them.

Don't you just love happy endings?

,Thanks for updating the story... ... ... ... ... ............. ... .. .

Couldn't you give him the naked Barbie too?

I don't think our most proper librarian would let the innocent child within spi**ing distance of a naked Barbie.

YB

Nice to know the dice were claimed.
I'm amazed at some of the things we get in lost property that no-one comes back to ask for. And some things not so amazed.
We had a bra in lost property once. I still don't know who put it there.

An interesting note was found in the young adult area. A teenager had left behind her Christmas wish list. Among the things she wanted, A Grinspoon CD, Clothes, Money, and . . . no food please!

YB, that was intended as a joke. Our proper librarian is my sister. She knew what I meant. I was just teasing her. I hope you weren't offended that I suggested she give a Downs' Syndrome child a naked Barbie. I knew she wouldn't do something that insensitive. After all, I've known her all her life and most of mine.

Barbie has gone to that great naked doll emporium in the sky.

I imagine YB was teasing as well.

Speaking of Barbies, when I worked at the grocery store, a little boy came to the counter with a Barbie magazine. Silly me, I suggested that he might like some of the magazines that were geared to boys better. He and his mother informed me that he collected Barbies and Barbie clothing. I don't think I will ever learn not to try to be helpful...............

Poor kid. Mama's boy, sounds like....

One does not yogabike if one does not have a sense of humor.


YB

It's a very sad world indeed if a mere kid can't take an interest in whatever he damn well pleases without people pitying him for being a 'Mama's boy'. My own brother took ballet classes, loved them, was brilliant at it, and eventually refused to go any more despite the fact he loved it so, not because other kids teased him but because well-meaning grown-ups made remarks in his hearing about his being a little bit sissy, a bit of a mummy's boy. (And to think Carlos Acosta was sent to ballet school by his Dad to enforce a bit of discipline).