Chapter 20 — Second Floor Library Girl

Library duty night began with Bao bringing an electric pot to the second floor and ended with the group having to explain to the security guard why four students were laughing during quiet time.

The school allowed a trial period of opening the reading room until eight o'clock in the evening to survey demand. Grade 12 students need a place to study, grade 10 students want to read stories, and teachers need a place to prepare lessons. The group must divide into shifts, record the number of people and make sure no one is left alone.

Bao suggested that the evening shift has food. Ms. Hanh requested to only use the hallway. Phuc brought bread, Lam brought a water bottle, Minh Chau brought a list, Ngoc brought a table lamp and notebook.

“You brought a lamp at home?” Phuc asked.

“I bought it with approved funds.”

“Have you written the invoice yet?”

Ngoc handed over the paper. Phuc looked and nodded.

“Are you satisfied?”

“I was just checking.”

“You check with a serious expression.”

“Facial appearance is personal property.”

The first night there were eighteen people. A 12th grader fell asleep on a book, a 10th grader wrote his essay too fast, Bao ate cake in the hallway but the crumbs fell near the door. Ngoc reminded, Bao took the broom.

“I'm creating an ecosystem,” he said.

“You are creating jobs.”

Phuc checked the socket. He told the students not to plug in too many devices, then gave them a splitter with a fuse. Ngoc noted that the room needed more electrical outlets but did not let the wires get in the way.

Around seven o'clock, a student with a mobility disability arrived with his brother. The stairs took them a long time. Ngoc apologized for not having good access to the room, then asked if they wanted to use the classroom on the first floor or wait for the group to arrange it.

She said she wanted to come up because she had already registered. Phuc and Minh Chau asked before assisting the wheelchair. They coordinate slowly, without pulling hard. When she got to the second floor, she chose a seat near the window.

“I can read as long as I want,” Ngoc said. “If you need to come down, let us know.”

She nodded. After that, Ms. Hanh noted that she needed an approach instead of just apologizing.

Bao stood near the stairs, no joke. He asked if he could lead the way next time. Ngoc said yes, but needed training on how to support.

“I can study,” Bao said.

“You sound trustworthy.”

“I'm serious.”

“I know.”

The second night, it rained. The roof has been repaired, but water still flows in a small streak in the gutter. Phuc discovered it, placed a temporary bucket and took a photo to report to the workers. No one panicked. Jade records time, location, and estimated water volume.

“Did you include the amount of water?” Phuc asked.

“I use a ruler to measure how full the bucket is.”

“You scared me.”

“Because I have the data.”

“Because you can turn rain into boards.”

Bao looked at the bucket and said it could be called a "wetness report". Lam added that the report will help make corrections in the right place.

The third night, the number of people increased to thirty. The room is cramped, there is a lot of paper flipping. Groups must use the booking calendar. Ngoc saw that some people couldn't book because they didn't know where to register. She set up a paper board right at the door, allowing names to be written directly.

Phuc said: "Don't let registration become a second door."

Ngoc nodded. She rewrote the instructions in three sentences, pasting them larger.

Wednesday night, Bao discovered a book that was not in the notebook. He picked it up and asked who was reading. A friend said she found it in the corner and didn't know how to borrow it. Ngoc instructed to write names, don't blame me.

“Books don't leave shelves by themselves,” Phuc said.

“Maybe someone else put it wrong.”

“So note, not conclude.”

Ngoc looked at him. “You learned from me.”

“I learned from the torn page incident.”

Thursday night, the group held a completely silent reading time for ten minutes. Tell me to get out hallway because he couldn't stand the silence. He stood outside the door, looking through the glass, holding bread in his hand.

“Do you want to come in?” Ngoc asked.

“I am respecting the silence.”

“You are talking.”

“I said quietly.”

Phuc pulled Bao away, but smiled.

Friday night, Ngoc and Phuc were on the same last shift. Most of the students have returned. The reading room only has the light of the table lamp, the sound of the fan and the sound of cars on the street. Phuc opened the book and saw a small list stuck inside.

“What list?” Ngoc asked.

“Names of people using the room after eight o'clock.”

“We haven't opened since eight o'clock.”

"Old list. Someone used to be on duty late."

Ngoc read the names and recognized a few people who were currently teachers at the school. Ms. Hanh said they used to study in groups at night before the exam. Some people asked permission, others secretly stayed.

“If they ever stayed, perhaps the message in the book was written by someone in that group,” Ngoc said.

Phuc did not guess. He just folded the list.

“You don't want to look?”

"I want to. But if they don't want to talk, I shouldn't drag them out."

Ngoc nodded. The two sat silently for a while.

