Currently viewing the tag: "the block"

BLEH!

 

‘tis I, the Prince of Procrastination, the Lord of Laziness, the Dragon of Draggin’, COUNT BLOCKULA

 

 

When the moon is high and the spirit is weak, I emerge to feed on the living…no, not on blood (gross)… But on the ineffable power generated by your LATE RETURNS.

 

 

When you fall under my spell, powerless to resist and unable to return your Reserve items, Electronics, and Peripherals to the Library Service Desk on time, I grow stronger with each ensuing infraction.

 

ONE BLOCK – a light snack for me, you cannot check out materials for 24 hours

TWO BLOCKS – heartier fare indeed, succumb to me twice and you cannot borrow for one week

THREE BLOCKS – a delicious meal, leaving me full and you unable to check out materials for one full month! Plus a letter to your Dean about your naughty ways

FOUR BLOCKS – the full buffet! I am sated, and you are without laptops and phone chargers until the end of the semester

 

(thunder clap!)

 

If you are wise, you will resist me and return your reserve materials on time, mortals. Otherwise beware the wrath of COUNT BLOCKULA!

 

(The Hirsh Health Sciences Library overdue item policy can be found in its entirety here: http://hirshlibrary.tufts.edu/about-us/policies/overdue-items)

 

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Gather round ye good folk of Hirsh Library, for I hae something most odd and chilling to share with ye today. You may have heard whispers round the misty paths of the Boston campus, tales of strange beasts that dwell round the depths of the Library Service Desk.

Surely these creatures are but a myth? Or there is some scientific explanation for these rumors? An errant algal bloom from the Charles River. Mirages that appear before the eyes of exhausted students after they pull all-nighters. A flock of pigeons overfed on leftover pizza…

Nae, ‘tis none of these, and I’m sorry to say ‘tis no legend either. These are the creatures known collectively as THE BLOCK. And, disturbingly, sightings are on the rise.

Descendants of the great dragons of old, these four mystic beings are charged with guarding a hoard most valuable to all of us here who seek knowledge—the reserve collection. Under the ancient contract, these precious items—a collection of such goodly things as skulls, books, and laptops—may be lent freely to all those Tuftonians who might need them, for a period of four hours. If the borrower requires the item longer, it will be gladly be lent out for four hours more, provided they visit the Desk and kindly request a renewal.

Those who are vigilant and heed the timings of return need not fear THE BLOCK. But those misfortunate souls who keep things past due will attract the gaze of the creatures and incur their curse.

The First Block is tricky—it will catch you when first you let your guard down—but it is the most lenient of the quartet. The first time you forget to return an item in time, the First Block will bar you from borrowing for period four and twenty hours. Luckily, once this period has passed, it will not begrudge you a future loan.

Should you be careless and hold on to an item late for a second time, the Second Block will rise, with a harsher resolve than its fellow, and prevent you from borrowing for one week’s time.

Have you seen these two? Sightings are common, unfortunately, and while they should best be avoided, you can be hopeful that your experience will end with them.

Alas, there are those forget the lessons and power of the first two Blocks, and dare keep items late for a third time, thenceforth summoning the Third Block. The Third Block is resentful of being awakened from its sleep and will prevent you from borrowing items for one full month. It will also send a message on the wind to your Dean, notifying them of your failure to abide by the rules of the borrowing contract.

I cannae bear discussing the last creature. Truly, I shudder to share what will happen should you dare cross the monstrous Fourth Block. The most ancient and fearsome of all the Blocks, it has the longest memory and enacts the most rigid penalty of all. Should you keep items late for a fourth time, the Fourth Block shall rise from the murky depths of its cubic lair and prevent you from borrowing items for the rest of the semester. Once again, your Dean shall hear of your grave offence.

Sightings of the fearsome third and fourth blocks are on the rise and this is most distressing news to us.

Please, heed my warnings. Keep your wits about you! These creatures are old and their memories long. Remember, even if you summon the first Block in July, the other Blocks will remember all the way through the following June. ‘Tis a nasty surprise to forget your autumnal encounters with Blocks One and Two and be faced with the Third Block on a bonny day in May.

I entreat you, take my words to heart and readily share them with your fellows. Our wish is that all may use the Reserve collection in good health and good cheer, with nary a worry that they should ever face an encounter with a Block.

For the facts behind the fantasy, please visit our Reserve Policy page.

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O’zapft is!

