the rest of the library , where i get to spend my working hours , is a plain old creaky public building , with indoor-outdoor carpeting that resembles woven dead grass with trampled-in mustard , the usual row upon row of gray metal shelves , a two-story entrance and nice staircase up to the second floor , which has a gallery running all the way around with various dewey decimal categories lining it , and lots of table-and-chair sets for kids doing homework or genealogists doing research .