Today was quite a day for the Summer Reading Club. The Library received *four* cheques in the mail that were donations for the Summer Reading Club.
When I finished opening the mail, I walked over to Sharon with the sheaf of cheques in my hand and said "I have good news!" She was thrilled.
Then the day got better. Glenn Auger from Spectra Energy stopped by the Library to deliver a large donation in person.
We received donations from the following businesses and companies today:
Spectra Energy
Lake View Credit Union
Fountain Tire
Caribou Road Services
Dawson Creek Veterinary Clinic
It's because of fine folks like these that
the Summer Reading Club is possible. Their support helps us to hire summer students to coordinate the program, purchase craft supplies, and buy prizes for the end of the summer. In short, we couldn't do it without them.
So, to the donors above, and those who have donated previously,
Thank you! We're incredibly grateful!
Showing posts with label library. Show all posts
Showing posts with label library. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Friday, May 11, 2012
Entertaining Non-Fiction, continued...
Hi everyone!
We're continuing to work on the library's entertaining non-fiction section. The work is happening in irregular spurts, however. We seem to alternate between a few days in a row where nothing is done because the library's senior staff members are really busy and a day of steady activity and progress.
As it stands right now, we've pulled entertaining non-fiction from roughly three quarters of the library's non-fiction collection and as I've said. What's next?
1) Pulling entertaining non-fiction from the remaining quarter
Paula, Sharon and I are working on it as time permits, and are mostly pulling things to be considered as entertaining non-fiction.
2) Going through the books we've pulled to return some to the general non-fiction section
Part of the idea behind an entertaining non-fiction section is that *any* book pulled from the shelves should be entertaining and hard to put down. In an ideal world, we'd set the bar high enough that if a patron borrows an entertaining non-fiction book on a subject he/she has even a minor interest in, the book won't be returned until that patron has read it cover to cover.
3) Changing the shelving location in Evergreen
At present, all the entertaining non-fiction books are still listed as general non-fiction in Evergreen and in our online catalogue. Once we've finished selecting the books that will become our entertaining non-fiction collection, we'll be creating a new category for them in Evergreen, and switch the books over to it. So when you search for entertaining non-fiction items in the catalogue, the search results will point you in the right direction.
4) Labeling the entertaining non-fiction
As I've posted about previously, I created a label we'll be using on the spine of all entertaining non-fiction books. It's distinct and very identifiable even at a distance, and will help the library staff to keep the entertaining non-fiction on its own shelves.
5) Ongoing maintenance
Like with the library's other collections, we'll actively work on developing the entertaining non-fiction collection over time by buying new items and weeding old and unused ones.
I know I'm heavily biased folks, but I'm excited about establishing this collection. I've worked here for nearly four years and have seen many of these books arrive at the library, but I still find myself wandering by the entertaining non-fiction shelves thinking "I'd like to read that book," "This book sounds interesting," or "I need to remember to borrow this book!"
What's more, I think you'll do the same.
We're continuing to work on the library's entertaining non-fiction section. The work is happening in irregular spurts, however. We seem to alternate between a few days in a row where nothing is done because the library's senior staff members are really busy and a day of steady activity and progress.
As it stands right now, we've pulled entertaining non-fiction from roughly three quarters of the library's non-fiction collection and as I've said. What's next?
1) Pulling entertaining non-fiction from the remaining quarter
Paula, Sharon and I are working on it as time permits, and are mostly pulling things to be considered as entertaining non-fiction.
2) Going through the books we've pulled to return some to the general non-fiction section
Part of the idea behind an entertaining non-fiction section is that *any* book pulled from the shelves should be entertaining and hard to put down. In an ideal world, we'd set the bar high enough that if a patron borrows an entertaining non-fiction book on a subject he/she has even a minor interest in, the book won't be returned until that patron has read it cover to cover.
3) Changing the shelving location in Evergreen
At present, all the entertaining non-fiction books are still listed as general non-fiction in Evergreen and in our online catalogue. Once we've finished selecting the books that will become our entertaining non-fiction collection, we'll be creating a new category for them in Evergreen, and switch the books over to it. So when you search for entertaining non-fiction items in the catalogue, the search results will point you in the right direction.
4) Labeling the entertaining non-fiction
As I've posted about previously, I created a label we'll be using on the spine of all entertaining non-fiction books. It's distinct and very identifiable even at a distance, and will help the library staff to keep the entertaining non-fiction on its own shelves.
5) Ongoing maintenance
Like with the library's other collections, we'll actively work on developing the entertaining non-fiction collection over time by buying new items and weeding old and unused ones.
I know I'm heavily biased folks, but I'm excited about establishing this collection. I've worked here for nearly four years and have seen many of these books arrive at the library, but I still find myself wandering by the entertaining non-fiction shelves thinking "I'd like to read that book," "This book sounds interesting," or "I need to remember to borrow this book!"
What's more, I think you'll do the same.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
New World of Overdues
Effective September 1, 2011, the library's overdue system will be changing.
Changes to overdue fees
Books - $0.25/day
Magazines - $0.25/day
CDs - $0.25/day
Maximum overdue fee per item - $10.00
Patrons will now be billed and suspended once any of their borrowed items becomes six weeks overdue.
So what's the reason behind all of these changes?
Let me explain what it's *not*, first:
It's not that we hate our patrons. We like them a lot! Without patrons, we wouldn't get to work at the library!
It's also not a way for us to bring a lot of money into the library. In the past year (July 2010 - June 2011) the library has collected around $100 per month on average from all overdue fees and replacement fees for lost books. This represents a very small portion of the library's budget, and if our patrons all return their borrowed items on time, we won't even be collecting that much in the future.
