Reference Room and Library Rearranging

Well folks, things progressed faster than I expected.  Thanks to a *major* volunteer effort from Brian Bray and tons of sweat from myself (and somewhat less sweat from Sharon, who was busy with storytime for the first part of the day), we've got the reference section moved into the new reference room.

Now, we haven't finished moving stuff (including the bookkeeper's desk and computer) *out* of the reference room, so any patrons going into the reference room will have to be accompanied by a staff member for now.  I'm hopeful we'll get the bookkeeper installed in the library's back room early next week, and the reference room will be open after that.

Photos:

The start of the library's ANF section.

The left side of the U is gone (moved into the reference room), which has really opened things up.

One wall of the reference room, which has the vertical files and the start of the reference collection.

The reference section continues along the second wall, and ends in a shelf on the right side of the door (not shown)

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

• 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.

2)  It'll open up the library somewhat

• 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.

3)  It'll give us a quiet space

• 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.

Please have patience with us while we're making this change.  We'll try to make it as painless as possible, and the end result should be well worth it.

Thoughts on Paperwork

Today I spent a few hours working on paperwork.  Why is this significant?  The paperwork didn't involve the use of my computer.

As a registered charity, the Tumbler Ridge Public Library has to submit an annual return to Canada Revenue Agency.  [As a brief aside, I think it was a stupid decision to change the agency's title from "Revenue Canada" to "Canada Revenue Agency."  I had to walk out to the front of the library to ask library staff members if the word "the" was required in front of "Canada Revenue Agency".  Their response?  "No."]

I started working on the forms, printing everything in block capitals to keep my writing legible, and things went smoothly for a minute or two.  Then disaster struck!  I was writing "Tumbler Ridge" when it happened.  I wrote the T and, thinking about the U next, ended up writing a backwards J.

I swore quietly to myself (this is a library after all -- nobody needs to hear me using that kind of language), and walked out front to retrieve a bottle of white-out.  After a brief waiting period while the white-out dried (during which I amused myself with a hockey puck I keep on my desk), I carried on.

I started filling out a description of the programs conducted by the library, and decided to split them into two categories:  children's programs and adult/family programs.  I wrote out the children's programs, then started writing the adult/family programs on the next line.  A moment later, I remembered another children's program.  I squeezed it in with small writing and congratulated myself on making it fit, until a few seconds later when I thought of another.

Muttered swear.  Big sigh.  Globs of white-out.  More time with the puck while the white-out dried.

And I carried on until I reached an area where I had to fill in the details of the library's board members in 2009.  This area required the addresses of every board member (including the town name), so I had to write "Tumbler Ridge" multiple times and........

I did it again.  Another backwards J.

More muttered swearing.  Even bigger sigh.  More white-out.

Later on when I ranted to Sharon about how stupid I was, she stopped working for a moment, looked up at me, and said "That's why I use pencils for paperwork Jacob."

And in writing this, and re-reading it, I finally have a response for her.

"That's why I use computers for everything Sharon."

A big thank you and AGM news

It's time for a two-for-one sale.  Two topics in one blog post!


The Big Thank You

To everyone who took the time to sign a letter to town council supporting the library,

Thank you.

Because of your efforts over the past three days, we were able to submit over one hundred letters to town council requesting that they do not proceed with the final cut to the library's budget.

The library staff and board have been overwhelmed by the support from the residents of Tumbler Ridge, and the knowledge of this support will help us carry on regardless of the final outcome.


Once the town's budget has been finalized, the library will be posting notices regarding any changes to library hours and programming.

Please keep watching for posters around town and on the library's website:  http://tumblerridge.bclibrary.ca


AGM News

It's taken a little longer than we had hoped, but we're ready to have our AGM.

Tumbler Ridge Public Library

Annual General Meeting

Wednesday, April 14th

7pm at the library

Agenda

• 2009 in review
• 2010 and the year ahead
• Trustee nominations

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

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!

"Building Blocks:  Architecture and Religion in the Middle East"

with Chris Walker

Friday, May 7th

Interim Head Librarian: Week One

It occurred to me that today is the final day of my first week as interim head librarian of the Tumbler Ridge Public Library.  In recognition of this, I thought I'd give everyone a little bit of insight into what has happened in my first week on the job.  If this seems somewhat egotistical to you (and to be fair, it probably is), please feel free to continue on to my older blog posts.

Before I go on, I'd like to clarify my first sentence.  I am still a library technician, and I've become the library manager at the Tumbler Ridge Public Library.  I refer to my position as "head librarian" because I like what the term implies.  It harkens back to the days before I knew the differences between library clerks, community librarians, library technicians, and librarians (people who hold a master's degree in library science).  I really think there's something to be said for a child's belief that everyone who works in a library is a librarian...

