Well,
the most notable thing that happened this last week was that we got a couple of HUGE new OPEN signs, as the one in the back window near the audios fell apart after years of sun exposure. The new signs are so HUGE that they don't actually fit so well in the windows and they block out what light we get, so for now we are only using the CLOSED side of the sign in the far window and taking the whole thing away and storing it in front of the safe while we are open.
Patrons who are driving by on Clares street will be able to read it if we are closed and if the sign isn't out, hopefully they will figure out that we are open.
We are not currently using the extra sign for now. We will continue to use the smaller sign in the window of the discharging office for both open and closed hours.
Next Friday is our last story hour for the summer and then starting June 11th the summer reading program will commence. If any patrons ask you about it you can direct them to the front desk or let them know that information will be available on our home page starting on that date. The Capitola summer reading family craft will be Fridays at 11:15. This is geared for all ages and there will only be a story if people request one from the facilitator. There will also be other special Capitola programs over the summer including a puppet show and a stuffed animal sleep over. I will keep you updated on these programs and whatever else is coming our way as they get closer.
Our NASA display hasn't shown up yet as of this writing so I have not yet put up any space posters in the children's area, but I will do as soon/if our display appears.
On a personnel note: Sadly our aide Gina Garcia is going to have to do her aide hours closer to SV or Downtown, due to a change in her housing location, so her hours are up for grabs. I sent an e-mail to all the aides in the system with the details so check your library aide email if you are interested in adding hours to your schedule. We are looking for someone to fill shifts on Tuesdays & Thursdays 9:30-1:30 and a Saturday shift from 9-1 and these shifts will probably start in early to mid June. Let me know if you are interested and when you would be available to start.
Also, don't forget to e-mail me your preferences for our potential upcoming expanded schedule (see last weeks blog) when you've had time to mull it a bit.
This week's story hour is celebrating the life of Maurice Sendak so if you check any of those books in, pleae put them on my desk. I think we only have a couple in our collection and they always seem to be checked out.
Have a wonderful Memorial Day Holiday and remember to honor all the veterans who have served so we could have a holiday!
Best,
Cappy Dick
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Saturday, May 19, 2012
STILL MORE UPCOMING CHANGES....
Ok then,
at last check we finally had public internet access and printing capabilities, kronos is back (so don't forget to fill out your timesheet, as this Tuesday is the day it gets turned in) and the staff computers including evergreen seem to be working relatively well (keep your fingers crossed and give great heaps of gratitude to our wonderful IT staff!). One thing we did notice was that when entering a card # for a new registration, the computer is NOT always reading it accurately. This seems to be a random anomaly, but if you are doing a new card registration double check that the number on the card matches what Evergreen is imputing.
Ok, enough techno talk for now. Lets talk about some current and upcoming changes.
Firstly, we now have a top on the revolving rack that houses our board books and J media, so along with the globe, we have moved our tiny collection of J non-fiction audio cassettes there, and we have also moved the parenting free give aways that were previously above the Jeasys, to beneath the Parenting collection, to free up counter space for displays. Our Jeasys are really crammed so if you can't fit something, displaying it is an option, and I am weeding out some of the titles that have had high circulations to be replaced. This will give us temporary room but once the replacements come in, we will be in the same boat.
Also in the children's area, we will be getting a huge NASA free standing poster which we will have in our branch for a month. It will be anchored to the center table and is supposed to reach to the ceiling. I am hoping to add some space themed posters to the walls and perhaps some space themed J easys as well, just to keep things cohesive.
The primary election is coming up and if anyone inquires, we have a large print copy of the Voter's guide, behind the desk (above the cash register). This is a reference item so it would not be able to leave the branch. We also have a circulating audio cassette of the voter's guide, which also might be of use to any visually impaired patrons. It has been cataloged and is housed by its call number in our audio cassette section.
The story hour theme this week is Numbers so as per usual, look at my desk if you can't find a number themed Jeasy or J non-fiction item for a patron or the pull list.
The summer reading program will start June 11 and run through August. 3rd. Our weekly story hour will not longer be happening on Fridays but in its place and a bit later (11:15) there will be a family craft led by the programming staff. This will take place on the long tables in front of the adult stacks, instead of in the children's room and will be drop in. I believe it runs until 1PM. We will get more details (I hope) as the time draws near and I will let you know the what the Capitola staff might need to do as the date gets closer. There is a print out with highlights and some information on the staff clipboard near the aide sign in sheet, so peruse it if you get a chance. The theme this year is DREAM BIG-READ!
Now the exciting part. If you haven't heard, the JPB who control all things library, will probably be asking for an increase in branch hours to take place mid August. They haven't voted on it yet, but it seems highly likely, so theoretically the new Capitola hours will be: Tues-Thurs 11-7 and Fri-Sat. 11-5.
