misplaced apostrophes

[baratron]

Can't remember if I've had this rant before:

A sign on a trolley in the British Library:
"School's storage trolley."

Now, I suppose it could be argued that the trolley will probably only be used by one school at a time, but...

It is nice to have an excuse to be working in the BL again. It has a really good atmosphere - quiet and studious. Completely unlike the KCL library I go to, where there are regularly people chatting in the silent study area. I mean - gah! Within that library there are several large rooms with plate-glass windows and a door that are designated group study areas, and they're pretty much never full - and there's another area near the computers where people work in groups and talk about their work. But to be sitting there having a long conversation in the silent study area, when there are plenty of other places where talking's allowed... gah!

I'd complain to the librarians, except they're far far too busy doing librarian stuff to have time to patrol the library and kick out miscreants. (Honestly, there is at least a 10 minute queue at the issue desk for most of the day - and books sit in the "returns" section sometimes for as long as 4 days. Clearly, they're short-staffed). No, what we need is a couple of bouncers. Big guys in suits who will physically escort talkers to the talking areas. That'd work.

Comments

[hatter.livejournal.com]

I know I've not commented on the 'late opening' sign on LJ before, can I reignite that debate ?


the hatter

[baratron.livejournal.com]

Permission granted ;)

Find yourself a professional!

[nitoda]

The people responsible for issuing books and shelving returns are not librarians. Find yourself a real librarian (maybe sitting on an "information" desk or a help desk?) and complain away ...feedback from readers is always welcome. To be honest, we like quiet libraries too, and it's nice to have back up from people who use the library to help us be tough with the noisy folks.

[baratron.livejournal.com]

Hmm, that's pretty much all they have. The people on the help desk are IT people and can only help with library stuff if it's a problem with finding stuff on an online catalogue. If you have any actual information problems, you have to go to the issue desk. And the queue for the help desk is usually even longer than for the issue desk - that's if there's actually anyone on the help desk!

There is a booth by the entrance for a security guard to sit, but I've never actually seen it occupied. Which is a shame. A security guard patrolling the place might help. I've been going over to people and saying "Excuse me, this is the silent study area", but mostly that shuts them up for 2 minutes and then they start again. Grrr.

[jenett]

Is there an email address on the website or something (for something like 'comments/questions about the library'). That way, you could make sure they knew, but not need to stand in line/take up a specific person's time that could be going to a more time-specific need.

[jinian.livejournal.com]

Yesterday in chem class, one of the boards said "Use clean towel's to erase", so I used a clean towel to erase the apostrophe.

[thekumquat.livejournal.com]

KCL libraries were like that when I studied there, too. I went to UCL up the road, instead.

Good luck with the study!