Librarian DiAnna Diaz
June 27, 2011 4:41 PM
First years' library orientation by Librarian DiAnna Diaz
Considering quite how frequently younger students tended to get lost in the numerous and winding library shelves in the first portion of term, it seemed like a logical idea to arrange an orientation. So instead of attending class following breakfast one morning during the second week of term, the first year students were required to meet in the library, at DiAnna's desk near the entrance from the main school (the entrance to the Aladren commons was also concealed within the library, but that would be one landmark she would keep quiet from the rest of the students).DiAnna herself was waiting to meet the students. Some of them - most notably the Aladrens - had probably seen her around already. Those who hadn't might not be prepared to discover their school librarian was a young woman of twenty-four years, who was perhaps the Muggle fairytale pictoral representation of a witch (minus the warts, of cause). DiAnna's long hair was dyed black, she always wore dark eye make-up, and further whitened her already pale skin. Her wardrobe was composed almost entirely of black, with occasional flashes of purple and red, and was largely made of velvet and lace. Her feet were encased in high-heeled boots, that helped to put her above the height of the younger students (though several of the older kids were still taller).
"Okay, everyone," DiAnna called attention to herself. She'd gotten a lot more confident with addressing large groups of people since she'd accidentally become divinations professor. "For those of you who don't know me, I'm Miss Diaz, the librarian. This morning we're just going to have a look round the library, because it can be quite daunting when you don't know what you're doing. Before we start, you can take out as many books as you like from the library, as long as you're being sensible. They need renewing after a week or they've been charmed to find their way back to the library." how they did this had never been very clear to DiAnna, but they somehow all ended up on her desk without the students' involvement. "Obviously, if you keep having overdue books, you'll be allowed to borrow fewer at one time than someone who returns books promptly, which could get you into trouble at the end of the year when you need to study for exams. That said, you can stay and study in the librry until ten minutes before curfew, and use any of the books without borrowing them. When you want to check a book out, just find me or one of the library monitors." That was something else she needed to explain.
"The library monitors are student volunteers - the sign-up sheet is just over here," she pointed to the noticeboard, "and first years are welcome to sign up, too, as monitors or assistants." That was the basics covered; now for the books. "Okay, so if you could all stay together for the tour, that would be great." Walking round with the first years, DiAnna showed them where they could find all their subject-relevant textbooks and some age-appropriate fiction. She also pointed out the restricted section, and made it very clear that students were not allowed to enter without staff permission. At the end of the tour, she addressed the group once more. "Okay, now you're free to have a look round properly, and if you want to come and check some books out, or if you have any questions, I'll be at my desk."
(OOC: Remember to stick to site rules when you post. You will earn House points for posting here, just as you would in a class.)
Subthreads: Books, lots of books by Jhonice Trevear with Cherry Bosko
*Yawn* Been there, done that. by David Kim [Aladren] with Kitty McLevy, David Kim
Lost in L-Space! Lost in L-Space! by Mellie Goodwin, Pecari with Michael Grosvenor
Disoriented. (Tag Miss Diaz) by Valerie Lennox, Crotalus with Miss Diaz, Renée Errant
Getting oriented by Paul Bennett, Crotalus with Linus Macaulay, Paul
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Librarian DiAnna Diaz
First years' library orientation
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Librarian DiAnna Diaz
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Valerie Lennox, Crotalus
July 03, 2011 3:45 AM
Disoriented. (Tag Miss Diaz) by Valerie Lennox, Crotalus
The morning of the library orientation, Valerie was feeling even worse than she had been. Although she was taking potions for her cough, especially at night so both she and others could sleep, the coughs would recur whenever the medication wore off. Plus, she felt extremely tired, achy and weak. Moreso than usual.She knew she should go straight to the medic but Valerie had already been and was hoping this would just run its course. That it was just a cold. Except that it never ended up being just a cold with Valerie and she knew it. There were nearly always complications or at the very least it ended up being a bad cold that kept her in bed for weeks, not that Valerie was ever out of bed much to begin with. Last winter she had even developed pneumonia and almost died.
Still, Valerie didn't want to miss the orientation. She just wanted to appear normal and be like the rest of her classmates. Besides, she wanted to know where things were in the library so she could find books to read when she was stuck in bed. Though she usually went there while the others had flying lessons, Valerie was too intimidated to go exploring the library on her own. So after breakfast, which again she had not eaten much of, as her throat was pretty sore and it kind of hurt to swallow, she went to the library with the rest of her classmates.
As she followed them and Miss Diaz through the library, Valerie wondered if it was a mistake. She should have gone directly to the medic. The first year was getting rather dizzy walking around. And hot. Very very hot. Unbearbly hot. Like she would melt into a puddle right there.
Which meant she most likely had a fever. The Crotalus knew the feeling all too well, having experienced many in her eleven years. But she didn't want to interrupt Miss Diaz during her presentation. That would be rude and it was important to be polite. Her classmates might get annoyed and she didn't want to draw attention to herself. Valerie would wait until the librarian was done and then ask to go to the medic.
