They made them dumb then, too

[mizarchivist]

The following is where the librarian gets her ever-loving rant on. Topic: Cataloging and the dumbasses who are already thankfully dead otherwise I would surely KILL them
Today's focus: Apostrophe. '
The bane of my fucking existence, seriously. Yesterday I walked by the gazillionth sign that advertised [item]'s $price. What about the item's price?! Not fucking possessive, people!
But that is not what I'm frothing about. I'm frothing about "What's Wrong With US Foreign Policy." In this case, it is the title of a book. The bastard didn't bother to spell out "What is" so here I am looking for the bloody title card to pull as this 1959 book is not being kept (I know- contain your surprise) where it should. The card exists. It has to. It's the title card, fer chrissakes! It should follow "What" and precede "Whate-." This is not a point that is up for debate. It is how it is. Where did I find a huge chunk of titles that started with "What's"? in the section between theoretical "Whatr-" and "Whats-" ---[pause]. Dumbfucks. I moved the cards to where they belong. It's little wonder people can't find anything in our catalog. It was filled and organized by over 100 years of idiots. To quote many: "Fuck you, you fucking fucks."
Ok. Now, back to that joy-filled process of pulling yet more cards. For what it's (ah!!! apostrophe!) worth, I will not have this problem with that contraction again.
EDIT: (15 minutes later)- My god, I've got brain melt from this. On the good side, I opened a drawer to find yet another card and opened directly to the item in question.

Comments

[lifecollage.livejournal.com]

It shames me that I'm not sure where I'd've filed that. I would have thought about and researched it, however, 'cause I'm like that.

On the other hand, conventions change over time. Perhaps when they started, the convention was to file it straight alphabetical, and then subsequent librarians followed the convention. I know that the debate is still going about Mc/Mac and where they belong.

Sigh.

[mizarchivist]

Very true (conventions).
This issue makes me glad that we're shifting to the new and saddled-with-other-problems, electronic catalog card.
I'm very glad I'm not always doing catalog-related crap. Now seeing any punctuation makes me skittish, by the way.

[woodwardiocom.livejournal.com]

-So is your rule to file it typographically, with the apostrophe coming after the space but before A, or to file it as if "WHAT'S" was "WHAT IS"? Is it WHAT, WHAT WERE, WHAT'S, WHATAGOIL, or WHAT, WHAT'S, WHAT WERE, WHATAGOIL? And if you had to file something with, say, a hyphen (WHAT-SIS), where would it go?

[mizarchivist]

What
what 's (space mine)
Whatagoil

those 4 letters in that order mean nothing to me now. Frell. Also, I'm second-guessing this decision. Thank the gods lunch is in 12 minutes.

[woodwardiocom.livejournal.com]

-Hmm, adding the space is interesting. But one still has to decide where the apostrophe falls in alphabetization, or if one treats it as WHAT IS.

WHAT 'S, WHAT ARE, WHAT WERE: The apostrophe is alphabetized before A.
WHAT ARE, WHAT WERE, WHAT 'S: The apostrophe is alphabetized after Z.
WHAT ARE, WHAT 'S, WHAT WERE: The word WHAT'S is treated as WHAT IS.

(Hmm, and the problem with the last one is that WHAT'S could be a contraction for WHAT IS or WHAT WAS, so you have to make a judgment call . . . )

-Am I melting your brain right now?

Look, a distraction!

[mizarchivist]

The question is: what's the reply to the email I sent you last night? (nevermind, I see you've sent a reply)

[woodwardiocom.livejournal.com]

Look, a distraction!

-Ooo, show me that again, but with more wiggling . . .

[jbsegal.livejournal.com]

Reading a facsimile edition of The Emerald City Of Oz recently, I was struck by the fact that every contraction was set with a space... your title would 've been: "What 's wrong with US foreign policy" (but with capitals.)

How would that affect your ordering preference?

[mizarchivist]

I like poodles!! (translation- hey, look! Brains are leaking out of my ears, Weeeeee). I hope my answer to Woodwardiocom is answer enough.

[also-huey.livejournal.com]

ITYM "Do not meddle in the affairs of librarians, for they are subtle and quick to- ...OW! HEY, THAT HURT!"

[woodwardiocom.livejournal.com]

(For a related problem from my own field of writing RPGs, look here (http://woodwardiocom.livejournal.com/210663.html).)

[asciikitty.livejournal.com]

in a completely unrelated note - in the Monday night D&D game that I don't really play in thankyouverymuch, librarians are considered to be extremely dangerous and good to have on your side.

'specially if you're going to have a huge brawl in the stacks.

[mizarchivist]

Booyah! Mis-use punctuation and release the can of whoopass!