Monday, November 26, 2007

The Library

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, it's off to work I go; in a couple of hours, anyway. Monday evenings, Thursday afternoons and Saturday mornings you will find me here.




This is Command Central a/k/a the circulation desk. It's where I check in books, check out books, look up items in the inter-library catalog, add and delete items to the database/catalog for our individual location, unpack the inter-library tubs and call people to let them know their requests have arrived.... Also chat with patrons (which is one of the best parts of the job), and occasionally answer questions about knitting. (It's a small town, word gets out. If I were good at plumbing, they would be asking about that). Looking out I can see



The children's area (there are larger shelves of books to the left) and




the general collection. This is where I shelve materials, retrieve materials for local patrons, or to go out to other libraries. Sometimes I dust if things are slow, but that doesn't happen too often.




In the back is a small reading area. Behind me are a couple of large wooden tables with chairs. This area is also used for Village Board meetings, and is available to the community (I used it to teach knitting classes for a 4-H group, and on a completely different occasion got extremely testy with a couple of state legislators who were doing a presentation I thought was hogwash.)





Looking from the reading area towards the circulation desk you can see the computers (there are 4), paperback racks and magazines. (I didn't take pictures of the copy or fax machines.)


For two of my three weekly shifts I'm on my own. On Thursdays, Gretchen (the librarian) and I are there at the same time. That way we can touch base face to face, she can show me how to do new things, and I can cover the desk so she has some time to work on administrative things without interruption.


It's a pretty nice place to hang out.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love libraries! I've been a part-time librarian in a tiny library here, and I absolutely loved looking at your library. What system are you in? I'm on the board of trustees of IFLS (Indianhead). Thanks for the tour.

Squeaky said...

Knitting and libraries. Two things I love most in this world. Your blog will now be linked on mine, if that's acceptable. (By the way, this is Circlehas1side from Ravelry...I'm not stalking you, I swear!)

gail said...

Nice library. I just graduated in May with my MLS. By the way, I taught a kids after school knitting class in the school library for four years. The kids, teachers and principal all loved it!!

Molly Bee said...

Hey There! I wondered where that ball band got to! You don't have to mail it to me, but could you please email the care instructions to me. I don't have another ball and always include them with the socks if they are a gift! Thanks for finding it! I was afraid I trashed it!

YarnThrower said...

It looks like you have a very nice library. I'm so glad you enjoy working there! I'm sure the patrons enjoy that you work there, too!