- Hello. - Hello.
Check you out. That's the energy of a woman
who just found out she's pregnant or not pregnant.
No, I'm relieved.
When you're over 50, relief looks like joy.
I put that spare bedroom up for rent.
Think I already found a tenant.
I just wish you didn't have to do this.
Ah, you do what you got to do. I could use the extra money
since I'm paying full price at the vending machine again.
Plus, I made that terrible financial decision
all those years ago.
Getting divorced? Betting on the Sixers?
I became a teacher. Ahh.
Girl, at least try a passive-income side hustle
before a roommate.
I got a chat bot writing eulogies
for nine people as we speak.
I just don't feel good about you
giving out your address to strangers online.
It's not safe.
What if they kill you?
I'm gonna be fine. Okay?
I used a fake name and a phony address,
and my listing just said "cozy guest suite with a view,"
which is Craigslist speak for "it's cramped."
And I e-mailed with this very nice nerd named Lester
with great credit and even better grammar.
I got a good feeling about this.
Guys, guys, I think my search
for a new place to live is over.
After some not so ideal meetups
where I learned to stop using my real name
or list "great hugger" in the About Me section...
I told you. ...I have found
the perfect cozy guest suite with a view.
Lester?
Mildred?
You and Jacob living together is...
I know it's God's will,
but he's gotten awfully creative.
Okay. You wanted me to pick the hairless cat breeder
who doesn't believe in deodorant?
Wait, is it the woman that's hairless
or the cats are hairless?
Hey. Hey.
Maybe you could just keep looking.
Everywhere else is either twice my budget
or a 3-hour commute.
I mean, three hours isn't forever.
Hear ye, hear ye.
Um, so I've gathered you all here today to tell you
about a very special pilot program
I think you're gonna be excited about.
I already did a pilot program in the '70s,
but I can't tell you where I flew
or what was on the plane.
Okay, well, this is a pilot program
to bring librarians into schools,
and we're starting with Abbott.
I got the idea to bring in local grad students
in library sciences.
They get to check off their experience requirements,
and we get a real librarian. Everybody wins.
Especially me, which this isn't about.
Abbott's the perfect school for this trial,
with its many distinguished teachers
and its zero librarians.
Yes.
So I'd like to introduce you all to the very cool
Ms. Rosalyn Inez, your new librarian.
Thank you, thank you. This has--
This has been a dream of mine for years.
It's actually why I went back to school.
Just excited to put this program to work.
Another grown woman of substance.
Mm-hmm.
And the kids are gonna love that hat.
You could hide an Easter ham under that hat.
I'm just looking forward to getting to know
each and every one of you.
We'll be using the feedback that we get from you all
to determine if the district
should implement the program all over the city.
Which they will. So yay!
Alright, so before Ms. Inez digs in,
does anyone have any questions?
Yeah. Did you know that Jacob is moving in with Melissa?
That's crazy. Right?
Oh, sorry. That's two questions. My bad.
Oh, you need help?
Uh, no. Thank you.
This is-- This is the last of them.
I know.
So that looks heavy, huh?
Brutally.
Listen, I made puttanesca,
but I only know how to cook for 12,
so if you want some, I'll make you a plate.
But let me know in the next five minutes,
because my show's coming on.
Oh, um..."Real Housewives of New Jersey"
is also on in five,
and I-I simply must watch it live.
Okay, that's my show.
No. Yes.
Stop. I will not.
It's-- It's a masterpiece.
I have got to know who called the feds on Teresa.
The hubris alone.
And what's up with Marge?
Always changing up her story.
Because she is sneaky.
As hell.
Before you know it, you're in a relationship
with someone who is just like your parents.
Gary was a dead-ringer for my dad.
And Zach was basically my mom.
Are you freaking kidding me?
I love sour cream and onion.
It's so salty and playful.
Like Marge Sr.
Okay, you already relabeled the social sciences?
I thought you would use the abridged DDC,
but this classification is just so thorough.
Janine, have you seen this yet? Yes, yes.
I actually have my very first library card.
Wo--
I got the librarian from my local branch to sign it.
Oh, wow.
You are very passionate about libraries.
I just love how organized everything is.
Last week, it took me two hours
to find a book on time management.
Well, things are gonna be
much easier for you to find now.
Excuse me for a second. Mm-hmm.