So why are we increasing our overdue fees?
The main reason for increasing our overdue fees is simply to have patrons return their borrowed items on time. The majority of the library's patrons always return things on time, and the changes to our overdue fees will not affect them at all. However, we do have a small number of perpetually overdue patrons. These patrons, while very nice in many other ways, seldom return their items on time, and perhaps increased overdue fees will provide some encouragement for them to do so.
There are a few other reasons though.
The library makes it reasonably easy for you not to have overdue items.
- If we have your current e-mail address in our system, you will automatically receive a courtesy e-mail three days before your items are due.
- We're centrally located, only a minute walk from the main parking lot in the shopping district.
- When you borrow items, you're given a date due slip.
- You may renew items in person, online, or by phone.
Finally, the library hasn't increased its overdue fees in years. The cost of books and other library materials has been rising steadily for years, and our overdue fees do not reflect this.
We're not naive, folks. We know some of our patrons will be unhappy with the changes to our overdue system. But if it encourages all of our patrons to keep track of their library items and return them on time, it'll make things better for all of us.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Midsummer Update
Hello good readers,
Today seemed like a good time to update you on things happening around the library now that we've left July (and hopefully all its rain) behind.
Summer Reading Club
Summer Reading Club is still ongoing at the library. Programs take place at 3pm from Tuesday to Friday every week. Make sure to register your children and have them return their reading records on time so they can receive a prize at the closing ceremonies!
Tuesday, August 16th: Reading records due
Friday, August 19th: Closing Ceremonies at 3pm
Evergreen Update
We've been using Evergreen as the library's ILS for seven weeks now, and it's working out pretty well so far. I've spent some time fighting with it (and learning interesting things in the process), and on the whole I'm liking it much more than our old system. We've got to spend more time getting e-mail addresses from patrons into our system so it can send out courtesy e-mails before items are overdue, but things are going very well other than that.
Renovations
Renovations to the Community Centre are continuing. I know everyone is frustrated with the library's current layout, the lack of seating, and the lack of access to some books (especially the picture books), but we're doing the best we can folks. Once the interior work is finished, we'll be looking at installing the new flooring we'd hoped to install this year, and then rearranging the library to make the best use of the space we've got.
The rearranging we did last summer and then built on last winter was fairly minor. We opened up the left side of the library and made it more accessible in general. But now we're looking at bigger ideas. Can we move the children's area? Do we need to look at one-sided shelves to place against walls? Can we set things up better for patrons using their notebooks or tablets? So far our answer to those questions is "Yes."
Since Paula arrived in November, she, Sharon, and I have been talking at length about the library's layout and how it could be arranged better. With any luck, you'll see the results of all those discussions in a few months.
Brief Congratulations
I'd like to take a moment and offer my congratulations to Paula, whose term as Head Librarian recently exceeded the length of my tenure (8 1/2 months) as Interim Head Librarian. ...I'd also like to congratulate Sharon and myself for behaving for this long and not scaring Paula off with our antics!
On a serious note, I'm still having fun back at my Head of Technical Services position, and am very grateful she's decided to stick around. Thanks Paula!
History of the Library
I've spent some time over the last few months working on and off on a history of the Tumbler Ridge Public Library. So I've been reading through the old Tumbler Ridge newspapers stored in the reference room, and transcribing library-related stories. I'm only up to 1986 so far, but I've found a number of good stories about the early days of the library and Tumbler Ridge in general.
There's a lot happening in Tumbler Ridge right now between the attempt to re-open Quintette Coal, the development of an underground mine, new housing, and wind turbine construction, and I think it's a good time to take a look back. Thirty years ago, there were some fairly lofty goals set for Tumbler Ridge, and I think now's the time to look at them, then see what we can do about exceeding them.
Online Stuff
Finally, if you're so inclined, please take a moment to read my Twitter feed and the Library's Facebook page. My Twitter feed is full of random whining, occasional poetry, and nonsensical banter with my brother. The Library's Facebook page is mostly being used for event announcements, but I've also started posting photos of my current whiteboard drawing of what the library really needs.
And with that folks, I'll bring this blog post to a close. Take a minute to visit the library, borrow a book, and then enjoy the good weather while it lasts.
Today seemed like a good time to update you on things happening around the library now that we've left July (and hopefully all its rain) behind.
Summer Reading Club
Summer Reading Club is still ongoing at the library. Programs take place at 3pm from Tuesday to Friday every week. Make sure to register your children and have them return their reading records on time so they can receive a prize at the closing ceremonies!
Tuesday, August 16th: Reading records due
Friday, August 19th: Closing Ceremonies at 3pm
Evergreen Update
We've been using Evergreen as the library's ILS for seven weeks now, and it's working out pretty well so far. I've spent some time fighting with it (and learning interesting things in the process), and on the whole I'm liking it much more than our old system. We've got to spend more time getting e-mail addresses from patrons into our system so it can send out courtesy e-mails before items are overdue, but things are going very well other than that.
Renovations
Renovations to the Community Centre are continuing. I know everyone is frustrated with the library's current layout, the lack of seating, and the lack of access to some books (especially the picture books), but we're doing the best we can folks. Once the interior work is finished, we'll be looking at installing the new flooring we'd hoped to install this year, and then rearranging the library to make the best use of the space we've got.
The rearranging we did last summer and then built on last winter was fairly minor. We opened up the left side of the library and made it more accessible in general. But now we're looking at bigger ideas. Can we move the children's area? Do we need to look at one-sided shelves to place against walls? Can we set things up better for patrons using their notebooks or tablets? So far our answer to those questions is "Yes."