Tuesday, March 2nd

• Spent a fair bit of time talking with the library's board chair about the job
• Had a mini-staff meeting with all the library employees to inform them about my new role
• Was invited to a Success by Six meeting (had very little to contribute)
• Attended a library board meeting (had very little to contribute)
• Requested an interlibrary loan of Managing for Dummies

Main thought:  "Wow...  How in the world did my life change so much between Friday at 4:30 and now?"

Wednesday, March 3rd

• Finished inventory of junior paperbacks with Sharon
• Divided up the tasks from my old position as head of technical services
• Started training staff members on their new tasks
• Had Melissa and Rebekah start working on the next phase of inventory (computer work)

Main thought:  "We're just about done the inventory!  I can see the finish line!"

Thursday, March 4th

• Had another meeting with the library's board chair to get me up to speed on the budget and its status
• Created a farewell card (with a verse I wrote) for the outgoing library manager
• Discussed my weekly schedule with the library staff
• Enjoyed Sarah Gamble's Itchy Feet presentation

Main thought:  "Am I going to need to take an accounting course?  I hope not..."

Friday, March 5th

• Worked on the library's budget
• Finished the inventory of the audiobook cassettes
• Received my interlibrary loan copy of Managing for Dummies

Main thought:  "Should I assume the fast delivery of Managing for Dummies is some kind of a sign?"

Saturday, March 6th (today)

• Continued working on the budget
• Wrote this blog post
• Hoping to work on my origami (in preparation for the second week of Spring Break and my origami workshop)

Main thought:  "I really should blog all this stuff..."


So that's sort of what happened in my first week as interim head librarian.  I'm still sitting at the same desk I've been using for the past eighteen months, but the view has changed drastically in the last five days.

I'm working hard to learn the ropes of this new position, but it's going to take some time before I've got everything figured out.

In Japan, there's a phrase used when meeting people:  "doozo yoroshiku."  It roughly translates as "Please be kind."

Minna-san [everyone], doozo yoroshiku.



Endnote:  For those of you wondering, the title of this blog post *is* a reference to the fantastic graphic novel (which just happens to be available at the Tumbler Ridge Public Library), Batman Year One.  However, as you've read, this blog post did not tell the story of a masked vigilante, a police detective, and the formation of their odd friendship/working relationship.

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.

Sometimes plans change...

Apologies folks.

We've been plugging away doing inventory, but it hasn't been going as fast as we'd like.  As a result,

the library will be closed Tuesday, February 2nd.

Here's the full story:
This morning, the board chair, library manager, Sharon and I had a meeting to discuss how the inventory is going.  Sharon and I reported that the AF (adult fiction) inventory is done, and that the ANF (adult non-fiction) is underway.  I should mention that those two collections comprise around 40% of the library's materials.

Our original goal was to finish inventory by the end of January, but unfortunately that's not possible.  So we had a conversation about how we should proceed from here.

The first option was to continue with the status quo:  staff members working on inventory in their spare time between important day-to-day tasks.  We considered this option, but as a practical matter the inventory wouldn't be completed for a few months.

The second option was to have library staff come in on Monday (when the library is closed) to have an uninterrupted day of working on inventory.  This option had a fair share of problems.  The library would have to spend a great deal of money on overtime, and some staff members would be unavailable due to prior commitments.

The final option was to close the library on Tuesday.  Because all members of the library staff are already scheduled to work Tuesdays, this option wouldn't cost the library much money (a little bit so that part-time staff members will be here all day).  The major downside, of course, is that patrons won't have access to the library on Tuesday.

We weighed the pros and cons and in the end decided that closing the library on Tuesday will give us the best chance of getting a *lot* of the inventory done in a short period of time at the lowest possible cost.

Sorry for the inconvenience folks...

Knee deep in ....inventory

If you've been to the library in the past few days, you've probably seen a few staff members (or a few volunteers) in the stacks with a booklet of papers, some writing implements, and blue-stained hands.  Those are the tell-tale signs of an inventory in progress.

What does that mean?

Well, to most patrons it really won't change much.  We're not planning on closing the library or cancelling programs to make time to do inventory.  We won't be blocking off any aisles or performing book recalls.  While we're doing inventory, library staff will be busier (and very likely crankier), and service may be somewhat slower (if we're all in the stacks doing inventory, it may take a minute or two for us to notice someone at the circulation desk, etc.).

Just bear with us for a few weeks, and hopefully things will be back to normal in no time.