Yesterday was the last day we shall ever use the datestamp in the library. Oh little datestamp, how I love thee. T'is the end of an era. I tried to save you, my friend."What will we do if the Brand New System goes off-line?" I said.
"It won't," they said. (Yeah, right).
"There might be a power-cut," I said.
"We'll write it down," they said. Quite heartlessly, I thought.
"We can put one in a drawer," I said. "Just in case."
"We'll be chucking them away," they said. With a hint of glee.
So, it's with a heavy heart little datestamp, that I bid you farewell. You gave me minutes of innocent fun. I enjoyed smashing your little head down. Especially when I was in a Mood. No offence.
R.I.P.
18 comments:
Were you allowed to take one home with you?
The irony is there's about twenty pristine ones in the stationary cupboard! But in all seriousness, this really is the end of an era. Wednesday (and to a lesser extent, Tuesday) will be extremely interesting...
I don't understand! A library without date stamps - what are you going to use instead? There's obviously some new techno-trickery of which I know nothing but I think it's the beginning of the end (any of the staff from my local library who chance upon this will shake their heads and say 'but she never reads the bloomin date anyway' - shame on me, a former librarian who keeps them all in cake with my fines)
Oh no. Can't you re home them? I'll adopt one.
Thank you for your kind thoughts on my writing. I feel I've lost my mojo...
Noo. I love the date stamp. My daughter loves the date stamp and they always let her stamp her own books. Oh big woe.
What are you going to stamp instead when 'in a mood'? Your foot?:-)
our library is all electronic and was more than a bit daunting when I first went in. my eldest, a library hound however loved it...
that younger generation... bless 'em!
btw... a really nasty character in the next book is going to be Jed. consider yourself thanked!!
NO! Not the end of the date stamp!
Nooo, I always loved the ker chunk noise it made. I think you're lucky to have held onto it for so long though. I remember my library swapping to bar codes and little slips with printed return dates when I was a teenager. (And that was a mighty long time ago!)
I love those datestamps, know exactly what you mean about taking your frustrations out in a socially exceptable way. THUMP!
helenmh - I'm not sure there'll be any left when I go in tomorrow!
paul - What? That's insane! I might have to nick one. It will be VERY interesting to see it all up and running. Let the chaos begin!
jumbly girl - Firstly, missus, where've all the words gone on your blog?? Are you writing in invisible ink? Or is it just me?
Apparently, we're behind the times having date-stamps. Lots of libraries have been handing out receipts for years, I've discovered. It'll be very weird though. I'll probably keep making stamping motions, from habit.
fiona - Adopt-a-Date-Stamp is a great idea! And you can't have lost your mojo, if your writing is anything to go by...mucho talented :o)
lane - Everybody loves the date stamp. Children particularly, I've noticed. It won't be the same. I'm going to do imaginary date stamping. And lots of foot-stamping, because I imagine things are going to be Tricky for a while.
anna - I think it's the younger generation they're trying to appeal to, to be honest. The oldies don't get a look in!
Way to go Jed!! I'll look forward to reading about him :o)
casdok - I'm afraid so :o( It's already happened in lots of libraries, apparently!
denise - I'm amazed you haven't had the date-stamp for so long!! We are Behind the Times. I'm a big fan of the ker-chunk as well though. I might start making the sound effect, actually...
yvonne - Very satisfying. Especially as no-one can tell. Unless you bash right through the counter of course.
I know a rather rude but funny joke about bonking! but I might just save this one for a rainy day :) Tommox
So how do you know when to bring the books back?
If you do nick a datestamp, don't forget to nick an inkpad at the same time, or you won't be able to use it at home. On your kids foreheads, I guess. To let them know when their curfew is.
A slip of paper! - But I will lose it! Hope my libaray doesn't get a whiff of this.
Normal service has resumed on my blog by the way :o)
Shed a tear....am v saddened by library news. What will it be without the satisifying "Thu-thunk" of am expertly wielded stamp?
tommo - There could be a rainy day on Thursday!!
womag writer - It's a receipt system, unfortunately. Which everyone's bound to lose.
You're right about the rubber pad, I hadn't thought of that! I love the idea of stamping the children - they'd hate it :o)
jumbly girl - Thanks goodness - I thought I'd gone blind!!
That's the problem we're anticipating, but we're handing out fridge magnets as well to start with, so people will attach them to their, er, fridges (!)
kerry - I'm sad too. I'm going in today for training on the new system. It won't be the same :(
When our award winning local library went fully 'automated' three years ago, we were amazed to find that all one needed to do to return books was to place them on a pad that scanned them electronically and watch as with a satisfying whir, they were taken away on a little conveyor belt all around the library, until they disappeared behind a mysterious curtain.
Imagine my surprise as I walked around all this fascinating technology, only to discover that the curtain led to a small room in which I spied three busy librarians MANUALLY checking in all the books. One of them was in charge of putting her hand through and grabbing them off the conveyer belt; another (bless her heart) was stamping books with gusto. I don’t know what the third one was doing, maybe making the whirring sounds? J
God, I love technology. I hope you’ve kept a stamper, Karen.
kallioppe - That's so funny! No conveyor belt in ours sadly, but I love the image.
There wasn't a single date-stamp to be found when I got there today. Somebody REALLY wanted rid of them. Also, the new system wouldn't work until midday. Tut.
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