Since Paula arrived in November, she, Sharon, and I have been talking at length about the library's layout and how it could be arranged better. With any luck, you'll see the results of all those discussions in a few months.
Brief Congratulations
I'd like to take a moment and offer my congratulations to Paula, whose term as Head Librarian recently exceeded the length of my tenure (8 1/2 months) as Interim Head Librarian. ...I'd also like to congratulate Sharon and myself for behaving for this long and not scaring Paula off with our antics!
On a serious note, I'm still having fun back at my Head of Technical Services position, and am very grateful she's decided to stick around. Thanks Paula!
History of the Library
I've spent some time over the last few months working on and off on a history of the Tumbler Ridge Public Library. So I've been reading through the old Tumbler Ridge newspapers stored in the reference room, and transcribing library-related stories. I'm only up to 1986 so far, but I've found a number of good stories about the early days of the library and Tumbler Ridge in general.
There's a lot happening in Tumbler Ridge right now between the attempt to re-open Quintette Coal, the development of an underground mine, new housing, and wind turbine construction, and I think it's a good time to take a look back. Thirty years ago, there were some fairly lofty goals set for Tumbler Ridge, and I think now's the time to look at them, then see what we can do about exceeding them.
Online Stuff
Finally, if you're so inclined, please take a moment to read my Twitter feed and the Library's Facebook page. My Twitter feed is full of random whining, occasional poetry, and nonsensical banter with my brother. The Library's Facebook page is mostly being used for event announcements, but I've also started posting photos of my current whiteboard drawing of what the library really needs.
And with that folks, I'll bring this blog post to a close. Take a minute to visit the library, borrow a book, and then enjoy the good weather while it lasts.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Making Preparations...
As you probably know by now, Tumbler Ridge will be experiencing a planned power outage on Thursday, July 28th from 7am to 7pm. Since we learned of the outage yesterday, library staff members have been preparing for it, and have a few announcements to make.
First, the library will be open its normal hours (10am-8pm), and staff members will be able to check out library items manually. As always, your library card will be required.
Second, some library services will be unavailable. The library's computers will be shut down, so patrons will not be able to access the Internet. In addition, we will be unable to create new patron accounts or accept payments for lost books or overdue fees.
Finally, the library's children's programs will continue as scheduled. Lapsit will still be held at 11am, and our Summer Reading Club program will still take place at 3pm.
We're in for an interesting day tomorrow, folks. Please feel free to come to the library, but be aware that it won't be business as usual.
First, the library will be open its normal hours (10am-8pm), and staff members will be able to check out library items manually. As always, your library card will be required.
Second, some library services will be unavailable. The library's computers will be shut down, so patrons will not be able to access the Internet. In addition, we will be unable to create new patron accounts or accept payments for lost books or overdue fees.
Finally, the library's children's programs will continue as scheduled. Lapsit will still be held at 11am, and our Summer Reading Club program will still take place at 3pm.
We're in for an interesting day tomorrow, folks. Please feel free to come to the library, but be aware that it won't be business as usual.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Summer Reading Club 2011 -- Savour Each Word
It's that time of the year again. School is winding down, and everyone is wondering what there is around town for kids to do this summer...
As always, the Tumbler Ridge Public Library will be having Summer Reading Club all summer long! Once your children are registered, they'll enjoy fun activities at the library four days a week, keep their minds active, and receive a prize at the end of the summer for the reading they've done.
This year, Summer Reading Club runs from July 5th to August 19th.
Wednesday, June 22nd at 3pm -- Opening Ceremonies
Registration
Stories
Music
Facepainting
Popcorn
Door prizes
Weekly Schedule (starting July 5th)
Tuesday at 3pm -- Storytime and a craft
Wednesday at 3pm -- Storytime
Thursday at 3pm -- Storytime and a craft
Friday at 3pm -- Storytime
Friday, August 19th at 3pm -- Closing Ceremonies
Prizes
Medals
Fun!
So sign your children up, and have them spend their summer at the library!
Before I wrap this up, I'd like to thank all the sponsors who have donated to Summer Reading Club so far:
Spectra Energy
Walter Energy Western Coal
Peace River Coal
Capital Power
Lion's Club of Tumbler Ridge
Lakeview Credit Union
Encana
Avalanche Trucking
Dr. Mark Sevier
Uniglobe
Chetwynd Dental Clinic
Thanks folks! This program wouldn't be possible without all your help!
As always, the Tumbler Ridge Public Library will be having Summer Reading Club all summer long! Once your children are registered, they'll enjoy fun activities at the library four days a week, keep their minds active, and receive a prize at the end of the summer for the reading they've done.
This year, Summer Reading Club runs from July 5th to August 19th.
Summer Reading Club Schedule
Wednesday, June 22nd at 3pm -- Opening Ceremonies
Registration
Stories
Music
Facepainting
Popcorn
Door prizes
Weekly Schedule (starting July 5th)
Tuesday at 3pm -- Storytime and a craft
Wednesday at 3pm -- Storytime
Thursday at 3pm -- Storytime and a craft
Friday at 3pm -- Storytime
Friday, August 19th at 3pm -- Closing Ceremonies
Prizes
Medals
Fun!
So sign your children up, and have them spend their summer at the library!
Before I wrap this up, I'd like to thank all the sponsors who have donated to Summer Reading Club so far:
Spectra Energy
Walter Energy Western Coal
Peace River Coal
Capital Power
Lion's Club of Tumbler Ridge
Lakeview Credit Union
Encana
Avalanche Trucking
Dr. Mark Sevier
Uniglobe
Chetwynd Dental Clinic
Thanks folks! This program wouldn't be possible without all your help!