With these open hours we will also need aides to come early to do opening tasks, so i am looking to fill a schedule that is something like: Tues (9-7) Wed-Thur. (10-7) Fri -Sat (10-5).
What I need from you is what hours you believe you will be available to work with this new schedule. I would like to fill the hours with the Capitola aides first (including those of you who have a home branch elsewhere, but check with your supervisors as well to see if they are going to offer you more hours that you might prefer, before you send me your possibilities).
When I have everybody's possibilities I can sit down and make a tentative schedule and figure out if I need to hire more aides to cover all the shifts. If you would prefer to work a shift NOT longer then a certain amount, please let me know as well. I will try and break the shifts up into 4.5 hours or less, unless someone wants to work a bit longer.
I realize that some of you are in school and won't know your schedules until mid June, but please let me know your preferences as soon as you are able, as I am being encouraged to hire aides sooner rather then later. Please also e-mail me if you have questions or concerns, or find me in person. I will be happy to talk work with you to ensure that you get the hours you want, as much as possible.
Thanks again for all your hard work,
Cappy Dick
at last check we finally had public internet access and printing capabilities, kronos is back (so don't forget to fill out your timesheet, as this Tuesday is the day it gets turned in) and the staff computers including evergreen seem to be working relatively well (keep your fingers crossed and give great heaps of gratitude to our wonderful IT staff!). One thing we did notice was that when entering a card # for a new registration, the computer is NOT always reading it accurately. This seems to be a random anomaly, but if you are doing a new card registration double check that the number on the card matches what Evergreen is imputing.
Ok, enough techno talk for now. Lets talk about some current and upcoming changes.
Firstly, we now have a top on the revolving rack that houses our board books and J media, so along with the globe, we have moved our tiny collection of J non-fiction audio cassettes there, and we have also moved the parenting free give aways that were previously above the Jeasys, to beneath the Parenting collection, to free up counter space for displays. Our Jeasys are really crammed so if you can't fit something, displaying it is an option, and I am weeding out some of the titles that have had high circulations to be replaced. This will give us temporary room but once the replacements come in, we will be in the same boat.
Also in the children's area, we will be getting a huge NASA free standing poster which we will have in our branch for a month. It will be anchored to the center table and is supposed to reach to the ceiling. I am hoping to add some space themed posters to the walls and perhaps some space themed J easys as well, just to keep things cohesive.
The primary election is coming up and if anyone inquires, we have a large print copy of the Voter's guide, behind the desk (above the cash register). This is a reference item so it would not be able to leave the branch. We also have a circulating audio cassette of the voter's guide, which also might be of use to any visually impaired patrons. It has been cataloged and is housed by its call number in our audio cassette section.
The story hour theme this week is Numbers so as per usual, look at my desk if you can't find a number themed Jeasy or J non-fiction item for a patron or the pull list.
The summer reading program will start June 11 and run through August. 3rd. Our weekly story hour will not longer be happening on Fridays but in its place and a bit later (11:15) there will be a family craft led by the programming staff. This will take place on the long tables in front of the adult stacks, instead of in the children's room and will be drop in. I believe it runs until 1PM. We will get more details (I hope) as the time draws near and I will let you know the what the Capitola staff might need to do as the date gets closer. There is a print out with highlights and some information on the staff clipboard near the aide sign in sheet, so peruse it if you get a chance. The theme this year is DREAM BIG-READ!
Now the exciting part. If you haven't heard, the JPB who control all things library, will probably be asking for an increase in branch hours to take place mid August. They haven't voted on it yet, but it seems highly likely, so theoretically the new Capitola hours will be: Tues-Thurs 11-7 and Fri-Sat. 11-5.
With these open hours we will also need aides to come early to do opening tasks, so i am looking to fill a schedule that is something like: Tues (9-7) Wed-Thur. (10-7) Fri -Sat (10-5).
What I need from you is what hours you believe you will be available to work with this new schedule. I would like to fill the hours with the Capitola aides first (including those of you who have a home branch elsewhere, but check with your supervisors as well to see if they are going to offer you more hours that you might prefer, before you send me your possibilities).
When I have everybody's possibilities I can sit down and make a tentative schedule and figure out if I need to hire more aides to cover all the shifts. If you would prefer to work a shift NOT longer then a certain amount, please let me know as well. I will try and break the shifts up into 4.5 hours or less, unless someone wants to work a bit longer.
I realize that some of you are in school and won't know your schedules until mid June, but please let me know your preferences as soon as you are able, as I am being encouraged to hire aides sooner rather then later. Please also e-mail me if you have questions or concerns, or find me in person. I will be happy to talk work with you to ensure that you get the hours you want, as much as possible.
