Overheard at the library

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Actual reference queries reported by American and Canadian library reference desk workers

  1. "Do you have books here?"

  2. "Do you have a list of all the books written in the English language?"

  3. "Do you have a list of all the books I've ever read?"

  4. "Do you have that book by Rushdie: 'Satanic Nurses'?" (Actual title: "Satanic Verses")

  5. "Where is the reference desk?" This was asked of a person sitting at a desk who had hanging above her head a large sign saying "REFERENCE DESK"!

  6. "I was here about three weeks ago looking at a cookbook that cost $39.95. Do you know which one it is?"

  7. "Which outlets in the library are appropriate for my hairdryer?"

  8. "Can you tell me why so many famous Civil War battles were fought on National Park Sites?"

  9. "Do you have any books with photographs of dinosaurs?"

  10. "I need a color photograph of George Washington [Christopher Columbus, King Arthur, Moses, Socrates, etc.]"

  11. "I need a photocopy of Booker T. Washington's birth certificate."

  12. "I need to find out Ibid's first name for my bibliography."

  13. "Why don't you have any books by Ibid? He's written a lot of important stuff."

  14. "I'm looking for information on carpal tunnel syndrome. I think I'm having trouble with it in my neck."

  15. "I am looking for a list of laws that I can break that would send me back to jail for a couple of months."

Note: If any of these questions seem perfectly reasonable to you after careful consideration, please see your local Reference Librarian.

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