I work for a large public library.
In my department we have seven people: one manager, four designers/programmers (me=one) and three clerical staff / students.
We're slowly engulfing the collections processing area of the library as technology requires more people like us and less people like them.
The area we're taking over is walled off, but the wall doesn't extend all the way to the ceiling because it is not an original part of the building. We hear everything that goes on, but can't see anything.
Now, I think it would be safe to assume that while graphic design and/or programming requires some level of intelligence, typing ISBN numbers into a catalogue system does not.
This difference, along with the fact that most everyone in my department is between the ages of 20 and 40 and most everyone in the collections processing department is between the ages of 60 and nine thousand, tends to create a quite a divide between us.
Getting back to the point, we have to listen to them talk. They talk a lot. They talk about really, really, really stupid stuff. For example today: "Well, you know they say money can buy you everything. But it can't. It can only buy you what you need." Very deep insight indeed.
When one of the caretakers comes up they inevitably get involved in what I call a battle of agreement where the caretaker says something really inspirational like "Well, you know this weather can't last forever" and one of the cpt people says "no, it can't, sun's gotta shine sometime" which is rebutted again and again and again until finally the originally conclusion that the weather can't last forever has been reach a satisfactory number of times (two dozen +)
Today, though, I very nearly couldn't control myself when I heard this: "I don't even have my period anymore. Well, I had one a few months ago, but it wasn't really what you could even call one... you know?"
I looked to my colleague to my right, a graphic designer, and her head was buried on her desk. I knew as soon as I caught a glimpse of her smile that I was going to burst out laughing.
So... I calmly stood up from my desk and walked out, checked the staff room which was full, so I headed out into the public closed the door behind me and cried tears of laughter. I came back a few minutes later... my coworkers knew exactly why I had left.
In my department we have seven people: one manager, four designers/programmers (me=one) and three clerical staff / students.
We're slowly engulfing the collections processing area of the library as technology requires more people like us and less people like them.
The area we're taking over is walled off, but the wall doesn't extend all the way to the ceiling because it is not an original part of the building. We hear everything that goes on, but can't see anything.
Now, I think it would be safe to assume that while graphic design and/or programming requires some level of intelligence, typing ISBN numbers into a catalogue system does not.
This difference, along with the fact that most everyone in my department is between the ages of 20 and 40 and most everyone in the collections processing department is between the ages of 60 and nine thousand, tends to create a quite a divide between us.
Getting back to the point, we have to listen to them talk. They talk a lot. They talk about really, really, really stupid stuff. For example today: "Well, you know they say money can buy you everything. But it can't. It can only buy you what you need." Very deep insight indeed.
When one of the caretakers comes up they inevitably get involved in what I call a battle of agreement where the caretaker says something really inspirational like "Well, you know this weather can't last forever" and one of the cpt people says "no, it can't, sun's gotta shine sometime" which is rebutted again and again and again until finally the originally conclusion that the weather can't last forever has been reach a satisfactory number of times (two dozen +)
Today, though, I very nearly couldn't control myself when I heard this: "I don't even have my period anymore. Well, I had one a few months ago, but it wasn't really what you could even call one... you know?"
I looked to my colleague to my right, a graphic designer, and her head was buried on her desk. I knew as soon as I caught a glimpse of her smile that I was going to burst out laughing.
So... I calmly stood up from my desk and walked out, checked the staff room which was full, so I headed out into the public closed the door behind me and cried tears of laughter. I came back a few minutes later... my coworkers knew exactly why I had left.
Facebook
Twitter