Present and accounted for. on Library

Librarian DiAnna Diaz

October 14, 2012 3:35 PM

Library <s>minions</s> helpers by Librarian DiAnna Diaz

Her monitors and assistants had been doing the odd job here and there since DiAnna had confirmed their positions a few weeks into the term. The monitors were often called upon to assist with checking books in and out of the library, sorting misplaced books back to the correct location, helping students to find the books they were looking for, and other odd jobs here and there which DiAnna thought appropriate. The assistants had been helping the monitors out with these duties, potentially learning the ropes for when they, in turn, would become monitors. For her part, DiAnna liked having a little throng of helpers - she tried not to think of them as minions - and she hoped the student volunteers were making friends, too.

It was time for a final clear up of the library before midterm. There would be a usual rush to hand in end of term assignments, to check out holiday books - whether for studies or pleasure - to read over midterm, and a general tidy-up was often required after the constant use of the vast library since the summer. Therefore, DiAnna had called together her helpers to co-ordinate the pre-midterm clean-up operation. "Good morning, everyone," the witch greeted this year's selection, which consisted of monitors Samantha Hamilton, Reneé Errant, Russell Lane, Ryan O'Malley and Henny Boxton-Fox-Reynolds, and assitants Melanie Lennox, Elijah Errant, Alicia Bauer, Waverly Canterbury, Thaddeus Pierce and Evan Brockert. Several of the assistants this year had actually signed up to be monitors, but DiAnna liked to retain a balance of the two positions, and so the third years would just have to wait a short while longer to be granted the extra responsibility.

"There's lots to be done today and for the rest of the coming week," DiAnna stated. She was, as usual, dressed in dark folds of fabric draped over her short stature, combined with the huge heels of her high-legged boots to make her height appear more average. "I also expect the library to be very busy, so having someone stationed at the desk to check books in and out is going to be important." She would be there most of the time herself, of course, but having an extra pair of hands around was always an advantage during these busy periods. "There are also the usual piles to relocated," she gestured towards the trolleys of returned books, "and I think the whole area needs a bit of a tidy up. So if everyone pitches in we shouldn't have a problem," she smiled in what she hoped was an encouraging fashion.

Subthreads:

Present and accounted for. by Alicia Bauer, Aladren

Monitoring away. by Russell Layne, Aladren

Happy to help out. by Ryan O'Malley

Assisting by Melanie Lennox

0 Librarian DiAnna Diaz Library <s>minions</s> helpers 0 Librarian DiAnna Diaz 1 5

Alicia Bauer, Aladren

October 24, 2012 4:38 PM

Present and accounted for. by Alicia Bauer, Aladren

It was, Alicia thought as she joined the library assistants’ meeting, a happy coincidence indeed that her House colors were blue and black, because of all the combinations Sonora had to offer, this was the one which suited her best. Her high-necked navy dress and black boots were maybe a little more pointed than they would have been otherwise, but she thought she would have liked the combination even if she had had the bad luck to be Sorted into one of the other, lesser quarters of the school. In it, her hair and eyes looked darker, almost black, and her face paler, and she thought the effect was striking at the very least; she knew she was not beautiful, but she still thought she looked nice, her hair in curls just past her shoulders and her diamond earrings twinkling in her ears above the simple outfit.

If it also reminded anyone who happened to look at her that she was an Aladren, and thus, if they happened to be in another House, that she was at least a little better than them in some respect, well…This was the library. People did not come in here without a healthy respect for her House. Not if they could help it, anyway.

The first thing Miss Diaz did was remind her that they were approaching the time of year when some of them would not really be able to help it, but she only wrinkled her nose slightly as she listened to what they were going to do to keep the place under control during the busy season. She approved of having a plan ahead of time, so that the influx of people who wouldn’t normally be here didn’t completely destroy the place blundering around and getting bored and such, and made a note to get involved in every task the librarian mentioned at some time before they had to go home for Christmas. She had, not at all to her surprise, been kept at the second level this year, but putting her neck out for the higher one meant she had to work that much harder to seem content where she was now that the list had gone out, and also to put herself in a better position for snagging Samantha’s spot among the monitors next year. She still hadn’t decided which of the sixth years they’d have to get rid of to make a spot for Thad if she did get Samantha’s, but thought that between them, they could maybe come up with something before next September.

