A college student bet his librarian remembered his favorite 8th-grade book. She texted back instantly

While we might think a librarian's job is to keep tabs on books and make sure the decorum of the library is maintained, that's not actually the case. They also maintain a meticulous catalogue of subtle details of their students year after year, which proves they don't forget things. A group of college students learned that the hard way after they bet their friend that his former high school librarian wouldn’t remember his favorite book. Oakwood Middle School librarian LuAnn Grimm later shared the story in a clip posted by Reaching Across Illinois Library System (@railslibraries) on May 27, which has since garnered over 46,000 likes.

The bet

Well, it all started with this group of college students working on a project and needing a book for help, so this student pitched that there was a certain book that he liked. However, he couldn't remember its name. So, the student thought his junior high school librarian could help with it. Although the student was quite confident that Mrs Grimm would remember his favorite book, their roommates weren't in the least. And can we blame them? Perhaps not. Anyway, so they decided to bet that Mrs Grimm wouldn't be able to tell their favorite book.

But, they couldn't have been more wrong. When the student sent a message asking if she remembered the book he really liked reading back in junior high school, she responded almost immediately. She told him that "it was either this one or this one." Then she said, "It was the I.Q. series by Roland Smith." As soon as she said that, the student stopped her in her tracks. He said that yes, this was the exact book, and told clueless Mrs. Grimm that she'd helped him win some money. 

A reminder for Mrs. Grimm

It wasn't until then that Mrs Grimm got to know that she was being put to the test. Regardless, it's safe to say that she passed this test with flying colors. Not only that, this test came at a very crucial time for Mrs Grimm when she was double-guessing her career choice. But this random moment of appreciation shut down all the lingering thoughts in her mind, as she said to herself that she loved her job.

Why teachers are rethinking their careers

Educators are often overworked and underpaid, which results in many of them rethinking their decision and even abandoning their careers. In fact, according to data released by the Center for American Progress, about seven out of 10 teachers across the U.S. drop out of teaching within five years of their career. At the same time, a staggering 64% feel like they are not getting paid according to the work they've been putting in. This, on top of the lack of mental health support and poor employee benefits, explains why people stray away from teaching. 

Nonetheless, this interaction, even though rare, struck a chord with the masses and made them smile. @themidwest10 wrote, "Imagine an adult remembering how much you cared for them and how much they still believe in you that they put money on it." Meanwhile, @peh_neh commented, "The confidence in 'she'll know' speaks volumes about the trust folks have in librarians and the impact you have on people. Thanks for sticking around."

You can follow Reaching Across Illinois Library System (@railslibraries) on Instagram for more updates on libraries across northern and west-central Illinois.

More on Scoop Upworthy

Librarian shares a wholesome story of a lost disabled woman considering library her 'safe place'

Librarian's observations about people visiting the library are witty and on point

Former librarian starts a brilliant initiative to promote literacy in low-income neighborhoods