Library beeping

 

There are actually several stories I could tell you about the two loud high pitched beeping alarms that have been going off all day at the library I work at. The backroom beeping has since been fixed. Alas though, the beeping in the library entry continues on and is so maddening that most of the stories I could tell would be far too dark for such a sunny, heartwarming blog as is

CLERKMANIFESTO

herald of the angels and bestower of sunlight.

But I can probably manage to tell one story that does not descend into absolute madness and long diatribes about the County, about all management everywhere, and about the terrifying, threadbare fabric of America itself.

Plus the story I can tell you is super flattering to me. 

So those are always really fun. 

For me.

After a reasonably pleasant couple of hours walking around the Harriet Alexander Nature Area (pictures surely forthcoming), I arrived for work at the library a bit before 11:30. An insanely loud beeping was emanating from the fire suppression unit where our book return is. It was intoxicating in its loudness. I was quickly appraised of the situation. The alarm had been going on for three hours, both filling the back work room and, in the front lobby, filling the whole entry area of the library. That latter of these is where I am now, at the front desk, listening to some kind of modernized Edgar Allen Poe story, being driven slowly mad.

But we're not talking about that.

Everyone else in the back room was already fully insane when I arrived. Some were wearing earplugs. Property Management had been notified and immediately began napping. And so I knew it was up to me if I had any hope.

The alarm cabinet was open. I tried all the things everyone else surely tried. But I won't go into those details because

THEY WILL PROBABLY ENRAGE ME

 I found that if one hit the "Silence Alarm" button, it silenced it for one second, and then started again, but if one held that button down, it just kept clicking, and the alarm failed to engage. Without a lot of boring details, because it was a fussy and difficult to do, I managed to get this button taped down, silencing the alarm.

In a state of what I might best describe as smoldering righteousness, I went to take care of some bit of business on a computer. My longtime colleague Dan came up to me, earplugs stuffed in his ears, and teasingly said "You wanted the bookdrop turned on yesterday!" (It was closed due to some minor cement work on a curb). "And now look what you caused!" He gestured all around him.

I said "What do you mean? What did I cause?"

He gestured around madly. "The beeping!" He exclaimed.

"What beeping?" I asked mildly.

He took out one of his earplugs. He held up a finger for me to wait for the incoming beep.

It didn't come.

I looked at him quizzically.

He said, mystified "It was just beeping. It's been beeping all morning!"

"Oh, I fixed that." I said nonchalantly.