Just One of My Many Pet Peeves

The library is free, yes that is true but the library is not a free stationary store. Seriously. We provide golf pencils and slips of paper for people to write information down on. Why golf pencils? Because no one in the world wants a golf pencil. Why slips of paper? Because we try to cut down on waste and recycle as much as possible. All the time I used libraries before becoming a librarian, I never once asked to use anything. Well, maybe a stapler, maybe--but probably not.
Not a day goes by that someone doesn't ask to use a pen, lined paper, the stapler, a highlighter, whiteout, blank paper, etc. etc. etc. I have about 10-15 people ask to use the phone. Probably in the Fall when the Swine Flu returns with a vengeance, I will have to rethink handing the phone over to just anyone after dialing for them.
Yesterday, I had someone ask for a red pen, my teen librarian rooted around our tummy drawer until she came up for one for her. Then today, someone asked for a pen, when I showed her the cup of pens, she said no, she would prefer a marker. What? I explained that that ink pens are what we have for the public. The ink pens that disappear on a weekly basis. We probably go through a couple hundred dollars a year alone in ink pens that people borrow, promising to return but never do. These are probably the same people that checked out the GED books, the ASVAB books, and a Child Called It--the books I never seem to have on the shelf because people don't ever return them.
OK, I feel better now. But seriously...