Well mateys,
It was a pretty straight forward week, except for a few feisty patrons, but I will blame that on the wonderful weather...they should've been outside playing, and at least two of them got the opportunity when they were shown the door. Hopefully this week, what with the possibility of rain again, tempers will cool a bit as well.
Middle of this week marks the beginning of March and thus a new display. This month's theme is Women's History Month, so be sure as usual to check the display shelves should you be unable to locate a particular title.
And starting Thursday, pull any "new books" with 9 on the spine. They are starting to order more new books so I am looking forward to some new titles to add to our New Book display. If you are doing route-ins be sure and check those shiny covers to see if they are 2011 or 2012 editions so we don't miss anything.
The story hour this week is Dr. Seuss and all his books are at my desk so you can pilfer those should any patrons request them.
Thanks again for all your hard work and HAPPY WEEK TO US ALL! May it be a calm one!
Cappy Dick
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
SHORT AND SWEET!
Yay! Cappy Dick doesn't have much to report this week, which must mean we are doing everything more or less right! The patrons seem to be getting used to our new hours, the sandbox is mostly under control, shelving is getting done, the branch looks good. Your mamas would be proud!
We had a raucous story hour with Li'l Rev on Friday with almost 100 people, which is more then the downtown branch had, so that shows what a wonderful branch we are.
Next week's story hour theme is Bedtime so if you are looking for any bedtime books for the pulls list or for patrons don't forget to check my desk area. I will have a stack of them there.
Hope y'all had a wonderful holiday,
Jonell
We had a raucous story hour with Li'l Rev on Friday with almost 100 people, which is more then the downtown branch had, so that shows what a wonderful branch we are.
Next week's story hour theme is Bedtime so if you are looking for any bedtime books for the pulls list or for patrons don't forget to check my desk area. I will have a stack of them there.
Hope y'all had a wonderful holiday,
Jonell
Saturday, February 11, 2012
I LOVE MY CAPITOLA STAFF
I can say that without fear of harassment charges I think, since its Valentine's day week! And besides, who would try and sue Cappy Dick?
Only a couple of things I need to pass on to you all this week: Firstly, we have two new volunteers who will be doing shelving for us. Dan Chavitage who is here on Saturdays from 11-1, and Nancy Ellis who will be here on Thursday evenings from 4-7. This is part of the service model where shelving is done more by volunteers so that the aides can concentrate on discharging, route-ins, pulls list and covering breaks on the circulation desk. The whole plan won't really work smoothly, until we can get our discharge station moved off the front desk and back into Heather's old office so that the aides can discharge without being wrangled into answering the phone and doing lots of reference and circulation tasks, but the move is on the list for the IT crew and we are going in the right direction.
Please say hi to the volunteers if you work a shift with them, and offer your wisdom should they have questions.
Secondly, we have been instructed to only accept one bag or box of donations per patron per day. In the event that a patron comes in wanting to leave more then that, please kindly explain that due to staff cuts including our delivery drivers, we are unable to take large amounts of donations as they have to all be shipped downtown. Thank them for their interest in donating, and request that if they have large amounts they take them directly to the Friends of the Santa Cruz Library at the downtown branch. Or, you can refer them to myself and I will tell them the same.
Ok, here's hoping Cupid gives us all lots of those Trader Joe's Truffles for Valentine's day.
Thank you all,
J
Only a couple of things I need to pass on to you all this week: Firstly, we have two new volunteers who will be doing shelving for us. Dan Chavitage who is here on Saturdays from 11-1, and Nancy Ellis who will be here on Thursday evenings from 4-7. This is part of the service model where shelving is done more by volunteers so that the aides can concentrate on discharging, route-ins, pulls list and covering breaks on the circulation desk. The whole plan won't really work smoothly, until we can get our discharge station moved off the front desk and back into Heather's old office so that the aides can discharge without being wrangled into answering the phone and doing lots of reference and circulation tasks, but the move is on the list for the IT crew and we are going in the right direction.
Please say hi to the volunteers if you work a shift with them, and offer your wisdom should they have questions.
