
Archive for July 2011

Memos

July 19, 2011

A couple of weeks ago when I thought that I might be losing my job, or at the very least losing a month of pay and losing my librarian, I started cleaning.
I think that “cleaning” is missing from the stages of greiving. In between shared tears we dusted.
My boss had already been cleaning her office for several weeks, although she was determined to not pack up her belongings.
Her hope was to be picked up as a classroom teacher at our same site and at least she would have an office to do her grading in and where she could spend her conference period.  “New teachers” are low on the totem pole and often are called ‘travelling teachers’ sometimes having 3 or 4 different classrooms throughout the course of the day.
Thankfully there was an “11th hour reprieve” and both of our jobs are intact.

So, while I was cleaning I found lots of odd things.  Many made us both ask, “Why was anyone hanging on to that!”
In one file folder clear at the back of a desk drawer, I found a stack of memos.  They date back to 1999 and they are , I think quite funny.  The first one is a note between the head custodian and a library worker…

Gloria: 
We tested the elevator that you left a work order on and the elevator is working just fine. 
Did you have the door open when you tried to use it? 
Also, Henry found the key in the lock – if we lose that key, I’m not sure how long it would take to get a replacement. 
Let’s keep the key hung up by the calendar in the back room so if my men need to move something upstairs they have access to it.  Thanks, Larry. 

Work order:  ASAP
Date requested:  3/2001
Requested by :  Gloria
Location of Job:  New computer lab room
Description of work:  There is a stong odor of vomit in the new computer lab room.  It is permeating the air in the library foyer.  Could we have the custodians investigate the source and perhaps spray some room freshener, or open windows?  Whatever they think appropriate before we have Open House this week.  Thanks.

Now it’s probably just me, but my request would have been more like this:  “Hey guys, some student puked in the new computer room and now the library lobby smells like vomit too.  Could someone please clean the carpet and wipe the surfaces with Lysol?  Open House is next week and we don’t want a parent going to District to complain.  Thanks guys, I’ll leave some cookies for you on the counter Friday.”

Work Order:  ASAP
Date Requested: 4/1999
Requested by:  Mari & others…..
Location of Job:  Ladies bathroom
Description of work:  Problem:  The toliet doesn’t flush long enough.  Consequently, “stuff” is still in the toliet.

I don’t have to tell you how I would have re-phrased this…..

Work order
Date Requested 1/1999
Requested by Mari
Location of Job:  Library
Decription of work:  Take posters down of “WWII.”

I am thankful to say that the custodian who received this work request, lost the paperwork.
Our WWII ‘posters’ are front pages of various national and international newspapers.  A man who’s father died on the beaches at Normandy provided the posters as a tribute to the father he never met.
I have had students stand in the great room of my library and look at the posters for several minutes.
They approach the circulation desk and ask…”Did that really happen?” Sounds like that’s a good enough reason to LEAVE them up.  Proud to say, nearly 13 years later the posters are still up.

“Hey Mari….Take the posters of ‘WWII’ down?  I don’t ******* think so!”

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