That’s the traditional opening line of Oktoberfest spoken in Munich when the Bavarian Prime Minister taps the first keg of the 2+ week annual festival celebrating beer and Gemütlichkeit (the feeling of coziness and hospitality). An apt opening, as “O’zapft is” means “it is tapped!” Now, Oktoberfest is already over in Germany (since it actually begins in late September, to ensure warmer weather for all that outdoor reveling), but we are just getting started with our own celebration of bad decisions, BLOCKtoberfest!

During BLOCKtoberfest, we welcome DER KLOTZ, the German cousin of THE BLOCK. Now, der Klotz doesn’t visit every year, but this year he’s stopping by auf Urlaub (on vacation) because The Block needs some help getting the message across about the dangers of invoking his wrath. HHSL has seen more blocks in the last month than ever before, and the number of third and fourth blocks is on the rise as well.

Remember, we do not charge fines for overdue materials at HHSL, but late returns of reserve materials and equipment invoke THE BLOCK. Sit back to hear his chilling tale.

Now, some say that if you return a reserve item (like a laptop, phone charger, skull, or reserve book) late once, THE BLOCK will follow you for 24 hours after you return the item, and you will be mysteriously unable to check out items from the Library. If you return an item late a second time, THE BLOCK will haunt your nightmares for 7 days, impeding your ability to study and borrow headphones (and other things).

Now, many have tempted fate and survived the wrath of THE BLOCK once, even twice. But beware, should you return a third reserve item late, the foul beast will cast his sharp, cubic shadow over your life for two fortnights!

(You know, you won’t be able to check anything out for one month after you return the delinquent item)

AND THAT’S NOT ALL. If you summon THE BLOCK three times, he will, like Marley’s Ghost, visit your Dean and share tales of your misdeeds.

And finally, if you are one of the foolish few who learns nothing of your third encounter with this reviled, hideous hexahedron, and you dare invite his wrath again, THE BLOCK will rob you of your borrowing privileges for the rest of the semester, and he will darken the doorstep of your Dean again.

And the most TERRIFYING thing of all? Every time you summon THE BLOCK, you wear his mark for the remainder of the academic year. So remember, a late return in September will follow you all the way to next July.

So please, if you won’t listen to THE BLOCK, listen to DER KLOTZ. He came all the way from Munich to help us out.

So, stay hydrated, get your flu shot, and bring your stuff back on time.

Prost!

 

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Circulation staff can no longer send out notices to remind patrons when reserve items are due.

Please pay attention to when you are told the item is due (4 hours after you check it out).

Set an alarm, write yourself a note etc.

Remember, signing the equipment agreement means that you understand and will abide by all the loan policies.

Avoid the block! Bring it back on time! For more information, read our Policy for Overdue Items.

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Avast ye denizens of Hirsh Health Sciences Library! Exams are a-howling, deadlines are looming, and reserve items are being checked out left and right. In this spookiest of seasons, join me for a moment so I may remind you of a tale as old as the print journals on the 7th Floor. The story of a creature most hideous, most foul, and most dangerous. Of course, I speak of THE BLOCK.

block

AHHH! Thar he scowls! Be careful, don’t look into his eyes! How does one summon THE BLOCK? Let me share the lore with you.

Now, some say that if you return a reserve item (like a laptop, phone charger, skull, or reserve book) late once, THE BLOCK will follow you for 24 hours after you return the item, and you will be mysteriously unable to check out items from the Library. If you return an item late a second time, THE BLOCK will haunt your nightmares for 7 days, impeding your ability to study and borrow headphones (and other things).

Now, many have tempted fate and survived the wrath of THE BLOCK once, even twice. But beware, should you return a third reserve item late, the foul beast will cast his sharp, cubic shadow over your life for two fortnights!

(You know, you won’t be able to check anything out for one month after you return the delinquent item)

AND THAT’S NOT ALL. If you summon THE BLOCK three times, he will, like Marley’s Ghost, visit your Dean and share tales of your misdeeds.

And finally, if you are one of the foolish few who learns nothing of your third encounter with this reviled, hideous hexahedron, and you dare invite his wrath again, THE BLOCK will rob you of your borrowing privileges for the rest of the semester, and he will darken the doorstep of your Dean again.

And the most TERRIFYING thing of all? Every time you summon THE BLOCK, you wear his mark for the remainder of the academic year. So remember, a late return in September will follow you all the way to next July.

So take heed, as exams approach:

  • Try to get some sleep
  • Stay hydrated
  • Return your reserve items on time, and
  • DON’T MOCK THE BLOCK

(The Hirsh Health Sciences Library blocking policy can be found in its entirety here: http://hirshlibrary.tufts.edu/about-us/policies/overdue-items)

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