[Publib] Scams *and* the director's office

[John Richmond]

The original writer about scams mentioned a company selling an alleged
reference set on important African-Americans, et al.  That might be
the same outfit I've heard from.  The person calling always identifies
him- or herself as "Doctor So-and-So."  With all due respect to those
who have earned doctorates, starting a sales pitch with an emphasis
upon the pitcher's title (if it's real), makes me suspicious.  I
suppose it wouldn't have to be doctors only.

No one has mentioned, unless I missed it, the kind of call that we get
with considerable frequency.  Area schools or soccer leagues or people
sponsoring pie-eating contests (I made that one up) always want us to
advertise in their programs/bulletins/year books.  I have received
calls from school athletic folks from schools that are not even in our
library district (though they may be from someplace in the greater
Peoria area--but not *our* district).  I try to be kind when some poor
student telephones; if the caller is an adult, I am moderately
pleasant, depending upon my mood and the phase of the moon.

As for offices, I think it does depend, to some degree, on the size of
the library.  If I were director of a gigantic, big-city, super-duper
library, in which (I fantasize) I would never get to do anything I
like to do [having to do with libraries], perhaps it would be good for
me to be sequestered somewhere, where I could meet with Public
Pooh-bahs and Self-Important Supporters/Donors.  On the other hand, I
don't want to be without windows, because I like light.  Of the real
variety, having to do with the sun, in addition to faux light, having
to do with bulbs and fixtures.  Right now my office is in a corner of
the library, with a tall window on the south wall--view of the public
parking lot, so I can watch near-misses as people in vehicles of
various sizes and shapes try to barrel through the entrance to/exit
from the library, poorly designed by the county when the intersection
of two main roads where we sit was rebuilt--and two tall windows on
the west--into the woods, where I can see deer, the occasional wild
turkey, people who are geocaching, and teenagers who appear to be
going behind the library to do, um, things I'm not sure I want to know
about, but at least they're *outside*.  Just outside my door is the
magazine reading area, which claims windows and light similar to
those/that in my office, along with the very beginning of shelving for
books on cassette and CD.  So I'm not completely cut off from the
world, though I fear that it is easy to become sedentary here and not
wander around as much as I should.  On the other hand, I get to hear
some truly strange cell phone conversations being carried on by people
browsing the books on cassette/CD, as they reveal more about
themselves than I care to know but can hardly avoid overhearing.
Especially with an open-door (generally) policy.

I *do* have an escape door, leading into the business office.  I had
two doors in my last library, too.  That office was in the center of
the library's small-ish universe.  Almost too central.  But I highly
recommend an escape route of some kind.  There is such a thing as
being *too* available and vulnerable to the approaches of the loons.

John Richmond, Director
Alpha Park PLD
3527 S. Airport Road
Bartonville, IL 61607
jdr1952 at gmail.com or jrichmond at alphapark.org