Librarian

So a few weeks ago, I took over as librarian for Chorale. I was flattered to be asked and the job appeals to me because it requires organizing things, making lists and allows me to be a total control freak without people thinking I'm a total snot.

At our first rehearsal this month (after a few weeks off for the holidays), we got two pieces: a Vivaldi score that each person in Chorale has to pay for (and therefore it is not Chorale property but that individual singer's, forever and ever, AMEN) and a photocopy of some of Mendelssohn's "Elijah," which is public domain and therefore can be photocopied many times without copyright violations.

At the second rehearsal, we got two more public domain pieces, both by Haydn.

With old singers not returning and new singers auditioning and coming in, it's been a bit confusing, so we've run out of Vivaldi scores.

Tonight, it was my duty to give out the rest of the music--four pieces, giving us a total of eight for the next concert--and three of these are Chorale-owned sheet music pieces that MUST be returned after the March concert.

It's simple enough, but good God, you would think I'd asked people to donate a kidney.

First there's the confused folk:

"OH MEGAN I DON'T HAVE THAT PIECE! I NEED THAT PIECE! YOU GAVE HER ONE, WHERE'S MINE?"

*deep breath* "Were you here last week?"
"YES."

"We passed this piece out last week." *smile*

"OH. SO I HAVE IT?"

"You should..." *hopeful smile*

"Oh, okay." Then they pootle off to chat with friends while a new singer approaches, looking completely confused and scared of me.

Of course, we ran out of Vivaldi scores, so I've had several people telling me, repeatedly, that they don't have it, while I smile and verrrry patiently remind them that we need to get more and they will have one next week, I PROMISE. Here, have my first-born with that promise.

Tonight, the task was simple enough. I had a manila envelope for each singer. Each singer has a number. Find your name/number on the list. Initial it, please, so I know you have your music. Meanwhile, I take the music out of the envelope (which I'm keeping because I don't trust people to return them) and hand it over.

This is just way too confusing.

Then, of course, people with folder numbers 73 and up don't have one piece because we ordered 100 and 72 arrived--the rest are on back order.

"WHY DON'T I HAVE THE TOCH PIECE? HE HAS A TOCH, I DON'T!!"

"I promise you, you will have it next week. The sheet music company sent us 72 of the 100 we ordered."

"HOW WILL YOU KNOW I NEED ONE?!"

"I have a list of who has them and who doesn't."

"OH YOU'RE SO ORGANIZED!!"
*smile* "I call it 'control freak,' but thank you, yes, I am."

At break time, I stood up and let the whole choir--The Whole Choir--know where we stand:

"You should have the three parts of 'Elijah,' the two Haydn pieces, the Hogan, the 'Hear My Prayer.' Everyone has those. If you do NOT have the Vivaldi, I left a list on that table [I even pointed to it!] and I need to you print your name on it so that I know who to give Vivaldi scores to next week.

I have a list of the people who are missing the Toch. You will get that next week. For tonight, we're sharing."

At the end of the break, ONE person had signed my "Needs Vivaldi" list. ONE. I got an extra back and gave it to her. So next week, when people come to me demanding a Vivaldi, I'm going to smile prettily and say, "Oh, you didn't sign my list at break time last week." Then I'll oh-so-nicely give them a photocopy of the score.

They can live with that.

Don't even get me started on the people who came in, walked right by the long line of people getting new music, and got halfway through rehearsal only to tell me, "You didn't give me new music!"

For the most part, the job is not that frustrating. I like being useful, and many, many people, including our director, Magen, have thanked me profusely and complimented my organizational skills. It's really not rocket science, and Magen, upon learning my system muttered, "That's how it's supposed to be done." It hasn't been done this way in a long time, which is why I'm still sorting out Christmas music and wondering who the hell checked out White Christmas #37 and other such pressing problems.

So if you need me, I'll be up to my eyeballs in music. Ever a Music Nerd and Singing Fool...that's me.