#blogjune Post 5 - Where do you get your news from?

It was a bit of a sleepless night for me last night as the East Coast Low formed and made for some very heavy, torrential rain and cyclonic winds.  It's always worse at night because you can't see what's happening around you.

I was pretty much stuck to Facebook all of yesterday, getting updates from the emergency services sites as well as people living in the area.  Not once did I go to a news website.

In recent times, I have been relying more and more on social media to get me news.  Yes at times there can be fake news reports - usually about a famous person's apparent death.  But the majority of the time, especially when it comes to local news, I find out about it first on Facebook.  Then usually follow up (depending on how big the story is) on a news site.

This makes me ponder how the role of the journalist may change or is changing.  They have to be there when it happens - but how??

I also noted when I took the ABC Vote Compass when it asked where I get my news from (I think that was one of the questions - I was so upset at how targeted the questions were to one party or the other that I might have forgotten what was asked), social media was not one of the responses to choose from.  Please correct me if I'm wrong for those that may have done it.  By the way, I was not happy with the response it gave me because it was one of three of the well known parties.  I was interested to see if my thoughts pushed me to a different political party.  I won't go into politics this morning as it can divide people so easily.

Anyway, as the flood waters start to go down - although there appears to be a bit more rain coming our way - I will relish another wet weather day of lazing around the house.

Where do you get your news from?

#blogjune Post 4 - Do you ever question your sanity?

This was the question my husband asked me this morning after I'd come in from running in cyclonic conditions.  My answer: I've run in worse!

I'm often asked how do I stay committed to running?  How do I go out there and run while everyone else is snuggled up in bed?  My answer: I like food!!  No, I do also like running but I do like food a lot and one has to find a balance.

I've only been running for around 4 years.  I've been participating in the Run Down Under virtual run around Australia since 2014.  In that time, I have traveled around 9,000km.  Based on my current average km's per week, I should finish in October 2017.  This has been a good motivator for me and as I do have a slight competitive streak - it does keep me honest!

This morning I have to admit that I originally planned to meet a running friend in another town for a run at 5.30am.  When I got up at 4.15am, it was absolutely pouring and a look at the rain radar confirmed it was unlikely to stop.  I sent her a quick message to say I didn't want to drive in this type of weather and would go running a little bit later when it was light and see if the weather had improved.

Out the door at 6.15am and it was not pouring - very windy but just showers of rain.  Out on the boardwalk the rain stung a bit as a bit of the salt water from the ocean sprayed up (probably some sand too).  The ocean was angry.  But I was the only one to see it and that to me is special.

I was struggling a bit with the run.  It would be nice to be snuggled up in bed but hey, I'm the only one out here seeing all this.  Some might say the only crazy one!  I ran out to Hungry Head beach and looked out over the ocean from the headland - angry rough seas.  Then to head back the same way I came.

By the time I got back to the exposed parts of the run, the wind was a lot worse.  I was running into it and being pelted by the drops - I swear some skin might have come off!  16km done and home in the warm shower!  Yep, I'm glad I got up and got that done!

Do I question my sanity?  The rest of the world is crazy, I'm the sane one!

Blog June Post 27 - Rainy Days

I promise not to talk about weather too much but it is a dismal looking day outside with rain and wind.  It's about 12'C so not as cold as other days but the rain and wind make it feel colder.  Today I don't mind the weather because it will make the library feel that more cosy.  I remember many a day seeking refuge in a library when it was cold and wet.  Snuggled up in a quiet corner away from the people dashing around the wet city streets and feeling that wonderful feeling of coziness -which somehow makes the book your are reading all that more good!!

Today I have to do baby bounce since my colleague is on holidays.  It's been a while since I've done baby bounce or storytime and there is quite a large group that comes to our library.  I hope I keep up and give them a good session!!  I suspect if the weather keeps up there may be less of them as it's not baby friendly weather.  There is limited parking near our library so most have to walk a fair way - in this weather, with a pram, I can imagine I'd prefer to stay at home.

The public school teachers are striking here today so I guess we will have a few more kids in the library than usual.  I hope they don't come in all wet as most seem to do when it is raining.  I then have to make sure they sit down on the vinyl chairs rather than material chairs so they don't leave wet seats everywhere.  We had a few in yesterday as some schools must already be on holidays.  We took a few calls from their parents asking us to tell them it was time to go home etc.  The kids are generally well behaved but we did have a few library users comment on our role as babysitters during the holidays.  I don't think we can avoid it.

