Category: All-Library News

Instructions for Federal 1040 & 1040-SR have arrived. As well as a small quantity of Federal 1040-SR forms. I’ve printed 50 copies of the Federal 1040 form and 50 of the Iowa 1040. Additional copies will be arriving in the near future, in the meantime, just print forms (only) from the Federal and State websites. The links are available on the JPL website.

We will not be holding an all-staff meeting this Thursday.

Remember that during this pay period, January 15-28, that the library was closed on Monday, January 16 in observance of MLK Day.

DMX – 1_17_2023 3_50PM – DSS Packet

Please help yourself to a triple chocolate cookie in the breakroom when you get a chance.  They are in a ziploc bag, and Andrew made them.

I’d like to invite all staff to attend (on the clock of course) the Iowa Libraries Online Conference on Thursday, January 26th, 9am – 7pm in the Archive Room.

The conference has several sesssions so please take a look at the schedule and attend those you’re most interested in.

There is a cart of withdrawn magazines close to the employee entrance.  Please take what you want! I’ll be adding a few more next week and then they are headed for recycling.

Thanks!

Lori

Andrew will be playing the cello in the Des Moines Symphony Masterworks 4 concert set in early February, and here is a link to purchase tickets:  https://my.desmoinesperformingarts.org/0/6347.

We are playing Mahler’s Fifth Symphony, Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto with Kevin Zhu as soloist, and Seven O’Clock Shout by Valerie Coleman.  The Coleman works honors Covid-19 heroes.

As you probably know, Andrew will be playing in the Des Moines Symphony’s production of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire on Friday, January 27th at 7:30 PM, and Saturday, January 28th, at 1:30 PM at the Civic Center downtown.  As of 1/5/23 at 10:53 AM, there are two seats available for the Friday night performance, and more but not a lot available for the Saturday performance.  If you wish to attend, NOW is the time to purchase your tickets!  After you purchase tickets, they should be available 72 hours prior to your desired performance.

https://desmoinesperformingarts.org/events/harry-potter-and-the-goblet-of-fire/

Thank you to all those who donated vases for the upcoming adult craft!  You have given a fabulous selection of sizes and styles and I know our patrons are going to have an amazing time up-cycling these!

Thanks again!

Lori E and Riddhi

When patrons makes a study room reservation for themselves through the new calendar, the system titles these reservations with just the name of the study room (e.g. Study Room 2) rather than what our old calendar did which was to include the first name of the patron (e.g. Study Room Reservation for Beth S.). We don’t have a way to change this in the new calendar.

If you create a study room reservation for a patron through the new calendar, go ahead and let the title of the study room reservation default to the name of the room.

Additionally, when we open the library and write reservations on study room windows and on the white board, reservations will now no longer show the person’s name, but the date and time of the reservation. If there is a question about who has actually reserved the room, PS staff can login and look at the contact info details.

Thanks!
Ask Beth, Peg or Megan if you have questions.

Hello All,
JPL will be hosting a Read Local Author Fair  on Saturday February 25th. Right now through January 21, JPL is accepting applications from local published authors who would like to be a part of the event.

Just wanted to bring this to everyone’s attention should you get asked about it. Information about the rules for author’s wishing to participate and the participation form is currently available on our website by clicking on the image on the homepage of our website.

More information about the event itself as well as the rules and participation form can be found by clicking through the buttons on this link: https://www.johnstonlibrary.com/local-author-fair/

Thanks! Please direct any questions to Beth or Megan.

Ultimate Reading Challenge Booklets and the Bonus Bookmarks for those who want it are now available behind the Circ Desk. There is no sign-up for the year-long Ultimate Reading Challenge. If someone wants to participate, they simply need to take the booklet (and Bonus Bookmark if they want it). All instructions are inside the Booklet. Reminder that the Ultimate Reading Challenge is for adults 18 and older.
Ask Beth or Stephanie if you have questions.

Please let Beth or PS staff know if it looks like the supply is getting low.
Thank you!

Thank you so much for all the help you give to our patrons in ordering ILLs.  We get a lot of positive feedback and appreciation for this service!

When a patron wishes to read a whole series or watch multiple seasons of a show, it is very helpful to place these holds individually ( by title or single season).  For instance, instead of placing a request for The Office: seasons 1-3 as one single ILL request, place three separate requests.  Understandably, this can be very time consuming.  No problem, just send Lori E an email or a note and I will place them for you!

Because we can never predict when a borrowed item will arrive, or how long we can keep it, it is helpful to know if the patron would like to receive the items in a specific order and/or paced time frame.  We will do our best to accommodate those requests.

Lastly, while you have the patron in front of you, perhaps verify their preferred method and accuracy of notification.  It’s sad to see an ILL go unclaimed.  Questions?  Ask  Lori E or anyone in TS. We are happy to help!

Thank you again!

Rose’s new email address is kaiser@johnstonlibrary.com. Messages to hebron@johnstonlibrary.com will be forwarded to the new address.

We’ve received a couple of inquiries about recycling Christmas lights. We are not a drop-off location. Metro-area drop off locations are listed below.

• Clive Public Library
• East Side Library – Des Moines Public Library
• Central Library – Des Moines Public Library
• South Side Library – Des Moines Public Library
• Grimes Public Library
• Norwalk Easter Public Library
• Urbandale Public Library

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.