"Affirmations" read at Gonzo Revue on June 15

Written by Terry McQuilkin

Today I will pause in the lobby of the Library and say "I have entered a place where culture and learning will be preserved forever." As I walk down the hall toward the reference area, I hear many voices. I enter the reference area, I see young scholars at computer screens, and Hark! the tapping of fingers on keyboards tells me that not one of them is concerned with the quotidian. All are striving to unlock the secrets of the Universe. I too, will spend my day exploring only that which is profound and lasting!

Today I will shelve many books. I look forward to shelving with unbridled enthusiasm! I take each book in hand and hold it a moment, saying, "Little friend, you have traveled far and shared your wisdom with someone special; you have given the gift of knowledge. Your journey has come to an end, and I now return you to your home, so that you may rest until your next journey." And as I move to the shelf where the book belongs, other books on the shelf shift ever so slightly, as if to say, "Welcome, neighbor. Welcome home!"

Sometimes I will encounter patrons who address me in harsh tones, who yell at me, belittle me, or even threaten me. When I am confronted by angry people, I know that their words and gestures are not an expression of hate, but a plea for help. In a gentle voice, I say, "I can see that your world is in disarray. Things are not going the way you want them to go, and you are angry. Let us work together to set your life in order." We joyfully address the difficulty. When our conversation ends, I show the person that I care with a handshake, a tap on the shoulder or a hug.

How thrilling it is to catalog! And how exciting it is that I have been entrusted with the responsibility of deciding how to classify and how to describe this book, the synthesis of a writer's knowledge, passion and craft. LC class--JN 30. But what subject headings? Awesome are the possibilities! France--Foreign Relations--Europe. Europe--Foreign Relations--France; French women having relations with European men. And the descriptive information--mirabile dictu!--"includes bibliography and index!" Beautiful is the book, and still more beautiful is the bib record.

Sometimes library patrons come to me and ask questions that seem impossible to answer. I used to fret over how much I do not know. But Donald Rumsfeld said it well, when he said, "there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns -- the ones we don't know we don't know."