JPL Intranet

In addition to our own locallly-assigned genres, we used to use Amazon data to sort materials into the various “Browse Genres” on our website. Amazon cut us off of their data recently, so we’re now getting this information from our local records as well as Baker & Taylor (primarily a seller of books and other materials to libraries and retailers). 

In order for this to work, each of the genres included in our records as well as those from Baker & Taylor need to be told which website genre they should be assigned to. This needs done for a few thousand genres. You can see what this process looks like via the link below. If you’re insterested in helping during slow times at your desk, please let me know. 

http://catalog.johnstonlibrary.com/staff/collection-management/index.php?page=assign_external_genres_to_pac_genres

Time sheet verification has been going a lot smoother lately.

Thank you all for taking the extra few minutes to confirm that the hours on your time sheet match the hours you were scheduled to work! 

Peg

I’d like to invite all staff to attend (on the clock of course) an upcoming webinar titled “Beyond An Apple A Day: Providing Consumer Health Information At Your Library”

Friday, April 26th, 1pm – 3pm in the Archive Room. 

This hands-on class will cover the health information seeking behavior of consumers and the role of the librarian in the provision of health information for the public. Come learn about the evolution of consumer health, health literacy and the e-patient. Participants will leave equipped with knowledge of top consumer health sites. We will discuss creative ideas for health information outreach. The class will wrap up with an opportunity to explore effective marketing approaches and develop an elevator speech.
Objectives: 
This class teaches you the basics of providing consumer health information at your library. We will cover:
– Challenges of providing consumer health information 
– Planning a consumer health service
– Consumer health on the internet
– The reference interview
– Ethics
– Outreach
– Project development / marketing

Please register via the link below:

https://www.johnstonlibrary.com/events/?event_page=registration&did=31957

It’s spring which means…it’s evaluation time. Part of the process is the self evaluation. This is your chance to tell your supervisor what you think you did well in the past year, how you’d like to grow going forward, and what could be done to help make your work or your experience at work better. The self evaluation form is linked below. Please have it to your supervisor by Friday, May 10th at midnight.

http://catalog.johnstonlibrary.com/share/self%20evaluation%202019.pdf

An extra performance of Star Wars: A New Hope has been added.  Performances are at 7:30 on June 7th, and at 1:30 and 7:30 on June 8th.  Again, this could be a one-time event, so please make plans to attend!  All performances are at the Civic Center downtown. 

I’d like to invite all staff to attend (on the clock of course) an upcoming webinar titled “Should I Report This? How Librarians Can Work With DHS”

Thursday, May 31st, 10am – 11:30am in the Archive Room. 

What should library staff do about seemingly neglected children, supervised visits that don’t appear to be supervised, or other situations that cause concern? Are library staff mandatory reporters? Does calling DHS violate library privacy aspects? State law librarian Mandy Easter will moderate a Q&A webinar with Maureen Barton from Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) which will address these and other questions often asked by library staff.

Please register via the link below:

https://www.johnstonlibrary.com/events/?event_page=registration&did=31891

I know the building has been hot lately. The box that takes readings from the little thermostats around the library is old and is getting bogged down with error messages and other garbage. Once it’s out of memory, it can no longer take readings of the outside air temperature or the thermostats. I’ve been resetting the system every couple of hours which seems to help for a time. At their meeting tomorrow, the board will be voting on purchase of an upgrade which should fix things.

A black  i phone with charging cable was found in the Archive Room.  It will be on the cart behind circ until close of 4/16/19. It will then be in the locked cabinet.

Our AmeriCorps staff member will be doing A LOT of outreach this summer. She (only women applied) will be handing out free donated books at most of the stops so I’ve created a Facebook post asking for donations. Until further notice, please put donations of books for kids and teens in the box marked for them next to the food donation bin.

Thanks.

The Stop Motion station doesn’t much get used for what it’s intended. I’m removing it from YS for now. Jessica is going to try it out with clay in teen scene.

