Hi everyone! I'm Anne, and I'm a youth services librarian in Mid-Michigan (Lansing area). Here is a day in my life: July 26, 2010. This is my Library Day in the Life!
11:30 Arrive at work. I am not scheduled to be here until 12 but today I arrived early to have some extra time to solve a summer reading snafu (we were 30 summer reading prize tickets short by the closing bell on Friday. Luckily it was a regular patron, so I told her I'd have them ready for her next stop in. Since this involves me using special paper in the copy machine and hauling out the Official Library Paper Cutter, I came in early to do it before the patrons arrive.) I will be alone on the children's department floor until 3:00, so it is extra important to arrive early. I also draw the winner of the middle school summer reading program and will notify him of his prize: a $25 gift card to the movie theater. The most imporant thing I do before opening is turn on the air-conditioning. It is HOT out today!
High Noon. Unlock the door to the department. Someone has already checked in the books returned over the weekend for me. Put out a display with our "going to kindergarten/preschool books" for those of us anticipating back to school time. Check email. Not too much for a Monday and nothing I have to deal with (all list-serv things).
12:05 First patrons come in. Check out some books. Where are the Fablehaven books? Do you have Percy Jackson: The Last Olympian in? Can you put me on hold for it? Can you update my phone number in my record, please?
12:35 May I use a computer? How old does my grandson need to be to get his own library card? Our summer reading program ended on Friday so I will be working on compiling the statistics today. Looks like we have signed up quite a few more kids, but our circulation numbers appear lower. Could be a consquence of major road construction by the library. Storytime statistics are down too, but that is likely a consequence of us doing one less weekly storytime because I have been doing one at our other branch (about 12 miles away) instead. Or it could be a construction/weather issue too. Most of our summer storytimes are outside, at various parks and school grounds, and it has just been unbearably hot this summer. I have a dollar fine, but my Mom only gave me 58 cents. It's all the change she had in her purse.
12:43 Pay another fine. May we borrow markers for a coloring sheet? Where is Schoolhouse Rock: The Big Note Songbook? (This was my question to myself and it's a good one because it's not on the shelf in JNF where it is supposed to be. My best guess is that it might have been shelved accidentally in the adult department, and I will run up there later and look.) Everyone still here appears happy to be hanging out in the air conditioning so I take my free moments to make some photocopies out of Try Your Hand at This: Easy Ways to Incorporate Sign Language into Your Programs.
12:57 Someone is very excited to have discovered Star Wars ABC. We also just got Star Wars: Scanimation, and it is still waiting to go home with someone. I am surprised it didn't get snatched up over the weekend. Scanimation is so awesome.
1:24 ILL has arrived and the items I requested are brought down to me! It's nice that way. Today I recieved a jumbo book of easy guitar songs, Crunch by Leslie Connor, and Athena:Grey Eyed Goddess by George O'Connor, which has come all the way from my hometown library. Small world. Both the Connor and the O'Connor books are for my committee reading. I am attempting to teach myself to play a few songs on guitar for storytime purposes, which is really fun so far. There will be a blog post on this someday, which I hope will be helpful for those of you who also have no musical ability like me!
1:33 Regular library patron mom just teased me about putting the Back to School display out so early. "We all know what you're looking forward to, Anne!" Yes, I am!
1:48 Have to call the other branch to assist patron. I love my co-workers at our other branch. I have gotten to know them much more after doing a weekly storytime there this summer and everyone has been so friendly.
2:06 Everyone has cleared out for the mid-afternoon lull. Work on my committee reading list and email members to remind them of Friday's meeting.
2:41 Email sent and invitations to author the committee members only discussion blog have also been sent. More kids come in to use the computer.
3:01 Finally some relief at the desk. A page comes and checks in the books that have been returned today, and beguns to put away the shelving cart materials. It is pretty full today. Monday tends to be a big drop-off day. Help a bunch of people check out.
