[OPEN] People Can Lose Their Lives in Libraries

[tearmeanewone]

Who: Elizabeth DeWitt, 100 Books, and You
When: October 8th - 15th
Where: The NEW AND... NOT QUITE SHINY YET Library
What: Head Librarian Elizabeth has shelves, desks, and books. Now she just needs to figure out where all of it should go...
Warnings: Sexy Librarian

'Good morning everyone. Exciting news for those of us bibliophiles (and the individual who needs information from a book every once in a while), I've been informed the rooms that will house the Moira's collection are ready to be turned into an actual library. All he necessary parts-- shelving, chairs, tables, and books-- have been delivered, so it's only a matter of time before I have everything organized.

'But I don't see a reason for anyone who's been itching to read something to go without while I catalog everything. If you're interested in looking through what parts of the collection have been delivered so far, anyone is welcome. The Library is located on the same deck as the Mess Hall, past the gardens. Any questions, feel free to contact me, Elizabeth DeWitt, on my personal MID. Thank you!'

Thank goodness, she'd recorded that message and broadcasted it before she'd started moving things.

After she'd updated the network with the existence of the library, Elizabeth had started moving shelves against the walls. It was slow going and in a matter of minutes Elizabeth had sweat through her work suit. Well, it wasn't as though she hadn't known this endeavor would take elbow grease. No whining, it wasn't her style-- Elizabeth just rolled up her sleeves and put her back into it. One shelf at a time, one foot at a time if she had to. And once the she had the shelves in place, then she had a box of books waiting for her.

((OOC: Elizabeth will be setting up the library all week! Currently the collection is about 100 books, she gets another 100 every week until Than's collection has been moved entirely. The first two days (8th and 9th) she'll be struggling with shelves and looking anxiously at the boxes piling up, on the 10th she'll get all the tables and chairs in place and start sorting the books in the boxes, the 11th through the 15th she'll be in sorting and cataloging hell (yes, she's handwriting all the cards in the catalog-- what else would she do, after all?). She's very dedicated to it, anytime anybody comes in, it's clear she's been working hard. Maybe even forgetting to take a break for lunch...))

Comments

[tearmeanewone]

Elizabeth stretches up to look at the screen, tilting her head and furrowing her brow as she struggles to make sense of the concept.

"So... each card would be a... 'file'-- on the computer?"

[peridork]

"Well... In the simplest terms, yes. " The screen is put away, and Peridot plants her hands on her hips. Look out, she's starting to get all high and mighty...

"You might even be able to integrate the database into the programming of everyone's MIDs somehow. That way, they could just look things up using that. Much simpler, and much more accessible."

She's getting pretty carried away with this idea already, regardless of whether Elizabeth is into it or not.

[tearmeanewone]

"And it would give people a head start when they come in here..." Elizabeth muses, looking at her own MID. "I'd still have to be here, to help them find what they wanted and maybe suggest additional things, but it would save some people the walk if they're after something particular and we just don't have it.

"It's a great idea!" She grins, though it turns a little hesitant. "I just have no idea how to do it."

[peridork]

"You don't need to worry about that," says Peridot, looking a little bit smug once she's over the initial shock of having her idea validated. "I can do it for you."

[tearmeanewone]

"You can? That would be incredibly helpful!" Elizabeth herself is a little shocked that someone is offering to help her out with a, undoubtedly, large-scale project. "It would be such an invaluable resource, not just to me but for the whole crew. How do we start?"

[peridork]

Large scale it might be, but frankly Peridot could use more things to keep herself busy, considering she doesn't sleep at all. The gem has way too much free time on her hands.

"Well, first I'll need you to line out exactly what it is you're trying to set up with these... cards..." she leans over a few of them, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "And I should probably check with one of the captains to see if integrating such a system with the ship's tech is even possible, or permissible. Once we've cleared those steps, I can start putting a test program together." She already has her screen out once again, jotting down notes on it as she speaks.

[tearmeanewone]

"A cataloging system, simply put. Title, author, genre-- I'd say year of publication, but I don't think that's terribly relevant given how we're all from different timelines. Different ways of counting time.

"I can check with Captain Thán the next time he drops by, ask him about how the system could be linked to our MIDs. He was pretty obliging when I started this whole thing, I'm sure that any solution I bring to him to make it work better will be welcome."

[peridork]

"That sounds simple enough," says Peridot, without looking up from her screen. "I can have a word with the Captain as well... make sure we're all on the same page."

A few more notes jotted down, the screen cycles away, and the gem holds out her newly reformed hand for the customary 'hand shake' that the Bruce Banner taught her to greet new humans with. "Peridot, by the way. And your designation would be...?"

[tearmeanewone]

If Elizabeth had been anywhere but on a space ship in the middle of space, disappearing and reappearing hands would be weird. But she is on a space ship in the middle of space, with a dragon on board, so today is just... Tuesday or something.

"Elizabeth DeWitt," she says, taking Peridot's hand. "Nice to meet you, Peridot."

[peridork]

"Yes. Likewise," says Peridot, all business; there's scarcely any trace of emotion there. She shakes once, and the hand is withdrawn. She clasps them both behind her back.

"Well, I really must be getting off to..." she glances at her MID, lip curling. There's the emotion. "...Mess hall duty. But I'll be sure to stop by so that we can initiate progress on this project once we are given the proper clearance from the captains."

[tearmeanewone]

"Ah, please do-- Just because I'm from someplace less advanced doesn't mean I don't want to know how the system should work," she says with a smile, putting her own hands behind her back. "And if you want some advice... it's usually easier to clean dishes if you let them soak first."

Hey, she didn't know what a book was. Maybe she's never washed a dish before either.

[peridork]

She certainly has not.

"Interesting," she says, narrowing her eyes and rubbing her chin. "I will have to try that. Thank you... for the information..."

Armed with this knowledge, Peridot turns and heads out of the room, off to do manual labor that she thoroughly detests. "Later," she calls back behind her.