Author: Megan Sockness

I created a training worksheet to help everyone become familiar with various features of the PowerPac. The goal of the training is to make staff more comfortable with showing patrons how to perform searches and help them access their account information.

Although you do not need to record your answers or turn in a completed form, I encourage everyone to work through the following document, when you have time, to become familiar with the PowerPac before we go live on December 21.

Training Document:  https://tinyurl.com/2s3dw9vk

Link to PowerPac: https://catalog.johnstonlibrary.com/polaris/default.aspx

If you have questions or can’t find something, please talk to your supervisor.

Hello All,

JPL will be hosting its 2nd Read Local Author Fair on Saturday, February 24th. Right now through January 13, JPL is accepting applications from local published authors who would like to be a part of the event.

Information about the rules for author’s wishing to participate and the application is currently available on our website.

https://www.johnstonlibrary.com/local-author-fair-rules

Please direct any questions to Beth or Megan.

I worked on the YS Tablets today. I have removed SureLock and replaced it with a restricted access user account. All 3 tablets have identical apps.

If for some reason a tablet gets locked, the password is 1310.

Let me know if you encounter any problems with the restricted user accounts or apps.

Thanks!

Drum roll please……

I am excited to announce that Sheila Olson has accepted the Youth Services Assistant Librarian position! Sheila comes to us from the Altoona Public Library where she was the Children’s Librarian. Prior to that she worked at JPL as an Associate in the Youth Services Department and worked at the Grimes Public Library as an Assistant Youth Services Librarian.

Sheila will begin on Monday, September 11.

Megan

Today marks the first day of the 6 Minute Reading Challenge at the YS Desk. There are timers and a box of snacks at the YS Desk. Additional snacks are located in the cabinet behind Megan’s Desk.

Kids can participate in the 6 Minute Reading Challenge 1 time per day.

When kids come to the desk, get their first name and send a slack out on the 6 Minute Challenge channel, so others are aware of who has participated.

Start their timer when they begin reading, we ask that they sit at the round tables near the YS Desk, when possible.

When their time is up, they can choose 1 snack from the snack box.

For kiddos that do not have a library card, but wish to read the same book each day, you can check out the book to our storytime account, by searching by Name: Last, First – Storytime, Megan and then place the book on the shelving behind the YS Desk. There are bookmarks in the top right drawer of the desk 🙂

I will try to touch base with people that are working at the YS Desk in the afternoons/evenings.

Thanks for your help!

JPL will be hosting an University of Iowa Practicum Student this fall.

Alexandra Bomhoff is pursuing her Masters in Library and Information Sciences at Iowa while working part-time at Des Moines Public Library as a Library Clerk.

You will see her at JPL on Mondays from 9-1 & Thursdays from 3-7pm. Her focus will be Youth Services, but she will be shadowing at various desks and learning more about all the things public libraries do!

Rose’s babies arrived on Monday, July 31. One baby weighed in at 3.94lbs & one at 4.05lbs. We are patiently waiting for more updates from Rose. Babies and mama are healthy – babies will spend about 3-4 weeks in the NICU.

Rose has submitted her resignation which will be effective August 2nd.

As many, if not all of you, already know that she is expecting twins in September. She has decided to focus on her new job of being a mommy!

She will be greatly missed!

A full-time Assistant Youth Services Librarian position will be posted soon and my hope is to have someone hired and started close to her resignation date.

Hi All:

Summer Reading is right around the corner! A copy of each log is available at each service desk if you would like to familiarize yourself with them J As always, if you have any questions, please let me know. 

Important Dates:

1^st day to pick up logs is Tuesday, May 30^th

1^st day to redeem prizes is Saturday, June 10^th  

Last day to redeem prizes in Sunday, July 30^th

Kids Summer Library Program Birth-Kids going into 5th Grade

Kids ages birth-going into 5^th grade are invited to participate in this program. Starting May 30^th, kids can come to the library to pick up all that they need for this year’s summer reading program.

Kids can pick up their activity log at any of the service desks.

Kids are asked to fill in a picture for every activity completed or for every 30 minutes of reading. 

When a level is complete (10 stars), kids can come in to pick up the prize for the completed levels. Please stamp the child’s log when a prize is redeemed.

Prizes:

LEARN:  Lanyard, Learn Badge & a Scratch-Off ticket

**Please do not pre-fill the plastic protector with the white “JPL Summer Discovery”. Have kids write their name on the tag before placing it in the plastic protector.**  

DISCOVER:  Goodie Bag & Discover Badge

The goodie bag is filled with a variety of coupons: Iowa Cubs ticket, Taco Johns Coupon, Blank Park Zoo pass, & more.

 CREATE: Activity Kit & Create Badge

This year’s activity kit is air dry clay with paint.

 READ: Prize Book & Read Badge

Each child will receive a book when they finish their log. They are free to choose from picture books, beginning reader, early chapter books, and chapter books. All of the titles are located on the shelving behind the YS desk.

 Readers are welcome to complete a bonus log and will earn a special badge and book sale coupon.   

Teen Summer Reading is for kids going into 6^th grade-12^th grade.

