Monday, February 11, 2008

Actual Telephone Conversations Heard in Actual Libraries #112

*RING*

ME— Tri-Metro County Library.

FEMALE CALLER— Yeah, are ya'll doin' taxes again this year?

ME— We've never done taxes.

(Pause)

CALLER— Oh.

(Another pause)

CALLER— Do you know anywhere that is?

ME— I'm afraid we don't.

(At least, not for free. This is not the first such call we've received this year and it won't be our last, particularly since we have heard from our patrons that the folks at the local H&R Block office are yet again telling people that we're doing taxes for free. I'm afraid I'm going to have to go down there and straighten them out on this point in person rather than simply phoning them as we've had to do in years past.)

3 comments:

MrAnonymous said...

When you actually go into the office, schedule an appointment with the manager and let them know where you are coming from so they can't look askance at your presence and declarations.
I believe the issue lay with people at HR Block being lazy or their lost customers misunderstanding that "HEY MAUDE!!! DAT DERE LIBERRY DONE HAVE DEMSEF FREE TAX FORMS!!! CALL THE KIN!!! EVEN JEB!!!" and get all excited twisting words into the belief that your library has free tax consultation services rather than simply free forms.

Anonymous said...

I have just stumbled upon your blog, and I am loving it. A woman who works at our campus library, always answers the phone telling you that you have reached the liberry. It cracks me up every time. But, she isn't doing it on purpose, I don't think.

Anonymous said...

If you think that's bad, I work in a library that actually does offer free tax service. A group of retiree volunteers come in to help any and all for no charge. You wouldn't believe who crawls out of the woodwork around this time of year.


An employee of a small town "liberry" chronicles his quest to remain sane while dealing with patrons who could star in a short-lived David Lynch television series.