Mushroom

Looked up from my desk yesterday as Mr. Anti Social, the facilities manager, led two strangers through, muttering something about replacing the carpet. No surprise, but Mr. Social didn't deign to explain what they were up to, so I quietly reflected on what changing a wall-to-wall carpet means in a library of 15,000 volumes.

This morning Mr. Social and his new friends reappeared. Snippets overheard included mention that the strangers would need carts on which they could hold the books for a couple of days. Sounded ominous. The strangers didn't sound like library people, and there's little librarians dread more than having their collection moved by warehouse men who know nothing of call numbers. (Ever play 52-card pickup? Try it with 15,000 scrambled cards, ur, books.)

Around noon, an officious brown dress suit appeared, photographing and measuring everything in sight -- windows, door frames, office widths, electrical outlets. Asked what she was doing; was told "Measuring everything." Duh. Okay, says I, "Why?" "I was tasked to do it." Illuminating response, thought I, as dread forebodings became more prominent.

Late afternoon, the house carpenter came in. He's a good guy, so I got to talking, and espied the plan he was working on. Clearly our space, but no longer a library; the collection spaces were carved up into what looked like training rooms. Very ominous.

Very late afternoon, one of the Powers That Be came around. Oh yes, we were brightly told, the library is moving to another floor. Did Fearless Leader, renowned for reveling in cluelessness and keeping her staff in ignorance, but who was out of the office today, know? I wondered. So I asked. Oh no, not yet, I was told.

Forget that libraries aren't easily moved. Forget that when they are moved, the movers need to understand how libraries are organized if chaos is to be avoided. (Yes, it DOES matter what order those books are in!) Forget that floor loading needs to be carefully considered. Forget that the public, who are allowed to use the library, aren't allowed on the intended floor. Forget to wonder, even, about how much space we'll have. Just focus on what this suggests about the respect and esteem with which Powers That Be view the library and its drones. Makes one feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Well, actually, makes one wish the job market looked more promising ....

Oh yes, did I mention that the organization is one nominally dedicated to the prevention and peaceful resolution of conflict? How wonderfully ironic!

Note: this was originally posted on ketches, yaks & hawks 5 March 2009