Friday, December 14, 2012

Case Study No. 0688: Staff of the University of Maryland Library

Terry Dan: Library Patron
3:49
Andrew Lindberg and Peter Eaton's entry in the 2008-09 UMD Library Student Video Contest. A mockumentary about a homeless library user (inhabitant).
Tags: library libraries homeless college umd duluth
Added: 3 years ago
From: umdlibraryduluth
Views: 1,446

[scene opens with several shots of students and librarians in the University of Maryland Library]
NARRATOR: UMD's library was finished in 2000. The result of several years of planning and construction, the library is designed to be a home away from home for students and faculty alike. However, it has come to light that some individuals have taken this convenient facility literally. Due to UMD's all-indoor facilities, the number of impoverished individuals in the library has increased rapidly in the past few years. Homeless people are reported to use the library during the day to keep warm, before heading to various shelters in the area. One individual has even found shelter in the library annex.
[cut to a car driving up to a liquour store, as a homeless man (long hair, trucker hat) is outside holding a bottle in a paper bag]
NARRATOR: Meet Terry Dan. A Northwoods local, Dan alleges that he was a student at UMD from 1997 to 2000, when in a bizarre chain of events, his house burned down, his girlfriend died in a skiing accident, and his family was eaten by a pack of rabid wolf pups.
[cut to Terry speaking directly to the camera]
TERRY: Don't, uh, don't tell me I don't ...
[cut to Terry walking through the stacks with no shirt on]
NARRATOR: With little to turn to, he found comfort in his studies, but due to a mix-up with his financial aid, he ended up owing the university several thousand dollars. Terry decided to start living on the streets in early 2000.
[cut back to Terry speaking directly to the camera]
TERRY: Yeah. Uh, well, lost my job down at the shipping yards. Got laid off before all this economy's goin' down and ... Y'know, figured make the most'a things, hanging out down at the Cozy. They got some nice ladies down there that took me in. And, y'know, just tryin' to bum a smoke or beer off somebody downtown by First and First.
NARRATOR: Tragically, Terry has turned to alcohol as a form of comfort.
["How do you make an income?" appears on screen]
NARRATOR: [from off camera] Terry, how do you find an income?
TERRY: Uh, the plasma plans. You get two times a week. I go Tuesdays, Thursdays. You rack in the cash ... eh, they cover the bills. Y'know what I mean? Y'know?
["How do you manage your hygiene?" appears on screen]
NARRATOR: [from off camera] Terry, how do you ... how do you manage your hygiene, living in the annex?
TERRY: Well ... They got some sinks over there, with the hand soap. It's not just, not just hands. It can, uh, y'know?
NARRATOR: [from off camera] Really?
TERRY: It'll rinse off, like ... Get the stink out from the pits, and down in the dirty zones. Clean up, uh, hygiene. I think that's about it.
[cut to Terry singing to himself while using the bubbler to rinse out his silverware]
TERRY: Who's da man? Terry Dan! Touchdown man! In the Northland! Shine 'em up ...
[he looks at his reflection in the spoon]
TERRY: Hey, Terry! Hey, Terry Dan, ya look good! Yeah ... Good enough!
["How long have you been living in the annex?" appears on screen, then cut back to Terry speaking directly to the camera]
NARRATOR: [from off camera] So how long have you been living in the annex?
TERRY: Uh ... It's about, frankly, ever since I got kicked outta this basement at some college partiers. Eh, they're so drunk they just, y'know, didn't even know I was livin' down there for awhile.
["How do you manage to live in the annex?" appears on screen]
NARRATOR: [from off camera] So you get away with using all these facilities and you don't have to worry about authority coming in here and telling you to get--
TERRY: Oh, I got a little secret weapon I pull out. I got an "Under Construction" sign!
NARRATOR: [from off camera] Really? Where'd you acquire that from?
TERRY: Oh, I just lifted it outta the maintenance room.
NARRATOR: [from off camera] You don't say?
TERRY: Danny left it unlocked when they were building the new building, and ... Y'know, what they don't know don't hurt 'em!
[cut back to Terry walking through the stacks without a shirt on]
NARRATOR: Shortly after filming, Terry won over a hundred thousand dollars at Fond-du-Luth Casino. He was last seen hopping a boat, bound for Argentina.

Terry Dan
Library Patron

Terry Dan ... Kyle O'Leary
Directed by Andy Lindberg, Peter Eaton

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From umn.edu:

UMD Library Student Video Contest

2008-09 was the second annual UMD Library Student Video Contest, where students submitted videos that were set in the library or about the library. Students competed for prizes by demonstrating their artistry as cinematic auteurs, and now we get to show off their work and show off our fine institution. Below are the entries from the past two years of the video contest.

Terry Dan: Library Patron
by Andrew Lindberg and Peter Eaton
A mockumentary about a homeless library user (inhabitant)

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