What do northern pike, the electrical system of a Bunton lawnmower, Hawaiian monk seals, depression and suicide, JAVA and HTML have in common? If you think it has something to do with the library — you would be correct! These are a few of the things that patrons wanted help finding in the small town library where I worked yesterday. And you know what? We found everything except for the wiring chart for the lawn mower! We gave that patron the name and phone number of a dealer because we didn’t have any Bunton lawnmower manuals, and couldn’t find any free repair manuals online.  Just about everyone left happy,even the lawnmower man, except for the woman who needed the depression and suicide information. She left looking haunted and exhausted, the same way she looked coming in. Its so hard, sometimes, not to ask, not to try to get involved. Not to step over the line of librarianship.

On a pleasant  note, a young woman and a 9 or 10 year old adorable little girl were each checking out a pile of books.  When I got to the youngster’s pile of books the computer pulled up a warning regarding a $10 fine attached to her card:  two late fees and a damaged book to replace.  The young woman looked surprised.  The youngster looked down and shuffled her feet.  Apparently a water damaged book had been returned and now it was time to pay the piper..er library.  The young woman scrounged around in her purse and came up with $4.00; not enough to pay the fine down low enough for the youngster to be able to check out her books.  Out of nowhere, and I truly mean that I never saw where this lady came from or went after, a middle aged woman offered to pay the whole fine.   I gave the young woman her $4.00 back and accepted the $10 from the older woman, thinking that she must be the grandmother.  Turns out neither of my patrons knew the generous stranger.  It was just a random act of kindness.  As I’m checking out the young girl’s books we discuss the concept of “paying it forward.”  We decide that there are many things the young lady can do to repay this kindness, all that cost no money.  She could draw a picture for an elderly friend or relative, write someone a nice letter, help someone in their garden, be kind to another child at school, give her Mom hugs for a month…the list goes on and on.  The little girl left all smiles.

I was all smiles too.