July 13, 2015

Today when Yolanda left for her class, I was left to handle the circulation desk.  Yolanda told me she would help me with getting started on my display when she returned. While she was gone I found some things to use as examples of primary sources. I also found a quiz that I can use after I give my presentation on primary and secondary sources. It is interesting how in the academic library you test on the instruction for statistics to show learning. I have to say that I am learning more and more about the public aspects of the academic library. Of course answering questions for students is my most favorite thing to do, but other aspects of the public parts of librarianship are appealing too. Displays remind me of bulletin boards in the classroom. Of course, they are more textual than bulletin boards.

After working on my display and getting the letters ready, I started looking for other resources to add to the education LibGuide. The LibGuide in the system now is very good and seems thorough but I am suggesting adding films on demand and a few books. Overall it seemed to be a very productive day.

July 14, 2015

Because Yolanda will not be in the SGSC library on Thursday, I am at the public library today so that I can fill in for Yolanda on Thursday. Started the day by checking the class roster for patrons signed up for my MS word computer class on Friday. No sign-ups, that was a little disappointing but there is still time for patrons to sign up. After working at the front desk for a little while with Rosa, we went back and processed some books getting them ready for the cataloger on Saturday. Rosa laminates the paperback books and adds the barcodes, date due pages and gets the spines ready for labels. We had laminated a bunch of testing books last week, but there is something wrong with the invoice or how they were cataloged so we are having to keep those books from going to the shelves at this time. But that being a side item there are still plenty of new books headed for the shelves at SRL. Spent the rest on the morning processing books. Had to leave at 12:00 today because of a doctor’s appointment.

July 15, 2015

Well now we have an explanation for why I feel so tired. I am anemic, which is a shock to me. The diabetes is under great control, the cholesterol is great, the blood pressure is great, but I am anemic and there seems to be something showing up in my liver function. It is funny because I was talking to Yolanda last week and she said she bet it was anemia. Anyway, I gave my doctors report to my friends at the library.

Then we got busy with the work of the day. Yolanda showed me how to return books from ILL, and we got a book ready to go out of the library. After finishing this, I went to see Mrs. Vickers and we had a conversation about the library budget and how she knew the budget was shrinking by 10% and some of the ideas to make the new budget work. I asked about being an academic librarian and serving on committees for the institution. She told me about how she is on several committees throughout the academic community on the SSGSC campus. Of course she also serves on two committees for the University System of Georgia. Before leaving for the day, I got a reminder about July 29 the staff development day at the SGSC library.

I am presenting about primary and secondary sources. I am hoping that I will get to spend the day with the staff at SGSC.

At the public library this afternoon, I am planning to spend most of my time out on the circulation desk. Very busy afternoon on the circulation desk today. I am getting very proficient at checking in/out books. I am still having to get help to issue a new library card. I do not deal with money for fines, I can take the money but I cannot use the cash register, one of the other staff must put my fine miney into the cash drawer. I did get to help a patron with some printing from the computers. I am still surprised about the numbers of patrons that come to the library just to use the computers.

July 16, 2015

Today I am in charge of the circulation area of SGSC. Stared the day helping Delectia find prices for some books we have received from the Georgia Tech Library. They are weeding then moving a majority of their collection to an off campus sight. The weeded books are available for other libraries in the university system. So far we have received about 100 books at SGSC, so far. I have a stack of old atlases that are no showing in the SGSC library catalog. I have looked them up by bar code and none of them show in the catalog. Haley a part-time staffer will be in at lunch time to help out today and we will see if we can find those atlases. So until then I work on my LibGuide suggestions. Even after working in the technical services at Mississippi State, there are so many things I never realized went on behind the scenes in an academic library. And with only three full-time employees and two part time employees it seems it is rather hard to keep up with all that needs to be done. The work never seems to be finished and seems to always be interrupted by numerous other matters.

July 17, 2015

Today at the public library everyone is off except one part-time staffer, the library director and his assistant so I will be working at the circulation desk when not teaching my computer class. So first thing I did was set up for the computer class so that when the library gets open I will be available for patron help. No one signed up for today’s computer class so I just set up four computers in case someone just walks in. I help Paige get drop box books checked in. Patrons are coming in but they all seem to be here for computer use. The circulation desk is not real busy but we are staying steadily busy. With the change in library hours it seems it’s no time until 1:00 pm (time for my class). I have one patron that needs help with using MS word for making newsletters for the ROTC at the high school in town. So instead of doing what I planned I tried to show my patron some of the things she could use for her newsletters. Overall I think it was a successful class. My patron left with more knowledge of how to use word. After class, I quickly took down my classroom set-up and headed back to the circulation desk. We were really busy the last couple of hours of the day with check-out/in and copies for patrons. The day was good for me as far as being in the public sphere of the library but I am not sure it was a good idea to let so many of the employees off for the day. With the shortening of the hours and decrease in manpower, I know it is harder to schedule the employees, but for efficiency in the library there needs to be some regulation of how many employees can be off on a given day.

While traveling this week to St. Simon's Island for some canoeing, my family and I ran across this sign at the Brantley County Library. It's a really hot place.

This side says it 176 degrees.

This side says 172 degrees.