The Missing Book Mission

by Sarah Daniels

As my time working in Savoy Library comes to an end, I look back on my short but sweet time as a Librarian, from setting up Media Room appointments to ensuring the learning fortress that is Savoy Library is kept in order. While printing issues and the fish are tied for second for a place in my heart, the first place goes to missing books.

There’s nothing like being tasked with the mission of finding books that have gone MIA; a thick stack of double-sided papers listing all of the missing Fiction, Reference and Non-Fiction, oh My! Throughout the course of my mission, several problems arose. I found that this went beyond missing books; it was finding books that were not in the system, an entire shelf of books missing and books that needed new spine labels. While this would have been a heavy task for a normal human, I rose up to the challenge and passed on most problem books to Rebecca. On Tuesday, December 2, 2014, at 15:15 Zulu time, I completed my mission. On top of that, I made a Christmas tree out of books and that’s what I call a successful co-op term. To the future co-ops of Savoy Library, I salute you in whatever future endeavors Rebecca sets upon you and may you tackle them with the grace and wisdom of your inner Librarian and we all have one. My time in Switzerland will be one for the books (excuse the library pun) and I hope you enjoy working here just as much as I did!

Monday's Library Lecture with Martin Brocklehurst a big success!

Martin Brocklehurst's library lecture about "Circular Economy" on Monday, December 1, was a big success. At least 90 students and staff attended the interesting talk about the economic benefits of recycling. Numerous students even stayed after the lecture to ask more questions. Many thanks are extended to the Science Department for co-hosting the event with the Libraries. Here is a link to the PowerPoint presentation. A recording of the session will be available soon on the LAS Libraries YouTube channel. 

The Haunted Printer at Belle Époque Library

by Arvin Lo

     During my duration in the Belle Époque Library, I have met many great individuals and it will be very depressing to leave LAS. A typical day in the library would be to take attendances of students who have study period in the library, organizing books, and ensuring the library is in a quiet and peaceful environment for people to relax.  However the major thing I will miss during my time at the library would be the moody and haunted printer.

     I have a love-hate relationship with the printer where some days the printer would be well behave with printing and other days I would be crying due to paper jam, absurd amount of printing, and just being unable to print. In the beginning, the printer and I did not get along well with each other and the printer would have frequent paper jams and issues everyday in the beginning of the term. I still have nightmares where one time a student printed 30 copies of a certain document by mistake and the printer would continue to print even after the cancellation of the print job. But the printer has been behaving well recently due to the fact I have ensure the printer is having a healthy diet by feeding it with paper that does not contain a smooth surface that would cause paper jam. In addition, I would turn off the printer before closing up the library to ensure it has a good night sleep to perform the following day. It was a bumpy relationship in the beginning, but I eventually developed a bond with the printer and things have started to settle down.



    Future co-ops and interns you have been warn about this haunted printer and make sure to treat it with respect and dignity or there will be huge consequences.  I had a blast at the Belle Époque Library and would like to give a shout out to Amanda Bjorling and Rebecca Leonhard for both being awesome individuals and making the library environment a fun place to work in.