Tonight I am a bit worked up and while I would not normally share my disgruntled customer post I made to Trip Advisor and also posted on my FB page about a local business, tonight I will. All in the lesson of good customer service and loyalty to locals. What follows is a rant:
I have eaten and picked up takeaway from the Urunga Bowls Club numerous times since it first opened. Unfortunately, tonight I was made to feel embarrassed because I am local but not a member and apparently to pick up your takeaway order or to eat in the restaurant, you have to be a member if you are local. If you are not local, you are fine to just scan your license and in you go. I do not understand why as a local I should be made to pay a yearly membership to pick up a take...away meal. I also don't understand why the staff do not inform you of this when you phone them for your order. And I also don't understand why there isn't consistency in this rule, as other times I have been able to enter without being made to feel like a criminal. I was made to feel like I was committing the worse crime. The "Bouncer" called out to me and then berated me in front of the other people who were coming in the door. If you want locals to visit your club, then treat the locals nicely. Urunga Bowling Club, you have lost any future business that you would've had from me!! And I will be spreading the word to other locals about the way I was treated!!
Sorry for those that have already read this on my FB page but I am so upset and embarrassed about this that I just felt the need to share it.
I do realise that this may actually be an accepted protocol in all clubs in a Australia, and if it is, then I think it needs to be reviewed. Or perhaps someone could let me in on the logic behind it. But to me this is like saying to someone, I'm sorry but you can't use the library unless you have a library membership card - as in you can't even walk through the door unless you have a library membership card - where is the sense in this!!
Ok rant over and I'm so worked up I can't even share a mantra today!
Showing posts with label library. Show all posts
Showing posts with label library. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
Blog June Post 2 - Be the Bomb!!
Ok today's mantra is Be the Bomb!!
Now if my hip flexor was feeling great I would be feeling the bomb because I would have participated in the 3 x 1km efforts this morning with my running friends. Instead I toddled off on my own to do 8km. I did get to see a gorgeous pre sun rise at the headland but I love the feeling of pushing myself through efforts - not while I'm doing them - just at the end so I feel I missed out a bit.
Anyway, back to Be the Bomb!! I have been doing some recruitment for some casual positions recently and for me the big thing that resonated is that for a small town we have a lot of library qualified and experienced people out there. The other thing is that most people don't know what we do as library staff.
So since I don't want to go into too much detail about applications received and quality of applications - because that is not something to share in the public sphere - I will just say that perhaps as a profession we don't do a very good job at letting people know or illustrating just what we do in our jobs in libraries - or perhaps we do such a good job, we make it look easy!!
Predominately, in our library it is all about customer service - knowing your customers, knowing your community, knowing what they want and knowing about the books they like to read and how to find the information they want - or even going as far to pre-empt their information needs so you have the access to the information they want. So lots of professions have customer service as their main skill set (if that's what you can call it, but you get what I mean). So lots of people have experience in customer service and this can be transferred to a library service.
Lots of people know how to know their customers and their community because we are not the only industry that does this.
But what about books and information. What industry combines all of this and knows what information their community needs and when they need it??
Back to the part about people not knowing what we do. Do they need to know what we do? Or do they only need to get the end product - really how many of us care how that packet of chips got on the shelf and into the trolley - we just want to eat the chips??
Should we be like the farmers and start educating people about the process of getting the information to them? What does it involve? How do we go about it? What skills are needed? What hurdles do we jump to get the information? Or do they really need/want to know?
So perhaps it is about being the bomb - get the right information to the right person at the right time - but let's not get hung up on whether the person cares about how you got the information.
What do you think?
Now if my hip flexor was feeling great I would be feeling the bomb because I would have participated in the 3 x 1km efforts this morning with my running friends. Instead I toddled off on my own to do 8km. I did get to see a gorgeous pre sun rise at the headland but I love the feeling of pushing myself through efforts - not while I'm doing them - just at the end so I feel I missed out a bit.
Anyway, back to Be the Bomb!! I have been doing some recruitment for some casual positions recently and for me the big thing that resonated is that for a small town we have a lot of library qualified and experienced people out there. The other thing is that most people don't know what we do as library staff.
So since I don't want to go into too much detail about applications received and quality of applications - because that is not something to share in the public sphere - I will just say that perhaps as a profession we don't do a very good job at letting people know or illustrating just what we do in our jobs in libraries - or perhaps we do such a good job, we make it look easy!!
Predominately, in our library it is all about customer service - knowing your customers, knowing your community, knowing what they want and knowing about the books they like to read and how to find the information they want - or even going as far to pre-empt their information needs so you have the access to the information they want. So lots of professions have customer service as their main skill set (if that's what you can call it, but you get what I mean). So lots of people have experience in customer service and this can be transferred to a library service.
Lots of people know how to know their customers and their community because we are not the only industry that does this.
But what about books and information. What industry combines all of this and knows what information their community needs and when they need it??
Back to the part about people not knowing what we do. Do they need to know what we do? Or do they only need to get the end product - really how many of us care how that packet of chips got on the shelf and into the trolley - we just want to eat the chips??
Should we be like the farmers and start educating people about the process of getting the information to them? What does it involve? How do we go about it? What skills are needed? What hurdles do we jump to get the information? Or do they really need/want to know?
So perhaps it is about being the bomb - get the right information to the right person at the right time - but let's not get hung up on whether the person cares about how you got the information.
What do you think?
