Category: All-Library News

September’s Sunday Card Crafting Club kits are now available for pickup at the Reference Desk. I have emailed patrons who were unable to collect their kits on Sunday. Patrons have through Tuesday, September 13 to collect their card kits.

I am putting in a plug for the #buildingmaintenace slack channel. This is a great place to share non-emergency building issues. When you share an issue on this channel everyone will be on the same page. Here are some great ways it is being used:

• To list when a cleaning supply/paper project is out. For instance “Soap dispenser in YS bathroom is empty” or “I just used the last box of kleenex from the custodian’s closet”
• To list non-emergency messes “Patron reported markings on the building” or “Clogged Toilet in women’s restroom”

Guidelines:

• If you completely take care of the issue and there is nothing else needed, you do not need to list it on Slack.
• If you take some steps to handle an issue, but follow-up is needed, please list the issue and what you have done. For instance “Clogged toilet in women’s restroom. Put an out-of-order sign on the stall door.”
• Depending on the urgency of the message, the Librarian in Charge and/or Molly&Eric will respond to the slack when action has been taken.

The September issue of Book Page has been delayed until on or around September 9th. I will distribute it as soon as it comes in. Thanks!

One of our September Book Displays is Staff Picks & I would love it if you all would consider freshening up your book picks.  I have some of us well represented, but I would love to have all or as many of our current staff members represented with book choices in the display.  I will be refilling the display regularly & will keep checking back to see if there have been new additions to the recommended book lists.  Thanks for your help!

I thought I would let everyone know about the upcoming Des Moines Symphony concerts next weekend at the Lauridsen Amphitheater at Waterworks Park in Des Moines.  Saturday the 3rd at 7:30 PM features music of Whitney Houston with Rashidra Scott as vocal soloist, and Sunday the 4th at 7:30 PM features music of Hollywood.  Both concerts are free, so please make plans with your family and friends to attend!

Waterworks Park is located at 2251 George Flagg Pkwy in Des Moines.

Yesterday, I had a snack at the Johnston Panera with Abbi Waugh, a former JPL staff member, and she said to tell everyone hello.  She is enjoying working at the downtown library as a cataloging librarian.

We have new cell phone chargers at the reference desk. They are in the same spot that the old ones were. These new chargers have USB-A and USB-C ports. Eric has also ordered Micro USB adaptors that can go on the USB-C ports for older android phones. The Micro USB adapters are in a little cup that is to the right of the ref computer in a drawer labeled Adaptors.

The process for letting patrons borrow chargers has not changed. Please have patrons sign-out the chargers by writing their name in the white binder and then writing the last 4 numbers of the barcode on the charger.

We still have a couple chargers from the old charger set. I suggest staff use those chargers if they need to charge their phones. The old phone chargers are behind the reference desk but closer to the print release station.

I’m happy to give anyone who wants it a little walk-though tour of the changes. Just ask if you’re interested.
Thanks,

Beth

Time sheets are due this week. Please turn them in by closing time on Friday, August 26. Thanks!

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.

Fuad found a black LG cellphone in the back of the library and turned it in. It has a cracked face. We’ll keep it at the ref desk for the remainder of the day and then put it in the gray cabinet if it hasn’t been picked up by the end of the night tonight (8/18).

Due to my son’s new school schedule, we will not be holding the all-staff meeting normally scheduled for next week. We’ll resume bi-monthly, all-staff meetings next month. More information forthcoming.

https://www.dmsymphony.org/concerts-events/bernadette-peters-in-concert/

Be sure to purchase your tickets for the Bernadette Peters concert on Thursday, September 8th at 7:30 PM at the Civic Center downtown Des Moines.

Please make plans to come to Lauridsen Amphitheater at Waterworks Park in Des Moines Labor Day weekend to hear music of Whitney Houston (Saturday the 3rd at 7:30 PM) and of Hollywood (Sunday the 4th at 7:30 PM).  Both concerts are FREE!

https://www.dmsymphony.org/concerts-events/the-music-of-whitney-houston/

https://www.dmsymphony.org/concerts-events/hooray-for-hollywood/

Please check the symphony website for more information about the upcoming season:  https://www.dmsymphony.org/  We have The Planets, Tchaikovsky’s Sixth Symphony, Saint-Seans Cello Concerto No. 1, and American in Paris, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the music of Queen, and more!

Good Afternoon,

As expected, the CDC updated its COVID guidance this afternoon.

Effective today, vaccination status is irrelevant as it relates to quarantining.

Quarantining/Isolating is no longer required UNLESS you have tested positive for COVID, or you are sick and suspect you have COVID but haven’t received test results yet.

If you have been exposed to COVID, you should wear a high-quality mask for 10 days, and get tested on day 5.

If you test positive for COVID, you must stay home for 5 days and isolate from others in your home and in public.  If after 5 days you have been fever-free for 24 hours without the use of medications, and your symptoms are improving, or you never had symptoms, you may end isolation after day 5, and wear a mask through day 10.

If you had moderate illness (shortness of breath of difficulty breathing) or if you had severe illness (hospitalized) you need to isolate through day 10.

If you end isolation and your COVID symptoms worsen, you start over at day 0.

They also updated the language to emphasize “that physical distance is just one component of how to protect yourself and others.  It is important to consider the risk in a particular setting, including local COVID-19 Community Levels and the important role of ventilation, when assessing the need to maintain physical distance”.

Thanks,

Cyndee

Mississippi Mud brownies

6 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1 cup unsalted butter

1-1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup dutch process coca powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups sugar

5 eggs

3/4 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Topping:

3/4 cup marshmallow creme

1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 13×9 inch baking pan with aluminum foil sling and grease the foil.  Melt the unsweetened chocolate and butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, then cool slightly.  Combine flour, cocoa, and salt in another bowl; stir eggs and sugar together in another bowl.  Stir the melted chocolate mixture into the sugar and eggs, then stir in the flour mixture.  Fold in the pecans if using, and pour batter evenly into prepared pan.  Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean with wet crumbs attached, about 35 minutes.  Place on wire rack.

Spoon marshmallow creme over hot brownies, and let sit for about a minute.  Melt chocolate chips and oil, and spread cream over the brownies.  Then drizzle the melted chocolate over the cream.  Let cool for about two hours before serving.  Freezes well.

If you or others you know are allergic to gluten, feel free to use any chocolate brownie recipe in a 13×9 in pan, and follow the directions for the topping.

Brownies for my birthday (which is actually August 13th) are in the breakroom.  Please help yourself when you have a chance.

Sunday Card Crafting Club kits will now be available at the Reference Desk.

Lori French