613.96 Sexual Instruction

[Sujet libre.], Digital ID 1220758, New York Public LibrarySaturday at the reference desk started out quietly, but like a carnival that spins your eyes wide, after a while we became so busy that my partner and I were running around the floor, answering phones and taking care of patrons who were three deep and waving like drunks at a bar. I was on the desk in the last hour and we were still going strong. My last patron, well, was my best.

He came to the desk telling me that this library was indeed a weird place: a place full of books he couldn’t find. I straightened and leaned into him and said…”What’s the problem?” “Normally,” he said, “I find whatever I am looking for on the shelves.”

I said “Maybe in a book store, but this is a library. We use call numbers to find books. What do you want?”

“I want books on sexual instruction”

“Ah I see,” I said, “Let me give you the call number…. 613.96” with the caveat “there is not going to be a lot on the shelves, naturally a very popular topic, you understand.”

After he left to get his books, I thought - sex is not like making a soufflé. If it was, we would follow the recipe, practice it, and then we would all make perfect soufflés. I think an instruction book on sex would make some press too hard and others press in the wrong places. Sex is like a river. It flows, and god help the soul who tries to teach a river how to flow - just look at the Army Corps of Engineers.