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Spring Break 2011 at the Library
Tuesday marks the beginning of Spring Break at the library. Now, before anyone gets *too* excited, Spring Break at the library does not involved attractive college-aged people partying on the beach in swimsuits. Instead, the library offers two programs (each a week long) for children.
Week 1 (Mar. 22-Mar. 25): Paper Mache Workshop with Sharon
Sharon will be working with the children on a week-long paper mache project. In past years, these projects have included piggy banks and monsters, and this year will be different again. The children will start by building a basic paper mache shell, and will paint their finished creations later in the week.
Registered participants should wear old clothes, as paper mache tends to be messy.
Week 2 (Mar. 29-Apr.1): Juggling Workshop with Jacob
In the first part of the week, I'll be showing children how to make their own juggling balls. After everyone has made a set of juggling balls, I'll be teaching them the basics of juggling:
Finally, I may (time, supply, circumstances, and ceiling height permitting) give a demonstration of my ability to juggle three soccer balls.
...and with that, you now know why I've been seen juggling in the library the past week. If I'm going to be teaching it, I need the practice.
(Please note: there are a limited number of spaces available for each workshop.)
Pre-registration is required.
Week 1 (Mar. 22-Mar. 25): Paper Mache Workshop with Sharon
Sharon will be working with the children on a week-long paper mache project. In past years, these projects have included piggy banks and monsters, and this year will be different again. The children will start by building a basic paper mache shell, and will paint their finished creations later in the week.
Registered participants should wear old clothes, as paper mache tends to be messy.
Week 2 (Mar. 29-Apr.1): Juggling Workshop with Jacob
In the first part of the week, I'll be showing children how to make their own juggling balls. After everyone has made a set of juggling balls, I'll be teaching them the basics of juggling:
- two ball
- two ball in one hand
- three ball
- palm-down three ball
- four ball
- juggling oversized/irregular objects
Finally, I may (time, supply, circumstances, and ceiling height permitting) give a demonstration of my ability to juggle three soccer balls.
...and with that, you now know why I've been seen juggling in the library the past week. If I'm going to be teaching it, I need the practice.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Library Rearranging 2.22
Greetings and welcome to another edition of "Pat Yourself and the Other Staff Members on the Back Jacob"
When Paula started at the library in November, she pointed out to Sharon and me (fairly early on) that the library was fairly dark. We've got a decent amount of windows to let natural light in, but many of the shelves, the carpet, and the ceiling were all dark colours. Painting the ceiling would be a huge job that would probably require the library to shut down for a few days. Replacing the carpet (which hopefully will happen in the future) is another huge undertaking. That left the shelves.
Paula asked a friend of hers to paint the library's green shelves a lighter colour to brighten up the library. In the process of doing that, we rearranged a few things, and discussed rearranging more. Ultimately, we removed one shelf section from the adult paperbacks, added more shelves to the remaining sections, and spaced out the remaining paperback shelves so they aren't as cramped. When the paint dried on the first set of paperback shelves, we prepared to move the shelf to its new home against the front wall of the library.
To move that shelf, however, we needed to move the final shelf of junior paperback. The discussion of how to move the shelves resulted in a plan to completely rearrange the left side of the library. So last Friday (January 21st), Paula, Chris, Sharon, and I spent pretty much the entire day moving shelves.
As long as I've been here, we've had shelves in the children's section that stuck out from the wall and left a series of dead end aisles. We changed it, and now we've got two long aisles of children's books running down the left side of the library. There are still two shelves sticking out from the wall holding the junior fiction and most of the junior paperback, but they're spaced out better.
We moved the study carrel to the blank wall opposite the magazines, and it fits much better there.
So here's the view of the children's section along the front wall of the library. The picture books run along the back wall and wrap around on the front left, the junior non-fiction run along both interior shelves, and junior paperback series run along the outside right shelves.
These shelves are the end of the children's books and hold the non-series junior paperback and the rest of the junior fiction.
All the rearranging opened up the left corner of the library further, giving us room for a larger reading area and a new place for our sale books.
The library is brighter, more spacious, and no staff members suffered noticeable injuries in the process (though Sharon did complain of a broken nail).
We're still in the process of doing inventory, so I doubt we'll be doing much more rearranging in the short term. But anything is possible, so stay tuned!
When Paula started at the library in November, she pointed out to Sharon and me (fairly early on) that the library was fairly dark. We've got a decent amount of windows to let natural light in, but many of the shelves, the carpet, and the ceiling were all dark colours. Painting the ceiling would be a huge job that would probably require the library to shut down for a few days. Replacing the carpet (which hopefully will happen in the future) is another huge undertaking. That left the shelves.
Paula asked a friend of hers to paint the library's green shelves a lighter colour to brighten up the library. In the process of doing that, we rearranged a few things, and discussed rearranging more. Ultimately, we removed one shelf section from the adult paperbacks, added more shelves to the remaining sections, and spaced out the remaining paperback shelves so they aren't as cramped. When the paint dried on the first set of paperback shelves, we prepared to move the shelf to its new home against the front wall of the library.
To move that shelf, however, we needed to move the final shelf of junior paperback. The discussion of how to move the shelves resulted in a plan to completely rearrange the left side of the library. So last Friday (January 21st), Paula, Chris, Sharon, and I spent pretty much the entire day moving shelves.
As long as I've been here, we've had shelves in the children's section that stuck out from the wall and left a series of dead end aisles. We changed it, and now we've got two long aisles of children's books running down the left side of the library. There are still two shelves sticking out from the wall holding the junior fiction and most of the junior paperback, but they're spaced out better.
