JPL Intranet

Due to extreme winter weather conditions we have decided to postpone the Ancestry Basics Genealogy Class that was originally scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday, January 13, 2024.

Ancestry Basics at JPL has been rescheduled for Saturday, February 3, 2024 at 10:30am. 
Here is a direct link for the rescheduled JPL Genealogy event: https://johnston.librarycalendar.com/event/ancestry-basics-iowa-genealogical-society-5044.

Patron’s registration for this new date will transfer over from the previous date. Patrons have been notified of this change via email. Patrons have also been told if they are no longer able to attend the class on Sat, Feb 3, to email us at info@johnstonlibrary.org or to call the library.

Thank you in advance for your help editing these event registrations if needed.
Ask Beth if you have questions.

Due to the weather, the library will remain closed all day tomorrow, January 12.

Two staff will be here and the library will be open as a warming center only from 9 am – 530 pm, but all other library services will be unavailable.

I will work with Peg to get timesheets updated tomorrow.

Please stay safe!

Update: Our grand prize winner is out of the country for about a month. I will keep her prize in my office until she’s back stateside.

The Grand Prize Winner for 2023 Ultimate Reading Challenge has been drawn. The winner is Bernita Missal. She has been notified via voicemail that her prize is waiting for her at JPL behind the Circulation Desk. The prize is a DSM Metro Local Bookstore Crawl Gift Card Pack.

When Bernita comes to pick up her prize, I would love to get a picture if she’s up for it. If I’m here when she comes in, please grab me so I can chat with her.

Thank you to all staff for all your help answering questions about the Ultimate Reading Challenge and giving out prizes. Now on to Ultimate Reading Challenge 2024!

Beth

Our All Staff Meeting is scheduled on Sunday, January 28th from 10:45am-12:45pm.

10:45 -11:30am Social time with trivia, party games, & food!

11:30 -12:45 Staff Meeting

If the first session doesn’t sound like your thing – you are not required to attend, but we would love to have you there! Both sessions will be paid.

Please email Molly or Peg to let them know if you will be able to attend on January 28 so they can get When to Work updated.

Hope to see everyone there!

The weather is not working well with our timesheet deadlines this week:

If the blizzard comes in as expected tonight, I will plan on opening the library at 12 pm.

I will let everyone know the plan for tomorrow no later than 7 am.

If you work today and the library opening late tomorrow will impact your timesheet, please prepare two timesheets – one for each scenario.

Again, if we open late tomorrow, those that earn PTO will need to take PTO. It will be unpaid for those that don’t earn PTO.

*I have four hours I am happy to give up on Saturday afternoon if anyone want to do that rather than take PTO*

When the library closes due to an emergency, like inclement weather, library staff that earn PTO are required to use PTO. If you do not earn PTO, it will be unpaid.

In some cases, staff may be able to work with their supervisor to adjust their schedules to make-up some of the hours.

If you do not want to use PTO,  I have four hours I am working on Saturday afternoon that I would be happy to give to someone not wanting to use PTO.

Please reach out to your supervisor if you have any questions or concerns.

I just want to keep you in the loop as to what is going on with low temperatures in the library. We seem to have a few problems happening simultaneously.

Currently I have walked around and moved the thermometer around the library. I am reading between 63 and 68 degrees. We normally are at 70-72 degrees.

Technicians continue to work on the system, and I will continue to follow up with them until we get back into the 70’s.  It sounds like this may be a bit of a process so things may not be at 100 percent for a few days. I would continue to dress in layers.

The minimum temperature for library operations would be less than 60 degrees for more then two hours in a staff or patron occupied space. If you notice temps dropping in your area, please let me know.

Thank you for your patience.

The library will remain closed today, January 9. Stay safe!

The library will remain closed today, January 9. Stay safe!

The library will open at 12 pm today.

Stay safe!

Today and tomorrow significant snowfall is expected. Please see report from Polk County Emergency Management linked below.

Library staff are not tasked with snow removal at the library. The Parks Department is in charge of clearing the library’s walkways and parking lot. They technically come out when there is two or more inches of snow, but they usually are out sooner than that.

If we have more than an inch or two of snow on the ground that Parks staff have not yet come to remove – and patrons complain about ice- a staff member should carefully clear the walkway in front of the handicapped parking stalls as well as a path from the lot to the main entrance. While anyone can do this, the Librarian in Charge will take care of it if no one else volunteers. There is salt in a yellow bin by the staff entrance and a shovel by the staff lockers.

NWSDesMoines – DssPacket – Mon, Jan 8 452 AM

There are now forms at all three desks for verifying online library card registrations. When someone comes in and says he or she registered for a card online, please pull up the account on Polaris, fill out a form, and complete the staff verification steps. When you are finished, please place the form in the new library card application tray like you would if you had made a new card for someone.

If you have any questions, please ask Molly or Mary. Thank you!

Timesheets will be submitted to City Hall earlier than usual this coming pay period because of a software migration, so can you pleases make sure that you get your timesheet in on time or early.

Peg will be reviewing timesheets on Thursday, January 11th and I will be turning them in to City Hall on January 12th for the pay period December 31 – January 13.

If there are changes after they are submitted on January 12, I will submit them individually to the city for updates before paychecks are cut.

Thanks for your help!

Part one of the library shirts have arrived. I put them in peoples lockers. If you have a locker mate, please make sure you grab the shirt and size you ordered. Ask me if you have questions about what you ordered.

After handing out what felt like a million grey cardigans, the mom in me is wondering if it wouldn’t be wise to write you name on the tag in sharpie.

The t-shirts have not been ordered yet. I hope to get those ordered this month.

Thanks for representing JPL 🙂

Molly

2024 Ultimate Reading Challenge Book logs are now available. Paper logs are at both the ref desk and the circ desk. No sign-up is necessary–people can just take a challenge log. All directions are on the book log. As you have time, take a chance to read through the 2024 Reading Challenge so you can answer questions.  If people want to print their own log, directions and a PDF for Ultimate Reading Log are on the website under events. Ultimate Reading Challenge 2024 can also be accessed on the website by clicking on the the image slider link on the homepage.

Additionally, we are going to give people a week grace period to turn in their 2023 Reading Logs. I am here for a program on Saturday, January 6th and will take the 2023 prize material down then. Thanks for all your help handing out prizes and taking pics. Much appreciated. Ask Beth if you have any questions.

2024 State of Iowa Withholding Changes

The library is no longer subscribing to LinkedIn Learning due to a very low benefit (usage) to cost ratio. The link has been removed from the library’s website and PowerPAC.

Please let me know if you have questions. Thank you!

Our VHS player in the Tech Lab is temporarily out of commission while we wait for a VHS cleaning head tape to be delivered. It should arrive next week on Dec 28th. Peg will be checking Tech Lab reservations as they come in next week and will check in with anyone if they are coming in for this service. The 4 other types of video tape digitization are still functioning (VHS-C, Video 8/ HI8, Digital 8, and Mini DV).
There are no upcoming appointments for VHS digitization at this time.