Assistants required! on Library

Librarian DiAnna Diaz

September 07, 2012 1:08 AM

Assistants required! by Librarian DiAnna Diaz

It was by now more of a habit than a necessity for the librarian to enrol students to aid her in the library, and Miss Diaz barely thought twice about presenting the opportunity this year. She knew it gave the chance of participation to those who were not keen on joinging the Quidditch team, for example, or perhaps it presented an opportunity to develop responsibility for those younger who might be considering a role of authority in the coming years. Sometimes she thought it might just be used as an excuse to spend more time in the library, but she was hardly going to quibble with this less nobel reason for interest in her vocation; she loved being in the library herself.

Hence a month or so into the new term, DiAnna created the sign-up sheet for students to show their interest in becoming either a library monitor or a library assistant. She used purple ink, and carefully underlined the important parts in black. Her neat, curly handwriting, read:

Would you like to volunteer in the library a few hours a week? There are two roles for you to consider: Library Monitors will help to check books in and out, organize the stacks, answer student queries, and complete occasional errands for the librarian. With fewer responsibilities, Library Assistants will place returned books back to their correct position in the stacks, and help the Library Monitors where necessary. If you would like to be considered for either of these roles, please register your interest by signing your name, year, and role preference below. If you have any questions, please see Miss Diaz.

She pinned this notice to the display board by the doors to the library, so any student walking in or out the main entrance would be likely to see it. Below this notice was a sheet of parchment with space for students to add their names and other details to the list. DiAnna hadn't yet turned anyone down entirely once they'd violunteered for a position, but younger students were less likely to be considered for Monitors than their older, more experienced counterparts.

Subthreads:

Still here by Thad Pierce

Help has arrived (again) by Waverly Canterbury

Doesn't look like you're getting a lot of those. by Alicia Bauer

Happy to Serve! by Elijah Errant

Eager Return by Renée Errant

Signing up by Melanie Lennox

Back again. by Russell Layne

Assistants present! by Henny B-F-R

0 Librarian DiAnna Diaz Assistants required! 0 Librarian DiAnna Diaz 1 5

Thad Pierce

September 07, 2012 9:13 AM

Still here by Thad Pierce

There had never been any doubt in Thad's mind that he would again sign up to help out in the library. For the first month back at Sonora, he slowed down to check the library's bulletin board every time he walked into or out of it, which was generally six or eight times a day since the Aladren commonroom was located within its boundaries. He was just starting to wonder if maybe Miss Diaz had discontinued the practice when it appeared.

As putting his name down onto the list was a foregone conclusion, he wasted no time in digging a quill out of his school bag and adding it to the sheet. His only hesitation came as he reached the part about which position to apply for. He had been an assistant the previous two years and he was comfortable there, but he was an intermediate now and prefect decisions would be made for his yeargroup in less than two years. He had to impress the staff with his responsibility and competence before then.

Considered like that, there really was only one option. If he didn't get it, at least he could say he had volunteered.

Thaddeus Pierce II, Third Year, Library Monitor

1 Thad Pierce Still here 213 Thad Pierce 0 5

Waverly Canterbury

September 07, 2012 5:39 PM

Help has arrived (again) by Waverly Canterbury

Waverly had been in love with this library for two years now. This would be her third year and she was excited to actually have a bigger job in the library now. When she really thought about it, she was going to be juggling so many things this year. She had her baking club, the book club she wanted to join, Jade's horse club, and Quidditch, if she made the team. It was a lot, not even mentioning classes and the work she'd have to do for that. But she just couldn't give up the library. Though Waverly hadn't spent much time in here yet, she was planning on studying here all the time. There was some helpful recipe books in here too which Waverly really enjoyed and had checked out numerous times. She knew the library pretty well now, at least in her opinion, especially since she had helped out before.

When she saw the signup sheet, she was definitely sure she wanted to sign up. Taking out the blue pen she had gotten during back-to-school shopping, she wrote down her info. She would have more responsibility in the library, and she couldn't wait. She'd be able to help Wendy in the library too! There would be lots of reading time spent and she would be able to meet a lot of people this way too. She knew her fellow library people on a friendly basis. It helped that there weren't many of them too. After signing up, she was going to go take a break and read a little bit. Maybe find a new recipe for the baking club.