Holidays start next week and we have illustrator, David Legge coming to the libraries on Tuesday.  This should be an exciting visit.  Last holidays we had author Anna Feinberg and illustrator Sara Davis.  Both sessions were a blast!  I sometimes think I have more fun than the kids.  But with every event we host, there is that moment of shear panic thinking no one will show!!  And sometimes no one does show and sometimes the author/illustrator is precious and has a go at me about my lack of ability to advertise properly to get a crowd, and other times they are very understanding and just thank me for inviting them.  It is just the way it is down here - most times people don't want to commit so won't book and then show up, or will book and don't show up.

Monday we are having a special morning tea for the hanging of a special piece of art.  Each year Bellingen hosts Camp Creative.  This year they had some elders from our local Gumbaynggir tribe assist camp goers in creating an artwork.  This piece is going to be hung in the library foyer.  We though it was appropriate to do this during NAIDOC week.  So the Camp Creative organisers have done a wonderful job at organising everything, including a bush tucker morning tea for invited guests.  The library is really just the host for both the morning tea and art work.  It should be a great morning!!

As far as school holiday activities are going - David is it for my libraries.  Limited staffing resources means I can't really plan any activities.  However, I have a few ideas up my sleave for next holidays.

Well the rain is continuing to fall and it is time to move the washing from the machine to the dryer -  tick tick tick - yep I can see the electricty meter ticking away and dollar signs flashing by - Sigh!!

Blog June Post #6 - weather it will, weather it won't

Weather is usually a topic of conversation that you resort to when you have nothing else to talk about, but not in this case.  What has prompted my discussion of weather is yesterday the East cost of NSW had an exciting (probably not the case for everyone) weather event happen.  A deep low came up the coast from the South.  It also affected some parts of Victoria with some serious flash flooding.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, by the time it reached us in the early hours of this morning, the rain part had disinergrated and we are now left with some strong gusts of wind.  It did cause the power to go off but I didn't notice because I was asleep and only know because the clocks are flashing - another good reason why I rely on my mobile phone alarm to wake me up!!

Weather has always struck me as an interesting topic.  I love watching shows about the tornadoes in the US and can totally understand a persons fascination with trying to understand weather and why such things as tornadoes happen.

Prior to moving down here, we lived in South East Qld (Ipswich) and it had been in drought for almost 10 years.  We felt much depression watching storm clouds brew only to pass to either side of where we lived or offer nothing but a light show and some noise.  Not to say we didn't get some bits of rain, but mostly it was disappointment.

Within the first year of moving here, it flooded around 12 times.  We had some ridiculous amount of rain - 3638 mm.  Now we have times when we crave the consistency that Qld weather used to provide - you would at least have a week of sun (maybe not so much at the moment).  For 3 years we have been cheated of a proper summer.  Lots of rain and not much heat.

So what does this have to do with libraries?  I will share with you a story that happened to my libraries.  In April 2009, we all headed down to Wagga Wagga for my graduation.  When we left we knew there was a weather event coming - the now famous East coast Low.  However, there is no way we could've predicted (well no one could) what happened.

I had my laptop with me and there was wireless internet available in the cabin we were staying in (at a cost).  So I was following the weather back home.  I also called my branches to make sure everything was running smoothly.

Now since I was not there, I was relying on my staff to tell me what was happening.  Dorrigo reported that yes it was wet but there was no flooding and nothing to be concerned about there.  Bellingen reported that it was wet and stormy and the river was coming up (it comes up often so not too much of a concern), and Urunga said that yes it was stormy and lots of wind but don't worry.

As time went on the radar on the BOM was sort of indicating that perhaps there is something to worry about because I had never seen black and red in so many places and it wasn't moving.  It was hovering over our area.  Of course, in Wagga Wagga there was not a drop of rain.

Another call to my staff.  Dorrigo was still ok, Bellingen the power was off so I suggested it was probably ok to go home and put a sign on the door.  Urunga well they mentioned that the bowling club across the road was about to get flooded - hmmm - my response - why are you still there????  Get out of the library now.  Their response - but what if someone needs the library? My response - I really don't think that they could possibly get to the library unless they had a floatation device!!

So they did leave but they had put themselves in danger.  One of the staff got their husband to drive through water to the front door of the library and get them out.  I won't mention that I had said to put anything we thought needed replacing on the floor in case the water did come in!! Shhhh!!

Now at this point I will mention that we don't have a disaster plan.  Yes we should have one.  I believe that at that stage council didn't have one in place either so I can't blame my staff for trying to go down with the ship.  I suppose in some sad way it did show an interesting aspect of customer service!!  And I do believe that in our communities there are probably some people that would come to the library in times like this and think that it should be service as normal!!

So now there is a task on my list - develop a disaster management plan and also a procedure to follow to indicate at what point you should be leaving the library and going home.