“Are you planning on going to college nearby?” Ngoc asked.

Phuc said he didn't know, because of tuition and working at the counter. Ngoc asked him if he thought about a scholarship. He said yes, but the application needed paperwork and time.

“I can help look at the information.”

“You can give it, I'll turn it in myself.”

“I know.”

“You said that again.”

“Because this time I really know.”

Phuc looked at her. “I like you know.”

Ngoc thought she heard the fan by mistake. “What do you like?”

“You know the limits.”

“Ah.”

“What do you expect me to say?”

“Nothing.”

Phuc smiled lightly and turned back to the book. Ngoc felt her ears feel hot, but she didn't speak.

Last night, the group compiled the data: one hundred and twenty-six uses, forty-three books borrowed, six first-time visitors, three suggestions for access and two roofs that needed checking. Ms. Hanh praised them for recording the problem, not just the success.

“Should the reading room be open permanently?” she asked.

Ngoc looked at the group. Bao said yes, but there must be cake outside the door. Lam said yes, but needed more people. Minh Chau said yes, if there is a fair schedule. Phuc said it can be opened if the school commits to the person in charge.

Ngoc records it all. She didn't say she wanted it most.

When locking the door, Phuc kept the keys. He asked her if she was tired.

"Have."

“Still want to do it?”

"Have."

“That's enough.”

The second floor turned off the lights. Down in the yard, the bread counter still shines a golden light. Ngoc walked next to Phuc down the stairs and heard the sound of keys touching each other. She thinks there are places that are kept alive not by one person being the strongest, but by many people taking turns not letting the lights go out.

After two weeks, the team compared the two opening hours options. The eight-hour schedule works well for parents, but the seven-thirty group helps students prepare for exams. They chose to open two days late, two days early, and leave one trial day according to registration needs.

Bao said this calendar is like a restaurant menu. Ms. Hanh said she would not sell tickets. Bao offered to give out reservation forms, but was reminded that the library is not a movie theater.

Ngoc creates a calendar on paper and online, but still keeps the paper copy because not everyone has a phone. Phuc sent a photo of a calendar in the vocational training program, saying they also use two copies to avoid people being left behind.

“You're taking the library everywhere,” Ngoc said.

“I just know how to do it.”

A 10th grader signed up for a trial period, then withdrew because he had to take care of his younger brother. The group did not ask for details, just reserved seats for next time. Ngoc recorded the number of people withdrawing with the common reason "busy with family." family", without names.

At the end of the month, the number of users increased but the incidents also increased: a light bulb flickered, two books were misfolded, the door closed late once. The group does not consider it a failure. They see it as a sign that the room is actually used.

Ngoc closed the book and sent the report to Ms. Hanh. Phuc's message: "Nice board."

“Did you read it all?”

“Read the part with numbers.”

“That's not all.”

“I will continue reading.”

The next morning, the group compiled feedback from the evening session. A parent said eight o'clock was late, a student said it wasn't enough, a security guard wanted a fixed closing schedule. No one chooses one opinion as the only truth. They set up two testing plans, each lasting two weeks.

Ngoc asked Phuc if he felt tired because he had to measure all the time. He said it was tiring, but measuring helped them know what they were fixing. Bao said that if he measured the number of times he was forbidden to eat in his room, the table would be longer.

“You were banned for a reason,” Lam replied.

“The reason doesn't fill my stomach.”

The group set up a covered outdoor dining area, added trash cans and hand sanitizer. Bao declared it his greatest achievement. Ms. Hanh recorded it in the report as an operational adjustment, without recording Bao's name.

Ngoc looked at the text and saw that small improvements all started from a real need. Libraries don't need to look big; it needs to know who is upset where and what parts can be fixed.

Phuc sent her a new vocational training schedule. There were a few days when he couldn't be on duty. Ngoc replied that the group would hand over, but she wanted him to give his opinion first. He sent back the instructions, adding a line: "If you're not sure, ask someone else."

Ngoc saved the board, then locked the room door. The second floor was no longer a task she had to shoulder; it is a system that is learning to stand on its own.

Before leaving school, she opened a new schedule, dividing shifts into two people so that no one had to close the door alone. Phuc commented one more line: if the person on duty encounters a problem, call the nearest person in charge, do not handle it in silence. Ngoc placed that line at the top of the table.

Bao looked at the schedule and asked why there was no meal shift. Ms. Hanh pointed to the covered area outside the door. Bao sighed, but still signed to accept the task of checking trash cans and hand sanitizer. Phuc sent a short message: "This board can be used." Ngoc replied: "Try it tomorrow and then you'll know."