Oh, hey, I could just check those out for you.
Oh, no need, I'm just grabbing some books
for my children's reading hour,
and I'm on my way.
Well, let me make it easy for you.
It is why I'm here.
You come to me, I check out the books,
you return the books, I put--
I'm familiar with how libraries work. Thank you.
Of course. Mm.
Ooh.
Looks like this one's already been reserved,
but I can put your name in to get it next.
Okay, sure. I'll just take those.
And you're sure that "Penny Goes to Potty"
has been reserved?
Because, I mean, each time I come in here
and take it out seamlessly, my students love it.
Ooh, and, uh, this one is a reference book.
That stays in the library.
Aw, Barbara has wanted this for so long.
Look how happy she is.
And don't forget these. Oh.
We're really trying to stick
to a checkout limit of three books.
Fine.
Our new librarian is very organized.
Yeah. I don't like it. I'll handle it.
You think you're the queen of the school?
Uh...
"Slaughterhouse-Five"?
I started reading this last month,
but it disappeared
before I could get to the part about slaughterhouses.
Well, I checked the previous system,
which was just a sign-out sheet on a napkin,
and asked the student to bring it back,
which they did.
You're like a bounty hunter for books.
What is that boy wearing?
Ooh, I got a good one.
Hey, Jacob, where'd you get that shirt from?
Yeah, it looks good on him, right? See? Told ya.
Can you believe I was nervous to wear it to school today
until Melissa pumped me up at breakfast?
Hey, Mr. Johnson, where'd you get those shoes?
Crappos?
Now is the time for us to explore
and find something that piques our imaginations.
Oh, and don't forget there's a 3-book limit.
Uh, hey, Mrs. Howard. Hello.
Uh, did you get the e-mail with the link
to schedule a time to use the library?
Oh, I've been doing this a long time.
Um, the seventh-grade class has scheduled time
to work on a research project,
and having multiple classes in here
is just distracting, I'm afraid.
I'm sorry.
Are you asking my students,
my scholars of words and letters,
to leave the library?
I would be happy to help you schedule a time for your class
to have full use of the library,
and please feel no shame in letting me know
if you need my help using the Google Doc.
Oh, I know what a Google doctor is.
Uh...
So the librarian program is going well, right?
It's great.
Ms. Inez has been setting aside books
that align with my class's curriculum.
I mean, I've never seen the kids so excited about reading.
I knew this was a good idea.
It's like a librarian for the library.
Duh. You know? Exactly.
Oh, hey, Barbara, how great is the library now?
A captain for the ship.
Oh, it's just great, Janine,
as you can see by these tiny little disappointed faces
that were not allowed to check books out of the library.
Um... Oh, my God, I'm-- I'm so sorry.
Uh, why weren't they allowed to check out books?
Because the library is booked out
like some new hip restaurant with a hostess
that has no respect for the patrons
that came before they started charging $25
to set your drink on fire.
Now, I think it's obvious that there needs to be
some changes to this library program.
Oh, I would hate to leave bad feedback.
Hey, Barbara. I just wanted to check in
because you seemed a little upset.
Perturbed.
Well, if there's anything I can do to improve
the librarian program, I would love to know.
It is adding a level of difficulty that,
if anything, is stifling
my students' interest in books.
Okay. Um...
Alright. That is feedback I can work with.
Your word holds a ton of weight with me.
Thank you, Janine.
No. Thank you. You know,
I'm gonna make this work for the woman who molded me.
I was a lump of clay on one of those, um...
the things that the clay-- that the clay spins on--
the clay-spinning-- The pottery wheel.
A pottery wheel. See? Still molding.
I'm going to get back to work and figure out
how to make it better for the littles.
Howdy, cowboy.
Oh! That is so satisfying.
Oh, my gosh, there's just something about
building a tiny scene.
I want to live in this Parisian café.
Hey, you want me to pack up the rest of the ziti
for you to take for lunch tomorrow?
Uh, I think I should pick up lunch tomorrow.
Jacob, if you don't like my ziti, just say so,
and I will heave myself out that window.
No, no, it's just that... Did you see what happened today
with Mr. Johnson when he cried?
I think our friendship is throwing off the dynamics.
Today I ate out of a Tupperware that had your name on it.
And Mr. Johnson thought I was stealing your food,
so he decided it was a free-for-all
and ate Barbara's lunch.
