We all have something. There’s some little, unimportant thing that drives you crazy in your Children’s Room or your school library. And I want to know what it is.
I will confess that I have a few things. The chairs need to be in the right places, the displays needs to be filled with face-outs, and then there’s this display:
I think it may have once been used for (or intended for) big books, but we couldn’t ever get them to look nice, so we repurposed this weird little shelving unit. It stands in the entrance to our department and usually features popular series of books.
The thing that drives me crazy is that each pocket is a different depth, meaning that different size books look nice in different pockets. I am somewhat obsessive about picking out the series to feature in the size-appropriate rows. The middle row where you can’t really see the last couple of books? Driving me crazy right now.
Does it matter? NO!
Does it bug me so much that I make a HUGE DEAL out of everyone putting the “right” size books in there? NO!
But if I’m on my own, I will definitely rearrange or pull different books so that it looks “right” to me.
I know I’m not the only one (RIGHT?!), so out with it! What are the little, unimportant things in your library space that drive you crazy?
— Abby Johnson, Children’s Services Manager
New Albany-Floyd County Public Library
New Albany, IN
http://www.abbythelibrarian.com
Julie
With you on the chairs and full displays. My other pet peeve is loose books on shelves and book ends that are not pushed in. It is not rocket science and only takes a second it you walk past it push it in!!!!!!! Sorry, I’ll calm down now but I just don’t get how anyone can walk by without tidying it up.
Abby K
I’m so glad to hear I’m not the only one!
It drives me bonkers when children put colored coloring sheets back into the bin of clean coloring sheets rather than take their masterpieces home. It’s absolutely silly that this should drive me nuts, but it does! 🙂
Laura Lieeske
Headphones. On the iPads and the AWE computers. How on earth can a 3 yr. old make such a mess out of a set of headphone cords? And it takes FOREVER to untangle them. I know it’s silly, but it makes me crazy nonetheless.
Sarah S.
Shelving paperback easy readers! Extra annoying: shelving paperback non-fiction! The labels never fit in the spines, they get worn and tattered, and kids love to creatively shelve things themselves. My fix is that I’ve gotten some colorful bins for the fiction ones, so kids can flip through them by level.
Nancee
Book displays with only one or two books on display! If there aren’t any books to refill the display, remove it!