What’s On Your Desk?
by Sue Mecklem
Reference Librarian at Davis Wright Tremaine, Portland
I’ve always enjoyed having interesting, hands-on toys on my desk or on a bookcase at work. I think it’s a great conversation starter, a fun way to relax, and a good way to chill out when work is stressful. I also think it creates an inviting atmosphere for very educated people who may not feel comfortable having to ask for assistance.
Years ago, I had a pile of colorful dice on my desk within easy reach of whoever was sitting across from me. Some people organized them by color, or turned them until the numbers were all the same. Some people stacked them, some people rolled them, and a few ignored them. One attorney brusquely shoved them out of the way. It was an interesting little snapshot of how people think. Roll the dice – playful. Organize the dice by color – librarianish. Shove the dice – aggressive.
My desk now faces a wall so I don’t display my dice but I have created a diorama on part of a bookcase just inside my office. My Nancy Pearl action figure is standing at the reference desk assisting a yellow rabbit, with a squirrel and a porcupine nearby. I also have a few books for browsing: Nancy Pearl’s Book Lust, the NYPL’s Books of The Century, a young adult novel Ginny Gordon and the Lending Library, and Dear Justice: A Book for the Just, the Unjust, and Those Who Just Like to Laugh. People enjoy thumbing through them for a few minutes if I have to finish an email or a phone call. It doesn’t work as well as chocolate for luring people into my office but it does bring a smile to those who venture in. I like to think it helps people feel more comfortable asking me questions, and making the reference interview more pleasant.
Do you have toys or chocolate in your office or at your reference desk? What would you do if you encountered a pile of dice at someone’s desk?
Themocracy
Pictures of family and travels top my list. Similarly, when I find myself in an attorney’s office, I always ask about photos displayed. Who doesn’t love being asked about their children, for example? 🙂
For a long time we had a little book fairy on the children’s desk. We often display, at least temporarily, items someone has left in the library such as little toys or accessories. It’s our hope that the person will see it and claim it. We have a teddy bear holding books on the desk that some kids want to take and keep. They cry when their parents make them put it back. Not sure that qualifies as relaxing the patrons.