We moved the study carrel to the blank wall opposite the magazines, and it fits much better there.
So here's the view of the children's section along the front wall of the library. The picture books run along the back wall and wrap around on the front left, the junior non-fiction run along both interior shelves, and junior paperback series run along the outside right shelves.
These shelves are the end of the children's books and hold the non-series junior paperback and the rest of the junior fiction.
All the rearranging opened up the left corner of the library further, giving us room for a larger reading area and a new place for our sale books.
The library is brighter, more spacious, and no staff members suffered noticeable injuries in the process (though Sharon did complain of a broken nail).
We're still in the process of doing inventory, so I doubt we'll be doing much more rearranging in the short term. But anything is possible, so stay tuned!
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Caffeine: the fuel of our library
When you think about businesses that run on caffeine, your mind probably sticks to a few common ones like long haul trucking, computer programming, and 24-hour convenience stores. Libraries probably don't come to mind. I certainly never thought about libraries being caffeine-fueled -- at least not until I started working at one as a full-time staff member.
Over the past two-plus years, I've seen that the library runs on caffeine just as much as other businesses do. Now, we don't have a coffee pot plugged in at all times and in fact, coffee is *not* the caffeine isotope of choice. But if you take a quick look around the library at any given time, you'll see our caffeine-delivery systems. Cups of tea, cans of Pepsi and Coke (the cola war is still going strong in our library) and energy drinks litter our desks and fill up our recycling bin far too quickly.
Does our caffeine consumption affect anything around the library? Not really. There have been a few days when one staff member or another has expressed a *need* for caffeine, and then has taken steps to fulfill that need, but that's about it. Do caffeine buzzes affect our work? I doubt it. I don't think I'm any more or less productive when I've had a few cans of pop.
Over the past few years, I've tried to cut down my caffeine consumption somewhat. If you take a look at the Wikipedia entry for caffeine, you'll see a picture taken of a spiderweb that was spun after the spider consumed a quantity of caffeine. The picture is undeniably creepy. While caffeine doesn't affect humans the same way it does spiders, it did make me think about how much caffeine I consume.
When I was working on my bachelor's degree, I used to think that 4-5 hours of sleep a night was plenty. But then I'd have 3-4 cans of pop each day to stay awake, and would often crash in the afternoon anyway. I don't do that anymore. Most days I have a single can of pop. Though I have an occasional latte when I pass a Starbucks if I have a long drive ahead of me, I'm not a coffee drinker by any stretch.
Anyway, in the past month or two, I've thought about trying for a caffeine-free week. I'd pick a week, announce it on this blog and my Twitter feed, try to recruit some sympathetic co-workers, and go without caffeine. Given that I'm on the low end of the caffeine consumption scale, I imagine I'd mostly be okay, but I still think it would be an interesting week, especially if I keep everyone up to date on my progress.
So that was the plan. Then last night I had trouble getting to sleep, then woke up at 4 and didn't get back to sleep until five. Today will not be a caffeine-free day. In fact, today will probably be a 3 CU day. (I wrote on my Twitter feed last week that CU stands for "Caffeine Unit" and is defined as the amount of caffeine in a standard, 355mL can of Pepsi or the equivalent).
Well, I'll try a caffeine-free week at some point, and you'll hear about it on here and through my Twitter feed. Stay tuned!
Over the past two-plus years, I've seen that the library runs on caffeine just as much as other businesses do. Now, we don't have a coffee pot plugged in at all times and in fact, coffee is *not* the caffeine isotope of choice. But if you take a quick look around the library at any given time, you'll see our caffeine-delivery systems. Cups of tea, cans of Pepsi and Coke (the cola war is still going strong in our library) and energy drinks litter our desks and fill up our recycling bin far too quickly.
Does our caffeine consumption affect anything around the library? Not really. There have been a few days when one staff member or another has expressed a *need* for caffeine, and then has taken steps to fulfill that need, but that's about it. Do caffeine buzzes affect our work? I doubt it. I don't think I'm any more or less productive when I've had a few cans of pop.
Over the past few years, I've tried to cut down my caffeine consumption somewhat. If you take a look at the Wikipedia entry for caffeine, you'll see a picture taken of a spiderweb that was spun after the spider consumed a quantity of caffeine. The picture is undeniably creepy. While caffeine doesn't affect humans the same way it does spiders, it did make me think about how much caffeine I consume.
When I was working on my bachelor's degree, I used to think that 4-5 hours of sleep a night was plenty. But then I'd have 3-4 cans of pop each day to stay awake, and would often crash in the afternoon anyway. I don't do that anymore. Most days I have a single can of pop. Though I have an occasional latte when I pass a Starbucks if I have a long drive ahead of me, I'm not a coffee drinker by any stretch.
Anyway, in the past month or two, I've thought about trying for a caffeine-free week. I'd pick a week, announce it on this blog and my Twitter feed, try to recruit some sympathetic co-workers, and go without caffeine. Given that I'm on the low end of the caffeine consumption scale, I imagine I'd mostly be okay, but I still think it would be an interesting week, especially if I keep everyone up to date on my progress.
So that was the plan. Then last night I had trouble getting to sleep, then woke up at 4 and didn't get back to sleep until five. Today will not be a caffeine-free day. In fact, today will probably be a 3 CU day. (I wrote on my Twitter feed last week that CU stands for "Caffeine Unit" and is defined as the amount of caffeine in a standard, 355mL can of Pepsi or the equivalent).
Well, I'll try a caffeine-free week at some point, and you'll hear about it on here and through my Twitter feed. Stay tuned!
