They wear no snap-brim hats, not even dark glasses, but a crack team of private eyes is operating right now undercover on East North Avenue in Lompoc.
Posing as mild-mannered librarians, they boast their own miniature action figure. Their profession is the setting for a daily Internet comic strip called “Unshelved.”
They solve mysteries as widely varied as identifying the name of a movie featuring Modoc the Elephant, where to read in English the natural disaster plan of Brazil, and where was Civil War Camp No. 43?
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Known individually as Lauren, Beth, Pam, Norma and Cathy, they are the reference librarians of Lompoc Public Library.
These gumshoes are thorough, so thorough that they sometimes pursue more details than the inquiring public requests.
“Reference librarians are inquisitive and tenacious,” said Lauren Dahlgren, library adult services manager. “Sometimes patrons don’t want to know more, but we do!”
They are also world-class competitors at Trivial Pursuit and skilled at handling the most bizarre people. Dahlgren once had a regular patron who offered his help while ripping off his jacket to reveal a Superman shirt.
Usually reference librarians don’t need Clark Kent’s assistance. In fact they often help patrons find their own answers.
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Besides common queries involving medical, and occasionally genealogical information, other recent searches have pursued a biography of illustrator John Robson, a Lompoc Record obituary from 1974, a list of Lompoc Rodeo queens from 1927 (the name of the honor changed to Flower Festival queen), the religious topic of Calvinism and a machine for sharpening haircutting scissors.
And there are always queries from voracious readers about new authors. “They’ve read everything,” said five-year reference veteran Beth Dunn, laughing. “They’re out of authors.”
Research is done piecemeal. It is interrupted to assist the public’s use of seven library computers. The library is the only place in Lompoc where a computer, four of which access the Internet, may be used free of charge. Up to 40 percent of a reference librarian’s time can be gobbled up explaining and tending to the electronics.
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