And then Barbara was so cranky
that she drank the last cup of coffee
without making a new pot, and Gregory was then so tired
that he left the hose on in the garden.
And then that's why the kids tracked
all the mud into my classroom.
And I went to find Mr. Johnson.
But he was still crying, so I had to clean it up myself.
See? It's-- It's-- It's chaos.
I think we should just pretend like nothing
has changed between us. Oh, yeah.
We gotta keep our friendship a secret
because I cannot be mopping every day.
Yeah, exactly.
It's a sacrifice for the greater good.
It also protects what we have.
And now what we have...
book nook number two.
Or could be my panty liners,
but, hey, let's find out together.
And it is...
la Notre-Dame de Paris.
Merci, Amazon Prime.
"The wolf hadn't eaten all day."
Barbara's feedback is a gift.
I mean, without it,
I wouldn't have known to update the program.
Her wisdom gave me the idea to cater part of the program
specifically to getting pre-readers excited about books.
"So I'll huff and I'll puff.
And I'll bl-l-l-l-ow your house down."
What do you think? It's pretty cool, huh?
I think she's getting them a little bit too excited.
Nap time is in an hour.
The kindergarten day is a delicate balance
that can be easily upset.
"He couldn't puff anymore."
Now it's your turn.
And I'll huff and I'll puff
and I'll blow your house down!
Oh, no, it's too much! It's too much!
I'll say.
Mrs. Howard, I blew down the house.
Mrs. Howard, how come you don't read this good?
I can do voices.
I am very adept at many amusing sounds.
Watch.
I am a pig.
I am a wolf.
And I am a librarian who thinks
that I can just change everything around here.
Shh.
Ah, I think, uh--
I think I'll sit over here.
Well, in that case, I will sit over here away from there.
Yeah. Guess that's just how it is between her and I.
Hey, anybody seen the pencil grips?
Hello?
Cool. Cool, cool.
I don't know what's going on with these two,
but I don't like it.
"Roommates be like..." heart emojis.
You texting Jacob?
What? No. Mind your own business.
It's not what you think.
You're sharing memes.
I share memes with a lot of people.
Yeah, that's common practice between co-workers.
Two people texting each other LOLs in the same room.
You two are friends. Please don't tell anyone.
We're not ready for people to know.
Alright, but this is a dangerous game you're playing.
Alright, students, it's story time.
Can we go to the library?
No, sweetheart, it's not our scheduled time.
Aww.
We like when Ms. Inez does the voices.
Oh.
Isn't this amazing? Look at this.
Not only has it increased use of the library,
I mean, it's made everything way more targeted.
And look.
Mr. Johnson donated his old baseball cards
so the kids could use them as bookmarks.
Wait, is this Mr. Johnson?
Did he play in the Negro Leagues?
Watch your mouth.
186 pages of pure fire.
I was flipping so fast, I had to buy one
of those little finger condoms
off the cashier at the corner store.
Oh, Mrs. Howard and class... again.
Hi, kids.
Uh, Mrs. Howard, I don't have you all on the schedule,
but I have a feeling it's because
you didn't fill out the online reservation form.
I most certainly did not.
Yet here we are in the library
without a major disaster.
It's almost as if it didn't matter at all.
You know what? I can handle it.
Yeah, yeah. I'll talk to her. Yeah.
♪ Mrs. Howard ♪
Um, can I ask why you didn't fill out the form?
Janine, this is a slow waltz to nowhere.
There are a million different improvements
that this school could use.
Why not focus on one of those that could really help?
Because, sweetheart, this ain't it.
Is everything okay?
Everything is fine, Manny.
I appreciate what you all do.
This program is more of a distraction
than an improvement.
Come along, students, let's go.
Hmm.
Bye.
You know what? She just needs time.
Barbara will come around. We should just move forward.
Well, if that's how she feels,
there is no moving forward.
What? Janine, we have to care
about what teachers say.
Especially ones with as much seniority as Barbara.
That was our mission statement when we came to the district.
We listened to teachers. We don't ignore them.
That's what makes us different.
Yes, I know, but this works.
I mean, doesn't it? Look.
If Barbara says it doesn't work, then that's gonna go
a long way with Superintendent Reynolds.
And he's always looking for a reason to say no.
