Express Lane

I really don't have much to say ABOUT the express lane, but that has to be the title of today's entry because, though lacking much to chatter about, it has been, undoubtedly, the most important part of today. Yes, indeed, I discovered the expresslanes this morning. While the rest of the city crept along, I fairly flew to work this morning. I arrived half an hour before I'm expected and took advantage of the time to sit by myself, in the near dark, and consider my little library. I actually looked at the newspaper, and contempted the stacks of newly arrived books that I must process. And, while enjoying my peaceful little moment, before opening, I was summoned, by loud knock, to the door.

My students must have a passcard to open the doors in our school. However, no student cards work before 8 AM. I am most usually here by 7:45 and even leaving the lights out does not prevent them knocking on the door so that I can admit them. Apparently this morning I was too slow to open the door and my student visitor turned and left. Perhaps she assumed that I was not going to open the door since it was not yet opening time. She returned, promptly at 8 and had nasty words for me about how the library should be open before 8 for students who have classes at 8. She's really quite angry and I will have to learn how to handle this type of complaining SOME DAY. Either that or I will find myself making the new library hours sign and be shocked when I realize that I've designed a sign for a library that opens at 5 AM....

Students often fail to bring their passcards to school and I spend a lot of my time opening the door for students....I'm not sure how to address this problem either... I have one student in particular, a cheerful, smiling young man who is always pleasant company. He usually the library alot and for that I am grateful, but for the entire month I've been here, he never has had a passcard. We joke and I tell him that Im going to charge a toll for entry, tootsie rolls maybe. Clearly he has no concern for my jovial adminishing. This morning I was a little more firm and said, "hey! I mean it, you need to see the IT manager for a new passcard." His response was, "Whatever." He turned his back and walked away from me and hasn't been in the library since then - he usually is here 3 or 4 times a day. What is the balance in this? Must I do as my students demand in order to keep their patronage? At what point am I a servant, and I wish to be servant to them, and when do I become a pushover? I somehow did not anticipate these sorts of questions, not yet anyway.

But! I found the expressway and I flew to work this morning. And, tomorrow, I will finish processing this latest shipment of books.