3:39 Go through a bunch of professional journals that have been stacking up on my desk during the summer reading program. Pick out some books to purchase and add them into my giant acquisitions spreadsheet (author, title, list price, call number) and see where my budget ends up. So far we are right on track.
4:51 Try to get everything set so I can take my dinner break. I am determined to get my desk cleared off of summer reading materials this week, never to be seen again...until April when I start planning the bulk of the 2011 program.
5:00 time for dinner! I'm planning on checking out some of the dollar stores in town for fun storytime ideas. I like to explore the town I work in during my break. We have a lot of fun little five and dime kind of stores which is just right for a librarian's budget!
6:01 Back from dinner. I picked up some awesome hats for when I do community helpers storytimes in March. This year we had visits from the fire department, the mayor, and the police department. I picked up a cowboy hat, police helmet, a fire department hat. I also have had my eye on investing in my own conductor's hat and whistle for train storytime, so I accomplished all that for about $10. Not bad! Page is leaving so I will be alone in the department again until we close at 9.
7:13 Have been working on planning the upcoming school year programs as well as our annual fall carnival. There is always so much I want to cram in but I don't want to overwhelm myself. There are just too many great programming possibilities!
7:26 Can it be true? Can I really be done compiling summer reading statistics? Oh goodness, I hope so! :)
7:39 Patron comes in to ask me what my real name is. I learn that I look like the character Lisa from the new Electric Company TV show and that they have been calling me Lisa for months not knowing what my real name is! HAHA!
8:04. Lots of people in here now, but everyone is busy reading! A librarian's dream...
8:07 Phone rings. Hi, I'd like to speak to the nice blonde lady in the children's department. The process of elimination (I'm the only blonde) leads me to discover, hey that's me! Answer her question and am glad to be flattered so shamelessly.
8:30 Things have slowed down tremendously and I begin closing procedures. Shut down computers and the copy machine, push in chairs, and other straightening jobs. When everything is off, I wait for the other staff members to join me and we all walk out together locking all the entrances & turning off the alarm on the way out.
11:30 Arrive at work. I am not scheduled to be here until 12 but today I arrived early to have some extra time to solve a summer reading snafu (we were 30 summer reading prize tickets short by the closing bell on Friday. Luckily it was a regular patron, so I told her I'd have them ready for her next stop in. Since this involves me using special paper in the copy machine and hauling out the Official Library Paper Cutter, I came in early to do it before the patrons arrive.) I will be alone on the children's department floor until 3:00, so it is extra important to arrive early. I also draw the winner of the middle school summer reading program and will notify him of his prize: a $25 gift card to the movie theater. The most imporant thing I do before opening is turn on the air-conditioning. It is HOT out today!
High Noon. Unlock the door to the department. Someone has already checked in the books returned over the weekend for me. Put out a display with our "going to kindergarten/preschool books" for those of us anticipating back to school time. Check email. Not too much for a Monday and nothing I have to deal with (all list-serv things).
12:05 First patrons come in. Check out some books. Where are the Fablehaven books? Do you have Percy Jackson: The Last Olympian in? Can you put me on hold for it? Can you update my phone number in my record, please?
12:35 May I use a computer? How old does my grandson need to be to get his own library card? Our summer reading program ended on Friday so I will be working on compiling the statistics today. Looks like we have signed up quite a few more kids, but our circulation numbers appear lower. Could be a consquence of major road construction by the library. Storytime statistics are down too, but that is likely a consequence of us doing one less weekly storytime because I have been doing one at our other branch (about 12 miles away) instead. Or it could be a construction/weather issue too. Most of our summer storytimes are outside, at various parks and school grounds, and it has just been unbearably hot this summer. I have a dollar fine, but my Mom only gave me 58 cents. It's all the change she had in her purse.