I suppose there were many libraries that, like us, didn't have a disaster management plan and now do, especially since the floods/fires in Victoria, NSW and Qld.

Do you have an interesting weather event that you would like to share?

I have more to write on this topic but I have run out of time - I have to head up to Grafton again today.  And I will report that the winds are now a little more than strong gusts - I would hate to be anyone camping/caravaning down at the caravan park on the foreshores at the moment.  I hope they have strong ropes and I hope my car doesn't get blown off the road.

Library Day in the Life - Post #2

Today the library is open to the public - so more interaction and less time to get down and get the background things done.

I started the day in the usual way - cranking the airconditioner to 21'C - it was at least 33'C outside with 100% humidity. Yes the rain has gone (well it has since come back but more about that later), so the humidity turns on.

I then turned on all the lights, computers and photocopier machine, logged into our LMS and ran the overdue and reservation notices. I then ran the reservations report and found those books on the shelf, returned them on the system and put them in their correct pidgeon hole to go to the branch who requested it. Our library service has 10 branches with about 300km being the longest distance between the two furthest apart. Once a week a courier picks up the boxes and delivers them to the other branches. Although I deliver to the branch that is just down the road from my house, and a Council town planner delivers to our other shire branch when they visit the branch once a week.

I then emptied the return shute, walked up the road to buy the newspaper from the local newsagent and started on the shelving. I managed to have a cup of tea and catch up on some emails prior to opening our doors at 10.30am.

The morning was fairly busy with a number of people desperate for books after being cut off last week due to the floods. We had a number of people ask for log ins to use our free wifi and a few who booked public computers to access the internet. One of our local schools hasn't yet started for the year due to the floods so we had a couple of school age kids play games on the computers.

I had a concerned regular comment on our leaking gutter - we were hit by a tree branch during the floods and it has dislodged one of our gutters causing it to drip close to one of our front windows. It is not a big concern and it has been reported - unfortunately there will be bigger priorities to deal with first (due to the floods).

Our Summer Reading Club is almost at a close, so my colleague spent some of the morning judging the colouring in and book review competitions that we had run and making certificates to give to the winners. I emailed the branches to ask for some feedback to collate for the feedback form to be sent back to the organisers of SRC. This can be a complex process with 10 branches to contact and everyone had done something different with keeping statistics.

I was then alerted to the fact our dog water bowl had been moved - so I jumped puddles and mud to retrieve it from the garden beside the library. We appreciate that many of our users have canine company and have a tether outside our library so that people can tie their dogs up while using the library. Having a bowl of water for the dogs is a necessity, especially in the heat we had today.

As my colleague was heading to lunch, the 6 boxes from our other branches arrived for unpacking, returning and sorting. The boxes contained reservations for our borrowers, books that belong to our branch that had been loaned from other branches borrowers, and new items. It's like Christmas unpacking the boxes. A magazine I had reserved from another branch had arrived as well as some brand new books!! They went straight out on our new books display and subsequently were borrowed by the end of the day.

I only managed to get 3 boxes unpacked by the time my colleague returned from lunch as I also had to assist a user get connected to our wifi on her laptop (twice), assist someone doing some photocopying and process two library membership requests.

My turn for lunch and I stepped out into the sauna and headed to the local pool. It started raining while I was doing my laps. It didn't cool things down, instead steam started coming off the pool and the cement and the heat went straight back into the air to assist the humidity. 50 laps later I returned to work and ate lunch at my desk.

I then went next door to Council administration and delivered two books that had arrived for some fellow Council staff. I find the reaction if I take the effort to deliver the books face to face, rather than make them come over to the library to pick them up, quite satsifying. It also prompts other Council staff who are yet to be library members to feel left out and want some of the action - hence more memberships. It also gets me out of the library and gives me an excuse to catch up with what is happening in the different Council departments.

More shelving ensured, as well as catching up on the gossip around town. The word on the street was that to stock up and prepare for another flood. This lead me to check out the Bureau of Meterology page and read the weather warnings and radar. Yes, a there is 70% chance of moderate to major flooding tonight and tomorrow. I'm supposed to be driving to our HQ (where the purchasing, cataloguing, ILL's extra are processed) to assist with some book selecting tomorrow. It is about 150km away and there are a couple of low lying areas on the highway that may cause a hazard should we get enough rain. Weather and road conditions will be high on my list before I leave tomorrow morning.

I picked up the keys for the Council car that I'm using to go to HQ and loaded up boxes to deliver to the library branch near my house and to HQ. Then took off in the rain. I dropped off a box of books at my home town branch and picked up some boxes from them to take to HQ. Day done and off home.

Can't wait for tomorrow (except for the rain and possible floods) as I love book selection but more about that tomorrow!!

How was your day??