Before The Internet, What People Asked New York Public Library's Librarians?

Before the advent of the Internet and Google, the primary method of seeking answers to urgent inquiries was by visiting the local library and consulting the knowledgeable librarian.

In recent years, a collection of cards with queries directed to the librarian by patrons of the New York Public Library was unearthed by the staff. These queries were submitted either in person or via telephone. The telephone "ask a librarian" service was established in 1967 and remains operational today. Surprisingly, despite the accessibility of information at our fingertips, the New York Public Library still receives around 30,000 calls annually.

“People have been reaching out to librarians for as long as there have been libraries,” Rosa Caballero-Li, the manager of Ask-NYPL, told Great Big Story. “Often time people do not have access to the technology at home,” she explains, “and I honestly think some just want somebody to talk to.”

From Monday to Saturday, between 9 AM and 6 PM, individuals have the opportunity to call 917-275-6975 and engage in a conversation with one of the ten staff members on duty. There are always at least five staff members ready to answer calls at any given time.

The majority of callers inquire about library services, while some seek to verify information they have heard in the news. Questions related to news, science, and history are received approximately once per hour. Additionally, individuals contact the service for assistance with basic grammar queries.

Over the decades the library has received some of the most bizarre questions: Why do 18th Century English paintings have so many squirrels in them, and how did they tame them so that they wouldn't bite the painter? What is the life cycle of an eyebrow hair? How many neurotic people were in the United States? What does it mean when you dream you’re being chased by an elephant? One person just wanted to know how to put up a wallpaper. “I have the paper; I have the paste. What do I do next? Does the paste go on the wall or the paper? I've tried both and it doesn't seem to work.”

"There are no stupid questions," Caballero-Li admits. "Everything is a teachable moment. We don't embarrass people; we try to answer any questions they have with honesty and we try to refer them to appropriate resources that they might find useful."

The library keeps records of the most absurd and memorable questions asked to them. Some of these date as far back as the 1940s. Here, we have reposted a few from their Instagram account.