The Public

These racks and shelves

contain a lot of books.

Tens of thousands. Hundreds of thousands.

Perhaps millions. How do you feel about them?

Do they mean something to you? Are they your friends?

Have you a real love of books and learning?

You do? That's good.

Now, do you like people and do people like you?

Do you like all kinds of people?

The young as well as the old?

People in all stations of life?

You do? That's wonderful.

Because when you have these two important qualifications,

love for books and love for people,

you may well consider the vocation of a librarian,

a vocation that gives full enjoyment to the librarian

and radiates it to the public.

- Good morning, Nick. - Good morning, Mr. Goodson.

What the hell you lookin' at?

Because of the Jews. The Jews don't want me in here.

- Athena? - Oh, thank God you're here.

This man won't let me in. He's one of them, you know.

- One of whom? - The tribe. The Jews.

Athena, nobody is trying to stop you

from going into the library when we open,

but the Jews have nothing to do with it.

I get it.

You're Jewish too.

Athena, keep this up, and I promise

you will not be allowed back in the library for six months.

- Is that what you want? - No, no, no. I don't want that.

Morning.

- Cold enough for you, Ernesto? - I'm from Jalisco, bro.

I'm takin' my ass back to Mexico if this cold keeps up.

No, you're not.

- Have a good one, man. - You, too, man.

You got ten more minutes. Ten minutes.

- Good morning, Mr. Anderson. - Mr. Goodson.

Why is there a polar bear in the library, sir?

The Natural History Museum is under renovation temporarily.

I asked if we could house part of their collection.

Say hello to Beary White.

Hello, Beary.

When, uh,

when you have a moment, I need to speak to you.

I have a moment right now.

Board of trustees room, noon.

- I'm not late. - Uh-huh.

- I'm not! - Myra time.

It's metro time. The public transportation

in this city runs like a broken clock.

You make enough money to buy a car.

Right, I can be like every other

self-centered individual,

that just wants to drive all over the country

and ruin the environment

and not care about their carbon footprint.

You're so fashionably green.

I'm committed to doing my part, Stuart.

What about you?

Posting a meme on Facebook

doesn't make you an activist, Myra.

Besides, it's not like I drive to work in an SUV.

You still drive to work

when there's adequate public transportation.

Which gets you to work late every day.

So says you.

You've seen our new polar bear?

Kind of hard to miss.

I think it's rather appropriate,

because I think we are the new polar bear.

Me, you, everyone, unless we start

actually doing something about our carbon footprint.

Myra, if you don't wanna leave a carbon footprint

you're gonna have to stand in one place

for the rest of your life.

Oh, and you're also gonna need to stop

eating, drinking and breathing.

I will if you will.

What, is this your third request?

- Fourth. - Mm.

I know you're my supervisor.

I am trying to be respectful.

I don't wanna go over your head,

but, Stuart, I will if I have to.

Why do you wanna transfer off this floor so badly?

I want more literature.

Well, then go hang out down in

Arts and Lit on your lunchbreak.

I wanna be around more

of my literary heroes.

This guy.

"Wherever there's a fight so hungry people can eat,

I'll be there."

My tenth grade crush. Good old Johnny Steinbeck.

You know, it's all drunks and crazy people down in Lit.

Which is so different than up here?

I'm talking about the authors.

Incoming.

Welcome to the Downtown

Cincinnati Public Library.

Good morning, Dave.

So explain to me again,

how do you make cheesecake without the cheese?

I substitute the cheese with condensed milk is how.

Oh, I don't believe it.

Ain't nobody never heard of no cheesecake

without the cheese, Smutts.

Cheese was invented by the Chinese 3000 years ago.

Hail, Caesar.

I don't have to prove anything to any of you.

I learned how to make it when I was in the Navy.

The United States Navy sailed its first ships in 1492.

Hail, Caesar.

Hey, I heard two more people

froze to death last night in Northside.

I don't know why they don't just let us stay here

when it gets this cold.

- Yeah. You know, he's right. - Yeah.

We should just stay right here when it gets this cold.

They're not gonna turn the library into a flophouse

for alcoholics, Smutts.

I haven't had a drink in two weeks.

- That's a lie. - That's a miracle!

That's a lie, Smutts.

You and me, we had some beer a few days ago.

- See, see, I knew it. - Oh, come on, man.

I knew you was full of shit with that no drinkin' shit.

Just like y... your cheese-less cheesecake too.

Anybody got any aspirin?

Aspirin was discovered

by the French 600 years ago.

It was originally made from apple seeds.

- Hail, Caesar. - Hail, Caesar.

Aspirin, Caesar, is made from willow bark,

not apple seeds.

Then how come it's always white, huh?

Answer me that one, smart guy.

'Cause it's mixed with cornstarch.

Hey.

So it's cold enough for you, Mr. Goodson?

It's gonna be brutal the next couple nights for sure.

We can all come stay at your place.

- I would if I could. - You could, but you won't.

No judgement here though.

Look, Jackson.

Use it to get some food, maybe a room.

You're gonna offer me money and then tell me what to do with it?

W... well, no, I was just suggesting a few things

that I thought you... you might need, is all.

How do you know what I need?

I'm just messing with you, man.

He was just messing with you.

- For the cause. - Evil is the root of all money.

Hail, Caesar!

You guys are just encouraging him.

Whoa.

- Who's he? - That's George.

- Where are you from, George? - He's shy.

Has to get to know you.

Okay.

Montana.

Montana? The land of 10,000 lakes.

Hail, Caesar.

Come on.

It's okay.