Secondly, we have been instructed to only accept one bag or box of donations per patron per day. In the event that a patron comes in wanting to leave more then that, please kindly explain that due to staff cuts including our delivery drivers, we are unable to take large amounts of donations as they have to all be shipped downtown. Thank them for their interest in donating, and request that if they have large amounts they take them directly to the Friends of the Santa Cruz Library at the downtown branch. Or, you can refer them to myself and I will tell them the same.
Ok, here's hoping Cupid gives us all lots of those Trader Joe's Truffles for Valentine's day.
Thank you all,
J
Saturday, February 4, 2012
THE BEACH IN CAPITOLA BRANCH!
Hooray,
the beach has come to the Capitola branch library...well at least on Wednesdays and Saturdays, which is the day we take the lid off our new PLAY AND LEARN station in the kid's area, and the children throng around to make sand castles, find fossils, etc. The days for sand play have been scheduled around our janitorial schedule as they come and hopefully vacuum before our next open day. The rest of the week, we will keep the lid on but lots of toys out, so it will still be pretty popular, I think. There are books that came with the play unit, which look like our library books but don't check out. The obvious give-away is the large PAL spine sticker. If you see those books floating around the library just put them on the bottom shelving area of the play station.
The plastic dinosaurs also live there along with lots of other assorted gizmos. Go play for a minute and see how much fun a second childhood can be!
I don't think there is a lot else new happening. Remember that if you have books that you love and want to share pull them out from our stacks and add them to our February display. Don't forget to put a heart sticker on the spine.
Thanks for all your slaving and happy week!
Jonell
the beach has come to the Capitola branch library...well at least on Wednesdays and Saturdays, which is the day we take the lid off our new PLAY AND LEARN station in the kid's area, and the children throng around to make sand castles, find fossils, etc. The days for sand play have been scheduled around our janitorial schedule as they come and hopefully vacuum before our next open day. The rest of the week, we will keep the lid on but lots of toys out, so it will still be pretty popular, I think. There are books that came with the play unit, which look like our library books but don't check out. The obvious give-away is the large PAL spine sticker. If you see those books floating around the library just put them on the bottom shelving area of the play station.
The plastic dinosaurs also live there along with lots of other assorted gizmos. Go play for a minute and see how much fun a second childhood can be!
I don't think there is a lot else new happening. Remember that if you have books that you love and want to share pull them out from our stacks and add them to our February display. Don't forget to put a heart sticker on the spine.
Thanks for all your slaving and happy week!
Jonell
Monday, January 30, 2012
WELCOME TO FEBRUARY
Well we made it through a first month (well, if you read this on Monday, almost, but I am always looking forward). It feels like the public is figuring out our new hours and things seem to have evened out, or just gotten busier all the time, instead of having those couple of lull days we could sort of count on, to do our catch up work. Guess the staffing plan is going to be put to the test now!
This coming week we have a few changes, including a Play and Learn Island
which will be living in our children's area for a few months before it moves on to another library in our system. While it is here, we will have to move our kid's cart over to where the puzzle table was living, (it has moved across the aisle) and see how that works. If it needs to move elsewhere, well everything is on wheels so we can adjust as we need to.
There will also be a new display for the month of February, which is National Library Lover's Month, and hence the theme. The display will consist of "books you love" so if you have some library favorites, please feel free to grab a few heart stickers (they will be at the display) affiix them to the spines and add them to the exhibit There will also be some bookmarks with cheesy sayings. Remember to look here if you have items on the pulls list you can't find and if you are shelving keep an eye out also for the heart on the spine designating "display item".
We have a class visit scheduled for Wednesday morning, Feb. 1st as well as tales for tails Wednesday afternoon, so if any of you have time from Thursday on, I imagine the children's area will need some serious shelf reading.
The story hour theme this week is nighttime, so again, if you can't find J titles about night on the pulls list, look on the counter between my desk and David's and take what you need.
Also starting in February, there will be a separate sign in sheet for volunteers, so if you want to get paid be sure and sign in on the correct sheet.
Things seemed to be getting impacted over by the drinking fountains, with all our carts lined up there, so we have moved them. There is now a spare in Heather's old office and at least one more in the break room, so if you are looking for an empty cart, check there, and if you have an excess of empties on the floor, please put them in the break room. One at the end of each shelving unit in the adult area should be ample.
