This thread about working in a library went viral because it’s funny, passionate, angry and utterly lovely
18. A library lives and dies by the staff on the counter. You can have the best funding, all of the books and tech in the world but you’ll only get footfall if your staff go above and beyond. Sometimes even that doesn’t work, though and it’s frustrating.
— 21st Century Gorgon 🐍 (@grumpwitch) May 15, 2019
19. We’re funded based on footfall. I’ve seen staff cry because we lost a youth group to a private hall that has fancier facilities like a cafe. We need all the footfall we can get.
— 21st Century Gorgon 🐍 (@grumpwitch) May 15, 2019
20. Staff are hitting their heads against walls volunteering to create events, classes and groups only to have them shot down because local councils don’t understand social media or want to charge for it. I can’t overemphasise just how much unpaid work staff do.
— 21st Century Gorgon 🐍 (@grumpwitch) May 15, 2019
21. Most of the facilities are only working because staff pay out of pocket to get things working. My manager bought a new laminator when we couldn’t afford one. She buys in colouring materials for kids. We sometimes bring in our own stationery. We even but lightbulbs in.
— 21st Century Gorgon 🐍 (@grumpwitch) May 15, 2019
22. Authors don’t like to visit little libraries because they don’t get paid. Bookstores often pay.
23. The “sexy librarian” trope has actually done a LOT of harm and has caused countless incidences of sexual assault by men who can’t tell the difference between porn and reality.— 21st Century Gorgon 🐍 (@grumpwitch) May 15, 2019
24. Old ladies keep libraries in business. Old ladies who read are the best. Old ladies who can tell you exactly which page features the most gruesome murder scene are the very best.
— 21st Century Gorgon 🐍 (@grumpwitch) May 15, 2019
25. Library staff ALWAYS want to know what you thought of the book. We want to know what to recommend to others!
— 21st Century Gorgon 🐍 (@grumpwitch) May 15, 2019
26. I’m not supposed to have favourite library users but I do: I love library couples, who bicker over each others’ reading tastes or share books and then argue about the themes.
— 21st Century Gorgon 🐍 (@grumpwitch) May 15, 2019
I also love the autistic kids with special interests. I will crawl over hot coals to get you a book about the specific type of train you are interested in, tiny child. I will listen to you tell me about it in great detail. I will try to remember for the next time you come in.
— 21st Century Gorgon 🐍 (@grumpwitch) May 15, 2019
27. The single best moment, for me, is when a library user graduates from Young Adult to Adult and suddenly the entire library is open to them! They can read anything! No more tiny teen section! All of the classics! Sci fi! Horror!
They often get overwhelmed.
— 21st Century Gorgon 🐍 (@grumpwitch) May 15, 2019
28. And finally, because I’ve spammed you long enough and because my typos are mounting up, remember this:
Library staff can overcome many challenges but Book Gods help you if you deprive us of caffeine. You don’t want to see what happens then.
— 21st Century Gorgon 🐍 (@grumpwitch) May 15, 2019
And here’s just a glimpse of the love people had for it.
I think this is the loveliest thread I have ever read. On libraries in 2019: https://t.co/hZ0vv6DteG
— Caitlin Moran (@caitlinmoran) May 16, 2019
This is probably the best Twitter thread I have ever read in the entire history of Twitter. https://t.co/gj1uqVH6J2
— Robin Lustig (@robinlustig) May 16, 2019
You know it’s been a helluva week when this thread about libraries makes me cry:https://t.co/sveRzCoF2D
— Ally Maynard (@missmayn) May 16, 2019
Read this thread. You will understand so much if you do. https://t.co/0SFsv4IzHp
— Neil Gaiman (@neilhimself) May 16, 2019
A wonderful thread on the importance of #Libraries https://t.co/iKOMbGoGNv
— Greg Jenner (@greg_jenner) May 16, 2019
passionate, angry, funny and all round glorious thread. https://t.co/jGVvviFLAZ
— Sarah Phelps (@PhelpsieSarah) May 16, 2019
Cannot recommend this thread enough https://t.co/qIGEgsLDb4
— Adam Parsons (@adamparsons) May 16, 2019
This an amazing, dispiriting, inspirational thread. https://t.co/3oFbcgxyXO
— Stig Abell (@StigAbell) May 16, 2019
We’re off to the library.
