Screenplay

Screenplay Clueless at the Ref Desk: a Phone Fiasco (With Redemptive Second Act) Dian Hauser LI802

Clueless at the Ref Desk: a Phone Fiasco (A typical reference desk, except that library employee appears to be filing her nails and chewing gum. The phone begins to ring.) rrrrrrrrrrng, rrrrrrng rrrrrng rrrrrng rnnnng..... (Regina [reference queen] looks at phone with distaste and reluctantly puts down her nail file.) R: (bored, stifling a yawn) Yes, what is it? P: (patron, hesitates, unsure if he has gotten the right number) Is this the Anytown Public Library? R: (tone of “duh!”) Yes. P: (uncertain) Is this the Reference Desk? R: (large sigh) Yes. P: (trying to make a new beginning) I'd like to know if you have a book. R: We have lots of books. (chuckles at her own cleverness) P; (now feeling foolish) well, the name of this book is “The Game.” R: (rolling her eyes, and sighing) Sir, there are only, like, five books in our collection with that name. P: Would it help if I told you who the author is? R: Yes. P: Well, it's something like Peterson, or Pearson. (patron wonders how he could be so stupid and have called so unprepared) R: (sighing audibly as she looks at screen) Well, you're lucky because there's only one “The Game” by a Justa Person, so that must be it.

P: (would like to be more clarification, but feels he's caused quite enough trouble) Okay, I'll take it! R: Our policy is that I have to go look for it and bring it to the front desk for you to pick up there. P: (unsure of how he's supposed to respond) Okay... R: (pushes the hold button) P: (surprised at being put on hold, but figures it's all he deserves after causing so much trouble) R: (languidly rises from her chair, slips on her high heels, takes a sip of her drink, tells her co-worker something to which they both laugh, and saunters off to claim the book. She returns because she forgot the call number by the time she got to the correct section of the stacks. She retraces her steps, her feet hurt...) P: (meanwhile, wonders how long he should wait before hanging up, it has been three minutes so far) (The patron is having time to realize that he has not been dealt with very professionally. Three minutes become four and now he's MAD. He realized that for the humiliation he's suffered, the $24.99 to buy the books at the local Barnes & Noble is a small price. At least THEY don't make him feel stupid? Really mad now he vows never to call or darken the door of any library again!) R: having found the book, picks up the phone P: click (the sound of a disconnect) R: (fuming turns to colleague) The nerve! This is the fourth time this week someone's hung up on me! I don't know why I even try.

Having a Clue: the Conscious Reference Desk Library Employee

Regina (queen of her own life, able to emphasize with her phone patrons, realized that her job is not all about her rrrrg rrrrrr(phone call picked up as soon as possible) R: Hello, Anytown Public Library, Reference Desk! Regina speaking (she has a pleasant welcoming quality to her voice) P: (feeling put at ease by knowing he has the right number AND that this person wants to help him) I'd like to get a book, please. R: Alright, sir, do you know that author or title of the book? P: Well, I know it's called the game and it's by Peterson or Paulson or something similar. I'm sorry I don't have all the information. (a little worried that he should have been properly prepared for this call.) R: (pleasantly), Well, that's why we at the library are here- to help you find what you need. I see in our catalogue that we have a book by a Just A. Person called The Game, that's as close as our library comes to owning what you're looking for.... Our library catalogue says that this is a fiction book about a couple who create an eBay account and donate their millions in earnings to their local library. P: Yes! That's the one! R: I'm going to put you on hold while I make sure that book is really on the shelf, is that okay? P: yes, thanks for asking.

R: immediately rises from the desk (she is wearing shoes that she feels comfortable in. Although she has written down the Dewey decimal number for the book, “The Game” is not where it should be on the shelf, she returns to the desk and presses the “hold” button on her phone. R: Sir, I'm sorry to keep you waiting, the book wasn't on the shelf. If you don't mind being on hold for a little while longer, I can look one more place? P: (feels relaxed, knows where he stands in the transaction) If you don't mind, I would like to see if you have the book. R: Okay sir, I'll put you on hold again for a short time. R finds the book in the unshelved carts and hurries back to the phone R: I found your book and will place it at the Reserve Area at the Front Desk. P: Thank you, you have been most helpful! (thinks, my tax dollars are going for a really worthwhile cause by supporting the library!" R: Your welcome, sir. (thinks, it's so nice to help people ...) hangs up phone. rnnnnnnng rrrrrr! rnnnnnnng rrrrrr! rnnnnnnng rrrrrr! R: Hello, Anytown Public Library, Reference Desk! Regina speaking The End Discussion Questions What did Regina fail to do in the first scenario? How did the ideal Regina remedy this?

Impact of a Message Face to Face 7% Words 38% Tone 55% Gestures On the Phone 84% Words 16% Tone 0% Gestures