Thursday, July 15, 2010

A truly amazing librarian

Every two weeks, we have the privilege of visiting the bookmobile (bookmeal as S says). It parks in the church parking lot down the street from our house and is filled with kids books. We have been going for about two years now and the librarian knows us well - she's really great with kids, even gave S his own library card. She recommends books and orders whatever S asks for, even when it's Clifford's Christmas and it happens to be June.

Here's the routine - we pick out books, S pulls the stool over to the desk hands her his books and library card then asks if he can have a sticker. She pulls out a little box and he can pick a sticker. Then S says, "do you have any tattoos?" When we first started going to the bookmobile there were stickers and tattoos in the box. The tattoos were pathetic, I don't think we ever had one that actually stuck to S's arm. But still, week after week he asked for a tattoo. Eventually they ran out of tattoos and never replenished the supply. They probably ran out a year ago, maybe longer, but still S asks if she has any tattoos.

Two weeks ago we visit the bookmobile, S asks for a sticker and a tattoo and the librarian says she doesn't have any tattoos but she'll look into getting some. She then says, if I'm going to be getting tattoos, I should get what you want, what kind of tattoos would you like. S declares "dogs." She then looks at us and asks where to get tattoos, we have no great insight, I suggest the dollar store but say we usually just get them at give aways. She says she'll try to find some dog tattoos.

Two weeks later we arrive at the bookmobile, excited to pick up all the books S has ordered, and there is a different librarian there. S asks if she has any books for him, she asks his name, he tells her, and she hands him a little envelope. We open it and find a note that reads:

S-
Sorry I can't be here tonight. Here are some tattoos I found for you. See you in two weeks.

And inside the envelope were some dog tattoos. S was beyond excited and it warmed my heart.
In two weeks we'll have to be sure to say thank you. What a truly special woman - who makes visiting the library an adventure we never want to miss.

2 comments:

Liz said...

What a sweet lady!!

Liz said...

Wow! She sounds perfect for the "bookmeal"!