Category: All-Library News

Per the city ordinance, the library must submit an annual report to the city council after the end of each fiscal year. Kelly McAlister, the current board president, presented the report at the city council work session last night. A link to the report is included below.

https://board.johnstonlibrary.com/2021-08/10%20FY21%20Annual%20Report%20to%20Council.pdf

Hello All,
We’re going to tighten up our system for in-house “check-outs” for mobile phone chargers. If a patron wants to borrow a mobile phone charger from the PS Desk, please have them sign out the phone charger. The phone chargers are on the floor to the left of the PS computer. Right by the chargers is a green folder. Please have the person record their name and the date and time of check-out, and then write in the last four digits on the barcode of the phone charger. Please also record the time the charger is returned in the folder.

Thanks! Please ask Beth if you have questions.

JPL had a mobile printing system called PrinterON that allows people to email or upload documents from home, and then come in to the building, input their email addresses in the print release computer, and pay for and print their jobs. For awhile now the system has been very buggy and not working correctly.

For this reason, we have made the decision to discontinue mobile printing services offered through the JPL website. If you speak to someone on the phone who is interested in emailing a document to print, you can either transfer the call over to the person working at the Ref Desk  or give the person the following information:

1. Please email all documents for printing to ps@johnstonlibrary.org with the subject heading Print Request.
2. PS staff will sort any emails with that subject heading into an email folder where they will stay until the patron comes in to the library to pick up (and pay for) their print jobs.
3. Print jobs will NOT be printed in advance but rather printed at the time the patron comes in to pay for the job.

Laminated cards with the ps@johnstonlibrary.org email address are at the Circ and PS desk for quick refreshers. Thanks! Ask Beth or your supervisor if you have any questions.

Kris from the Tiffin Public Library is coming today or tomorrow to pick up the cart shown below. It’s near the shredding bin outside my office.

Final reminder about the FREE symphony pops concerts this weekend at Waterworks Park near Gray’s Lake.  Saturday the 4th at 7:30 with Aretha Franklin music, and Sunday the 5th at 7:30 with John Williams music.

This week, we’ll be prepping for installation of new furniture in the circulation area which starts a week from today. If you need help finding something while things are displaced, ask Molly or myself.

I ordered 10 at-home Covid-19 tests from Test Iowa. If you’ve been exposed or think you’ve been exposed and need a test, let me know.

We will return to publishing When to Work monthly rather than weekly. The monthly schedule will be published on the 21st of the month going forward.

Just a reminder to re-use padded envelopes and boxes when returning materials via the AEA van. There is a blue basket of used padded envelopes near Lori E.’s cubicle (under the picture book labels) that you are free to take.

I encourage you to ask Lori E., Ann, or Lori F. if you need interlibrary mailing supplies. They’ll help you find materials you can re-use. We keep costs down and help the environment by re-using materials as much as possible before delving into our supply of new materials.

A wallet belonging to Tyler Skow was found in the parking lot today, 8/24 and turned in by a patron. Tyler does not have a library card so has not been contacted. The wallet is locked up in the gray cabinet in the workroom.
Thanks, Beth

The Teen Space is officially open!

Teen Space Hours:
Monday-Thursday 3-6pm
Friday 3-5:30pm

Rules:

• Respect yourself. Respect others. Respect the space.
• Please don’t swear or use harmful language.
• Snacks and covered drinks are welcome. 
• The Teen Space is a cuddle-free zone. 
• Play fighting is never permitted.
• For teens in 6th grade-12th grade.

The Teen Space will be staffed during open hours, and will be locked when the space is closed.

Furniture, laptops, and other pieces of equipment are delayed, but will be added when items arrive.

I had a Panera snack with Abbi Waugh, former JPL librarian yesterday, and she said to tell everyone hello.  She is enjoying working at the downtown library in the tech services department, and her daughter Eleanor starts school at the downtown school this week.

Our second remote, drive-up book drop has been installed at Horizon Elementary. We’ll begin promoting it on social media next week.

If someone calls to ask about donating materials for the book sale, please let them know that we are not accepting donations at this time.

• The book sale room will remain open.
• If someone shows up with donations, we will accept them.
  • At the Circulation Desk, there is a black cart labeled donations. Please place the donations on the cart.
  • At the end of the day or as the cart gets full, Circ staff will put them in the closet in the West Meeting Room.