yikes ; running a bit late, today!
so, we live a few blocks away from a library. we are there quite a bit & its one of my favorite spots in the neighborhood.
when i was asking around for 'kindness' ideas, a few people suggested i take some money & pay off a random persons fine at the library. awesome idea.
so tonight, we walked to the library & i told them about the project and gave them a $5 to put towards someones fine. BOTH librarians told me that it was too much of a hassle & they werent interested in doing it. they said they are too busy [i get it] and this would be one more thing they would have to deal with.
in my mind, they would have put the $5 at the register with a note that said 'use this first for fines' ; but i guess not..
fine. plan b.
well, there is an ice cream [with sorbet!] shop a block away, so we headed there instead. we bought a cup of mango sorbet [so good!] and then gave $5 to be used on a random stranger later tonight.
both girls at the counter were super pumped & thought it was a great idea.
I'm pipin' mad that those librarians didn't accept that $5. Think of how good they'd feel making someone's day like that? I know what library you were at, and I'm actually going there tomorrow for their storytime with the kiddos I nanny for. My guess Jane wasn't one of them who said no. She's too nice to turn down that kind gesture. But I could see Joseph saying no. Ha!
ReplyDeletePS-I've been following along for the last few days (found you through Jess Is More), and I'd really like to join efforts and try my hand at some MN nice. I turn 30 on June 30th. What better way to celebrate that milestone than with some niceness. Would that be alright??
Diana,
ReplyDeleteI responded on Twitter but wanted to take advantage of not having a word count to more fully respond.
First of all - what a thoughtful gesture it is to help pay a down a stranger's fine. That $5 could give someone back full borrowing privileges. Again we apologize we were unprepared for you – we are unaware of a patron having the great idea of paying a stranger’s fine before you did last night.
We are already thinking of how we would make this work. We liked your idea of holding the money until somebody with fines comes to the desk and then we would pay down their fines.
Thanks again for bringing this up. You are helping us serve patrons better – we now will be better prepared for thoughtful, kind gestures and will have a plan in place – thanks for being a lover of the library.
Ian Stade
Senior Librarian
icstade [at] hclib.org
ian, your comment is awesome & i appreciate you being so proactive here on the blog & through twitter.
Deletethanks so much! the hennepin county lib system is so amazing & we feel so lucky to have such an awesome resource!
thanks again!!