Friday, July 9, 2010
More Library Rearranging
If you haven't been to the library in the past few weeks, you haven't seen the results of our last round of rearranging.
First, we moved the plants, round table, and bank counter (I'm still not sure why we have this thing in the library, and I'd be happy to give it away to anyone who wants it) away from their place next to the fire exit. With the extra room in that area, we moved the final two shelves of adult fiction from their old location (up against the walls near the magazines) and placed them back-to-back, butting up against the adult fiction shelves closest to the back door.
A day later, I was in the library while it was closed, and I thought "Hey! There's room for some seating here!"
So I grabbed a few of the green wedge-shaped chairs from around the library and made a small curved couch out of them. Now instead of a cluttered area with tables and bank counters and plants, we've got a nice little reading area.
It looks better, works better, and unifies the library's adult fiction section again.
But it wasn't good enough. When we first started moving the archives into the reference room, my ultimate plan was to clean out the corner of the library where the archives had been to make another reading area. I was a little bit bored last Saturday and started moving things. Sharon joined in, and her husband Brian gave me a *lot* of help moving the archive filing cabinet and rotating the first adult paperback shelf.
The end result?
Another nice, bright reading area instead of a closed off corner that was essentially wasted space.
A side benefit to this rearranging is that the light coming in from the end window is no longer limited to a dusty corner. The whole left side of the library is brighter and looks better than ever.
So, what's next for the library's layout? Who knows! Stay tuned!
First, we moved the plants, round table, and bank counter (I'm still not sure why we have this thing in the library, and I'd be happy to give it away to anyone who wants it) away from their place next to the fire exit. With the extra room in that area, we moved the final two shelves of adult fiction from their old location (up against the walls near the magazines) and placed them back-to-back, butting up against the adult fiction shelves closest to the back door.
A day later, I was in the library while it was closed, and I thought "Hey! There's room for some seating here!"
So I grabbed a few of the green wedge-shaped chairs from around the library and made a small curved couch out of them. Now instead of a cluttered area with tables and bank counters and plants, we've got a nice little reading area.
It looks better, works better, and unifies the library's adult fiction section again.
But it wasn't good enough. When we first started moving the archives into the reference room, my ultimate plan was to clean out the corner of the library where the archives had been to make another reading area. I was a little bit bored last Saturday and started moving things. Sharon joined in, and her husband Brian gave me a *lot* of help moving the archive filing cabinet and rotating the first adult paperback shelf.
The end result?
Another nice, bright reading area instead of a closed off corner that was essentially wasted space.
So, what's next for the library's layout? Who knows! Stay tuned!
Youth Audiobook Collection Underway!
When Sharon and I talked about our plans for 2010 last fall, we decided that we'd like to spend some money on creating a youth audiobook on CD collection. However, when budget time came around this spring, it was seen as a fairly low priority compared to other things and we put the project aside.
In mid-April, I came across a note on the back of the library's Telus bill that said something like "Do you know what Telus does for communities?" with a URL. I visited the site, and found that Telus has grants available for various projects in Canada. So I filled out the application, ran it by our community grant writer for suggestions, and sent it off in early May.
On June 9th, I received a phone call from a Telus representative who told me that they thought our plan to create a youth audiobook collection was great and that it was the exact sort of project that Telus likes to fund. When he told me Telus would be giving the library $1000 for this purpose, I had a hard time responding to him and thanking him. I thought my grant application had been pretty decent, but really didn't expect such a positive response.
A few weeks later, the cheque arrived in the mail, and Sharon and I started to make plans. We researched audiobooks we thought would be good for the library, and asked children who were participating in Wednesday Club to suggest audiobooks they'd like the library to order. Unfortunately, the suggestions we've received to this point are not available in audiobook format, but we'd like to encourage everyone to keep trying!
Yesterday, Sharon and I went through the list of audiobooks we had researched and selected a group of them to purchase. Here's what we ended up ordering:
A.A. Milne's Pooh classics boxed set
Akimbo and the elephants
The Alchemyst
Anne of Green Gables
The Bunicula collection
Charlotte's web
The Chronicles of Narnia
Coraline
French for children
Geronimo Stilton books, 1-6
Green eggs and ham and other servings of Dr. Seuss
Hardy boys #1: the tower treasure
Hatchet
I miss you, stinky face
James Herriot's treasury for children
The Lightning thief
Magic tree house books, 1-8
Nancy Drew #1: the secret of the old clock
The Outsiders
Ramona the brave / Ramona Quimby, age 8
Ramona the pest / Ramona forever
The Roald Dahl CD collection
The Spiderwick chronicles, books 1-5
Tunnels
We still have nearly half (about $450) of the Telus grant left for more audiobooks. Sharon and I have ideas, but we really want to know what our patrons want.
If you can think of youth audiobooks you'd like the library to order, please let us know!
(That being said, there are two sets of books we will not be ordering at this time: Harry Potter and Twilight. Both series, while extremely popular, are incredible expensive in audiobook form.)
In mid-April, I came across a note on the back of the library's Telus bill that said something like "Do you know what Telus does for communities?" with a URL. I visited the site, and found that Telus has grants available for various projects in Canada. So I filled out the application, ran it by our community grant writer for suggestions, and sent it off in early May.
On June 9th, I received a phone call from a Telus representative who told me that they thought our plan to create a youth audiobook collection was great and that it was the exact sort of project that Telus likes to fund. When he told me Telus would be giving the library $1000 for this purpose, I had a hard time responding to him and thanking him. I thought my grant application had been pretty decent, but really didn't expect such a positive response.
