JPL Intranet

Officially we are not accepting donations for the book sale due to a lack of storage.

• If someone asks, we are not accepting donations.
• If someone shows up with items, we will accept them. The donations go on the black cart labeled donations behind the circulation desk.

The receipts have moved to shelves under Circ 1 and 2 near library card applications – the spot is labeled Tax Receipts.

This is the information from Megan about Summer Reading Program. Our role at the Circ Desk is to provide general information and potentially help out in a pinch if all YS/PS staff are busy. Logs start going out today 🙂

Summer Reading is right around the corner! Logs are located on the counter in the YS workroom if you would like to familiarize yourself with them J As always, if you have any questions, please let me know. I will also print copies of both emails and have them at the YS desk for your reference.

Important Dates:

1^st day to pick up logs is May 28^th

1^st day to redeem prizes is June 11^th

Last day to redeem prizes in July 31^st

Kids Summer Library Program Birth-Kids going into 5th Grade

Kids ages birth-going into 5^th grade are invited to participate in this program. Starting May 28^th, kids can come to the library to pick up all that they need for this year’s summer reading program.

Kids can pick up their activity log at the Youth Services Desk.

Kids are asked to fill in a picture for every activity completed or for every 30 minutes of reading.

When a level is complete (10 pictures), kids can come in to pick up the prize for the completed levels. Please stamp the child’s log when a prize is redeemed.

Prizes:

Level 1: Lanyard & Trailblazer Badge 

Level 2: Activity Kit & Explorer Badge

This year’s activity kit is a DIY bird feeder. The kit includes Crisco, bird seed, a wooden coaster, twine, and a popsicle stick.

Level 3: Goodie Bag & Adventurer Badge

The goodie bag is filled with a variety of coupons: Iowa Cubs ticket, Taco Johns Coupon, Blank Park Zoo pass, & more.

Level 4: Prize Book & Seeker Badge

Each child will receive a book when they finish their log. They are free to choose from picture books, beginning reader, early chapter books, and chapter books. All of the titles are located on the shelving behind the YS desk.

Readers are welcome to complete a bonus log and can get a 2^nd prize book when the bonus log is complete.

Teen Summer Reading is for kids going into 6^th grade-12^th grade.

Teens will be pick up their reading log and can earn points doing the following things:

Reading (points per page OR points per minute)

Reading aloud to someone (5 points per minute)

Listen to an audiobook (1 point per minute)

Watch a movie based on a book (20 pts each, up to 100 pts)

Attend a Library Program (50 pts each)

Write a book review (50 pts each)

Watch a TV series based on a book (10 pts/episode, up to 100pts)

When a teen comes in, have them add up their total points and write the total points they have on their sheet.  After giving them the prizes they’ve earned, date & initial where the total points are and check off the prizes that they’ve received. All prizes will be organized by point level and will be located behind the YS desk.

When teens reach 500 points they receive a ticket to the Laser Tag Super Reward Party. There is a 3-ring binder containing the tickets. Please fill out the ticket-stub accordingly and give the ticket to the teen. Remind the teen that they must register and have the ticket in hand to attend the final party!

UDPATE Responses to the survey’s open-ended questions are here

Every couple of years the city’s Communication Specialist organizes a survey of Johnston residents. I’ve linked to the 2022 results below. The summary of library-related findings, which is very similar to the 2020 summary, is included below. Complete library-related results are on pages 24-27.

Library Services. Residents were generally satisfied with the overall quality of library services provided.
Ninety-four percent (94%) of the residents surveyed, who had an opinion, were “very satisfied” and
“satisfied” with the Johnston Public Library; 92% were satisfied with the quality of library materials,
books, DVDs magazines and etc., and 88% were satisfied with the quality of library programs, story hours
and book discussions.

Sixty-three percent (63%) of respondents indicated they had visited the Johnston Public Library
in the past year.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Qx23Kv3PmSANzweCBoE60zqf_zHNIySf/view?usp=sharing

In order to make sure that we have carts and space available, please look through these guidelines.

In the book return room-  red carts: 

Please fill the cart completely – top and bottom shelves. 

