Nomophobia--It's Real

Cell phones.  They seem to be almost unavoidable these days.  A number of people, including your own perch librarian here, have a cell phone in place of a house phone, a.k.a. "the landline."  I will even dare to assert that many belonging to older generations, like my parents, and people living in areas where no service is available are probably among the only people who don't use cell phones nowadays.

And of course, phones aren't just for talking anymore.  You can check the Internet, the weather, your e-mail, your home alarm system...heck, you can do just about anything on your cell phone to make your life easier and more convenient.  This convenience, however, can make us overdependent on the dang techno-gizmo which, in turn, can cause us to have nomophobia.

If you're not familiar with the term, nomophobia is a fear of not having cell phone contact (no mobile phobia--get it?).  People who can't seem to put their cell phones down for 5 minutes or who get the shakes if they're away from their phones for too long may have a case of nomophobia.  Sometimes I wonder if my husband has this because our dinners out have often become a threesome of me, him, and his cell phone (looking back, I'm amazed I never caught a glimpse of his cell phone on our first date).

As I may have mentioned on other occasions, I'm all for technology.  It can often be useful, but it has its time and its place.  Communicating with other people in face-to-face encounters is not the time or place to use your cell phone, as one librarian has attested.  One of the things I love most about being a perch librarian is the opportunity I have to talk with people in person without an electronic mediator.  It's courteous, but it's also human.

So when you come by the perch and approach me (or any other librarian or person for that matter), please do something that may be out of the ordinary.  Put away your phone, look me in the eye, and talk to me.  It may be scary at first, but you can do it.  I promise I won't bite.  And you can pull out your phone as soon as you're done talking with me.

Old-fashionedly yours from the perch.

Introducing...The Library Dragons!

They're protectors of the knight.  They're summer celebrities with the kids.  They're...The Library Dragons!  WooHOO!  There are three dragons in all: Duncan, Donut, and Munchkin.  They all love books and learning, but they have distinct personalities.

Duncan, the green dragon, is the biggest one, and he thinks he's in charge because of his size.  That doesn't make him mean, though.  He's actually quite protective of Donut and Munchkin, who are both small.  He's really excited that a book, Duncan the Story Dragon, has been written recently about him and that you can get this book at the library.

Donut, the red dragon, is Duncan's trusty sidekick.  Despite being smaller, he thinks he can do anything Duncan can (and he usually succeeds).  When Duncan needs a break from his duties at the library, Donut is more than happy to step in.  He's excited that Duncan got a book published, but he's hoping to get his own book sometime soon.

Munchkin, the blue dragon, is rather shy, so you don't see him as much as you see Duncan and Donut.  He likes hanging out in the back of the library where it's more quiet, but sometimes he comes out to see what's happening in the front.  Although he prefers being left out of the spotlight, Munchkin is willing to help Duncan and Donut whenever he's needed.

For most of the year you can see Duncan and Donut protecting our knight behind the perch.  During the summer, however, Duncan and Donut like taking turns hiding around the library in different spots each week and seeing if the kids can find them.  Munchkin spends most of his time in the back reading, but next summer he'll probably take a turn at playing hide and seek with the kids.

Next time you're in the library, don't forget The Library Dragons.  Be sure to give a nod to Duncan and Donut and pass on a hello to Munchkin.  And don't forget to read Duncan the Story Dragon.

Ever bookishly yours from the perch.

Correction: Dona has since informed me that Munchkin is actually a blue dinosaur who thinks he's a dragon because he wants to be cool like Duncan and Donut. -The Perch Librarian