Thanks again for all your hard work,
Cappy Dick
Thursday, May 10, 2012
WILL YOU BE ABLE TO LOG ON AND READ THIS?
Whoops!! First i need to start with a disclaimer about a line from last weeks blog: The drivers are still complaining about overfilled crates so be diligent
in making sure the crates are filled above the fingerhole openings. What I meant to say was be diligent in making sure the crates were NOT filled above the openings, as i am sure you probably figured out, but just in case you think your boss is fickle, well, there you go...
It has been a wild week, as you are all aware, what with phones that don't work, do work but call the wrong place, internet up, internet down, self check up, self check down, its a regular Hokey Pokey here! I thank you all for your patience as we continue our technological "upgrade". I am told that in the end it will be MUCH better than before so I will keep my fingers crossed.
On the brighter side, after Monday's Library Joint Powers Board meeting, it looks like we will be adding 6 more open hours to our branch AND more staff to help out on those hours as well. Capitola is slated to get another 20 hour LAII as well as add hours to the current positions, rather then relying on volunteers to get all or our work done, so once we get the official open hours I will be checking in with all of you to see if you are interested in increasing your hours before i do any new hiring. Your current schedules will probably change a little bit, but I will work with you all to make things as workable for you as for the branch. The open hours aren't scheduled to change until mid-August, so we have some time to figure things out.
A bit earlier, in June 11th, our summer reading program begins, with this year's theme: Dream Big.
The programming dept. will be running the show so the most we might need to do is direct people to the computers to sign up or hand them a form and once they are signed up we will give them a reading booklet.
Those people under 18 can earn a reading dollar per hour read (or read to, for the non-readers) which are redeemable throughout the county at various participating merchants. Capitola will be having a family craft time on Fridays (starting June 15th) from 11:15 to 1:00pm, and the programming staff will be available at those times to sign people up, hand out booklets and reading dollars and answer questions. There will also be a calendar of summer reading events throughout our system for interested patrons. We currently only have summer reading bookmarks with the dates but i will keep you updated as info arrives.
We will not be having a story hour on Fridays during the summer months however, so keep that in mind if patrons ask.
The library has recently started selling thumb drives to patrons to use in our internet computers. Currently the Capitola branch public internet computers do not have the capability to utilize these, but we will be selling them anyway, should any patrons ask. We aren't advertising that we have them but they are useable at the Downtown branch, as well as SV and GP, and possibly other branches. Hopefully we will be able to use them here as well, sooner then later. In the event that you do sell one, they are $5 and they need to be rung in on both the computer and under fees and fines in the cash register. On the computer choose bills (either in the patron's account or in "cash register" and bill patron and open the drop down menu to find "flash drive". If you click on flash drive it will automatically bill for $5. They have not yet arrived but when they do, they will be stored in the cupboard with the head phones beneath the cash register.
The story hour subject this week is Dogs. I promise not to pull out ALL of our j dog books, but you know where to look if you can't find one of them on the shelf.
Ok, I am going to publish this before the internet dies again, so forgive me if its not well edited.
ciao for now,
Cappy Dick
It has been a wild week, as you are all aware, what with phones that don't work, do work but call the wrong place, internet up, internet down, self check up, self check down, its a regular Hokey Pokey here! I thank you all for your patience as we continue our technological "upgrade". I am told that in the end it will be MUCH better than before so I will keep my fingers crossed.
On the brighter side, after Monday's Library Joint Powers Board meeting, it looks like we will be adding 6 more open hours to our branch AND more staff to help out on those hours as well. Capitola is slated to get another 20 hour LAII as well as add hours to the current positions, rather then relying on volunteers to get all or our work done, so once we get the official open hours I will be checking in with all of you to see if you are interested in increasing your hours before i do any new hiring. Your current schedules will probably change a little bit, but I will work with you all to make things as workable for you as for the branch. The open hours aren't scheduled to change until mid-August, so we have some time to figure things out.
A bit earlier, in June 11th, our summer reading program begins, with this year's theme: Dream Big.
The programming dept. will be running the show so the most we might need to do is direct people to the computers to sign up or hand them a form and once they are signed up we will give them a reading booklet.
Those people under 18 can earn a reading dollar per hour read (or read to, for the non-readers) which are redeemable throughout the county at various participating merchants. Capitola will be having a family craft time on Fridays (starting June 15th) from 11:15 to 1:00pm, and the programming staff will be available at those times to sign people up, hand out booklets and reading dollars and answer questions. There will also be a calendar of summer reading events throughout our system for interested patrons. We currently only have summer reading bookmarks with the dates but i will keep you updated as info arrives.
