when the library opens after a holiday and the lights are flipped on...

Walking into work after a holiday always gives me some anxiety.  Especially during the seconds prior to flipping on the lights as I wonder just how big the pile of returned materials is. 

Today wasn't too scary.  Sure, the library was missed on a rainy 4th of July, but the book drop didn't reflect that so much as today did.

We were completely slammed.

Piles and piles of books kept the book drops constantly full. Lots of assistance was needed. Tutoring resumed. And everyone needed books right now.

At one point we ran out of carts so I decided to shelve a cart of children's books.  I thought, what could be more fun than losing my hearing, skirt, and sanity?

I know what you're thinking.  Any one of those things sounds entirely like too much fun.

Imagine tootling around on a little stool with wheels, shelving books.  Now pretend like you are doing this in a gumball machine.  Except the gumballs are tiny toddling humans with grabby little fingers and shrieking mouths.  Now attempt to stand up, drag your stool with wheels through the melee to get to another section, and a few of the grabby hands clutch your skirt.  Repeat repeat repeat.  When I finally finished and made it to the elevator a child asked for books on animals just as sweet as can be.  Who can refuse that?  So off we go to look for animals. Just as I'm attempting another elevator escape a tutor pushes a bouquet of unsharpened colored pencils into my hands to be sharpened (pencil sharpener is in the office out of reach of grabby hands).

After sharpening the colored pencils I am finally in the elevator with my cart, breathing a sigh of relief, and here comes a lady with twin toddlers and a stroller with twin babies.  Out of the elevator I go, and after another ten minutes of questions I officially climb my way out of the gumball machine.

The real question is, will I shelve another cart of children's books tomorrow if we're still backed up? Oh heck, why not.