Bah Humbug!

Nothing says holiday spirit like getting dissed by the chairman of the library's trustees.

For once, said chair was actually in the building, waiting for a meeting to begin and passing the time glaring at people checking out books. I happened to pass by, saw one of our regular patrons, and stopped to chat. Chairman saw what she was checking out & called across, "is that a new Cussler novel?"

Ever the reader's advisory librarian, I jumped right in. "Yes, it's Skeleton Coast."

"Oh, I need to run by the bookstore & buy it."

Heaven forbid that a library trustee actually check out a book from the library. Guess we, the poor serfs, should feel privileged just to be in the same room as the exalted one. And pull on our forelocks to show our respect.

Even Ebenezer Scrooge saw the light at the end. I don't think that will happen in this case. But how can someone be entrusted to the library's mission & well-being if they never use the place? And the higher-ups wonder why morale is low....

God bless us everyone this Christmas weekend (only 12 minutes to go until closing! And a 3-day weekend awaits)