Friday, November 14, 2008

Are You as a Deaf Individual Represented in YOUR Public Library?


'I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.'
Since posting this quote by Maya Angelou, I've been kind of chewing it over. Her writing inspires a good, long chew.

Rainy days: I ALWAYS wear sunglasses.

Lost luggage: This actually happens quite often to me when travelling to the USA-I borrow clothes from my parents or just sleep naked-wash the clothes on my back and concentrate on my family.

Tangled Christmas Lights:

See, now this is a tricky one. At one point in my life, I would have chucked them directly in the garb-ah-ge, at another point in my life I would have tried to untangle them, Luca would have seen me struggling and he would have untangled them for me...
However, I think at the next Christmas, when we pull down the box of decorations and indubitably find the proverbial tangled Christmas lights, I will make myself comfortable and spend as long as it takes to untangle those damn lights.

And I can be one stubborn bitch.

On the subject of stubborn bitch, I'd like to take a moment to go back to the little Long Island Library episode with Dani.
This was Dani's last letter on the subject...and it is NOT very satisfying:

Hi Jodi,

Hope all is well. Again, I wanted to thank you for going out of your way and calling my library to see if they could get your book. Today, I went there with my cousin who happens to be a part time worker there. We didn't see the person who I spoke to last week her name was Betty. She was off the day, but I went to the Children's Section and the woman gave both me and my cousin such a awful attitude. She said, "I'm busy right now helping someone,you'll have to wait."

We waited over 20 minutes and she refused to help. So, I then went with my cousin to the manager's office and that person wasn't there. I told my cousin that if this woman always has an attitude she shouldn't be around people. If she doesn't like to help me at all and especially Children because if she works in that area all the time... she's not doing a good enough job if she's treating the children the way she's speaking to adults. My cousin said this is how she acts all the time and there is nothing we can do about it.

I just got home and I'm going to write a letter to the person who is in charge of the entire library. I'm not happy at all and now I realize why a lot of people don't go there. I'm really surprised these people can't help me and how they speak to me. I just wanted to let you know that I bought your book on amazon and for now on I'll continue buying the books on there.

Trying to promote deaf/hh awareness over here isn't all that easy as you can see. I tried and it is a shame because a lot of people I'm sure would love to know about deaf and hard of hearing people. They only have 2 books on hearing loss my cousin found out for me.
I'm sorry when you called that woman wasn't pleasant to you.
I can't wait to read your book! I get in a few days.

Take care... all the best,
Danielle

*I'll be calling the West Hempstead Public Library again later today because like Dani, MY SON IS DEAF and should be represented in that damn library*

UPDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATE: Just spoke to Mrs. Carter of the Children's Department of the West Hempstead Public Library who could not have been any nicer. She said that she had ordered RALLY CAPS for the library, and while she couldn't give me an exact date as to when the book would arrive (it was on backorder??), she did confirm that it had been ordered. Actually, she was so nice to me that I didn't recognize her voice.
Now, I am a satisfied international customer.

Go STORM your library and order YOUR favorite book.

4 comments:

Naomi said...

more power to you sister, keep on rocking - it would seem the library employee might have forgotten that her job entails "CUSTOMER SERVICE" Hellllooooooo!

Unknown said...

Hellllllllooooooooooo! Live for u.

Unknown said...

btw, has anyone noticed that Google Ads has added a laser hair removal system to my blog? Unbelievable.

Danielle said...

Thank you!! for doing this it means alot.