Category: Uncategorized

Just as a quick reminder, the Johnston Historical Museum is closed from December 1 to April 1, 2015. 

The museum phone number is 515-331-0687.

The museum is the white house that is next door to us (by the Simpson Barn).

YS Computer Lounge

• The YS PCs are back up and running
• The wires will be cleaned up and covered soon
• The sliding doors came damaged -new ones will arrive and be installed in a couple of weeks
• The new lounge furniture will arrive December 23rd
• New plastic computer chairs will arrive the week of January 5th

Old Book Drop

• Patrons are welcome to use this space as a study room until the new technology is installed
• New technology will include equipment and software to digitize photos, slides, film negatives, audio cassettes, VHS, VHS-C, and maybe 8mm
• Target date for making this technology available to the public is February

Over the next few weeks, all city departments will have their phone systems upgraded. The library is tentatively scheduled for next Thursday (12/18). This will likely mean our phones will be down that day. Once the upgrade is complete, we’ll be exploring the system’s new capabilities such as automated menus. 

Ackelson Sheet Metal will be coming sometime this week to pick up four of our black leather chairs (to turn into a sofa). Someone walking out with chairs this week=ok. Any other week=not ok.

Eric

Our new glass walls will be installed Monday -not Tuesday. Sorry about the confusion (I’ve been telling everyone it was Tuesday). I don’t really want to come in Sunday, so I’ll be taking the PCs down and moving furniture either today or Friday. The kids are free to use the PCs in the east half of the building until the YS PCs are back up on Tuesday or Wednesday.

• The library will offer popcorn tin prizes for Holidays in Johnston beginning Saturday December 6.
• Selected titles that have been designated popcorn prize winners will be on hold in Polaris for ‘ POPCORN TINS – PRIZEWINNER’.   When a customer brings the item to the desk and staff scan it for checkout, the system will respond with a blocking note 

• Respond ‘Yes’ .    Polaris will then display a second blocking note asking if you wish to reset the hold -click No

• Respond ‘No” as you do not need to reset the hold.  The item will now be checked out to the customer at the desk.
• There will be a printed list of all prize winning titles behind the front desk.   Please be sure to note the prize winner’s name beside the appropriate title and remember, only one prize winner per family.
• Prize winners cannot be checked out at Express Check.   Customers attempting to do so will get a message “Unable to check out.  Please see staff member for assistance”.   These will need to be checked out by staff at the front desk. 
• When doing the daily ‘Clean Holds’ report, ignore any unclaimed holds for POPCORN TINS – PRIZEWINNER, HOLIDAYS IN JOHNSTON.   

2015 flex plan enrollment forms are due Friday, December 12th. Please place completed forms in the in-box on my desk.

http://catalog.johnstonlibrary.com/staff/drupal/index.php?q=filedepot_download/1430/29

The form sent to the schools states all entries have to be turned in to the library by Nov. 29 and Nov. 30.  The entries do not have to be in to the library until Friday, Dec. 5th. So, expect a lot of entries to come in on Sunday.  Staff who will receive entries have already been sent an email with explicit instructions on how to handle the entries.  Please call me or read the email if you have any questions.  I’ve shown Shery Start how to process an entry.  I will work Monday and will double check with everyone then.

Eric has asked me to share some tips about Excel at an upcoming staff meeting.  If you have particular questions about Excel, please let me know, and I’ll do my best to address them.

Thanks.

Dreama

Minutes from the October and November staff meetings are now available via the link below…

http://catalog.johnstonlibrary.com/staff/docs/staff-meeting-minutes/2014/

In addition to Starcards, we also have Johnston Partnership for a Healthy Community Pantry lists in a bookmark holder at the Circulation Desk. They say

“Help those in need in our community this holiday season by donating non-perishable food items and/or personal items. Items will be distributed through the Johnston Food Pantry and Friday Friends, a program that sends food home over the weekend for school children who experience food insecurity.”

The bookmarks contain food items as well as personal items that are in need for these two organizations. 

Patrons may take bookmarks in addition to starcards, or in place of a starcard. 