You okay? Look like Raven having a vision.
I'm shutting down the program.
It isn't working for everyone.
Okay. Um...
who's everyone?
Well, it hasn't been successful
with the early primary grades.
Me and Melissa's classes love it.
Barbara said it was a failure.
That's because she can't just do whatever she wants anymore.
She's throwing a tantrum.
Okay, but it's Barbara.
Doesn't mean she's always right.
Jacob did say all of his students
turned in their reports on time
and scored in the 80th to 90th percentile.
That's because the program is good.
Having a librarian in a library is good.
Barbara is saying it's bad.
She is wrong. Huh.
She's just taking advantage of your relationship.
She wouldn't do that.
I don't think she's doing it intentionally.
But you may have to step outside
of how Barbara is making Janine feel here
and just look at the big picture.
Big picture is it works... Mm-hmm.
...but it doesn't matter because Barbara's feedback
is just gonna tank the thing.
And I can't even confront her
because she might not talk to me ever again.
Well, maybe that's a risk
you're just gonna have to take.
Just books, good,
librarians and librarians...
I got it, I get... Okay, alright.
...what you're saying.
Isn't that terrible? ...says to the first muffin,
"Holy smokes, a talking muffin."
Oh, she was laughing at something else.
She-- She heard a really funny joke earlier,
and my joke wasn't even funny.
It was-- It was offensive. Shame on me.
Oh, hell yeah. Coupon for two-for-one at Rita's.
We should go after school, Ja--
Ohnson. Uh, what do you think?
Oh, I'd love to.
It's been a rough week. I can use the pick-me-up.
Okay. Hang on. You know what?
I'm sick of pretending to be somebody that I'm not.
I meant to invite Jacob because we're friends,
so you can just deal with it. Because I like this man.
And I like this woman, I do. I like you.
We like each other.
Oh, man, I feel so free
and so, like, relieved.
Yeah. So after school today,
I'm gonna go get some passion fruit water ice
with Jacob.
Why do you get your hopes up
when it always ends in heartbreak?
Alright, go ahead. Get it out.
Get what out?
Glad your roommate situation is working out.
The only white-on-white friendship I'm invested in
is Ben and Jerry's.
Huh.
I guess the Abbott ecosystem is stronger than we thought.
Your office hour isn't scheduled until next week.
Also, it's for current teachers.
Yeah, that's not why I'm here. Hmm.
Um, you said the librarian program isn't working.
That's right.
And to be clear, what exactly isn't working about it?
It favors the older students
and is ineffective with the primary classes.
Janine, it upsets the rhythm of my classroom.
Sure, but it's working because it's working
for Gregory's class,
and it's working for Melissa's class, too.
And your kids seem to love it,
so it just isn't working for you.
And I accept that, but...
this program isn't about you.
This is terrifying and will haunt my dreams and nightmares
for the next seven years, but... you're wrong
and I am moving forward with the program,
so leave whatever feedback you need to leave.
That I will do.
I value Barbara's opinion so much that I forgot
that hers isn't the only opinion that matters.
Couldn't see the forest for the trees, as they say,
which I never fully understood that expression,
because if I'm in the forest, then all I'm seeing are trees.
All the reviews for the program have been great.
Uh-huh.
But I see that you haven't opened Barbara's review yet.
Subject line,
"Unvarnished thoughts on a rather ambitious program."
Oh, woof. Okay.
You want me to just read it?
You gotta get it out of the way.
You know what?
I'm gonna fight for this program no matter what.
So, sure.
Just let me look away.
Yeah, you're gonna have to read this one yourself.
Okay.
"I wish I could say that this program
has been a positive addition to Abbott Elementary."
"But that would be... insufficient
because this program will,
if supported with the care it has been initiated with,
have a positive impact on countless students
far beyond the walls of this school."
Keep reading.
"No one would accept the hare's challenge.
And then a lone voice rose up.
'I'll race you!' said the tortoise."
Mrs. Howard, would you join us, please?
Yay!
Is this necessary?
Whoa, Ms. Inez with the olive branch.
Yeah. Hopefully Barbara don't hit her with it.
"'You?' said the hare snickering.
Heh, heh. Now, that's a fine joke.
I will..."
Why did she choose to make all the characters Jamaican?
Just let her cook, Gregory.
"'...line! Shall we race?'"