We will not be having a story hour on Fridays during the summer months however, so keep that in mind if patrons ask.
The library has recently started selling thumb drives to patrons to use in our internet computers. Currently the Capitola branch public internet computers do not have the capability to utilize these, but we will be selling them anyway, should any patrons ask. We aren't advertising that we have them but they are useable at the Downtown branch, as well as SV and GP, and possibly other branches. Hopefully we will be able to use them here as well, sooner then later. In the event that you do sell one, they are $5 and they need to be rung in on both the computer and under fees and fines in the cash register. On the computer choose bills (either in the patron's account or in "cash register" and bill patron and open the drop down menu to find "flash drive". If you click on flash drive it will automatically bill for $5. They have not yet arrived but when they do, they will be stored in the cupboard with the head phones beneath the cash register.
The story hour subject this week is Dogs. I promise not to pull out ALL of our j dog books, but you know where to look if you can't find one of them on the shelf.
Ok, I am going to publish this before the internet dies again, so forgive me if its not well edited.
ciao for now,
Cappy Dick
Saturday, May 5, 2012
WHOA NELLY...COMPUTER FUN AT THE BRANCH!
holey moley, I am typing this from a public internet terminal, just like a regular patron, as all of our "house" computers are in the middle of a fix and won't access the world, so this will be really short and sweet.
Firstly, if you are an aide and you haven't gotten fingerprinted, do it soon. You have to have done it by May 11th or you won't be able to work (or at least you won't get paid) so don't put this off until too late. We value all your work here and would hate to see you have to take a mandatory vacation.
In the world of shelving: i am aware that both the Jeasys and the audio cassettes are really full and I will work on weeding them as soon as i get a chance, but in the meantime, if you see any items that are duplicates or really worn, please put them on my desk with a note (or hand them to me if i am not busy) and I might be able to weed them from the collection.
If you are shelving Jeasys and you find there is no more room in one particular area, put your items on the bottom shelf of the SMALL red cart that is usually parked for patrons at the end of the table in the kidlets room. We will use that as overflow, so check now and then to see if there is room to shelve what is there and if you are doing the pulls list be sure and check there also for items you can't find elsewhere.
The drivers are still complaining about overfilled crates so be diligent in making sure the crates are filled above the fingerhole openings. I think we are doing fine but we don't want any injuries and the drivers are dealing with a lot of heavy crates a day.
We have new shelving volunteers for almost every day that we are open now, and on Thursdays our volunteers have only been trained to shelve in the children's room, so Wednesday nights and Thursdays lets concentrate on shelving adult items and leave the children's carts for the volunteers.
This week's story hour subject is Mothers, so if you are looking for j titles that might be about mothers, check my desk. And don't forget to send your mother's wonderful cards on Sunday (mother's day)! Thanks to them, I get to enjoy all of your company, so I, for one, am grateful to them!
Tuesday is Kronos day so be sure you are up to date so you get paid for all your hard work.
alright, my time is about up on this computer so I am logging off.
Ciao for now,
Cappy Dick
Firstly, if you are an aide and you haven't gotten fingerprinted, do it soon. You have to have done it by May 11th or you won't be able to work (or at least you won't get paid) so don't put this off until too late. We value all your work here and would hate to see you have to take a mandatory vacation.
In the world of shelving: i am aware that both the Jeasys and the audio cassettes are really full and I will work on weeding them as soon as i get a chance, but in the meantime, if you see any items that are duplicates or really worn, please put them on my desk with a note (or hand them to me if i am not busy) and I might be able to weed them from the collection.
If you are shelving Jeasys and you find there is no more room in one particular area, put your items on the bottom shelf of the SMALL red cart that is usually parked for patrons at the end of the table in the kidlets room. We will use that as overflow, so check now and then to see if there is room to shelve what is there and if you are doing the pulls list be sure and check there also for items you can't find elsewhere.
The drivers are still complaining about overfilled crates so be diligent in making sure the crates are filled above the fingerhole openings. I think we are doing fine but we don't want any injuries and the drivers are dealing with a lot of heavy crates a day.
We have new shelving volunteers for almost every day that we are open now, and on Thursdays our volunteers have only been trained to shelve in the children's room, so Wednesday nights and Thursdays lets concentrate on shelving adult items and leave the children's carts for the volunteers.
This week's story hour subject is Mothers, so if you are looking for j titles that might be about mothers, check my desk. And don't forget to send your mother's wonderful cards on Sunday (mother's day)! Thanks to them, I get to enjoy all of your company, so I, for one, am grateful to them!
Tuesday is Kronos day so be sure you are up to date so you get paid for all your hard work.
alright, my time is about up on this computer so I am logging off.
Ciao for now,
Cappy Dick
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