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30 Of The Quirkiest Inquiries The New York Public Libary Had Received From The 1940s To The 1980s
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There are quite a few magnificent libraries around the world. However, without the people working inside, they'd be just warehouses. And this story is the perfect proof of that.
The New York Public Library has released a series of inquiries recovered from its 1940s to 1980s archives, revealing the many roles the librarian had to play in the days before the Internet. Some wanted to know how to become a mistress of ceremonies at a musical orgy, others were curious why 18th-century English paintings have so many squirrels in them. Judging from the quirky questions, it's clear that the public regarded librarians as a superhuman cross between oracles and therapists, asking them the most personal, complex or vague questions. Luckily, the staff dutifully copied everything out.
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The follow up question was "how do you remove an alligator from a pool?"
All of these questions were asked either via phone or in person. However, the NYPL’s queries service is still running, providing answers to those who don't have the resources to look them up for themselves. According to librarian Rosa Caballero-Li, more than 100 questions still come into the NYPL's Reference and Research Services desk every 24 hours.
"We answer everything," Caballero-Li told NPR. "Patrons can call us and reach out to us for anything they feel curious about, any service that they need — and I think that surprises a lot of people."
Interestingly, she said there's a surprising amount of overlap between the questions from the archive and the ones they receive nowadays. "These are questions that we are answering still, today, and we will probably be answering tomorrow, as well."
"You can find a lot of information online, of course, and that's great. But when you can't, or when you have too many answers, or you can't quite distinguish fact from fiction, that's when you reach out to us," the librarian explained.
And nothing is off-limits. "There are no stupid questions," Caballero-Li admitted. "Everything is a teachable moment. We don't embarrass people; we try to answer any questions they have with honesty and we try to refer them to appropriate resources that they might find useful."
"We don't know everything," Caballero-Li added, "but we can always point you in the right direction."
I was about to Google it. Thank you.
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Wow, who cares?!!! WHY would you need to know this? I guess bathtubs were sort of a new thing back then?? Instead of a wash basin, like a big metal tub, now thanks to the Victorians, bathtubs were the "in" thing to have? It is sort of interesting. I wonder if they ever found out an answer? I don't even know if Google could answer this one! So I asked. And wow-- here is the answer: "To understand how much the typical American home has changed in 60 years, look in the bathroom. It is hard to find one now that lacks hot water, a toilet and a bathtub. In 1940, barely half of the homes in the United States had all three features." And then, before I could find the answer, the page, a NYTimes site, wanted me to PAY to continue reading! JERKS!!!
According to Freud, it means you want to have sex with your mother.
That’s the Boston Light. It’s both the oldest and the second oldest. The first structure was built in 1716 but burnt down/blown up by British troops. The current structure, and the one that still stands, was built in 1783. It became a National Historic Landmark in 1964. So perhaps she managed to sell it after all.
"hoovers" hahaha. I guess you could say that a vulture IS sort of a hoover, for sucking up and cleaning dead things!
It’s not. It’s sheep’s milk fermented by mold nowadays grown in a lab (in the olden days it was fermented via the soil of local caves). If there’s worms on your cheese thrown it out as it’s gone nasty.
These days we win the sweepstakes on neurotic people. I think we win on psychotic, as well.
Note: this post originally had 39 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
Not gonna lie - I'd love to have been a telephone operator in those times.
You would think that with the advent of the internet, people wouldn't ask strange questions any more, but as a former librarian, I can attest to the fact that the internet has in no way slowed the tide of bizarre queries that librarians have to field.
Things never change... only to way to ask them does...
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N.Y.P.L. - the first Google!
People were just as stupid before the internet or before most had access to the internet. But what if there'd been a comments section at the library?
But Google..... googlesear...bc9848.jpg
I can't believe someone hasn't goggle all these question to give us Bored Pandas the answers.
Lol some of these are valid questions... funny none the less
You called a library to ask something weird, and then someone ... looked it up? Or what is this about?
Pretty much, or told you where to find the information. The old movie "Desk Set," the heroine does nothing but answer these kinds of questions
I'm upvoting you for "Desk Set". I love that movie.
In the 1970s & 80s I had memorized the numbers of all the various reference desks at the SF Public Library. Sports, history, trivia, and crossword clues all had separate lines.
I have one more question. Why cat always mewing if the door is closed, but when you open the door your cat doesn't want to come in and just sitting in the middle and looking at your surprisingly?
Because cat
Ah, now I feel sorry for modern Librarians, what with all the Googling done; they must be near out of a job!
this is the kind of thing I love. Information used to be so much more difficult to access (pre-internet days!)
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
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Not gonna lie - I'd love to have been a telephone operator in those times.
You would think that with the advent of the internet, people wouldn't ask strange questions any more, but as a former librarian, I can attest to the fact that the internet has in no way slowed the tide of bizarre queries that librarians have to field.
Things never change... only to way to ask them does...
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
My friend's sister is dropping 12 kilos each 3 weeks. She has been over weight however final month she commenced out to take those new nutritional nutritional dietary supplements and she has out of place 40 pounds so far. check the internet website on-line proper right here>> money81.com
N.Y.P.L. - the first Google!
People were just as stupid before the internet or before most had access to the internet. But what if there'd been a comments section at the library?
But Google..... googlesear...bc9848.jpg
I can't believe someone hasn't goggle all these question to give us Bored Pandas the answers.
Lol some of these are valid questions... funny none the less
You called a library to ask something weird, and then someone ... looked it up? Or what is this about?
Pretty much, or told you where to find the information. The old movie "Desk Set," the heroine does nothing but answer these kinds of questions
I'm upvoting you for "Desk Set". I love that movie.
In the 1970s & 80s I had memorized the numbers of all the various reference desks at the SF Public Library. Sports, history, trivia, and crossword clues all had separate lines.
I have one more question. Why cat always mewing if the door is closed, but when you open the door your cat doesn't want to come in and just sitting in the middle and looking at your surprisingly?
Because cat
Ah, now I feel sorry for modern Librarians, what with all the Googling done; they must be near out of a job!
this is the kind of thing I love. Information used to be so much more difficult to access (pre-internet days!)
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Single Mom With 4 Kids Lost Her Job But Was Able To Stay On Top By Banking Continuously $1500 Per Week With An Online Work She Found Over The Internet... Check The Details........ HERE☛ career31.com