Waverly Canterbury, third-year, Library Monitor

19 Waverly Canterbury Help has arrived (again) 218 Waverly Canterbury 0 5

Alicia Bauer

September 12, 2012 2:50 PM

Doesn't look like you're getting a lot of those. by Alicia Bauer

Her year group, Alicia had noticed, was nearly as bad as her family for joining the library assistants’ program, and maybe worse, now that her sister Rachel was gone. She was guessing Thad saw it as a necessary step toward power, as she did, though she had never been sure that he shared her second reason of liking that it could sometimes be another excuse to hang out, and Waverly Canterbury…was either a serious threat to Alicia’s position as the best liar in the year or just got something out of being in a lot of groups, since Alicia had never perceived her as an ambitious person and she wasn’t a friend of theirs.

She hadn’t, though, noticed it this year; when the sign-up sheet hadn’t appeared, Alicia hadn’t thought about it, just going around her usual activities in the library and the school because she had other things on her mind. When it appeared, she had been surprised, since she had vaguely thought this had already been taken care of, but she found a quill and then let it hover over the page for a long moment after she wrote out her name, not sure what to write after that.

As a third year, she had expected to be an assistant again, but the other two third years had both signed up to be monitors this year. Canterbury she didn’t care about one way or another, what some Pecari girl with a food obsession thought of her was completely immaterial to her life, but Thad was another question. Assistants helped monitors, so that would work out, but what if he did think less of her for taking a subordinate position? That was something she had never done before. She had always behaved as though they were equals. The bother of the work itself was an acceptable sacrifice, but…

She bit her lower lip hard, making up her mind even though it didn't emotionally feel like it was necessarily the right decision, and then wrote the last part in less neatly than the rest. To hell with it. It wasn’t up to her anyway, and she couldn’t step down in front of the others. Not both of them, not to mention the rest of the school. The best interests of the library were only about third or fourth on her list of priorities; her friends, her work, and probably her House would always come before that at least.

Alicia Bauer, Third Year, Library Monitor

16 Alicia Bauer Doesn't look like you're getting a lot of those. 210 Alicia Bauer 0 5

Elijah Errant

September 13, 2012 2:15 AM

Happy to Serve! by Elijah Errant

His grades had slipped last term, the result of reading and memorizing only what interested him (which was very little) and ignoring the rest, dismissed as irrelevant information he wouldn’t need to know in his future as a mountain climber, hired by people to climb mountains so that they could watch. He figured somewhere it had to be a real profession, since his father was insisting that after graduation he should have a decent profession. Climbing mountains all day, every day, required only survival magics and potions. Elijah paid attention to creatures he was expecting to run across in his classes, and healing potions, and spells that could ward off danger. But everything else was irrelevant. To him, at least, not his mother or abuelos or father who’d sent a howler, blown up in his face, coughing up ash.

In addition to being resolved to showing up to class on time, to studying and doing well, exceptionally well, Elijah also was pressured to do whatever he could to achieve extra credit or simple bonus points on his record that indicated he cared for his academic welfare. When he thought of the most boring adventure there could be, his mind wandered over to the library, and remembered that at least Miss Diaz would be there to ease his loneliness, suffering and heartache. He imagined late nights, spilling over boring texts, helping her track down sources and phrases and whatever else she might need. The dark library vacant in the night, the two of them bent over candlelight, alone save for the fire flickering between them.

He read the sheet that hung in the library, contemplating his options. He didn’t want the extra work a monitor entailed, but being an assistant sounded like admitting he was a child. He was thirteen years old now, a man now, and Miss Diaz ought to see him as such. But then again there’s more work. His brow creased, uncertain what the best play to make for her affections would be. He drew out his quill, dipping it quickly in ink, staining the dark caramel tone of his skin.

I, Elijah Errant, hereby declare myself of use in any way Miss Diaz and her library require. I will serve honorably, efficiently, without complaint and delay, dedicating myself only to the happiness and prosperity of the librarian and her magnificent temple of knowledge.

