Spanish-speaking

About half of Walnut Bluff's patrons speak Spanish at home, so I've been getting a LOT of practice ever since I transferred up here. One of my proudest moments this month was Chatty Security Guard telling me that I don't have an accent. However, I've recently begun to realize how silly I sound now that my accent has so far surpassed my vocabulary. I now sound like a friendly but somewhat mentally-impaired person who maybe doesn't have very good verbal comprehension. The long pauses while I slowly process everything the other person says don't help. With English-speaking patrons, I can chat while doing routine tasks, but I can't really say more than "hello," "please" and "thank you" in Spanish without having to devote the majority of my attention to it.

These are the kinds of conversations I have when one of my bilingual coworkers isn't on the desk with me:

Me: Ready?
Patron: Yes, I'd like to check these out please.
Me: One moment...[long, awkward silence]..okay, the day you needs to bring these back is the 5th of July. Would you like a receipt?
Patron: Yes, please. [takes books and walks away]
Me: Okay! Thank you for going to the library! 

Patron: I need the form to reserve a meeting room, please.
Me: Nice to meet you. [inappropriately long pause] Do you have your ID?
Patron: [hands it over patiently]
Me: Thank you, is this the address where you live today?
Patron: Yes.
Me: Thank you...okay, please to fill out this paper.
Patron: Sure, can I borrow a pen?
Me:...Sorry, say that again please?
Patron [patiently, pointing]: Can I borrow a pen, please?
Me: Yes, here it be, I am sorry!

Me (making an announcement over the PA system): [English] Good afternoon, everyone. At this time we'd just like to remind you that we have a science activity for children starting in the program room at 2 p.m. All kids are welcome to join us. [Spanish] Good afternoon. Kids, if you want to do a science project, they can come to the program room in justsome minutes. Thank you!

Toddlers vs. libraries

Walnut Bluff has an AWE-brand "early learning station," a.k.a. a computer designed for young kids with educational games on it. Ours is password-protected because there is sometimes some...inter-generational tension over whether to read books or play on the computer. Toddler A is sitting on the computer randomly pounding on the keyboard, but of course it's not doing anything because it's on the lock screen.
Coworker to toddler's mom: Do you need the password?
Mom: Oh, thanks. I don't know, let me check.
She walks over to her son, leans down, and has a short exchange with him. Then she laughs.
Mom to coworker: No, thank you! He says he's 'hacking.'

Toddler B crying during a kids' craft activity where they are coloring a monster mask.
Me to family: Hi, are you guys okay?
Grandma: Don't worry, we'll be fine. He wanted me to hold his mask up in front of my face so he could see what he drew, but then he got scared. 

Toddler C to dad as dad is at the front desk checking out their books: Dad, I want a grilled cheese sandwich!
Dad: Jacob, this is a library! They don't have those here!

Surprised

New patron: I see a sign over there that says 'Movies." Does that mean I can take those home and they will just play in my regular DVD player!? Wow!

I see the logic

Like a lot of libraries/rec centers/etc. in working-class communities, my library participates in a program where we serve lunch to kids during the summer. The idea is to help out families who rely on free/reduced school lunch during the year and might have a rough time feeding their school-aged kids over break. These programs are funded by the department of agriculture and they have a ton of rules. In Texas, one of those rules in that the kid has to eat the lunch in the room you serve it in and can only take fruit and whole grains with them. As you can imagine, this confuses the heck out of six- and seven-year-olds. I served my first 'summer lunch' last week and had this conversation:
Kid: Can I take my cheese with me? Can I take my milk with me?
Me: Sorry, I know these rules don't make a lot of sense, but you can only take your apples with you.
Kid: Why?
Me: Well, we get our food from the government and they have a lot of rules that we have to follow.
Kid (thinks for a minute): Well, that makes sense. Milk makes a mess. If you took it with you, you might spill it on the government's stuff, and they wouldn't want that.
Me: Yeah, I'm sure that's it.