Saturday, June 13, 2009

something odd happened today

Last weekend I went to my local public library (which I love), where I spotted a book that was on my to-be-read list. I keep a list of books I want to read, and periodically search the library's catalog to see if they have it at any of their branches. I had this book noted on my list as being held in the collection of my local branch. Depending upon how much I want to read the book, I'll put a hold onto the book if they have it in the collection but it isn't checked in. This is a book that held a middling position on my list for a while, a 2007 sequel to a science fiction novel by a newish but award-winning author which I liked but didn't love, but thought might be interesting. I grabbed the book off the shelf, but, in the process of wandering around and gathering up other books, I must have set it down and it didn't make it to the self-checkout with me, something I didn't discover until I got home. Ah well, I knew I'd be back this weekend, and maybe it would still be available.

I returned today and wandered over to the shelf. It wasn't there. I decided to look the book up and see when it was due and put a hold on it this time.

It wasn't there any more. It wasn't in the catalog, and the author wasn't in the catalog either.

I left with the books I found and one that was on hold for me. I considered asking about the missing book/author, but there was quite a line and I didn't want to hold people up while I asked my crazy-conspiracy-sounding questions -- how did this author and his books disappear in the last week? And why?

3 comments:

Jonathan Rochkind said...

I wonder if the book is lost somewhere in the building where you left it. Then someone else wanted it, couldn't find it, it was reported lost/stolen and removed from the catalog.

Childish Democrat said...

What book?

Leslie Johnston said...

I hope it isn't lost because of me. I also noticed there had been a shelf shift since I'd been there last. I'm not sure why the author would have been removed from the catalog, because they had at least one copy of another of his books in the system.

Lee -- it was "Ink," by Hal Duncan.