He read his script over, nodding to himself. It sounded mature enough. He was sure she would take notice, realize he was not a child. He left out that he was a third year Pecari, not wanting to needlessly remind her of his age. He flung his quill and partially screwed on capped ink bottle back into his bag, turning to exit the library, a quick glance cast about to see if he could catch her at work before he left.

0 Elijah Errant Happy to Serve! 0 Elijah Errant 0 5

Renée Errant

September 13, 2012 2:32 AM

Eager Return by Renée Errant

She’d been avoiding the question of what it was she wanted to be. Questions and speculations about her future made her nervous, reminded her that the present was a fleeting moment she couldn’t grasp onto forever. It slipped between her curled fingers, like sand in the wind. At times she indulged in the fantasy of playing Chaser forever. Certainly it was something that made her feel alive, and she was good at it. She felt good at it. And she thought maybe she ought to do what she loved. It was a competitive sport, and the idea of failing at getting onto a team rather frightened her. To be told she wasn’t good enough at what she loved. She shied away from that possibility of rejection. The future was something to be avoided. She wasn’t ever ready for it until it happened.

A lot of times she thought about creature healers, or tamers. But she was more suited to the wild outskirts of civilization than with the neutered beasts brought to the shores of society. She thought maybe she could just study them, learn from them, instead of trying to tame them, bring them down to her human level. She could do that, she sometimes thought. Travel the world in search of brilliant beasts, live amongst them, run with them, fly with them, hold her breath and dive into the unknown deep sea blue. That scared her a little less, although she worried a little of getting lost, wandering too far from the path, unable to accomplish real work, distracted by the brilliance of her beautiful, strange surroundings. Would she be able to publish a thesis, get whatever ideas she had down, get them recognized and known? She didn’t want to fail in the wild, her home away from home.

And then, sometimes, she thought about the calm and easy warmth she felt behind the shelves, fingers trailing the spines of old tomes she marked within her mind, determined to return and read them, learn all she could, the secrets of the world. Maybe she would, maybe she wouldn’t, but she could easily slip into that future of being librarian. The silence of the air, the vibrant color of various words called to her, tempted her, red apples hanging in weight, urging her to dip in, teeth sinking in the sweet unknown knowledge.

Renée Errant. Sixth Year, Crotalus. Library Monitor. She finished the ending curve of her cursive r, smiling a little, looking forward once again to tending behind the desk, bookmarking scrolls she’d pour over later, enjoying lengthened shifts, cramming all she could in one night, lost and submerged beneath the color and sound of the pages turning, the tips of her fingers pleasantly raw. She turned away and headed out, eager for the librarian’s call to return in only a few short weeks or days. Whenever her services were needed she’d come running.

0 Renée Errant Eager Return 0 Renée Errant 0 5

Melanie Lennox

September 21, 2012 5:28 PM

Signing up by Melanie Lennox

Much like her father, Melanie often felt the need to keep herself busy to keep her mind off her troubles. Last year, she'd attempted to do this by focusing on her schoolwork as much as possible but it really hadn't been enough. The Teppenpaw had finished it all much too quickly and hadn't really found other things to do, having not really made friends either. Melanie had, at least subconsciously, avoided doing so, because she was afraid of being a downer. Her mother always said people didn't like downers, and while she mostly didn't care about Mother's opinions, the belief had stuck anyway.

This year, though, the Teppenpaw needed more. First of all, she was going to make friends because she quite honestly needed one, a real friend, not just a connection with the right people. Melanie needed someone that she could turn to when things were hard, because she couldn't talk to Valerie about them when her sister's medical problems were what she was upset about and if she ever was unhappy about anything else, she wouldn't want to stress the fourth year out. Too much stress was hard on the immune system.

Melanie was also going to find some other activities to do. Quidditch was out of course, and even if she hadn't been raised to believe it was improper for girls, she was hardly inclined to play. It was a violent game and she didn't especially care for it. In fact, Marcus playing worried her. The other Teppenpaw was the closest thing that Melanie had to a friend and she didn't want him-or anyone-to get hurt, which was a very big possibility the way some people played, especially Aladren.

