That's A Good Question...

One of the challenges of my job in a public library is answering unexpected questions. Here are some difficult inquiries presented to me by patrons...and yes, there are times when even I don't know the answer.

1. I'm trying to find a book for a Ukrainian who is learning English.
All I could find was a Ukrainian-English dictionary on Amazon. There has to be a book somewhere that caters to Ukranian immigrants, but I couldn't find it.
2. I need to say something in church next week when it's time for tithes and offerings. Do you have any guides on this?
I could point her to prayer books in the 240s. But nothing specifically on how to lead church services. A church library or Christian bookstore would probably have better resources for this information need. Luckily, the woman found some sort of inspiration during our conversation (a moment of revelation through the Holy Spirit!!) and decided she no longer needed a book.
3. I would like to find out the salary of an employee of a non-profit organization. This is public information, right?
I overheard this inquiry, and I'm glad I didn't have to search for this. However, it was revealed by a co-worker that not all salaries of non-profit employees are disclosed.
4. I want a book with a good plot (from an eleven year-old).
I did answer this question successfully, after a series of other questions. She was requesting "The Clique" by Lisi Harrison, so I recommended "How To Be Popular" by Meg Cabot. Same genre (chick lit) and same reading level (young adult) = happy child. I've never read any YA chick lit, so this was an educated guess. Well, I guess "Twilight" fits in this genre.
5. My wife is in the hospital and she needs something to read.
It was clear during our conversation that the husband didn't know what kind of literature his wife liked. But we settled on a few romance books from the new paperback display.

Strange Library DVDs I've seen (garbage and obscure):
Chair Aerobics For Everyone: Chair Salsa!!
Beer For My Horses (starring Toby Keith)
Alien Invasion: Arizona
Potty Power
Tremors 4