Author: Eric Melton

Elliot and I saw an amazing magician, Nate Staniforth, Friday night. He’s from Iowa City but travels the country performing. I’m not really in tune with the world of magicians but apparently he’s a big deal. Not only was the show amazing but I learned before the show that the couple sitting next to us were his parents! His mom recalled how she took him to a magic show when he was about Elliot’s age and how immediately afterward he checked out every magic book he could from the library. It’s unfortunate that we don’t often hear about the kind of profound impact libraries have on individual’s lives–but the stories are so good when we do.

He has a new book out, which I’ve ordered. 

Here’s a video of him doing some tricks…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IS5Qt_B1ZY

It’s National Library Week. We have a few exciting happenings this week:

• Food For Fines
• Drop-In Screen Printing Workshop: National Library Week
• Peg is also working on taking photos with patrons for a national campaign called “Where Did the Library Lead You?” (see here)

We also have this gem from 2013, when I was in Ankeny, that showed up in my Facebook memories today. (Johnston folks have too much class for this sort of thing right?)

Juli has accepted a full time position as a case manager at the Lighthouse and Iowa Homeless Youth Centers. She will still be sticking around as a sub for the Ref Desk. 

And…

I am excited to announce that Abbi Waugh has accepted the position as the Public Services Assistant Librarian. She will be working Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings and every other weekend. Please help me congratulate Abbi the next time you see her!

Johnston Public Library now has notaries!

Beth, Peg, Erin, Juli and soon to be Abbi, are all notaries. We will offer this service free of charge. Info is listed on the website about this service under the Services tab. Here are the need-to-know details: 

Johnston Public Library offers notary services during most open hours. 

An email announcing the availability of teacher cards at the Library was sent to Johnston School District staff today. (For details on issuing teacher cards see Molly’s post.)

At some point, you’re likely to encounter a teacher who lives in Johnston but doesn’t qualify for a teacher card because he/she doesn’t teach in Johnston.

The primary purpose of teacher cards is to support teachers who are educating Johnston residents. (Johnston residents’ property taxes provide the bulk of the Library’s funding.)

Educators who teach kids who don’t live in Johnston–who teach in Grimes, Ankeny, or wherever–should ask the library there about establishing a similar policy.

That said, our day-to-day experience with patrons should be what dictates policy. I’m always interested in what patrons are telling you. Please keep track of feedback–feedback on teacher cards or anything else–on the notepads at each of the public desks. Ask me or get one from the office supplies cabinet if you need a new one.

All, 

The April Co-Lab is up. It’s a Q & A idea that’s a spinoff of something I saw at PLA. People start by answering one of the questions on a sticky under the Q window then move the sticky with their answer to the A window. Next, people grab a blank sticky note on the far left and write a question for someone else to answer and stick it on the Q window. 

As you walk past this display, please feel enpowered to take a look at what people have written (both in the answer stickies and question stickies) and edit if you see anything innappropriate (curse words, sexual references, etc). By edit, I mean, take the sticky note down and throw it away. 

A couple people don’t get to ruin everyone else’s fun, but… it will require a little extra supervision. 

Thanks!

New(ish) Learning Tools

The TI-84 Plus CE Graphing Calculator is ideal for high school math and science. Ideal for use in pre-algebra, algebra, and geometry equations. Also may be used for business and finance, biology, chemistry, and physics equations.

EMF “Ghost Hunting” Meter

Measures electro-magnetic field and ambient temperature.

Dowsing Rods

Solid copper dowsing rods for ghost hunting, divining water, finding gold, and more.

Learning Tools Coming Soon

Radon Detector

Barcode Scanner

Portable PA with mic

Photo Scanner w/document feeder

Stud Finder

Portable Tabletop Projection Screen

Smartphone photo lens set

Most Americans take their freedom of access to information for granted. In many countries government and its agents restrict, ban, and /or monitor some or all sources of information including television, books, print media, and Internet. The two articles linked below highlight the lengths humans will go to find truth, to be entertained, and to be connected to local and international culture. If you’re unfamiliar with the dark, Kafkaesque tactics of information suppression employed by Iran, Saudi Arabia, China, Cuba, and others both articles are worth a read (and are a good reminder of why libraries need to be strong supporters of individuals’ freedom to access the information they choose).

The Weekly Package: How Cubans deliver culture without internet

Explores Cuba’s black market in hard-drive “packages” pre-loaded with films, television series, software and other content downloaded from the web.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xoHv3u5ojcyY50SJ23RT5WyBn3yHYRD1/view?usp=sharing

The Case of Hong Kong’s Missing Booksellers

As China’s Xi Jinping consolidates power, owners of Hong Kong bookstores trafficking in banned books find themselves playing a very dangerous game.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/03/magazine/the-case-of-hong-kongs-missing-booksellers.html

Welcome Brochures are now available in French, Mizo, Swahili, and Arabic. There are printed copies at the Circulation Desk. The Unattended Child Letter and the Conduct Policy are also available in the above languages.

