New Classics

We have just received a very large shipment of paperback classics.
We now have many new copies of To Kill a Mockingbird, Great Gatsby, Animal Farm, etc.

There are new classics that may not be considered classics by some, but we have them classified there.

The Glass Menagerie - Tennessee Williams
Speak - Laurie Halse Anderson
Nickel and Dimed - Barbara Ehrenreich
I know why the caged bird sings - Maya Angelou
Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
Black Like Me - Griffin
Poisonwood Bible - Barbara Kingslover
Stranger in a strange land - Heinlen
Complete Persepolis - Satrapi
Book Thief - Zusak
Isaac's Storm - Erik Larson
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - Hunter S Thompson
Confederacy of Dunces - Toole
Chinese Cinderella - Mah
The things they carried - O'Brien
Three Cups of Tea - Mortensen
Kite Runner - Hosseini

Days Off Calendar and Blog Changes

All,

For the New Year, I've made a few changes on the blog that you should know about.

First, I've combined the "Circulation" and "Reference" links into "Stella Link Staff". We are one team who already cross over to the "other side of the desk" regularly, so I think this reflects that reality and the growing trend.

The first link in this section is the "Days Off Calendar". Full-time staff, please add here any days that you will be off other than your regular Friday off and whether you are taking it as vacation, float, personal, etc. If you are coming in late or leaving early, please add that as well. Fridays and Saturdays are already marked as to which team is working and which is off. You will need to log in with a Google account (such as stestaff) in order to edit. If you would like access to this document from your personal account, please let me know.

Thanks to everyone for a great year in 2009. All the best to everyone in 2010.

Thanks again,
John

ILL under ref desk

There is a large cardboard box ILL that is under the Reference desk for Fairly. Just letting everyone know in case he comes looking for it.

Patrick

Recycling bins

All,

We have put out the recycling bins throughout the building. Please remember to put paper in the small green bins and the tall ones with the slit opening. Paper towels, tissue and food wrappers are not recyclable.

Plastic and glass bottles and aluminum cans can go in the bin with the round opening on the main floor or the bin in the staff lounge.

Of course we've been recycling here for some time, but this new system should make it easier for everyone.

Thanks,
John

DVDs

Please do not shelve DVDs that are missing covers. The case could be on the repair shelf. I have found some that are still checked out or listed as on the shelf at another branch or in transit. Put them on Renee's desk and I will find the right case. Same goes for DVDs & CDs that have torn up covers or cases falling apart. Also, make sure you check case to see if the cases are empty before you put them on the rack to be shelved.

Thanks
Renee

Volunteers

Good Morning,

On the whole, I think the volunteers do a great job and really make our job a lot easier. There are those occasional instances though where the volunteer may make mistakes. We must remember that these volunteers are young, more than likely have never held a job before, do not have the experience in the library that we have and simply are not going to be perfect. I think we have to make it a team effort when trying to ensure that the volunteers are shelving books in the proper place.

Each and everyone of us should, first, be thankful for the volunteers. They do a tremendous job of helping out with the numerous jobs that we have to get done. Secondly, we need to all try to observe them whenever we can. If you see them coming out with a cart of books and they look a little lost, take the time to stand up, walk over to them and direct them to the right place. Even if they don't look lost, it would not hurt to take a walk over there every once in a while to check up on their work, particularly the newer volunteers.

It is impossible for one person to supervise each and every single volunteer. The only other alternative would be to just have the volunteers stop coming completely, but that would really increase the workload, particularly on the shelving side of things.

We may notice the volunteers more when we find a book shelved incorrectly, but they are quietly doing a lot of good at the library.

Thanks
Patrick

Holiday Celebration!

All,

Here it is December already! How 2009 has flown!

It's time to start thinking about our annual Stella Link staff holiday celebration. We have a few people taking time off the week of Christmas, so I propose we have our celebration on Thursday, December 17th.

Last year we did a very low-cost Secret Santa gift exchange. If everyone would like we can do that again.

And, yes, I will be glad to bake some Toll House Cookies for the occasion! :)

Thanks,
John