Category: All-Library News

Hello everyone,

Reminder tomorrow is the Employee Holiday Party!! City Hall will close from 11:30-1:00 for everyone to attend! Food will be provided but feel free to bring a side to share if you like 😊! If you can, please bring a non-perishable food item to donate to the Jonston Partnership & help us spread some holiday cheer!

Staff that are regularly scheduled to work can speak to their supervisor about attending – we will need at least three staff here as the library will remain open.
Staff that are not regularly scheduled are encouraged to come on their own time and enjoy the festivities and food with city / library co-workers.

Ann is retiring after this week! Please swing by the staff break room to enjoy a treat and to add an Ann JPL memory or two to the book so she won’t forget about us!

The library has agreed to be the pick up and drop off point for a present drive that has been arranged by the Johnston Middle School Student Council. People are invited to pick an ornament from the tree, purchase an item and return the items to the library. We will gather them in a tub in Molly’s office. Gifts should be returned to the library by December 22nd.

If patrons have questions beyond the instructions below, there is contact information on the poster by the tree to email for further information.

Here is information from the Johnston Student Council members:

• The ornaments contain a category and an item from the UnityPoint Amazon wish list (things like blankets, games, books etc.)
• All items purchased should be new and unused
• People are encouraged to wrap toys, board games, or puppets and tape the ornament to the outside of the gift so the girls know what is inside and can distribute it accordingly
• Other items like blankets, bottles, etc. do not need to be wrapped
• They created signage with QR Codes that direct people to the UnityPoint Wish List and a poster with additional details about the program
• The students will pick up the gifts on Saturday, December 23

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.

During the remainder of December, patrons will begin turning in their Ultimate Reading Challenge logs. We have decided that they will collect the logs at the Circ Desk since this is a place that should always have backup. I have printed copies of the prize instructions and put them at each desk. The PDF instructions are here: How to Give Out Prizes for Ultimate Reading Challenge. If you have patrons who seem flexible I would love a photo of Ultimate Reading Challenge winners holding their new JPL Book Bag–only if patrons feel like it. 😉

Please ask Beth if you have questions. Thank you for your help!

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.

As the busy holiday season approaches, here are a few tips for handling Holds.

*Please remember to trap all holds for patrons and put the items on the Holds shelf, even when someone calls and claims she is on her way to the library to get the book. This way, all items are accounted for if the patron has a change of plans and comes the next day (or the next week or never).

*Please remember to print an extra Holds slip for Learning Tools and video games and put it in an empty case on the Holds shelf for patrons to find and bring to the desk to retrieve their items.

*Please don’t put items on the shelf with ILLs and Learning Tools if they are not officially on hold for a patron because even if he or she comes in that day to pick it up, the next person at the circulation desk won’t necessarily know where to find it. Because staff at the circ desk is constantly rotating, all held materials need to be placed in a standard location according to library procedures. (If an exception is made, for example, setting aside a book for someone who is coming in that day and needs to make a library card first, put the book and a dated note explaining the situation on the white cart behind the circ desk where Lori places new Holds to be shelved.)

*If a patron requests an extension on a hold pick-up, please follow these guidelines:
1. Check the holds queue to see if there are other holds on the item. If there are, you can grant one extra day for pickup if circumstances warrant it. If there aren’t other holds on the item, you can grant up to five extra days for pickup.
2. If you tell a patron they can have more time, you need to change the “unclaimed” date in Polaris. Do not just write a note on the holds slip or move the item to the held ILL/Learning Tools shelf. Otherwise, the item still moves to unclaimed on the original date and this sets off a chain of actions that can be hard to undo if promises have been made to patrons. Also, if a different staff member is here when the patron arrives to pick up the item, no one will know where to find it if it’s not where it’s supposed to be.
3. To change the unclaimed date, double click or right click on the item in the patron’s account to open the Hold Request page. In the upper right-hand corner, you will see the Unclaimed Date. Change this to the new unclaimed date and save. The “Hold Until” date should then update on the patron’s account as well. (Note: This only works if the item hasn’t already moved to unclaimed.)

If you have questions about any of this now or when one of the above situations comes up, please ask. It’s important that everyone follows the same procedures for Holds so that items don’t fall through the cracks and materials for patrons are readily available when they come to pick them up.

Thank you!

Lately,we have started receiving requests from those patrons who love to have our withdrawn magazines. TS withdraws older issues of magazines, and in the past this has happened in January.  Beginning this year we are moving that process to the month of  July.