A few weeks later, the cheque arrived in the mail, and Sharon and I started to make plans. We researched audiobooks we thought would be good for the library, and asked children who were participating in Wednesday Club to suggest audiobooks they'd like the library to order. Unfortunately, the suggestions we've received to this point are not available in audiobook format, but we'd like to encourage everyone to keep trying!
Yesterday, Sharon and I went through the list of audiobooks we had researched and selected a group of them to purchase. Here's what we ended up ordering:
A.A. Milne's Pooh classics boxed set
Akimbo and the elephants
The Alchemyst
Anne of Green Gables
The Bunicula collection
Charlotte's web
The Chronicles of Narnia
Coraline
French for children
Geronimo Stilton books, 1-6
Green eggs and ham and other servings of Dr. Seuss
Hardy boys #1: the tower treasure
Hatchet
I miss you, stinky face
James Herriot's treasury for children
The Lightning thief
Magic tree house books, 1-8
Nancy Drew #1: the secret of the old clock
The Outsiders
Ramona the brave / Ramona Quimby, age 8
Ramona the pest / Ramona forever
The Roald Dahl CD collection
The Spiderwick chronicles, books 1-5
Tunnels
We still have nearly half (about $450) of the Telus grant left for more audiobooks. Sharon and I have ideas, but we really want to know what our patrons want.
If you can think of youth audiobooks you'd like the library to order, please let us know!
(That being said, there are two sets of books we will not be ordering at this time: Harry Potter and Twilight. Both series, while extremely popular, are incredible expensive in audiobook form.)
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Summer Reading Club 2010 - Reading Rocks!
I thought I'd take a moment to discuss the Tumbler Ridge Public Library's
"Won't Ask, Won't Tell" policy.
The Summer Reading Club is a sneaky way to keep your children's minds active over the summer. They'll be too busy enjoying the stories, crafts, and other activities to realize they're learning things at the same time.
Registration for the Summer Reading Club will take place at the Opening Ceremonies on June 19th, and programming will run from Tuesday to Friday weekly from July 6th to August 20th.
Saturday, June 19th at 1pm -- Opening Ceremonies
Registration
Lion's Club BBQ
White Elephant Sale (fundraiser for library)
Music
Facepainting
Popcorn and cotton candy
Door prizes
Weekly Schedule (starting July 6th)
Every Tuesday and Thursday at 3pm -- Storytime and a craft
Every Wednesday and Friday at 3pm -- Storytime
Wednesday, August 18th -- Reading Records Due
Friday, August 20th -- Closing Ceremonies
Week 1: July 6-9: Readers Roar!
Week 2: July 13-16: Rock 'n' Roll Reading
Week 3: July 20-23: Riddled Readers
Week 4: July 27-30: A Rocky Read
Week 5: Aug. 3-6: Read a Ruckus!
Week 6: Aug. 10-13: Rise Up Readers!
Week 7: Aug. 17-20: Risky Reads
Before I wrap this blog post up, I'd like to thank all the sponsors who have made donations so far:
Western Canadian Coal - $6,000.00
Spectra Energy - $2,500.00
Peace River Coal - $1,000.00
Lion's Club - $500.00 + holding a BBQ at the Opening Ceremonies
Lakeview Credit Union - $500.00
Shell Canada - $500.00
Grizzly Crane - $200.00
Thanks folks! We couldn't run this program without your support!
"Won't Ask, Won't Tell" policy.
"Your children won't ask if Summer Reading Club is educational,
and we certainly won't tell them!"
and we certainly won't tell them!"
The Summer Reading Club is a sneaky way to keep your children's minds active over the summer. They'll be too busy enjoying the stories, crafts, and other activities to realize they're learning things at the same time.
Registration for the Summer Reading Club will take place at the Opening Ceremonies on June 19th, and programming will run from Tuesday to Friday weekly from July 6th to August 20th.
Summer Reading Club Schedule
Saturday, June 19th at 1pm -- Opening Ceremonies
Registration
Lion's Club BBQ
White Elephant Sale (fundraiser for library)
Music
Facepainting
Popcorn and cotton candy
Door prizes
Weekly Schedule (starting July 6th)
Every Tuesday and Thursday at 3pm -- Storytime and a craft
Every Wednesday and Friday at 3pm -- Storytime
Wednesday, August 18th -- Reading Records Due
Friday, August 20th -- Closing Ceremonies
Weekly Themes
Week 1: July 6-9: Readers Roar!
Week 2: July 13-16: Rock 'n' Roll Reading
Week 3: July 20-23: Riddled Readers
Week 4: July 27-30: A Rocky Read
Week 5: Aug. 3-6: Read a Ruckus!
Week 6: Aug. 10-13: Rise Up Readers!
Week 7: Aug. 17-20: Risky Reads
Before I wrap this blog post up, I'd like to thank all the sponsors who have made donations so far:
Western Canadian Coal - $6,000.00
Spectra Energy - $2,500.00
Peace River Coal - $1,000.00
Lion's Club - $500.00 + holding a BBQ at the Opening Ceremonies
Lakeview Credit Union - $500.00
Shell Canada - $500.00
Grizzly Crane - $200.00
Thanks folks! We couldn't run this program without your support!
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Of Revelations and Reference Rooms...
Over the next few weeks, you'll notice some changes to the reference section. Tomorrow we'll be removing one of the shelves in that area, and another will hopefully follow in the next week or so. They'll be going into what will become the library's reference room.
A few weeks after I became interim head librarian, I installed myself (and a computer to work on) in the library's back room which was the library's office many years ago. The library staff have since worked to clean up and rearrange the back room so that the library's bookkeeper can take up residence there again as well. These changes will free up the library's office to become a reference room.
