Saturday, May 14, 2011

Some people never learn

We have a patron who comes in frequently to use the computer. I've blogged about her before - I like to call her Gabby. Well, Gabby is in desperate search for a job (I guess Cracker Barrel didn't work out), and has been coming in to the library to use the computer to submit job applications. This exchange happened the other day:

Gabby: Real Librarian, can you help me with something?
Real Librarian: Sure, what's up?
Gabby: Well, I am stuck on this question. How should I answer?
RL: Um, is this a job application?
Gabby: Yes.
RL: Well, I'm sorry, I can't help you answer the questions on your job application.
Gabby: Why not?
RL: Because they don't want to know how *I* would handle the situation, they want to know how *YOU* would handle the situation.
Gabby: Oh, well, I didn't know.

And this one:

Gabby: I'm trying to log into this site, and it won't accept my password.
RL: Well, are you a returning user to this site, or are you a new user? (Keep in mind that I had already asked her this question 10 minutes before when she first got to the site, and said she had a password)
Gabby: I set up my email address the other day.
RL: On this specific site or a different site?
Gabby: My email.
RL: Did you already start to fill out an application on THIS SPECIFIC WEBSITE, or is this the first time you've been to this specific site?
Gabby: Oh, I haven't been here before.
RL: **smacks head on desk** Well, then you are not a returning user, you are a new user.
Gabby: Oh, well, I didn't know.

Other questions from Gabby:

Gabby: What do I choose here?
RL: Well, it's asking you what state you live in.

Gabby: What does this mean?
RL: Well, it's asking you how many years of job related experience you have.
Gabby: In school?
RL: No, job related experience.

Seriously, these are the SAME questions you have answered 100 times on 100 different job applications. How can you STILL be having the SAME problems?!?!

It's time like this you wonder how some people make it through the day.

I also got an earful about how she hasn't been sleeping well the past three nights, and she's tried taking some pills for it, and she has a headache. I suppose I shouldn't complain, I would rather hear about her being tired than her sisters menstrual cycle like last time, right??

3 comments:

Kat Bryan said...

OMG! I can see why this person doesn't have a job!

bermudaonion said...

It sounds like she needs more than a librarian to help her out.

Christy said...

Wow.