Thanks!

Hi,

Please turn in your timesheet as soon as you can. 

I will work on them Saturday morning, early…please make sure it is as accurate as possible, since none of you will be here to ask if I have questions!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Missy

I have set the three AWE stations in Youth Services to shut down five minutes before closing each night.  The AWE station in the carrel will turn itself on in the morning, but the other two must be turned on manually.  They will log in automatically, so there is nothing more to do once you turn them on.

Dreama

Poll results show January 2nd, 2015 as the most popular date for the staff gathering.  So here’s the plan…

            El Rodeo       7420 Douglas Ave               6:30pm-7:45pm

                        (ok to arrive earlier for Happy Hour)

            Merle Hay Lanes    505 MH Mall            8:00-10:00pm

                        Group reservation for 20 bowlers = $10/per bowler

                        If we have less than 20 bowlers, $3.75/game + $2.25/shoes

Please RSVP on the sign-up sheet in the break room by Wed., December 3rd!

The mental health speaker from Oct. staff meeting brought small suicide prevention pamphlets. 

At the Reference Desk (inside the Master black binder) you will find:

• suicide prevention pamphlet
• brochure about Crisis Observation Center
• Polk County Health Services Provider List (current as of Sept. 2014)

Suicide Prevention brochures will also be kept at

• Circulation (Peg is deciding where to put them)
• In the Green ‘hut’ by the back up desks (contains the bandaids, defibulator, etc)
• On the bulletin board in the staff lounge

Click here for the contest form.

Please contact Cheryl or Eric with any questions.

If patrons want to bring their houses in as early as Wednesday, December 3rd that is okay with us.

The latest we will be taking entries up until 12:00PM on Saturday, December 6

Extra forms will be over at Reference.  So, when houses come in let them know to speak to a Reference staff person. 

The Reference staff person will be the one to register and number the entries.

Please also read the form so you are familiar with the details of contest.

Meeting Room Policy

• The purpose of the Library’s meeting rooms is to provide space for library programs and events, and civic, cultural, educational, and informational meetings.

• Use of the meeting rooms does not imply Library endorsement of ideas expressed in the meetings or of the goals and objectives of the organizations using the facilities.

• Meeting room use is granted on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations are taken not more than six months in advance.

• Meeting rooms are available during regular library hours. Some rooms may be available earlier than library opening hours but meetings may not go beyond library closing time.

• Groups may hold meetings once per calendar month at no charge. A fee of $20.00/hour will be charged for subsequent meetings held in the same calendar month.

• Forums or informational meetings for potential elected officials are allowed, but no attendee names, addresses, email addresses, or other personal information may be gathered at the time of the meeting. No handbills, campaign literature, or other items intended to solicit votes may be distributed at the meeting.

• Meeting room facilities may be used for traditional meetings only (i.e. a sit-down gathering between a group of individuals during which a discussion or presentation occurs). Crafts, movie screenings, physical activities, and other non-traditional meetings require pre-approval from library staff.

• Rooms are not available for private parties.

• Sales, solicitation of later sales, order placement, or fundraising in the Library’s meeting rooms are prohibited except for events that benefit the Library.

• Under adequate notice and for sufficient reason, the Library reserves the right to revoke permission to use the meeting room.

• Food and non-alcoholic beverages may be served in the Large Meeting Room, the West Meeting Room or the East Meeting Room.

• All rooms are set in a standard room set-up and groups are responsible for returning the room to the standard set-up. Groups will be charged for labor and materials to cover the cost of resetting the room, damage to the room or library equipment, or extraordinary room clean up that results from use.

• Meetings for children and teens must have adult supervision (no less than a 1-10 ratio).

• The Library’s Conduct in the Library Policy applies to use of the meeting rooms.

• The Library reserves the right to reschedule or cancel confirmed meeting room reservations to accommodate library-sponsored programs and events.

Please disregard the previous message…

In an effort to conserve energy, please shutdown all staff PCs at public desks (checkout, check-in, Public Services, YS) to sleep each night at close except on Mondays (this is when the anti-virus updates run).