There is a new process for dealing with the READ TO ME book kits. Since these have many pieces and are difficult to check in, please do not check them in, but put them on the programming shelving directly across from my desk. They will be checked and discharged by programming staff or myself.
There are more copies of the internet sign up sheet on the bottom shelf of the cupboard beneath the library aide cubbies.
There is also a magnifying glass and a pair of reading glasses available for any of the public who might request them. These are housed in the drawer of the circulation counter, near the sit down station.
Ok, that's a long list of things to remember so that should suffice for this week, but, wait! Don't forget that the new pull date, starting on Wednesday, will be 8, so if you see those orange stickers with 3-8 on them go ahead and yank them off those no longer "new" books. Ok, that's enough. Carry on!
Happy week and thanks for all of your hard work. It is much appreciated.
Jonell
This coming week we have a few changes, including a Play and Learn Island
which will be living in our children's area for a few months before it moves on to another library in our system. While it is here, we will have to move our kid's cart over to where the puzzle table was living, (it has moved across the aisle) and see how that works. If it needs to move elsewhere, well everything is on wheels so we can adjust as we need to.
There will also be a new display for the month of February, which is National Library Lover's Month, and hence the theme. The display will consist of "books you love" so if you have some library favorites, please feel free to grab a few heart stickers (they will be at the display) affiix them to the spines and add them to the exhibit There will also be some bookmarks with cheesy sayings. Remember to look here if you have items on the pulls list you can't find and if you are shelving keep an eye out also for the heart on the spine designating "display item".
We have a class visit scheduled for Wednesday morning, Feb. 1st as well as tales for tails Wednesday afternoon, so if any of you have time from Thursday on, I imagine the children's area will need some serious shelf reading.
The story hour theme this week is nighttime, so again, if you can't find J titles about night on the pulls list, look on the counter between my desk and David's and take what you need.
Also starting in February, there will be a separate sign in sheet for volunteers, so if you want to get paid be sure and sign in on the correct sheet.
Things seemed to be getting impacted over by the drinking fountains, with all our carts lined up there, so we have moved them. There is now a spare in Heather's old office and at least one more in the break room, so if you are looking for an empty cart, check there, and if you have an excess of empties on the floor, please put them in the break room. One at the end of each shelving unit in the adult area should be ample.
There is a new process for dealing with the READ TO ME book kits. Since these have many pieces and are difficult to check in, please do not check them in, but put them on the programming shelving directly across from my desk. They will be checked and discharged by programming staff or myself.
There are more copies of the internet sign up sheet on the bottom shelf of the cupboard beneath the library aide cubbies.
There is also a magnifying glass and a pair of reading glasses available for any of the public who might request them. These are housed in the drawer of the circulation counter, near the sit down station.
Ok, that's a long list of things to remember so that should suffice for this week, but, wait! Don't forget that the new pull date, starting on Wednesday, will be 8, so if you see those orange stickers with 3-8 on them go ahead and yank them off those no longer "new" books. Ok, that's enough. Carry on!
Happy week and thanks for all of your hard work. It is much appreciated.
Jonell
Saturday, January 21, 2012
GETTING THE HANG OF THE PLACE...
I am so grateful that the branch seems to be up and running despite our diminished staff, and I attribute that to all of you working so well together and jumping into whatever tasks come along. We also have a great group of volunteers who are helping with the route-ins and pulls list. I am hoping that we actually get more volunteer hours so we can have them shelve and we can take the time to train those of you who haven't been able to learn the circulation desk so that you will learn new library skills and also be able to cover for David and myself during our breaks or pitch in during the heavier usage times.
This next week we are going to try something different: It has been suggested that we separate the children's and YA items and the adult items onto two separate carts for re-shelving. We will put the children's on a flat cart (we have 3 available) and when it is full it can be parked near the children's area rather then at the end of the adult shelving. This will allow for parents and children to browse the returns a bit easier until the items are re-shelved as well as making the pulls list simpler. Please do not neglect shelving the children's titles in favor of the adult carts, however. I know that shelving in the children's room is much more time intensive but it does need to be done.
Let's put the j media on the bottom shelf, as well as whatever overflow of j books there are.