It was a pity, she thought, that she couldn’t just ask Russell to do her a favor and give up his place, but she knew that would be a very great favor, since her distant cousin was playing his own game for Head Boy and she had nothing to give him in return which could help him make up for the loss of that advantage. Her circle was a year too far behind him to vote next year, and she didn’t have any influence among the current fourth years, since she didn’t really see a reason for most of them to exist. Maybe she could convince him that seeming less busy could make people think he’d have the time to be Head Boy, but honestly, the position was all but do-nothing as far as she could tell, just a pretty title, and she suspected he knew it and just wanted it to make the equivalent of a rude hand gesture at Preston Stratford – an admirable goal, to be sure, but not one which helped her out very much.

It was, she thought, more likely that Thad would get the position, which she wouldn’t even volunteer for, and then she’d move up in their fifth year. She could go against the seventh years, maybe, but she wasn’t sure it would be worth it.

Right now, though, it wasn’t a problem. Things had not gone as well as she had thought they might in the blissful first week of school – she had thought then that she might have the best year of her life – but they were still good this year. Her friends seemed less happy with life than she had been prepared to be, which bothered her and was causing her stress, but they were all learning fascinating new things in their classes, she had started learning even more on her own, and hopefully things would get back on track after Christmas, when they were all used to being third years and whatever was going on with the boys was resolved. For now, she needed to make a good day of it by seizing a task which wasn’t going to mess up her dress.

“I’ll reshelve some of these books,” she volunteered, grabbing a trolley and smiling. This job was, in her mind, ideal; if she ended up on her own, she could look through the books if anything was on the trolley which she wanted to see if she wanted to read but didn't want to check out, but if she didn't, then she could still carry on a conversation without worrying that she had dust on her face or something. Perfect.

16 Alicia Bauer, Aladren Present and accounted for. 210 Alicia Bauer, Aladren 0 5

Russell Layne, Aladren

October 25, 2012 2:01 PM

Monitoring away. by Russell Layne, Aladren

With her dark blue dress, dark green robes, and dark brown hair, Alicia looked, in Russell’s mind, not unlike a slightly malignant sea figure in profile, a sight which made him shake his head and thank goodness that he was not a girl and could get away with wearing a lot of white button-downs and khakis with the uniform robe. He had considered, from time to time, adding on a tie to match his roommates better, and had even broken down and done it a few times, but as a rule, he didn’t go that far. There were limits to his desire to fit in, and wearing ties on a daily basis was for when he was a professional and possibly had a bit of a mustache. Both a professional career and a mustache were things to consider in the future, not in fifth year.

He did, after all, think he had quite enough to consider in fifth year already. Classes. CATS which would come from classes. Prefect duties. Quidditch. This thing in the library. Sometimes, he started to despair of his ability to breathe, but he was keeping all the balls in the air so far, so he wasn’t worrying about it too much. That, after all, would have taken up even more time, which was the last thing he needed something to do at the moment.

Especially since, apparently, this thing in the library was about to get even busier for him. He hadn’t really thought about the finals rush into the library yet, since he had effectively treated it as on all year himself, but yeah, that was going to happen. Almost everyone at least made a stab at studying as the days got shorter and the teachers’ warnings about their marks got longer, which meant more people coming to the library, which meant more to do in the library. Stuff to be tidied, books to be put back, extra shifts on the desk now that he was a monitor…fun times, all of it. He began thinking of ways to try to get in the selection of his own midterm books around all the rush.

More than likely, he was going to get home and find gaps he’d wish he had filled, but he thought he would live. One of the benefits of having a grandfather who ran a book shop was access to the books, sometimes even during non-business hours, if he played his cards just right. He’d be all right. One way or another. Family was a complication of midterm during CATS year, but he would manage somehow.

“Guess I’ll take the Potions section,” he volunteered as they all began splitting into assignments. “Merlin knows I’m responsible for enough of the books taken out of it.” There were days when he thought he fully understood the meaning of the saying ‘felt like his brains were running out of his ears’ in that room, though Transfiguration with Professor Skies was kind enough to let him make it up in there on days when he didn’t have Fawcett. It was only through willpower he’d survived so far, that and knowing that he was never quite as dumb as he felt, or at least being pretty convinced of it. Never had he been gladder to be a third year; he didn’t remember feeling as though he were drowning, keeping up with the CATS students, but he assumed now that there was a reason for that, and that it had to do with irreparable damage done during those ten months of his life that he could never get back.