If you receive requests for withdrawn magazines, you may pass this information on to the patron, or take their contact information and I will email or call them. Thanks for your help!

I just pushed out an email to our rural resident library card holders. Please be prepared for questions.

The Christmas/Holiday CDs are now on display (with overflow CDs on the black cart) at Circ 2. As CDs are returned, they can be returned to the display and empty spots can also be filled with the overflow.

In addition to seeking input from staff regarding what you would like to see in the next JPL Director, the Library Board of Trustees is also seeking input from community members. The survey that was shared with staff to provide feedback about what you want in the next director, will also be made available to community members. It will go out in a Facebook post tonight and will be in the JPL e-newsletter on Thursday.

For some people, this may come as the fist time that they are hearing that Eric is no longer at JPL. Here’s a refresher script you can use should you be asked for more details over the phone or in person about why Eric left or what he is doing professionally.

Eric left JPL in May.
The Library Board has enlisted the help of a hiring firm that specializes in connecting great leaders with great libraries.
(if still being pressed for more info…)
I don’t have any other info, but if you would like I can get you our Interim Director Molly Guerra’s contact info.

Thanks!

https://forms.office.com/r/3s8LgazXhM

Please try the link above to provide your input on the library director search. The deadline is December 12 at 5 pm.

Molly

Our consultants at Bradbury Miller Associates are excited to begin the work to find the next Library Director at Johnston Public Library. The firm has existed since 1983 as an executive search firm dedicated to helping libraries find leaders. They would like the opportunity to connect and learn more about us and the future of our library. Please feel free to share your thoughts and opinions using this link: https://forms.office.com/r/3s8LgazXhM. The survey should take about five minutes to complete and will be available until 5:00 pm Tuesday, December 12, 2023.     

Hello All!  Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Here is a long overdue  Molly’s JPL Heads Up!

Library Director Search Update: 

The library director search committee has had their first meeting. From what I hear, everyone is very excited to be working with the recruiting firm, Bradbury Miller, and they are impressed with their level of preparation and professionalism.

The search committee will be sending a link to all staff sometime during the first two weeks of December to gather input from staff. I will let  you know when that link goes out, but just a heads up that a link is coming soon. Department heads will meet with Bradbury Miller via Zoom to provide additional feedback.

The goal is to have the position posted in January and February. The final interviews will be conduced in the middle of April. So if everything stays on track, we are looking to welcome our next director to JPL around May or June.

I will keep you posted as we move through the process.

Library Website and Online Catalog:

We are making great progress on the new website and online catalog. We have just seen the first draft of the new website (today!), and I am very encouraged with how it is looking. The new website will go live on December 22nd. During the last two weeks of December, library staff will have ample opportunities to view the draft of the website and get comfortable. We have have some trainings available.

The online catalog (Power PAC) is coming along very well. As a reminder the online catalog is available to use now. It is live, and fully functional if you would like to practice using it. The link is on the Intranet under Patron Resources. Or the link is here

I have had heard a few questions about the future of the Intranet and some of the processes we do through the intranet. I do anticipate that some of our processes will be changing slightly as we roll out the website, and I assure you that we will train staff on those changes. Now that we have access to a draft the website (today!), we are going to be working long and hard to get forms set up and procedures documented and shared with staff. Some of our processes will remain on the intranet and not be impacted immediately by the website.

Finally, my message is that this rollout will be a learning curve for us all. We are doing our best to get things ready, but there will be quirks that come up after December 22nd when the website goes live. I look at December 22nd as the beginning of our adventure with the new website and Power PAC, not the final destination. As staff and library users live in the website and Power PAC, we will work to adjust and improve the experience for everyone.

Building Maintenance

Twelve windows on the north wall were replaced last week.

In December, Peterson Painting will be doing extensive drywall and painting work at the library. We will keep you posted on Slack so you know what to expect, but there may be small areas closed off to staff and patrons as they work.

Final Notes 

I couldn’t be more lucky to work here at JPL with you all. Thank you for all you do. If you ever have questions or would like more information  about the why behind something, I love, love, love to talk library and my door is always open. Please come visit with me.

Molly

Come and enjoy the Johnston Employee Holiday Party!

Staff that are regularly scheduled to work can speak to their supervisor about attending – we will need at least three staff here as the library will remain open.

Staff that are not regularly scheduled are encouraged to come on their own time and enjoy the festivities and food with city / library co-workers.

We received our first call this morning regarding the program formerly known as Star Cards. This program has morphed into Johnston Gives and is administered by the Johnston Partnership. You may learn more here: Johnston Gives 2023 | Johnston Partnership