The adult cart will be all fiction on the one side and non-fiction, oversize, media, etc on the other. Let's continue to put the media, oversize, periodicals, etc. on the bottom shelf below the non-fiction.
We get a much larger quantity of fiction then we do non-fiction and we seem to always be wrestling with where to put the overflow, so perhaps this will solve that issue.
We will try this method for a few weeks and re-visit it, if it feels to cumbesome. Please pass on any thoughts you have about this, pro or con, to me and I will take them into consideration.
The driver has complained that we are overloading our crates. Please make sure they are not loaded above the bottom of the handle opening, as this makes them difficult to pick up, and too heavy. In the new staffing plan, one driver is doing an entire route each day, so we need to have mercy on them.
I have placed an order for office supplies and done an inventory of what we have on hand. There is a "current list for supply orders" clipboard which I will park above the Library Aide cubbies. If you use the last item from the supplies cupboard or if you think of things that we need but don't have on hand, please write them down so I can re-order.
In your new role as library aides, we need you to be available to the public in the stacks, should they have questions or concerns. With that in mind, I am going to request that you not wear your headphones when you are out on the floor. Listening to your music is fine when the library is closed or when you are in a non-public space, I would prefer you to be alert and accessible when you are out shelving.
The theme for this week's story hour is PEACE, so if you can't find a children's title with that theme, look on the pile between mine and David's desk and take whatever you need. If you come across any "peaceful" type picture books that you think might be useful for this theme, please feel free to add them to the pile as well.
Lastly, I have asked you to check the blog each day when you log in, but obviously I am not getting to write a new blog each day, (and how tiresome would it be for all of you if I did?!) so I am going to revise that request. Please check the blog the first day of your work week. If I have something important to say and I decide to write an extra blog I will put a note on the sign in sheet to give you a head's up.
Thanks again for all your hard work!
Jonell
This next week we are going to try something different: It has been suggested that we separate the children's and YA items and the adult items onto two separate carts for re-shelving. We will put the children's on a flat cart (we have 3 available) and when it is full it can be parked near the children's area rather then at the end of the adult shelving. This will allow for parents and children to browse the returns a bit easier until the items are re-shelved as well as making the pulls list simpler. Please do not neglect shelving the children's titles in favor of the adult carts, however. I know that shelving in the children's room is much more time intensive but it does need to be done.
Let's put the j media on the bottom shelf, as well as whatever overflow of j books there are.
The adult cart will be all fiction on the one side and non-fiction, oversize, media, etc on the other. Let's continue to put the media, oversize, periodicals, etc. on the bottom shelf below the non-fiction.
We get a much larger quantity of fiction then we do non-fiction and we seem to always be wrestling with where to put the overflow, so perhaps this will solve that issue.
We will try this method for a few weeks and re-visit it, if it feels to cumbesome. Please pass on any thoughts you have about this, pro or con, to me and I will take them into consideration.
The driver has complained that we are overloading our crates. Please make sure they are not loaded above the bottom of the handle opening, as this makes them difficult to pick up, and too heavy. In the new staffing plan, one driver is doing an entire route each day, so we need to have mercy on them.
I have placed an order for office supplies and done an inventory of what we have on hand. There is a "current list for supply orders" clipboard which I will park above the Library Aide cubbies. If you use the last item from the supplies cupboard or if you think of things that we need but don't have on hand, please write them down so I can re-order.
In your new role as library aides, we need you to be available to the public in the stacks, should they have questions or concerns. With that in mind, I am going to request that you not wear your headphones when you are out on the floor. Listening to your music is fine when the library is closed or when you are in a non-public space, I would prefer you to be alert and accessible when you are out shelving.
The theme for this week's story hour is PEACE, so if you can't find a children's title with that theme, look on the pile between mine and David's desk and take whatever you need. If you come across any "peaceful" type picture books that you think might be useful for this theme, please feel free to add them to the pile as well.
Lastly, I have asked you to check the blog each day when you log in, but obviously I am not getting to write a new blog each day, (and how tiresome would it be for all of you if I did?!) so I am going to revise that request. Please check the blog the first day of your work week. If I have something important to say and I decide to write an extra blog I will put a note on the sign in sheet to give you a head's up.
Thanks again for all your hard work!
