office Archives - Awful Library Books

Behaving at the Office

January 20, 2022 Mary Kelly Working 9-5 11 comments

Uncivil Wars
Men, Women, and Office Etiquette in the 90s
Patrick
1994

This is another of the million books published about how to get along at the office and succeed. As women entered the workforce, issues of “new” office etiquette were being discussed. Discussions targeted at both men and women centered on catering to their supposed needs. For example, women being coached to get along with the boys world of work, how to dress, and level up in management. Men were told to not “make a pass” and be polite to the ladies.

Home Office Advice

October 11, 2021 Mary Kelly Bleeding Edge, Working 9-5 2 comments

The Home Office Book
Alvarez
1990

Time to get your home office in shape. This book is pretty comprehensive. All the those important decisions on furniture, equipment, and design are helpfully analyzed for convenience.

What version of DOS do you need?
IBM Clone or the real IBM?
Lotus 1-2-3 or VisiCalc?
America Online or Prodigy?
Cordless phone or phone with a cord?

Of course you should also consider driving or walking to the post office because this book is still a few years from widespread home use of the Internet. Maybe you want to consider getting a fax machine?

I did get a kick out the bygone days of the early 1990s. Clunky computers, dot matrix printers and so many floppy disks are quite a contrast to the technology of today. COVID makes home offices kind of important, so maybe a more up to date book on home offices is required.

Workout at the Office

September 15, 2016 Holly Sports, Games, and Exercise, Working 9-5 15 comments

Quick Workouts: Fitness Anytime, Anywhere Time-Life Books 1987 Submitter: This book is currently on the shelves at a local public library. Who knew people in the 1980’s were so busy that they had to fit in exercise while waiting for the

Put that in writing

August 16, 2016 Holly Working 9-5 9 comments

Would You Put That in Writing? How to Write Your Way to Success in Business Booher 1983 Submitter: I just withdrew this from our community college library collection. The typewriter on the cover alone qualifies it for awfulness, but wait!

The Principal’s Gals

January 17, 2012 Holly Making a Living 14 comments

Elementary School Principals: The Women in the Principal’s Office
Casasova
1991

Submitter: I came across this book in our collection. It is from 1991 and has never been checked out. There is so much wrong with this title. It sort of implies or assumes that principals are male and secretaries are female. Period. The subtitle even sounds kind of bad. There is no mention of technology in the book and one section is called “Jane of all trades.” So much has changed regarding student issues and laws over the last 20 years that this book is sorely outdated.

Holly: At first, I thought it was implying that all elementary school principals are female. Then I realized it isn’t a book about principals at all! There’s no reason for a school library to hang on to this one.

Motion to make bar service mandatory at meetings

October 11, 2011 Mary Kelly For the Kids, Making a Living, Working 9-5 13 comments

The First Book of How to Run a Meeting Powers 1967 I am not kidding. Oh, where do I start with this one? Physically, the book is in perfect shape. That’s probably because no one ever checked it out. (There’s

Dictate this!

November 14, 2009 Holly Working 9-5

Applied Secretarial Practice
Gregg
1968

Typewriters? Dictation? “The Scrubbed and Shining Look”? I can see certain university libraries hanging on to a copy of this for historical purposes. Gregg is, after all, the guru of all things secretarial. I can see in WorldCat that several public libraries also own this book. Why on earth would your basic, community library need this book? I guess it does have some pretty groovy pictures, so there is that…