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Luciab, inrepid explorer
Nov. 10th, 2006 06:17 pmWow. I just got back from Duke Med Center Library, where I had to do some research this afternoon for a class. As far as I'm concerned, she oughta give us 10 points credit just for getting there and back out again. She gave us reasonably good directions to the hospital, or at least they agreed with the map. I never did find the street I was supposed to be on, but I managed to find the parking deck. Then there was a "lot full" sign so I drove around awhile looking for alternative parking, following the sign until I would have had to get back on the freeway, which I declined to do. I finally wound up going into the garage despite the sign, and got lucky when someone was leaving. Whew. Walked across the street to the hospital. Easy enough. Yay, me. Went into the lobby. Ya know, I think they designed the place to be difficult. To my mind, the information desk should be the first thing you see, but it was hidden beyond other service desks, past a fountain and behind a small jungle.
Now, the teacher didn't give us directions beyond this point; she said ask at the desk. The directions I got to the library sounded SO simple-- just go "that way" and he pointed, "and turn right. Go to the end of the hall and there are doors with a sign." Okey dokey. Except "that way" turned out to have several possibilities, several of which I explored before finding someone else to asl, and past the "hallway" was a walkway. It actually took two more requests before I found the place. The first floor of the library is pretty nice, and the women at the desk were wonderful.
The second floor, though, was horribly disorienting. Everything was at 45 degrees to every thing else, somehow. And all the books that were optional to use were in, but the one book that we had to use wasn't on the shelf. Nowhere to be found. I got everything else, though, made tons of copies, and prepared to leave. Went back out the door and hit the walkway again. And I walked, and I walked, and I walked some more, and nothing looked familiar. And when I asked, I made the mistake of asking for directions to the "front door" which is all well and good, except I was, by now, in a different building, and that front door had nothing to do with the front door near where I had parked. The second person I asked had the good sense to ask WHICH front door I needed and explained the difference. Back across the walkway, all the way to the library, and to the OTHER walkway. Color me traumatized. Damn, I would love to see a floor plan of that place.
I am now totally exhausted and want nothing more desperately than to go straight to bed and sleep, except it's only 6 PM. Even dinner and a Coke haven't helped. It is going to be a long evening.
Now, the teacher didn't give us directions beyond this point; she said ask at the desk. The directions I got to the library sounded SO simple-- just go "that way" and he pointed, "and turn right. Go to the end of the hall and there are doors with a sign." Okey dokey. Except "that way" turned out to have several possibilities, several of which I explored before finding someone else to asl, and past the "hallway" was a walkway. It actually took two more requests before I found the place. The first floor of the library is pretty nice, and the women at the desk were wonderful.
The second floor, though, was horribly disorienting. Everything was at 45 degrees to every thing else, somehow. And all the books that were optional to use were in, but the one book that we had to use wasn't on the shelf. Nowhere to be found. I got everything else, though, made tons of copies, and prepared to leave. Went back out the door and hit the walkway again. And I walked, and I walked, and I walked some more, and nothing looked familiar. And when I asked, I made the mistake of asking for directions to the "front door" which is all well and good, except I was, by now, in a different building, and that front door had nothing to do with the front door near where I had parked. The second person I asked had the good sense to ask WHICH front door I needed and explained the difference. Back across the walkway, all the way to the library, and to the OTHER walkway. Color me traumatized. Damn, I would love to see a floor plan of that place.
I am now totally exhausted and want nothing more desperately than to go straight to bed and sleep, except it's only 6 PM. Even dinner and a Coke haven't helped. It is going to be a long evening.