 Teens will be pick up their reading log and can earn points doing the following things:

Reading (points per page OR points per minute)

Reading aloud to someone (5 points per minute)

Listen to an audiobook (1 point per minute)

Watch a movie based on a book (20 pts each)

Attend a Library Program (100 pts each)

Write a book review (100 pts each)

Watch a TV series based on a book (10 pts/episode)

 When a teen comes in, have them add up their total points and write the total points they have on their sheet.  After giving them the prizes they’ve earned, date & initial where the total points are and check off the prizes that they’ve received. All prizes will be organized by point level and will be located behind the YS desk.

 Prize Levels:

300 points: Iowa Cubs Tickets

500 Points: Ticket to the Laser Tag Super Reward Party on August 4^th*

                If they make it a point to mention they will not be able to attend the party, feel free to offer them a coupon, book, or candy bar.

700 Points: Taco John’s OR Slim Chickens Coupon

900 Points: Free Book

1000 Points: Choice of Candy Bar & Entered into Grand Prize Drawing

1200+ Points: For every extra 200 pints earned, teens get an additional entry into the grand prize drawing.

 **When teens reach 500 points they receive a ticket to the Laser Tag Super Reward Party. There is a 3-ring binder containing the tickets. Please fill out the ticket-stub accordingly and give the ticket to the teen. Remind the teen that they must register and have the ticket in hand to attend the final party!

 Thank you for all of your help and hard work in preparing for summer reading!

Thank you everyone for voting for this year’s Summer Reading Bookmark Contest!

The Winners are…

We had a tie for the first age group so we had two winners for pre-k-3rd grade!

Winners have NOT been notified, but will be soon. Winners will have their bookmark professionally printed and a gift card to Beaverdale Books. The bookmarks will be passed out throughout the summer!

Voting for the 2023 Summer Reading Bookmark Contest is now open! Please vote for your favorite bookmark in each category. Winners will be announced on Monday, May 8!

https://forms.gle/ULFmmEFFuYyvVFcw9

Tonieboxes and Tonie characters are now available for check out! The tags (similar to the learning tool tags) will live near the Launchpad tags on the slat wall in YS. We have 2 kits that include a Toniebox, 2 characters, and charging pad and 5 kits that include 3 Tonies (for those that already own a Toniebox).

Each Tonie character has approx. 60 minutes of content including stories & songs. Click here to learn more about Tonies: https://lib.de.us/tonies/

Beginning Saturday, patrons can pick up an entry form to create a bookmark for the Summer Library Program Bookmark Contest.

One winner will be chosen by a select group of library staff in each of five groups: Preschool-Grade 2, Grades 3-5, Grades 6-7, Grades 8-12, and adults. Winners will have their designs turned into official summer reading bookmarks! Official entry forms can be picked up at the Youth Services Desk or downloaded from the link under “Attachments” on the event page.

https://johnston.librarycalendar.com/event/jpls-summer-discovery-bookmark-contest-27

Submissions are due on Sunday, April 30th. No late submissions will be accepted due to printing times.

The new library calendar went live today. Peg has created printed instructions to create study room reservations, meeting room requests, and how to add/edit event registrations. The links below are to trainings I recorded.

Circulation staff – please take time to watch these trainings while scheduled at the check-in desk.

PS/YS Staff – please take time to watch these trainings while off desk or when the desks are slow.

Meeting Room & Study Room Training

https://tinyurl.com/28surc7s

Event Registration Training

https://tinyurl.com/4h3z2hz9

If you have questions please feel free to reach out to Beth, Peg, or Megan.

Eric Gradeler has joined JPL as a part-time Library Guide. You will see him working the YS and PS desks on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. As you see him around the library, feel free to introduce yourself.

Beth & Megan

Picture Books on the New Kid’s Book Shelving will be shelved by category and then author within the category. Caroline made 2 book ends that have the categories listed. The top shelf will house Animals-Go. The 2nd shelf will house Growing Up-Tales. (if space allows)

Category order: Animals, Bios, Concepts, Dinos, Explore, Faves, Go, Growing Up, History, Holiday, Movement, Neighbors, Science, Stories & Tales.

Please let Megan or Molly know if you have any questions.

We have been receiving calls about Shred Day. Patrons do NOT have to register for the event.

Shred Day is scheduled for Saturday, September 10 from 9am-12pm

Patrons are asked to limit material to be shredded to 3 disposable boxes or containers per household.

Below are the Adult Summer Reading Grand Prize Winners

Sound Geek: Zach Ward

Park Explorer: Nikki Giddings

Ice Cream Lover: Mary Edwards

Winners have been notified and have until Sunday, August 7th to pick up their prize. Prizes are at the PS Desk with their names on it.

Thank you everyone for your hard work over the summer!

Zach Ward is the winner of our week #9 prize – a gift card to Hyvee. Please direct Zach to YS/PS staff to pick up her prize.

Note: Whomever gives Zach their prize, please write the date picked up and your initials on the envelope; keep the empty envelope and return it to the ASR drawer at the Ref Desk. Thanks!

Picture book shifting will begin on Sunday morning. During this time all picture books will be pulled from the shelves, organized by category, and then re-shelved alphabetically by author within each category.

Depending on how long the process takes, some picture books will be unavailable.

Molly and other circulation staff have worked on picture book pre-shelving and the changes will be made at the end of this week.

An update with the shifting and order of the categories will come out on Sunday or Monday.

Thanks!