7.25.2002
R (Answering the phone)This is reference.
Q With whom am I speaking.
R My name is Liz.
Q Hello Liz this is Jane Doe, I was wondering if you could help me track down some information.
R I would be glad to.
Q I am looking for an author, he was Italian and he grew up in New York. He wrote stories about his childhood.
R It is not ringing a bell so far.
Q He was a journalist and one of his books was made into a movie.
R Do you remember which movie.
Q Well, Robert De Niro played an Italian.
Q He was a young man who got into a little bit of trouble and was sent to Juvenile Hall where he relly got into trouble.
R This sounds familiar, let me look it up.
Q What are you using, Google?
R No, I using IMDB.com.
Q I. M. B. D.
R No it is Internet Movie Database IMDB.
Q Oh OK.
R You should try it sometime, there is a ton of information about movies.
Q I will.
R How do you spell De Niro? It is not coming up.
Q D. E. N. I. R. O.
R Hmmm, what was one of his movies....Casino, I'll try that.
Q Or the Godfather.
R Sure, sure.
R Did Robert De Niro play the priest?
Q Yes, yes that's right.
R Hang on a second I am almost there.
R Sleepers.
Q That's it, who wrote it?
R Lorenz...
Q That's It! What is is last name?
R Carcaterra. Lorenzo Carcaterra.
Q Excellent. Thank you. You have bee a great help.
R Liz let me ask you another question...
Observation: There is a space between De and Niro. I wonder what Mr. De Niro would think of Casino being the first of his movies that comes to mind?
Q With whom am I speaking.
R My name is Liz.
Q Hello Liz this is Jane Doe, I was wondering if you could help me track down some information.
R I would be glad to.
Q I am looking for an author, he was Italian and he grew up in New York. He wrote stories about his childhood.
R It is not ringing a bell so far.
Q He was a journalist and one of his books was made into a movie.
R Do you remember which movie.
Q Well, Robert De Niro played an Italian.
Q He was a young man who got into a little bit of trouble and was sent to Juvenile Hall where he relly got into trouble.
R This sounds familiar, let me look it up.
Q What are you using, Google?
R No, I using IMDB.com.
Q I. M. B. D.
R No it is Internet Movie Database IMDB.
Q Oh OK.
R You should try it sometime, there is a ton of information about movies.
Q I will.
R How do you spell De Niro? It is not coming up.
Q D. E. N. I. R. O.
R Hmmm, what was one of his movies....Casino, I'll try that.
Q Or the Godfather.
R Sure, sure.
R Did Robert De Niro play the priest?
Q Yes, yes that's right.
R Hang on a second I am almost there.
R Sleepers.
Q That's it, who wrote it?
R Lorenz...
Q That's It! What is is last name?
R Carcaterra. Lorenzo Carcaterra.
Q Excellent. Thank you. You have bee a great help.
R Liz let me ask you another question...
Observation: There is a space between De and Niro. I wonder what Mr. De Niro would think of Casino being the first of his movies that comes to mind?
7.24.2002
R Please stop running.
R If you are going to act like that you can go outside.
R There is no running in the library.
R You guys need to tone it down, there are other people using the library.
R Only one person to a computer please.
R Do not run in the library
R That language is not appropriate for the library, there are young children around who should not have to here those words. If you continue to use lanquage like that I will log you off that computer and ask you to leave.
R Are you going to leave that video on the floor?
R We do not play chase in the library, you need to take that outside.
R Young man there is no need to yell, you can get up from your seat and get her.
Observation: Most of these were said within earshot of the mother/father/grandmother/aunt. Get me the fcuk out of here today!
R If you are going to act like that you can go outside.
R There is no running in the library.
R You guys need to tone it down, there are other people using the library.
R Only one person to a computer please.
R Do not run in the library
R That language is not appropriate for the library, there are young children around who should not have to here those words. If you continue to use lanquage like that I will log you off that computer and ask you to leave.
R Are you going to leave that video on the floor?
R We do not play chase in the library, you need to take that outside.
R Young man there is no need to yell, you can get up from your seat and get her.
Observation: Most of these were said within earshot of the mother/father/grandmother/aunt. Get me the fcuk out of here today!
7.23.2002
Q I drew this picture for you.
R Thank you. I am going hang this on the fridge in the library kitchen so everyone can see it.
R Look, you drew a Tiger Lily.
Q That is funny. My cousin has a friend whose name is Lily.
R What kind of flower is that?
