True Library Tales

The following is a true story.


Conversation 1

Library Employee: (phone rings) "Good morning, Merrimac Library. May I help you?"

Cell caller: "I hope you can help me. I am at the Amtrak station in New Jersey. I just found a set of keys. It looks like house keys and car keys. The only identifying thing on the keys is a Merrimac Library card. I am calling to see if you can locate the owner for me.

LE: "Please give me the barcode on the library card and the owner will be contacted."

CC: "The barcode number is [deleted]."

LE: "May I give your cell phone number and your location to the owner of the keys?"

CC: "Certainly. I am at [deleted] and my phone number is [deleted]."

LE: Thank you for reporting this to us. Your phone number will be given to the owner. I expect you'll hear from the owner soon. Goodbye."

Conversation 2

Owner of Keys: "Hello?"

Library Employee: "Good morning. This is the Merrimac Library calling because somebody reported that they found a set of keys on the Amtrak Platform in New Jersey which belong to your household. Here is the number of the person that found your keys."

OK: "Oh dear! That has to by my husband's set. He left early this morning and probably doesn't even realize that he lost them. I will let him know."

Names have been changed to protect the innocent. Any resemblance to actual events is, uh, actual. If you or anyone you know has a story similar to this, please report it to the library immediately.