@morethaniknew liked for a starter!
Everything in the archivists world was predictable and almost unchangeing. The temperature was level. There was no air current. The floors, ceiling, walls, and even the bookshelves themselves were pure white. Even the books themselves were all exactly the same size, as they existed to be representations of fountains of knowledge, rather than to serve a purpose as actual books.
Sometimes, things changed, but only when the Lord President deigned to visit.
In her younger ( years? she supposed so, but it was really just a guess ), the archivist had lived for his visits, but she had grown past this, now. Of course, she was still honoured that he would take the time from his busy life to visit her, but she had her own duty, and her time couldn't be wasted wondering when he would next come to the archives.
This perpetual sameness was all that the archivist had ever known. That was why she froze in place when she turned and saw an unfamiliar woman standing in the middle of the archives.