Q I am not sure, it is pink. It is really pretty, they are my favorite.
R Maybe a carnation?
Q Yea. That's it, a carnation.
Q I have a bird that needs lots of water, it has orange cheeks.
R Interesting.
Q It is better to have two.
R Yes, so they can keep each other company?
Q No, because the lady sells them two for fifteen dollars and ten dollars if you just get one.
R And they can keep each other company. Would you like to find a book on your bird?
Q Yes.
R What kind of bird is it?
Q It has orange cheeks, at first we thought it was a girl but then it's orange cheeks popped out.
R Is this a bird you keep in a cage?
Q Yes, the lady told us the cage was big enough for only one bird but we put another bird in there and it fit so my bird and my brother's bird are in the cage.
R Is the bird a finch?
Q Yea that's it, a finch.
R Let's go see if we can't find it in a book.
Observation: Reference interviews with kids are 98% patience and 2% luck. I pulled finch right out of my a&&.
R Thank you. I am going hang this on the fridge in the library kitchen so everyone can see it.
R Look, you drew a Tiger Lily.
Q That is funny. My cousin has a friend whose name is Lily.
R What kind of flower is that?
Q I am not sure, it is pink. It is really pretty, they are my favorite.
R Maybe a carnation?
Q Yea. That's it, a carnation.
Q I have a bird that needs lots of water, it has orange cheeks.
R Interesting.
Q It is better to have two.
R Yes, so they can keep each other company?
Q No, because the lady sells them two for fifteen dollars and ten dollars if you just get one.
R And they can keep each other company. Would you like to find a book on your bird?
Q Yes.
R What kind of bird is it?
Q It has orange cheeks, at first we thought it was a girl but then it's orange cheeks popped out.
R Is this a bird you keep in a cage?
Q Yes, the lady told us the cage was big enough for only one bird but we put another bird in there and it fit so my bird and my brother's bird are in the cage.
R Is the bird a finch?
Q Yea that's it, a finch.
R Let's go see if we can't find it in a book.
Observation: Reference interviews with kids are 98% patience and 2% luck. I pulled finch right out of my a&&.
7.22.2002
Q Can I get on a computer?
R Sure do you have a library card and know your pin number?
Q I have a library card but I do not have a pin number
R Let me see your library card and you can select a pin number now.
Q Here you go.
R Is your address on Whatever Street?
Q No it is on ILiveSomewhereElse Drive.
R OK, what is you phone number?
Q 123-456-7890
R That is not the number on this card.
Q Well, that is actually my mother's library card.
R I can't give you the pin number to someone elses library card.
Q But it is my mother's library card.
R Actually there is a note in the record that says she does not want a pin number.
Q That is OK, she will let me select her pin number.
R Well, we can call your mother and she can select a pin number and then tell you what it is.
Q Hello Mami, (much conversation in some foreign lanquage I am not familiar with.) She says it is OK.
R I am going to need to speak with her.
Q She does not speak english.
R (heavy sigh) Okay, what does she want her pin number to be?
Q (More conversation in this laguage I still don't know) One...Nine...Seven...Five.
R One...Nine...Seven...Five.
Q Bye Mami.
R OK, you are all set. As soon as there is a free computer you can log in.
Observation: She was probably talking to her boyfriend at the Stop and Go payphone, hopefully her mother will not find out.
R Sure do you have a library card and know your pin number?
Q I have a library card but I do not have a pin number
R Let me see your library card and you can select a pin number now.
Q Here you go.
R Is your address on Whatever Street?
Q No it is on ILiveSomewhereElse Drive.
R OK, what is you phone number?
Q 123-456-7890
R That is not the number on this card.
Q Well, that is actually my mother's library card.
R I can't give you the pin number to someone elses library card.
Q But it is my mother's library card.
R Actually there is a note in the record that says she does not want a pin number.
Q That is OK, she will let me select her pin number.
R Well, we can call your mother and she can select a pin number and then tell you what it is.
Q Hello Mami, (much conversation in some foreign lanquage I am not familiar with.) She says it is OK.
R I am going to need to speak with her.
Q She does not speak english.
R (heavy sigh) Okay, what does she want her pin number to be?
Q (More conversation in this laguage I still don't know) One...Nine...Seven...Five.
R One...Nine...Seven...Five.
Q Bye Mami.
R OK, you are all set. As soon as there is a free computer you can log in.
Observation: She was probably talking to her boyfriend at the Stop and Go payphone, hopefully her mother will not find out.