As soon as they were released, Valerie walked up to Miss Diaz and asked, her voice weak and shaky, "I don't feel so good, may I please go to the hospital wing?" The first year coughed miserably. She really just wanted to lie down and go to sleep.
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Valerie Lennox, Crotalus
Disoriented. (Tag Miss Diaz)
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Miss Diaz
July 08, 2011 2:32 PM
Take it easy by Miss Diaz
Some of the first years seemed more interested in the tour than others, but that made sense, considering some would be less inclined to visit it, and some, at the other end of the scale, had already been to the library on several occasions by this point. One of the group, on the other hand, may have had her interest and enthusiasm in the tour dampened by poor health. The girl approached DiAnna at the end of the tour, and asked in a voice that didn't sound like the voice of a healthy person whether she could go to the hospital wing."Of course you can go, if you're not feeling well," DiAnna replied. She wasn't a professor and couldn't actually keep them in the library if they wanted to be elsewhere, anyway, seeing as she'd finished her tour. However even if that hadn't been the case she'd never stop someone from receiving medical attention. This girl seemed to be walking fine, but she didn't exactly look to be in the best of health, and she was coughing a little. besides, as the tour had finished at the students were free to leave, there would be no point at this stage in faking anything. "Can you make your way there yourself or would you like me to send someone with you?" she asked. She couldn't go herself just then because she was in charge of the rest of the yeargroup, but one of the other first years could accompany the girl, or maybe one of the monitors from last year was around to be helpful. "I'd feel more comfortable if I knew someone was looking after you," she stated her own preferences on the matter, but she wouldn't force the girl into taking someone with her if she felt well enough to make the way on her own - it wasn't far.
"What's your name?" DiAnna asked the girl as an after-thought. She really ought to know who she was letting out of her class, and could pass the message on to their next professor if necessary. She might not remember for the next time she saw the girl, though, unless she ended up coming into the library on a regular basis.
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Miss Diaz
Take it easy
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Miss Diaz
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Valerie
July 08, 2011 6:56 PM
I usually do by Valerie
Valerie shivered. Whereas just a few moments ago she had felt excrutiatingly hot, now she felt a chill and was absolutely freezing. This happened to her pretty much all the time and by now she knew it meant she was quite sick. Her ears were very very sore too and Valerie was starting to feel a little nauseous. She probably had an ear infection.Relief washed over her when Miss Diaz gave her permission to go to the hospital wing. Valerie felt terrible and she wasn't sure how much longer she could even stand up. When she had a fever, she didn't function very well.Her thoughts became all distorted and she got disoriented. There had even been times when the first year had been downright delirious.
Fortunately, the Crotalus was not quite to that point yet but she definitely needed to lie down. "Thank you." Valerie replied weakly. She wanted to tell the librarian that she could make it on her own, in fact, some day Valerie expected that she would be able to find her way to the Hospital Wing in her sleep, and that she didn't want to put anyone out and be a burden. Her family never acted like she was when they were around her, but sometimes Valerie wondered how they, especially her mother, really felt about the whole situation.
Besides, her classmates were not her family. Well, there was one who was a distant cousin, but it wasn't as if Valerie knew her. She didn't know anyone outside her immediate family very well,because she was never able to attend family functions on those rare occasions when her parents went to begin with. In fact, the Crotalus sometimes felt that she didn't even know enough about her parents.
However, Valerie honestly didn't think she could make it alone at this point. She was feeling sort of dizzy yet-and very very hot again-and she was afraid she'd pass out on the way there. "I-I think that would be for the best." Valerie agreed with Miss Diaz.
She coughed. "Valerie Lennox." She quickly added. "of the St. Louis Lennoxes." Being ill was no excuse for forgetting her manners, to behave improperly, though Valerie decided to forgo the curtsey, due to the fact that the physical action might make her dizzier.
The temperature of the room changed again and Valerie drew her arms around herself as she began to start shivering once more and her ears felt like someone was poking them with sharp objects.
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Valerie
I usually do
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Miss Diaz
July 15, 2011 11:47 AM
Good to hear it by Miss Diaz
DiAnna nodded as Valerie agreed to be escorted to see the medic, rather than to make her way on her own. DiAnna would feel much omre comfrotable with this version of the scenario, especially as she had spied one of those students who had signed up to be library helpers. It would be much better to send Valerie with an older student than with another first year, and so DiAnna wasted no time in waving to her helper - she had yet to post the list of who would be monitor or assistant because she'd wanted to wait until after this orientation was over to encourage first years to consider signing up - the gesture clearly indicating they should come over to where she was standing with the ill first year."I'll get one of my helpers to take you over," the librarian said to Valerie with what she hoped was a kind smile. Admittedly ferrying first years round the school wasn't one of the requirements of being a library monitor or assistant, but the descriptions had been left suitably vague for the roles to cover this scenario. "You'll be taken care of, don't worry." Once the poor girl was in the hospital wing than the medic would make her right, DiAnna was sure of it, while in the meantime the librarian could keep her eyes on the rest of the first years still miling around between the stacks.