12:43 Pay another fine. May we borrow markers for a coloring sheet? Where is Schoolhouse Rock: The Big Note Songbook? (This was my question to myself and it's a good one because it's not on the shelf in JNF where it is supposed to be. My best guess is that it might have been shelved accidentally in the adult department, and I will run up there later and look.) Everyone still here appears happy to be hanging out in the air conditioning so I take my free moments to make some photocopies out of Try Your Hand at This: Easy Ways to Incorporate Sign Language into Your Programs.
12:57 Someone is very excited to have discovered Star Wars ABC. We also just got Star Wars: Scanimation, and it is still waiting to go home with someone. I am surprised it didn't get snatched up over the weekend. Scanimation is so awesome.
1:24 ILL has arrived and the items I requested are brought down to me! It's nice that way. Today I recieved a jumbo book of easy guitar songs, Crunch by Leslie Connor, and Athena:Grey Eyed Goddess by George O'Connor, which has come all the way from my hometown library. Small world. Both the Connor and the O'Connor books are for my committee reading. I am attempting to teach myself to play a few songs on guitar for storytime purposes, which is really fun so far. There will be a blog post on this someday, which I hope will be helpful for those of you who also have no musical ability like me!
1:33 Regular library patron mom just teased me about putting the Back to School display out so early. "We all know what you're looking forward to, Anne!" Yes, I am!
1:48 Have to call the other branch to assist patron. I love my co-workers at our other branch. I have gotten to know them much more after doing a weekly storytime there this summer and everyone has been so friendly.
2:06 Everyone has cleared out for the mid-afternoon lull. Work on my committee reading list and email members to remind them of Friday's meeting.
2:41 Email sent and invitations to author the committee members only discussion blog have also been sent. More kids come in to use the computer.
3:01 Finally some relief at the desk. A page comes and checks in the books that have been returned today, and beguns to put away the shelving cart materials. It is pretty full today. Monday tends to be a big drop-off day. Help a bunch of people check out.
3:39 Go through a bunch of professional journals that have been stacking up on my desk during the summer reading program. Pick out some books to purchase and add them into my giant acquisitions spreadsheet (author, title, list price, call number) and see where my budget ends up. So far we are right on track.
4:51 Try to get everything set so I can take my dinner break. I am determined to get my desk cleared off of summer reading materials this week, never to be seen again...until April when I start planning the bulk of the 2011 program.
5:00 time for dinner! I'm planning on checking out some of the dollar stores in town for fun storytime ideas. I like to explore the town I work in during my break. We have a lot of fun little five and dime kind of stores which is just right for a librarian's budget!
6:01 Back from dinner. I picked up some awesome hats for when I do community helpers storytimes in March. This year we had visits from the fire department, the mayor, and the police department. I picked up a cowboy hat, police helmet, a fire department hat. I also have had my eye on investing in my own conductor's hat and whistle for train storytime, so I accomplished all that for about $10. Not bad! Page is leaving so I will be alone in the department again until we close at 9.
6:11 Daycare leader stops in to chat and collect her group's rewards. Help many people check out and a few kids sign-up to use the computer. Where are the Goosebumps books?
7:13 Have been working on planning the upcoming school year programs as well as our annual fall carnival. There is always so much I want to cram in but I don't want to overwhelm myself. There are just too many great programming possibilities!
7:26 Can it be true? Can I really be done compiling summer reading statistics? Oh goodness, I hope so! :)
7:39 Patron comes in to ask me what my real name is. I learn that I look like the character Lisa from the new Electric Company TV show and that they have been calling me Lisa for months not knowing what my real name is! HAHA!
8:04. Lots of people in here now, but everyone is busy reading! A librarian's dream...
8:07 Phone rings. Hi, I'd like to speak to the nice blonde lady in the children's department. The process of elimination (I'm the only blonde) leads me to discover, hey that's me! Answer her question and am glad to be flattered so shamelessly.
8:30 Things have slowed down tremendously and I begin closing procedures. Shut down computers and the copy machine, push in chairs, and other straightening jobs. When everything is off, I wait for the other staff members to join me and we all walk out together locking all the entrances & turning off the alarm on the way out.
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