further perils ...

She called again, my little old lady with a thing for 1950's Australian fashion. This time she has a name: Wendy. I had though being at a different branch today may act as a buffer. I was wrong. Not only did she find me at AN but she kept me on the phone for 15 minutes. If it had been a new enquiry I probably wouldn't have minded, as it was I spent the time looking for more informaiton on Bobo Faulkner. There wasn't anything new since Friday. Wendy said she'd call the State Library to see what else they could do, so she may end up coming across Miss A. Gotta share the love after all.

For now I have to brave "knifepoint" to get a birthday card for Miss T. She was 31 yesterday. After working together and sharing a house for two years, it is still strange not seeing her everyday. I also have to find something for Miss R's birthday between now and the 9th. It is always possible that I may find something while we are away, it I don't get distracted by the food. Red Hill market has awesome food. I'm still dreaming of the little japanese cakes I had last time; macha and red bean. So good. 

Must remember to pack the baggy pants.

Perils of the reference desk

Ok, so anyone who wasn't at Miss A's BBQ may not have heard of my marathon phone question late last week. Basically I spent 25 minutes on the phone with a little old lady (that I'm not certain is actually a member of my library) trying to find information on Robyn Fong (fashion, 1950s). NLA's digitisation of Australians Womens Weekly (May, 1972 edition) eventually gave me something useful. She decided to call NLA to see if she could get a copy. This was after I told her several times that I could print the information for her if she came into the library. But she got what she wanted, so that wasn't my issue.

That was the end of that ... until today. My branch team leader was on desk with me this morning. She answers the phone and then hands it to me. It's the little old lady again. Apparently she had tried calling for me the other day, but I'd gone home. She had another question for me: Bobo Faulkner (fashion/tv, 1950s). After 30mins on the phone, and much trawling through Trove I was again saved by NLA's digitisation of Australians Womens Weekly (June 1973). She did ask me when I'd be in again. I should have lied, I know, but by that point I just wanted to get off the phone.

So some time in the future she will call again. She'll ask for me, and the cycle will repeat. This is the danger of giving good customer service: they remember your name and then won't talk to anyone else. If you see a librarian walking around with an ice pack on his/her ear then the chances are they have a similiar patron of their own. If you work in information management you may even end up with one (or even more) of your own. Who knows? 

One thing I do know: this was not in the brochure.