A 21 and over symphony remix will take place on Friday April 26th at 5:30 PM at the Civic Center downtown.  Come and enjoy free Fongs pizza and beverages (which may require a purchase), and an open rehearsal.  No reservations required, and it’s free!  Program will feature Festive Overture by Shostakovich, Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, The Promise of Living by Copland, and selections from Porgy and Bess by Gershwin.  Iowa native Simon Estes will be singing with the orchestra as well as the Luther College Choir. 

Some numbers I came across that I thought I’d share:

Polk County Libraries – Circulation Per Capita

Each use of our A-to-Z World Food database in the past year cost about $12. In other words, it’s not getting used. We will not be renewing it. Links to it have been removed from the website.

Each desk now has a collection of plastic cheat-sheets that say what staff at that desk should do in different kinds of emergencies.

• Circulation cheat-sheets are next to the book sale cash drawer.
• YS cheat-sheets are on a magnetic hook on the staff room window frame.
• PS cheat-sheets are under the counter opposite the PC.

Please let me know if you have suggestions for improving them.

This afternoon, patrons with over $5 in fines will receive a message like the one shown below. You may receive calls from patrons with questions about their fines and about food-for-fines.

Pay your overdue fees with non-perishable food items during National Library Week (April 6-14).

One food item pays $1 in fees.

Fees for damaged or lost items cannot be paid with food.

Please reply to this message with questions. 

The agenda with some notes from last week’s staff meeting is included below. Please take special note of the last item on emergency procedures.

Agenda – All Staff Meeting 3/28/19

• TS/IT

  • Magazine subscription changes

    • Ceased publication 2018/2019

      • American Girl (Jan./Feb. 2019)

      • Cooking Light (Dec. 2018)

      • Des Moines Northwest Suburbs Business Journal (Dec. 2018)

      • Family Fun (June/July 2018)

      • Glamour (January 2019)

      • Redbook (Nov./Dec. 2018)

      • Seventeen (Dec. 2018/Jan. 2019)

  • No longer providing free issues

    • Road Scholar

  • JPL Photo Archives – http://photos.johnstonlibary.com

  • “NEW” tape

• Youth Services

  • The Crayon Initiative

    • The Co-Lab this month is a collection spot for donating used crayons that will be recycled into new crayons and donated to children’s hospitals.

  • Sensory Spaces

    • The library is cooperating with other libraries around the metro to provide regular “sensory” hours (outside of regular hours) for those with special needs that prefer to visit when the library is less busy and more dimly lit. JPL’s first event will be held Sunday, July 21st, 12pm -1pm.

  • Summer Preview (dates & performers)

  • Free Comic Book Day (Saturday, May 4th)

    • Free comic books for all on 5/4

  • Scratch Day (Sunday, May 5th 2-4:30)

    • Check out details on JPL’s second annual scratch day event at https://www.johnstonlibrary.com/events/?event_page=event&did=31754

• Public Services

  • Shred Day

    • Shred Day will be held Saturday, April 27th, 9am-12pm. Details are at https://www.johnstonlibrary.com/events/?event_page=event&did=30747

  • Kites on the Green

    • Kites on the Green will be held Saturday, May 4th, 10am-5pm

  • Summer Preview

  • Whisper Room

• Eric

  • New Shelver – will review applicants next week

  • JCSD Partnership

    • Jessica, Megan, and I met with Ann Wiley from the Johnston Schools to discuss ways of cooperating. We will be meeting with the district’s librarians soon to provide a tour and an overview of JPL resources.

  • Emergency Procedures Review and Drill

    • We reviewed a presentation on emergency procedures. Please take a look at https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1uEt_ZXp_FOihnHRWDsdDUSEine8ri6sXcn817fg2Zww/edit?usp=sharing

A small group of vandals entered the library last night and knocked all of the books from the adult fiction and non-fiction stacks. Staff have been working today to get things back in order. All departments and shifts will be expected to help put things back. Bring your back braces.

Erika is leaving us and I’m sad. I need to drink a margharita–who’s with me? 

Let’s send Erika off in style at El Mariachi on Saturday, April 13 at 5:45 to 6:00pmish. 

Join us for mexican food with your fellow JPL’ers. Send Beth an email if you’re able to make it so we know how many seats we will need. 

Thanks! Beth

Erika announced today that she’ll be leaving us April 12th. Best wishes to her.