"This is Valerie Lennox," DiAnna made the introduction to the student she'd called over, and then reversed it for Valerie's benefit. "She's not feeling well, I was hoping you could accompany her to the hospital wing for me while I'm watching the rest of the first years." It wasn't exactly stated as a question because it wasn't one as such; it was a request that DiAnna fully expected to be met without argument. "It would be a great help, thank you."
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Miss Diaz
Good to hear it
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Renée Errant
July 15, 2011 4:40 PM
Avoiding Distractions by Renée Errant
Intending that for once she'd be good and not seek any distractions (so many shiny things in the common room, food was more interesting to consume than knowledge, it was impossible to try reading her textbook in bed without falling asleep in those soft sheets and warm covers...) Renée grabbed her Divination book and headed off toward the library. She would master this infuriating subject. School robes clung to her form as she entered the library, as always appreciating the attention her clothes got from her mother. The woman was infuriating but Renée had learned to accept that that didn't mean she couldn't allow herself to like the same things Marianna liked. And there was something about clothes that Renée really did like. The fascination of how different styles, materials, and colors could convey messages and demand its viewers to perceive it in different ways. 'Wonder if the library has a fashion section...' Distracted, she weaved through a few shelves, forgetting about her original purpose when suddenly she noticed a sizeable group of first years and the Librarian (and Divination professor - was that a sign of what?) seemingly waving toward her.'Me?' She mouthed out the silent question, pointing to herself, and then looking around and behind her at anybody else Professor Diaz might have been gesturing at. Seeing no one, and now furiously running through the possible scenarios of her getting into trouble (it wasn't that far in the year yet, though, and any trouble she'd caused had been minor, undetected - she was innocent!) she walked toward her professor. "Yes, Professor?" She alternated in calling her Miss Diaz and Professor Diaz, always unsure which the woman preferred to be called. Dark brown eyes strayed from Miss Diaz to the odd sickly shivering pathetic looking little girl in front of her. "Oh." She said shortly. At least she wasn't in trouble. Smiling a little, she looked back up at Miss Diaz. "Happy to help, Professor. In fact, I think I predicted this would happen," She raised her textbook up meaningfully. "so you might want to consider extra credit or something, si?" She smiled confidently and then turned to Valerie.
"Okay, Valerie, can you walk alright?" She lightly placed her darkly tanned hand on the other girl's back, ready to take it away if the girl said. She hardly ever got sick herself, and perhaps only once as awful looking as this, when she was very little. "The Hospital Wing isn't too far, you'll be perfectly all right." Her voice adopted a calm tone, imitating David whenever her mother got upset and he had to calm her down. Her free hand adjusted the messenger bag that was slung over her shoulder, traveling up to sweep the long dark curls out of her face. Glancing over Valerie, she noticed the identical Crotalus symbol on her robes, before again surveying the poor girl's face. "Ready to start walking?" She asked patiently.
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Renée Errant
Avoiding Distractions
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Renée Errant
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Valerie
July 17, 2011 9:08 PM
I think I am one. by Valerie
The first year looked weakly at Miss Diaz. Valerie was feeling truly horrible and was going to argue with anything that helped her get to the medic sooner. She was just grateful for any help anyone was willing to give her. As awful as it sounded, Valerie was pretty dependent on others whether she wanted to be or not. Her parents had always treated her like she would break, like she was too weak and frail to be on her own...and Valerie was sure that it was true that she was. She certainly felt it all the time. It was something she just had to accept.Suddenly, Valerie wished she were home again. With people who cared about her and were used to her condition. She hadn't really made friends at Sonora yet and she felt very alone, despite Miss Diaz's kind look.
The Crotalus barely even noticed the interaction between Miss Diaz and the older student she had called over. The whole world seemed rather surreal to her right now. Like something in between reality and a dream. Everything seemed muffled and Valerie was hot again, like someone had raised the temperature in the room had been raised to about 100 degrees. Or more. Valerie literally felt like she would burn up right there.
Her ears were killing her too and she felt a bit dizzy and nauseous. Like she would throw up had she eaten anything for breakfast. Valerie rarely had much appetite to begin with and the last few days she'd had even less of one. The first year had had most diseases before at some point, and pretty much knew by now what each felt like and she was certain she had an ear infection.
Valerie began shivering again as Renee was introduced to her. She nodded weakly even though to do so seemed to aggravate her ear pain and make her feel dizzy. "I guess so." She didn't see how she had a choice. Valerie wouldn't feel comfortable asking to be carried or levitated. That was too much to ask of someone she didn't know and it might attract more attention than she possibly was already. The first year might have wanted someone around to care about her but she certainly did not want everyone staring at her. Especially when she didn't feel or look her best. Valerie was certainly flushed from the fever and looked pretty sick, not the beautiful perfection a pureblood lady was supposed to exemplify. Sure, she could get away with not being so more than Melanie but she still felt ashamed.
"Yes, I'm ready." She spoke, her voice weak and barely audible. Valerie was more than ready. She needed to lie down now . Unfortunately, however there was something bothering her. She was queasy and thought she might throw up. "But I need to stop at the restroom on the way." Valerie was not going to vomit there in the library, it would just be too humiliating. Nobody would ever want to be friends with her then.
OOC-Do you want to post in the Hospital Wing first?
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Valerie
I think I am one.
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