“An original idea. That can’t be too hard. The library must be full of them.
–Stephen Fry
The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library.
–Albert Einstein
In the nonstop tsunami of global information, librarians provide us with floaties and teach us to swim.
–Linton Weeks
If I was a book, I would like to be a library book, so I would be taken home by all different sorts of kids.
–Cornelia Funke
A truly great library contains something in it to offend everyone.
–Jo Godwin
Rule number one: Don’t fuck with librarians.
–Neil Gaiman
Librarians are the secret masters of the world. They control information. Don’t ever piss one off.
–Spider Robinson”
Quotes and picture from mlmm Tale Weaver # 172: libraries
I was sure she was a shape-shifter. I’d been coming to the library, a pool of cool calm and quiet in the heat and humidity of humanity; a circle of warmth against the cruel whip of winter snow, since I could close our front door behind me. Sure, I had to wait for someone to push open the library’s heavy wooden doors until I was tall enough to reach the handle. But there were such sweet rewards for my patience.
She said behind an antique counter of time polished wood with brass fittings. To me, she was always Miss Underhill, prim, proper with spectacles sliding to the tip of her nose, brilliant red hair updoed into incredible works of hair art, wearing a sweater set of shimmering rainbow-coloured wool and a single strand of perfect pearls around her slightly elongated neck. The librarian. The key to a world of miracle and magic.
She never aged; from the times when I looked up at the shape between her dimpled chin and neck, to the day I could gaze straight into her mismatched eyes behind the gold-rimmed glasses: one obsidian, the other jade.
She took no breaks, no vacations, no days off. For each time I entered my sanctuary, she was behind the desk, greeting me with a melodious hrumph, and thin lipped, forced smile. She stamped the borrowing cards with vigor, and the same smooth spot-less hands with french-tipped nails eventually scanning interior bar codes.
Why a shape-shifter then? Because she was my Miss (then Ms.) Underhill, mine alone. To others, she aged, grey slowly streaking her page-boy bob or pulled back lose pony-tail. Her glasses reflected the style of the time, as did her clothes. She greeted them with a warm, welcoming smile and knew each by name.
For some, she was a grim, grumpy, frumpy, lumpy creature with claw-like hands, talons grabbing library card and bending over it – scrutinizing the information. She growled out fines for late materials which never were the same, nor had any relevance to the length of the crime.
Teen-aged testosterone-stoked boys saw a sexy, flirty, curvy woman; lonely old men saw their former wives and sweethearts in the shape of her face, the curve of her mouth.
To each, she was the librarian of their nightmares or their dreams. And, then, with BA in Library Science, ink barely dry on the university President’s replicated signature tucked in my tote bag, she became my supervisor. Now, I sit at the time-polished wooden desk, smiling or growling, accepting or clawing library cards. Ms. Underhill, Ret. gracefully re-shelves books after closing, floating between the stacks A to B; flying from fiction to non-fiction. Tidying the mess of a lived-in library, a second home to all who sought dreams and knowledge.
Written for mmlm Tale Weaver #172: Libraries
May 26, 2018 at 5:24 pm
Oh this is delightful, rich – and extremely well worded and crafted. And the idea of shape-shifter – is brilliant. I think you’ve totally nailed this – with incredible beauty and wonder – for how your lady of the tomes reflects back different selves/people to those on the “other side” of the desk. And honestly, I felt like I was walking into the magical world of a well stocked/housed library. I also loved the idea of the forged document and how the tides shift and the narrator becomes “her” – this is really an amazingly great story – not for loss of words – and each idea is fleshed out perfectly. Hell, I could smell lemon polish for the desk. Oh yes, this delights and enchants and yet brings me into this story and then pushes me back to my youthful days and indiscretions and dalliances in many a library (uh, not like that … sounds … as such …. mostly ;) ) …. I really like this – outstanding. And great selection of quotes too!
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June 5, 2018 at 11:23 pm
Thanks. The first line came to me as I looked at Michael’s image/challenge. The rest spun out like spools of microfilm.
I actually had a microfilm reader acquired when a library began to go digital. I wonder what happened to those miles and miles of images and words.
I’m glad I took you to my mystic library — the hush and sneeze of dust. Yes, lemon scented polish.
I never dallied in the library — but what fun imagined between the stacks.
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June 7, 2018 at 3:06 pm
I spent hours and hours in libraries …. just for the love, and of course, then when needs must for studying – generally, I find them most often such peaceful places.
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June 7, 2018 at 8:43 pm
My only problem is always the “air” when I’m deep in the archival stacks. I find myself yawning with in minutes. Think it’s my allergy to dust, must, and mold more than my allergy to research, lol.
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June 7, 2018 at 8:52 pm
LOL – yeah, the air is usually “awful” for that – I can so relate!
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May 25, 2018 at 7:17 pm
Delightfully lyrical Lorraine, I loved how you created a full circle of love for both library and librarians. Thanks for adding to the tale weaver and great to see you back.
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June 5, 2018 at 11:31 pm
A fanciful prompt — the image was striking and made me think of other tales of libraries stumbled upon by reluctant librarians.
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June 5, 2018 at 11:50 pm
Thanks again for joining in.
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June 5, 2018 at 11:58 pm
Every now and then I get out my butterfly net and catch words to put on the page. The rest flutter in my feverish brain.
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June 6, 2018 at 12:08 am
Well so long as you can catch some, better than floundering in the dark.
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June 6, 2018 at 4:26 pm
Oh, yes, much a dark flounder am I!
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May 25, 2018 at 9:21 am
Oh! I love this it has everything in it and it touches my fantasy button. 💜💜
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May 26, 2018 at 3:36 am
Thanks — we all need a fantasy button. Glad I touched it.
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May 26, 2018 at 4:26 am
It’s was absolutely lovely 💜
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