[supplied title]

a system of signs

Sometimes, in the library, information seeks you.

Books on the hold shelf come wrapped in sheets of paper fastened with rubber bands. This is next to the self-checkout machine.

Sign asking people to return elastic bands in a box so they can be reused

Self-checkout has its perils.

Sign warning not to put videos through the self-checkout machine

So do certain kinds of micro- readers. I think this is in front of a microcard reader. I've never used it; I guess it's bad for the fiche. The back walls of the carrel are adorned with melted fiche, but I couldn't get a good shot of them.

Sign saying not to use microfiche with a machine because the fiche will melt

You have to be very careful when you use these machines. Smart thieves know to strike just when you're leaning forward, nauseous, squinting at blurry text.

Sign warning you not to turn your back on your backpack because someone might steal it. Picture shows a cartoonish robber wearing black stealing from a student sleeping at a desk.

It wasn't easy shooting these signs, especially since I was just messing around and not putting a lot of effort into it. As I said in an earlier post, I don't really know how the camera works, so I don't know why there were times when I'd click and it wouldn't shoot any picture at all. I assume it had something to do with the ambient lighting; in a lot of places the overhead lights, or sun from the window, or reflections, or the contrast between the edge of the wall of a desk or carrel and the open space beyond, may have thrown off the "auto" feature. After clicking a bunch of times trying to capture that burglar sign and failing to get anything, I decided to test the camera by turning it so that it would catch only objects inside the carrel walls, and this is what I ended up with. It might be the best photo I have.

Picture of a desk with a sign on it asking people to rewrap microfilm before putting it back. There are some empty reels in the background.

I don't know why someone went to the trouble to create a pink insert with the word "pink" on it. All the other signs I've seen in the area read "GREEN" (which is covered up here); but so few people use these carrels as they're intended I don't even know what the actual tabs and flags look like. I don't think I'd want to leave my books on an unlocked shelf.

Sign explaining that books with orange tabs or pink flags have been checked out to the carrel and should not be removed. The word 'pink' is on a separate piece of paper and taped over another word that must have started with 'G'.

That's a typical-looking basement desk. The upper-floor desks look nicer, but there's more graffiti. Here at a fifth floor desk, there's no hiding the writing from the flash. I wonder if it came after the sign was put in.

Back wall of a study carrel with writing on the well near a sign that says "Please do not write on the walls."

This sixth-floor desk has no such sign and look what happened. I wonder if anyone knows what kind of citation style this is? I can't figure out what's so significant about Bush, 2007 and Obama, 2009.

Close up of writing on a carrel wall. One line says "Bush O908, 2007" and the next says "Obama 0404, 2009"

Back in the basement, this appears to be the good cop/bad cop strategy applied to movable shelving instructions. Too bad they didn't give that guy a word-bubble in comic sans.

Side view of movabale shelves showing signage warning people to operate the shelves safely. One sign shows a person trying not to be crushed between two shelves. The wording says: "LOOK in open aisle BEFORE turning handle"

This sign always cracks me up. There's one near the computer group on the second floor too. Kids these days.

Sign telling people "Gaming on computers is not permitted. Computers in this area are provided for research purposes only."

This last photo is from the other main library, the one I don't go to very often because it doesn't have as many social sciences and humanities books. That library is pretty boring, signage-wise, but there's a great view from the stairwell. You just have to keep moving while you enjoy it. I had some trouble blocking the reflection on this one; it was another clear, well-lighted day today.

Sign telling people not to sit in the stairwell because it is a fire exit route.

I would assume that if there were a fire, the people sitting in the stairwell would simply be the first to leave, but who am I to question a sign? In the real world, just as it is on the internet, the best arguments are made in ALL CAPS.