The Grubby Urchins - Library-O
Daniel Bornstein and Joe Hillel
https://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/about-library/publications/openbook/shanty-town-mark-dapin-extract

When I was young, but ten and three
Hi-o, hi-o, librari-o
My parents asked, what trade for thee?
Send them out on loan
And so next morning I began
Hi-o, hi-o, librari-o
To train as a librar-i-an
Send them out on loan

Chorus (after each verse):
So turn 'em, scan 'em, bin 'em, bag 'em
Heave 'em out to roam-i-o
Two weeks in the open world
Before they come back home-i-o
When they're back and through the slot
It's to the shelves they'll go-i-o
Send them out on loan-i-o
Send them out on loan

I dreamed that evening as I slept
Hi-o ...
On where the books are neatly kept
Send ...
I dreamed of shelves ten fathoms high
Hi-o ...
Where books from every land do lie
Send ...

Chorus

I dreamed of bins and stacks and shelves
Where readers go and help theirselves
I dreamed of books in tidy rows
From ancient verse to modern prose

The libr'y life is free from woes
The chief concern is where books goes
So growl ye may, but read ye must
You talk too loud, your head they'll bust

If friendly staff is what ye seeks
Bring back your books within two weeks
Be warned when on a reading spree
Late books incur a nominal fee

The lib'ry trade takes stalwart guts
For every year bring government cuts
They say that borrowing books is hard
For those without a lib'ry card

And when their lending time is through
It's back you'll mosey to renew
And when the readin's good and done
It's back to pick another one