Make sure that if items need to be backdated, they get on a cart with the correct date. 

Please do not start a new cart each time you empty the book returns if items are from the same date. 

In the Circ Workroom- white/grey carts:  

Please do not fill the bottom shelves of carts. 

Take advantage of preshelving or use black carts if necessary. 

Consider shelving, if the desk schedule allows, to make room if carts and preshelving is full. 

Please do not stack books when recently returned or the regular stacks get full. 

Please put shelving flags, green, yellow, and purple away in their holders when you are done with a cart.

The guidelines above are not steadfast rules. I trust you to use your best judgment. 

Let me know if you have questions.

The Johnston Arts Council is hosting an outdoor art walk this summer at Terra Park. The library is the pick-up and drop off site for the boards registrants will paint on. I’ve placed a list of registrants near the boards at the checkout desk. Each registrant gets one board. Mark the names off the list once they pick up their board.

The Pleasant Hill Public Library is having a party to celebrate their 40th anniversary on Saturday, June 4th, from 1-4 at the library.  It is located at 5151 Maple Dr. in Pleasant Hill, and here is a link with information:  https://www.pleasanthilliowa.org/library.

People who registered for the Paper Flower craft class may pick up their kits at the Reference Desk.

Before the shade structure on the west patio can be installed, the concrete there needs replaced–the current concrete pad is too out-of-level for proper installation of the structure. That work will likely start in the next couple of weeks–maybe as soon as next week.

We will be open tomorrow. The high is forecast as 81 so it should be significantly cooler in the building.

The parts we’ve been waiting for to repair the chiller have not arrived but work will begin on Monday. The contractor is hoping the parts will arrive next week.

Part-time staff who missed hours due to today’s closure are welcome to make them up. Talk to your supervisor. Full time staff and part-time staff who earn time off can use PTO.

Tomorrow is forecast to be the hottest day of 2022 so far. We will be closed. Don’t come to work. Thanks for working through a couple of sticky days. Our contractor says that the vendor says that his suppliers are not sure when the needed parts will arrive—he’s supposed to get back to me tomorrow with more information. After tomorrow, the ten day forecast looks cooler. If it comes to it, indoor air conditioners are an option. The ones that can connect to regular outlets (not a generator) can cost $200+/day to rent—a building the size of JPL would require several. Before committing to that expense, I need more information about how long this will last. As soon as I know, I will let everyone know. Thanks again.

I’ve updated the All Staff Closing Checklist and the Circ  Detailed Closing Checklist to include a note to check the laminator by the TS sink/workbench.  If you close, please make sure a staff member checks this each night to make sure it is off.

The black laminator has a red button on the front that can be depressed to the right (run) or to the left (heat). The button should be centered (off) when we leave or anytime the laminator is not in use.

Ask me if you have any questions about shutting off the laminator.

So I have had some good discussions with some of you about how the last two weeks have gone with double scanning items at check-in.

A couple of you shared with me that you realized that the cursor wasn’t always getting back into the Item Barcode field of the check-in screen and you were scanning items, hearing the beep from the scanner, but not actually getting the item checked in. Thank you for sharing that with me. That is a great reminder that the beep of the scanner means nothing – it is very important that we keep our eyes on the check-in screen, make sure the cursor is in the Item Barcode field and make sure that every scan reflects a new title listed in the check-in screeen.

I have noticed fewer calls and emails about items that we find on the shelves, but let’s continue with double scanning items until Memorial Day weekend with additional focus on the issue above and see if we continue to see improvement.

If you have noticed a trend at check-in that you would like to share with your co-workers, please don’t hesitate to share it.

Thanks for your hard work with this.

The moveable wall in the large meeting room is acting up. Workers are coming Thursday to look at it. There are not meetings before then that need it closed.

Those of you who come to work from Des Moines via Merle Hay might want to consider an alternate route as construction gets underway later this month and traffic is reduced to two lanes. See the post linked below for more information.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=368192772004593&set=a.224162376407634

It’s going to be in the 80s next week. We are still waiting on parts to repair the air conditioning so it will be very warm inside the library. Wear whatever you’ll be most comfortable in.