[Publib] Re: Rewarding reference questions

[Catharine Cook]

I don't usually get to work Reference, but at Christmas time I was walking
through the Library and found a young woman wanting some assistance.  She
said to me:  "I don't know if you can help me, but I am looking for a short
story.  It's about a young wife who had really long hair...."  

She paused for breath and I replied "And her husband had a pocket watch?"
The customer almost died of shock.  "Yes, yes, that's it!  Can you get it
for me?"  

So I found her a copy of O. Henry's "The Gifts of the Magi".

I know that it was wrong not to tell her that I can't always do that.  She
just happened to ask me something I knew.  And I know that I should have
showed her how to use the keyword search in the catalog so that she could
find short stories on her own from now on.  But sometimes I just hafta show
off and look incredibly brilliant.  And this was one of those times.

Catharine Cook
Chickasha (Ok.) Public Library