We’ve removed the Holds and New crates from the Circulation check-in desk.  Please place all materials you want Circulation to check-in or shelve on a red cart.  You’ll find the red carts near the inside book drop or in the check-in area.  Even if the items are already checked-in, we will check them in again and determine where they are to be shelved.

If you print a hold slip for an item, place the item on the top shelf of the black cart at the Circ Desk.

Thank you.

Dreama

Hello!

It is Wednesday, so please turn in your timesheet.

Thank you!

Missy

New procedure for volunteering

There are now 11 different volunteer jobs that people can apply for.  These are kept with the volunteer application, the other job applications and job descriptions at the Circ Desk.  They also live on the website and on the Intranet under “Helping Patrons” on the left side of the screen.

When people come in to ask about volunteering, please show them the job descriptions and have them write on the application which job they would like to apply for ALONG WITH THEIR EMAIL ADDRESS.  Let them know staff will be contacting them to let them know the status of their application. 

The job descriptions should remain “in-house.”  If the patron wants to take the descriptions home, please politely tell them no and that they may view the decriptions online.

Please let Cheryl know if you have questions.

Kate Irwin, one of our shelvers, has invited the JPL staff to participate in Johnston High School’s Winter Warmth Drive now through November 5.

“The Winter Warmth Drive is a collaboration between students in schools around the Des Moines region that collects an assortment of gently used or new coats, jackets, hats, gloves, blankets, snow boots and snow pants for those who are unable to purchase these items for themselves.

The drives are run by students, (clubs, student or character councils) within each participating school. By having the drives almost 100% student run, it allows the students the opportunity to not only be part of a large community service project, but to be able to enhance their team building, marketing, advertising, public speaking and project management skills.

The items collected are then provided to a handful of non-profit agencies that work with those in need of winter items, such as Freedom for Youth, Hawthorn Hill and Ruth Harbor. However, the main benefactors of the items collected are other students in schools around the Des Moines region whose demographics are mostly made up of children who qualify for free or reduced lunch.”

If you and your family/friends would like to contribute items, please place items in the tub in the Staff Lounge.
 

Hello everyone!

Please take a few minutes and fill out the survey in your mailbox. There are 2 sides “What 5 books best describe you?” and “Top 5 favorite books of all time”. These titles are going to be used for a display – if you don’t want to put your name on the survey that is just fine!
Thanks,
Erin

Emily Price has set up a display of the logo (and its seasonal and animated variations) the city council is considering adopting city services. The display will be up through Monday. It can be left running overnight. 

Please see “Understanding the Collection Agency Process for Lost Items” if patrons have questions about why we use a collection agency or how the process works.

Dreama

Johnston library offers help to aspiring novelists

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/local/johnston/2014/10/24/johnston-library-national-writers-month-events/17759711/

Hello,

This is Holly McQueen, photographer, with The Des Moines Register. I’ve photographed several programs at the Johnston Public Library the past several years. 

I just thought I would let you know that a photo I shot this past June at the Johnston Public Library ended up publishing in a USA Today Special Report “The Changing Face of America” yesterday. (It also published in the USA Today section B in The Des Moines Register yesterday Oct. 22.) The photo was of children reacting during an experiment at the Mad Science program “Fizz, Boom, Read!” It was kicking off your summer reading program.  Here is the link to the online version (it is the photo of kids cheering): http://www.usatoday.com/longform/news/nation/2014/10/21/diversity-race-ethnicity-change-100-years/16211133/

(In some of the versions the caption of the photo is published and in others it is not.) 

Just thought you would like to know!

Holly McQueen

Photographer

The Des Moines Register

We will be displaying new city logo possibilities Friday through Tuesday.  I am not sure if the City will provide a comment sheet or not.  So, I’ve made a comment sheet that is kept at Reference just in case.  Emily’s paragraph in the weekly City newsletter is below:

NEW CITY LOGO AND BRANDING – The City of Johnston would like your input on a new proposed logo and tagline for the city.  Beginning Friday morning, head to the Johnston Public Library to check out the new design (as well as an animated design!) and leave your feedback.  We worked this summer on the branding initiative, with focus groups and surveys leading us to a brand that is true to Johnston.  It will also be featured in tomorrow’s Johnston Register.  We look forward to hearing from you — stop by the Johnston Public Library located at 6700 Merle Hay Road — between Friday and Tuesday to let us know what you think. 

The crew removing the coating on the tile in the entryway and commons will finish their work next week. I will contact evening staff on the days they’ll be working.

We have a staff meeting this Thursday at 8am. Karen Walters-Crammond from Polk County Health Service will be discussing mental health issues and answering questions.

Adult CD Book language learning materials with Dewey call numbers 400-499 have been reclassified as Adult Nonfiction and are moving to the regular nonfiction shelves.     

The YA PB collection is being changed to YA F.   This change will take some time to complete so during the transition, pay particular attention to the call number on the catalog record and the spine label of each book when determining where to find and/or shelve it.

An article on the state of publishing and the future of print and digital books. PDF and web versions are linked below. The online version has some interesting interactive features.

Web

http://www.economist.com/news/essays/21623373-which-something-old-and-powerful-encountered-vault

PDF

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6lTezDMYi83NWFodGY1Z3dmcTg/view?usp=sharing

Library PC use will no longer be blocked by excessive fines and other conditions that would prevent a patron from borrowing materials. The PC use flow charts have been updated to reflect this and other recent changes related to computer use. The flow charts should clarify most of the questions –when to issue a guest pass vs. a computers-only card, for example– surrounding this issue. Please let me know if you have questions.

Eric

Here is a bit of humor from Buzzfeed.

The 2015 Holidays and Closings schedule has been approved by the Library Board and is now accessible under Staff Resources.

Please note that in 2015 the library will be open Mother’s Day, the Sunday before Memorial Day, and the Sunday before Labor Day. In the past, we’ve been closed these days.