Meet the Cast

Marc Record

Marc is the main character of Search and Research. He works at the service desk at Harlensdale College Library and tries to let his dry sense of humor and wry observations guide his interactions with students and staff. He generally gets along with his co-workers, and has a somewhat contentious friendship with the Self Check-Out Machine (SCOM) who also mans the desk. A devout fan of Star Trek, Indiana Jones, and other sci-fi and fantasy, Marc is never above letting his nerdy colors show. His name is a reference to the records used to list cataloging information for the items added to library catalogs.

SCOM

 First Appearance: Strip #10

SCOM is the Self Check-Out Machine for the library. Originally created by the FBI for use at the Library of Congress, he has since been decommissioned and employed in private use. As such, he contains much more than the standard self check-out machine, including a personality module, ambulatory transport mechanisms, theft prevention devices (guns), and much more. His observations on what seem like standard practices in a research library provide much of the humor for the strip.

Elsie

First Appearance: Strip #8

Elsie is the Stacks Manager for the library.  Marc depends on her to handle situations that he is hesitant to handle, or unable to handle. She provides the voice of reason to the strip, amidst the mad cap hijinks that often ensue. She and SCOM don't really get along because his cantankerous nature and penchant for destroying books often make her job difficult.  Her name is a reference to the Library of Congress classification scheme she has to use as stacks manager, which is often abbreviated LC.

Opal

First Appearance: Strip #3

Opal is a cataloger from the "old school". She remembers creating cards for the card catalog and enforcing a much stricter form of library discipline. Opal despises the current dependance upon technology, but is not above using bits of it as she sees fit. The only person she really gets along with is Boük, the other library cataloger, who apparently resembles her grandson.

Wai Fai

First Appearance: Strip #83

Wai Fai is the library's liaison from the ITS department. She is smart, tech-savvy (as one would expect), and often carries a samurai sword. Marc has been enamored with Wai Fai since meeting her, and Wai Fai shows concern for Marc when he's in trouble, but neither of them seems to be willing to discuss their feelings. Her name is pronounced like Wi-Fi.

Ayvee

First Appearance: Strip #96

Ayvee is the fun-loving, free-spirited electronic resources librarian. She is into vintage technology, and she and Boük are dating. Her name is a play on the abbreviation commonly used for Audio/Visual, A/V, which is appropriate given her position.

Boük

First Appearance: Strip #42 (although he was mentioned in strip #41)

Boük (pronounced Book) is a cataloger at the library. Whereas Opal is deeply distrustful of technology, Boük is the ultimate techie/programmer early-adopter. He has a mysterious connection with anything technological, allowing him to mentally interface with networks, and bend almost any electronics to do his bidding. He is a snappy dresser, has yet to be seen without his sunglasses, and is currently dating Ayvee.

Randall

First Appearance: Strip #12

Randall is the Acquisitions Librarian, and has the messiest office in the library. He is sort of grumpy and is definitely antisocial.

The Library Gnome

First Appearance: Strip #71

Although he keeps a very low profile, the mischief-loving library gnome is an ever-present source of irritation for Marc, and to a lesser extent, SCOM.