In the short term, the reference room will house the library's reference collection and a few small tables and chairs for patron use. In the long term, I hope to move the archives into the reference room as well which will free up more space in the library's main area.
The creation of a reference room should have a few major benefits to the library as a whole:
1) It'll give us more shelf space for our adult non-fiction collection
A few weeks after I became interim head librarian, I installed myself (and a computer to work on) in the library's back room which was the library's office many years ago. The library staff have since worked to clean up and rearrange the back room so that the library's bookkeeper can take up residence there again as well. These changes will free up the library's office to become a reference room.
In the short term, the reference room will house the library's reference collection and a few small tables and chairs for patron use. In the long term, I hope to move the archives into the reference room as well which will free up more space in the library's main area.
The creation of a reference room should have a few major benefits to the library as a whole:
1) It'll give us more shelf space for our adult non-fiction collection
- We're using emptied shelves from the library's back room as part of the shelving in the reference room, which should leave us with one large shelf to expand ANF into.
- The left side of the reference U will be gone, which should make the front of the library feel more open.
- If we are able to move the archives into the reference room as well, rotating the first set of shelves in the paperback section will give us a small open reading area and light from the end windows will be able to reach the rest of the library.
- At times (especially during storytime or Wednesday Club), the library can be fairly noisy. This reference room will give the library a quiet reading and study area.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Of Books and Budget Cuts...
If you haven't already heard, the library's budget is going to be cut again. Without going into too many details, our grant-in-aid has been cut twice now (first our budget for capital expenses was cut entirely and then our operating expenses were cut), and is slated to be cut again. The total amount of the cuts to our operating expenses is around 17%.
If this final budget cut is made official, the library *will* have to make changes to its operating hours, staff hours, and programming to balance the budget. There is a very real chance that the library will no longer be open on Sundays, Saturday mornings, or after 6pm Tuesday-Thursday.
Nothing is official yet. However, if the final cut remains when budget numbers are set in stone, we will have to make some very hard decisions.
So what can you do about it?
Let town council know. Be polite, but let them know that the library is an important part of Tumbler Ridge, and that its budget shouldn't be cut any further than it already has been. If you're ambitious, feel free to write a letter to town council in the next few days. Otherwise, we have pre-written letters available at the library for this purpose. Just drop by, sign one of them, and the library will deliver all of the letters to town council.
Thank you,
Jacob Fehr
Interim head librarian
If this final budget cut is made official, the library *will* have to make changes to its operating hours, staff hours, and programming to balance the budget. There is a very real chance that the library will no longer be open on Sundays, Saturday mornings, or after 6pm Tuesday-Thursday.
Nothing is official yet. However, if the final cut remains when budget numbers are set in stone, we will have to make some very hard decisions.
So what can you do about it?
Let town council know. Be polite, but let them know that the library is an important part of Tumbler Ridge, and that its budget shouldn't be cut any further than it already has been. If you're ambitious, feel free to write a letter to town council in the next few days. Otherwise, we have pre-written letters available at the library for this purpose. Just drop by, sign one of them, and the library will deliver all of the letters to town council.
Thank you,
Jacob Fehr
Interim head librarian
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Chris Walker is coming -- mark your calendars!
As many of you probably know, CBC personality Chris Walker was interested in doing an Itchy Feet presentation at the library. Some of you have also probably heard that I nixed the idea. It's partly true.
On my first day as interim head librarian, I was asked about scheduling an Itchy Feet presentation for him this season. At that point, I was completely overwhelmed, desperately did not want to take on any extra obligations for myself or the library, and it never occurred to me just how many people would be disappointed (WNMS members, library patrons, other members of the community, and even Chris Walker himself). So I had a staff member send him our regrets by e-mail.
Later that day, a member of WNMS called me, and very kindly connected the dots for me. She expressed how disappointed everyone would be if Chris didn't get to make an Itchy Feet presentation, and showed an amazing willingness to help if logistics were a problem. In response, I had the same staff member e-mail Chris back and re-open the conversation.
Since then, I've heard from many different members of the community, and it's been unanimous. Everyone wants to see Chris Walker's presentation. There are people who I'd never expect to see excited who are absolutely thrilled he's coming. In short, there was no way we could turn him down. So we've been in touch with Chris, and agreed on a date for his presentation.
Mark your calendars!
On my first day as interim head librarian, I was asked about scheduling an Itchy Feet presentation for him this season. At that point, I was completely overwhelmed, desperately did not want to take on any extra obligations for myself or the library, and it never occurred to me just how many people would be disappointed (WNMS members, library patrons, other members of the community, and even Chris Walker himself). So I had a staff member send him our regrets by e-mail.
Later that day, a member of WNMS called me, and very kindly connected the dots for me. She expressed how disappointed everyone would be if Chris didn't get to make an Itchy Feet presentation, and showed an amazing willingness to help if logistics were a problem. In response, I had the same staff member e-mail Chris back and re-open the conversation.
Since then, I've heard from many different members of the community, and it's been unanimous. Everyone wants to see Chris Walker's presentation. There are people who I'd never expect to see excited who are absolutely thrilled he's coming. In short, there was no way we could turn him down. So we've been in touch with Chris, and agreed on a date for his presentation.
Mark your calendars!
"Building Blocks: Architecture and Religion in the Middle East"
with Chris Walker
Friday, May 7th
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
In Memory...
In memory of Robert Felonious Sharkington,
aka. "Fireball Bob"
Library Mascot
Summer 2008 -- February 23, 2010
May you swim eternally in a tank free of algae and
far from children who insist on tapping the glass.
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