16 Russell Layne, Aladren Monitoring away. 183 Russell Layne, Aladren 0 5

Ryan O'Malley

October 25, 2012 4:22 PM

Happy to help out. by Ryan O'Malley

Despite there being a cat in the library, Ryan had decided to sign up as a library monitor. He could have been an assistant, but given his age, he felt he should take on the larger role. The thing was, spending time with Valerie had taught him that he liked helping people.It made him feel good and useful, rather than weak and pathetic, someone who needed others to look out for him .

Plus, the library was Carrie-free zone essentially. One couldn't go wrong with that, as the only other places she wasn't allowed to go, Ryan wasn't allowed to go either. Aside from his room of course. This gave him a chance to get out of there for a bit. His sister-who was on the warpath since they found out about Peyton-didn't come into the library because she thought it was for nerds. Ryan would happily be considered a nerd if it kept her away from him.

So, the Crotalus loaded up on allergy potions and joined the others in the library, knowing that afterwards, he'd probably be super tired. He wasn't all that surprised when he was made a monitor, about half the others were third years. Ryan nodded at Renee-she intimidated him but she was his year and housemate-and Melanie by way of greeting. He noted that the Teppenpaw was the youngest of all the library helpers and he wanted to help her feel more at ease. Not that she looked especially nervous, but he would have been so in her situation.

Of course, that was him. Ryan expected things to go poorly, expected to screw up and have everyone laugh at him. He assumed they would give him all the worst jobs. Come to think of it, he almost thought he wouldn't be allowed to help in the library at all for some reason, or at the very least, not be a monitor, he didn't think Miss Diaz would find him good enough. Ryan thought he might have done a satisfactory job before, but then, nothing he did ever was. Still, he'd surprisingly been accepted back.

The sixth year waited a few moments, before seeing what others wanted to do. "I guess I can check books out." He volunteered. That was the most helpful position in his opinion. Plus, then nobody else would be forced to work with him. Of course, anyone who came in would still have to talk to him but maybe they'd enjoy ordering him around.

11 Ryan O'Malley Happy to help out. 176 Ryan O'Malley 0 5

Melanie Lennox

October 25, 2012 9:28 PM

Assisting by Melanie Lennox

Melanie was looking forward to working in the library. Of course, pureblood girls were not supposed to work, so maybe it was best to think of it as volunteering. After all, giving back made people who did it look good, her mother served several charitable organizations for that very purpose and her parents attended balls for one thing or another, though Melanie assumed that was just because her mother liked dressing up and being seen.

That was not however, why the Teppenpaw had signed up to be a Library Assistant. It was hardly a glamorous occasion attended by the cream of society. Which made it more appealing to Melanie actually. Not that she didn't want to associate with those people at all, it was more likely that she'd have more in common with them than others, it was just that she wanted something a bit more... meaningful than what her mother did or had. Melanie wanted real friendships, not acquaintances that she gathered with for superficial reasons.

However, her main reason for signing up had little to do with wanting to give back either. Yes, the second year wanted to help, she was either helpful by nature or because she'd been doing it so long, but the main thing was keeping herself busy. Throwing herself into something to get her mind off things. Valerie no longer had bronchitis but she still wasn't really well. She never was and she never would be. Melanie hated the situation and she hated thinking about it.

Things couldn't be fixed completely though and that bothered her most of all. Her sister's various ailments could be treated but another would just pop up eventually. The second year was powerless to stop it all. She always would be and it made her feel awful when all she wanted to do was help. It made Melanie feel so useless.

Right now, though, she could be of use here in the library. She'd never be the potioneer that could cure her sister's immune deficiency but she could put away library books. Now that Melanie thought about it seemed like an extremely minor thing that wouldn't change things for the person she cared most about in any way. It seemed extremely trivial suddenly. Still, it would give the Teppenpaw something to do. She started over towards the fiction section, prepared to begin organizing it. Perhaps, Melanie would find an interesting book that she could check out or recommend to either her sister or the book club.

11 Melanie Lennox Assisting 226 Melanie Lennox 0 5