Jonell
Monday, January 16, 2012
A WELL OILED MACHINE?
Well, week 2 seems to have gone a little smoother then our first week, as we adjust to all the staffing changes, and those of us who are new learn from those of you who have been here, the hows, whats and where the heck is its?, of the branch. Thanks all of you for your patience!
This weeks blog will be a dull list of things to remember, so commit this to memory, please.
Damaged items: If when you are discharging, you come across an item that is falling apart, or has a broken case, or is simply worn out, and you feel it is normal wear and tear, and not a result of the patron's Rottweiler, or a teething toddler, please go ahead and discharge it, and put a green (books) or white (media) mending slip in it, and put it on David's desk. The slips are above the routing flags at the discharge station. They are also available at the library aide/ routing station in the workroom.
If on the other hand, you feel that the patron is responsible for the damage, do not discharge it, but put it on David's desk with a note, saying: what the damage is, that it is not discharged , and your initials and the date.
Processing newspapers: For those of you who process newspapers in the mornings, in attempt to keep consistency, Gina has made up an excellent guide on how to process the papers. There is a copy attached to the back of the newspaper check-in clipboard, as well as a copy posted on the wall at the library aide workstation. Please review it and let us know if you have questions.
Delivery drivers arrival: The delivery drivers have requested that we be prepared for their arrival at 12:30 each day. This means that if we have outgoing crates we should roll the red dollies to the back door around that time, and we must be sure to have branch signs on each of the crates excepting the mixed crates. This includes signage on partially full crates at 12:30 to prevent confusion, in the case of on-call drivers.
Story hour books that might be on the pulls list: I am collecting children's books on particular topics for the weekly story hour each Friday. (This week's topic is Chinese New Year and the Year of the Dragon.)
If you find juvy titles on the pulls list that you can't locate, look through the stack on the counter between my and David's desk. If you find the title, you are welcome to take it to fill the request.
Faded spines: If you come across items with spines so faded as to be illegible, please place these items on the designated shelf near the cash register. We have someone who will re-label them so we don't have to send them downtown to be mended.
Please have your Kronos done by this Tuesday.
If you do your Kronos each shift you will never have to scurry to do it at the last second, thus insuring that you get paid.
Thanks and hope you had a restful Martin Luther King day.
Jonell
This weeks blog will be a dull list of things to remember, so commit this to memory, please.
Damaged items: If when you are discharging, you come across an item that is falling apart, or has a broken case, or is simply worn out, and you feel it is normal wear and tear, and not a result of the patron's Rottweiler, or a teething toddler, please go ahead and discharge it, and put a green (books) or white (media) mending slip in it, and put it on David's desk. The slips are above the routing flags at the discharge station. They are also available at the library aide/ routing station in the workroom.
If on the other hand, you feel that the patron is responsible for the damage, do not discharge it, but put it on David's desk with a note, saying: what the damage is, that it is not discharged , and your initials and the date.
Processing newspapers: For those of you who process newspapers in the mornings, in attempt to keep consistency, Gina has made up an excellent guide on how to process the papers. There is a copy attached to the back of the newspaper check-in clipboard, as well as a copy posted on the wall at the library aide workstation. Please review it and let us know if you have questions.
Delivery drivers arrival: The delivery drivers have requested that we be prepared for their arrival at 12:30 each day. This means that if we have outgoing crates we should roll the red dollies to the back door around that time, and we must be sure to have branch signs on each of the crates excepting the mixed crates. This includes signage on partially full crates at 12:30 to prevent confusion, in the case of on-call drivers.
Story hour books that might be on the pulls list: I am collecting children's books on particular topics for the weekly story hour each Friday. (This week's topic is Chinese New Year and the Year of the Dragon.)
If you find juvy titles on the pulls list that you can't locate, look through the stack on the counter between my and David's desk. If you find the title, you are welcome to take it to fill the request.
Faded spines: If you come across items with spines so faded as to be illegible, please place these items on the designated shelf near the cash register. We have someone who will re-label them so we don't have to send them downtown to be mended.
Please have your Kronos done by this Tuesday.
If you do your Kronos each shift you will never have to scurry to do it at the last second, thus insuring that you get paid.
Thanks and hope you had a restful Martin Luther King day.
Jonell
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