Last year, the only other activity offered had been helping in the library and Melanie found that far more suitable than a brutal and unladylike sport that would cost her a chance at a betrothal. She did like reading and was planning to attend the book club she'd heard about too.

Reading was good. Reading kept the second year's mind off things. Melanie loved to lose her self in a good story and she knew her sister did too. It was just too bad that Valerie would never be able to join the book club with her, because she'd never be able to make it to all the meetings. The Teppenpaw did feel just a little guilty again about doing something that her sister couldn't but she very much needed to get her mind off things. Melanie knew Valerie would understand.

With that, the second year wrote her name on the list.

Melanie Lennox, second year, Library Assistant

11 Melanie Lennox Signing up 226 Melanie Lennox 0 5

Russell Layne

September 30, 2012 12:24 PM

Back again. by Russell Layne

It was, Russell had to admit, pleasant to imagine that having a badge on his robes meant that he now had a good reason to step away from other activities, but he couldn't pull it off very well because he knew it wasn't true. Now that the prefect and Quidditch captain from his year had both been chosen, the stakes were higher than ever, because that meant there was only one badge left and no matter what, at least one of the four of them who had begun together was going to end up not having one. It made more sense to indulge silly thoughts about being in a House where no one had any ambition, and frankly, Russell thought that, after the first few weeks, would just get boring.

Admittedly, boring might not sound as bad in seventh year, when he had RATS on top of Quidditch and the library and book club and being a prefect and hopefully being Head Boy, but Russell guessed it was all a matter of priorities. He wouldn't go back and do too many things differently, anyway, if he had the chance. If he felt differently in two years, well, that was one year compared to six where he'd had a pretty good time of it. He thought he'd manage.

For a while, he thought he might manage a little easier when the library sign-up sheet didn't materialize, but then it did and things for the rest of his time at Sonora was back on the track he had expected it to follow for a while now. Scanning the substantial sign-up list, he spotted some names he expected and some he didn't, was amused by the ambition of the third years, and then hesitated. He was the second-eldest here, easily the most responsible...well, the thought of staying in his usual position was amusing, but he didn't know how it would be interpreted. It might just look like he couldn't keep up, and he did have to maintain a level of control over at least two of the others outside of the library. Shaking his head at the power-hungry ways of his colleagues, he signed up for monitor as well and walked away.

16 Russell Layne Back again. 183 Russell Layne 0 5

Henny B-F-R

October 02, 2012 10:51 AM

Assistants present! by Henny B-F-R

The library was home away from home for Henny. The fact that it led to the Aladren Commons and that she loved reading were reason enough but it also helped that it once been watched over by her father and his assistant. He hadn't had library monitors and she was unsure whether this was due to his temperament or the temperament of, and mere presence of, his assistant, Oscar the cat. Her father was a sweet man but rather shy, which was why he had been drawn to a career which involved hiding amongst books, in an environment where excessive conversation was frowned upon. He would have been perfectly amiable and helpful to any student who had needed his help but she could not have imagined him organising them, nor actively encouraging interaction with him. And besides which, Oscar would have taken their invasion of his territory very personally and perhaps have addressed the issue using claws.

Henny liked the idea of helping in the library, as well as constantly patronising it – although she would be unlikely to be shelving her own returns, the number of books she helped to put back would probably outweigh the number that she removed from their places, especially as she was very conscientious about tidying up any books she had used within the library but not checked out, rather than just leaving them on the table or the returns trolley. It was similar to being environmentally kind in a way; she was restoring more order than she was creating disruption. Plus she came across some interesting titles that she might otherwise never have found. Perhaps assuming that she was a positive influence on the order of the library was a mistake, as she always found at least one thing to check out for herself in the pile of books she was meant to be returning.

The sign up sheet had taken a while to go up this year but, as she had to constantly pass in and out of the library to get to her house, she spotted it fairly soon after it had gone up.

Henny B-F-R monitor/assistant she wrote. She was moving into intermediate but still fairly young on the scale of the whole school and really did not mind, so long as she was being useful.

13 Henny B-F-R Assistants present! 211 Henny B-F-R 0 5