Library card applications have been updated to allow applicants to indicate a preferred language. This will be listed in Polaris in the Registration View under the Driver License # field.

 I’ve highlighted some of what was discussed at the March board meeting below.

*Circulation Policy

The Library Board approved addition of section on “Teacher Cards” to the Circulation Policy. The full text of the section is included below.

Teacher Cards

With acceptable identification, teacher cards will be issued to:

• Johnston public or private school teachers
• Homeschool teachers who reside in Johnston
• Preschool or daycare teachers who work in a facility or home in Johnston

Acceptable Identification

• School or childcare facility identification
• School or childcare pay stub
• Letter on school or childcare letterhead from the school administrator or childcare director
• Paperwork related to homeschooling
• Childcare certification

Teacher cards are not assessed overdue fees for books or audiobooks. Standard late fees apply to all other materials.

Teacher cards are assessed fees for lost or damaged materials.

Teacher cards are made in the name of the individual applicant but are separate from an applicant’s personal account.

Teachers must use their personal card to borrow materials intended for personal use.

Teacher cards expire every year. Renewal requires verification of continued employment via a form of identification listed above.

*Adventure Passes

We have an opportunity to participate in the “Adventure Pass” program developed by Cheryl at the Grimes Public Library. The program allows patrons to “check out” passes to local attractions that are purchased in advance by their public library. Each pass works for a family of four, once per year for each institution. The Foundation has agreed to fund the purchase of two passes each for the Science Center and Blank Park Zoo and one pass for Living History Farms. The service will go live before summer.

For  more details, remember that current and past board agendas and documents are located under Staff Resources or at http://catalog.johnstonlibrary.com/board/

We are one site in the city for Metro Waste Authority’s plastic bag swap. Anyone who brings in plastic bags for the bin is welcome to take a reusable bag. (I don’t expect staff to chase down and retrieve reusable bags taken by patrons who haven’t turned-in plastic bags. ) 

Thre three slideshows presented at today’s meeting are linked below.

Emergency Procedures

Beth PLA

Eric PLA

If you ever have a chance, please do shelf-reading in the juvenille non-fiction section.  I don’t remember where I left off the last time, but I had to do a lot of shifting.  As far as I remember, the 600 is a good place to start. 

Megan, Beth and I have prepared a few talking points to address common patron grumbles. Grumbles = patron complaint where no immediate action is available. If the patron is still using the library and another patron’s behavior is encroaching on their ability to enjoy the library, that is a situation we want to know about, so we can remedy the problem.  Circ should let PS or YS so they can apply any applicable conduct procedures.

There is a link to the document in Staff Resources.

Please ask your supervisor if you have questions.

Video of three of the big PLA conference speakers is available online for a limited time (for the wimps that didn’t make it because of weather). Tim Wu’s talk was very thought provoking. 

• Elizabeth Gilbert
• Tim Wu
• Steve Pemberton

https://livestream.com/accounts/7595903/events/8120373

Hi All, 

Here’s a brief study room refresher should you receive questions from patrons: 

• Study Room 1, 2, 3 and 4 are available for reservations. 
• Patrons may make one advance reservation per week. Study rooms may be used more than once per calendar week, but it needs to be on a first-come, first-served basis, i.e. walk-in. Our meeting room calendar week begins on Sunday and ends on Saturday. 
• We do not put time-limit restrictions on the length of time a person may use a study room per day. 
• We would never ask a person to leave who is using a study room because someone calls or asks in person about reserving a study room that day. That being said, if a room is empty, a person may make a study room reservation on the day of use. 
• Study room reservations may be made via the website under the events and meetings link. 

Thanks! Please feel free to ask Beth or Peg if you have questions. 

This handsome 3 year old boy belongs to a daughter of the foundation president. He’s front declawed. He’s not thrilled about being pet but likes to curl up next to people or sit on their laps and purr. The daughter’s rommates have cats that are picking on him so he’s in need of a new home. Let me know if you’re interested. 

This afternoon, patrons with over $5 in fines will receive a message like the one shown below. You may receive calls from patrons with questions about their fines and about food-for-fines.

Pay your overdue fees with non-perishable food items during National Library Week (April 7-15).

One food item pays $1 in fees.

Fees for damaged or lost items cannot be paid with food.

Please reply to this message with questions. 

We will be having a Food for Fines Drive during National Library Week, April 7-15. During this week, patrons may bring in 1 non-perishable food item in exchange for $1.00 of library fines. This does not apply to lost or missing items, just late fees. 

Thanks to everyone for helping promote our Playway collection! We began adding new Playaway titles after a long hiatus in October/November 2017. Circulation counts are still small (partly due to the small collection size) but the relative increase is pretty remarkable (especially given that Feb. 2018 was our slowest month in years). If you’re still unfamiliar with Playaways, take a look at this, ask a coworker, or check one out.