Saturday, June 7, 2014
Do the best with what you have and you'll soon be doing it better #blogjune #7
I'm following up my late post that I was supposed to do yesterday which I did this morning with this post that is on time today!!
Today's mantra: Do the best with what you have and you'll soon be doing it better.
I'm not sure where to take this one. I think going from working in a big metropolitan library to working in a small regional library, I have automatically did the best with what I have - not sure if I'm doing it better though!!
I have to say that one thing I do feel I'm doing better, and it probably comes from working in a small town, is customer service. I have always felt the need to greet customers by name and you will note that I often mention this in my posts. I feel it gives that extra service and it is amazing that by addressing someone by name often results in a smile!
As for providing a service, in the beginning when I first started working here, the overall library service budget was tight. We did the best with what we had. We still do to an extent because my libraries don't have an events or activities budget so we can get very creative when coming up with children's activities. It helps that we sell honey for a local provider and they in turn donate us a bit of money for each pot we sell. I'm sure some fellow professionals are a bit shocked that we do this, but we are a small town! I often joke that all we need is a couple of bread making machines going in the workroom and a cow out in the park, and we can then provide bread, milk and honey and our library users will not have to go anywhere else but the library!!
Now to exercise - do the best with what you have and you'll soon be doing it better! Well I often laugh (well quietly to myself) at people who are unfit but won't exercise till they get fit. You have legs and arms - use them - do the best with what you have!! And you will get better!!
I was absolutely hopeless at running - I hated it! I thought I was dying when I ran. I would gulp for air and just couldn't run very far at all. I thought, what's the point! But little by little, I ran and I ran with others (do the best with what you have - you have friends - you have people that run - use them!) and then I was doing it better!!
Tomorrow I'm off to the Macleay River Marathon to complete my second half marathon of the year. I'm travelling down on my own because it will be an early start - leaving home at around 5.30am. The race starts at 7.30am but I have to pick up my number etc.
I'm not aiming for any PB as it is a different track to the half marathon I did in Port Macquarie. There are going to be some sneaky hills and a killer one at the end. However, 2 weekends ago I did the Bellingen Show Fun Run - 10km from Glennifer into Bellingen. It was roughly 5km of up hill. It was tough. But I survived and I did it. Yes I had to walk some of the hill but I've also been doing lots of hill repeats with my running group, so I'm ready!!
Just a word of warning - I plan on having some bubbles post race tomorrow, so there may or may not be a post tomorrow evening - and if there is, it could be a very interesting one!!
Today's mantra: Do the best with what you have and you'll soon be doing it better.
I'm not sure where to take this one. I think going from working in a big metropolitan library to working in a small regional library, I have automatically did the best with what I have - not sure if I'm doing it better though!!
I have to say that one thing I do feel I'm doing better, and it probably comes from working in a small town, is customer service. I have always felt the need to greet customers by name and you will note that I often mention this in my posts. I feel it gives that extra service and it is amazing that by addressing someone by name often results in a smile!
As for providing a service, in the beginning when I first started working here, the overall library service budget was tight. We did the best with what we had. We still do to an extent because my libraries don't have an events or activities budget so we can get very creative when coming up with children's activities. It helps that we sell honey for a local provider and they in turn donate us a bit of money for each pot we sell. I'm sure some fellow professionals are a bit shocked that we do this, but we are a small town! I often joke that all we need is a couple of bread making machines going in the workroom and a cow out in the park, and we can then provide bread, milk and honey and our library users will not have to go anywhere else but the library!!
Now to exercise - do the best with what you have and you'll soon be doing it better! Well I often laugh (well quietly to myself) at people who are unfit but won't exercise till they get fit. You have legs and arms - use them - do the best with what you have!! And you will get better!!
I was absolutely hopeless at running - I hated it! I thought I was dying when I ran. I would gulp for air and just couldn't run very far at all. I thought, what's the point! But little by little, I ran and I ran with others (do the best with what you have - you have friends - you have people that run - use them!) and then I was doing it better!!
Tomorrow I'm off to the Macleay River Marathon to complete my second half marathon of the year. I'm travelling down on my own because it will be an early start - leaving home at around 5.30am. The race starts at 7.30am but I have to pick up my number etc.
I'm not aiming for any PB as it is a different track to the half marathon I did in Port Macquarie. There are going to be some sneaky hills and a killer one at the end. However, 2 weekends ago I did the Bellingen Show Fun Run - 10km from Glennifer into Bellingen. It was roughly 5km of up hill. It was tough. But I survived and I did it. Yes I had to walk some of the hill but I've also been doing lots of hill repeats with my running group, so I'm ready!!
Just a word of warning - I plan on having some bubbles post race tomorrow, so there may or may not be a post tomorrow evening - and if there is, it could be a very interesting one!!
Monday, June 2, 2014
You can feel sore tomorrow or you can feel sorry tomorrow. You choose. #blogjune #2
Today's mantra: You can feel sore tomorrow or you can feel sorry tomorrow. You choose.
It is your choice to complete the task, to make the change, or to do a killer run and feel sore, tired, exhausted. Or you can not do any of them and feel only regret!
Today I procrastinated a lot. The library was closed and I usually use that time to catch up on a lot of work I can't do when we are open and I'm constantly being interrupted.
Funnily enough, there were a number of interruptions today - air-conditioner maintenance people turned up; council staff dropping things off or ringing me up; customers ringing up to renew items (yes I answer the phone just in case someone is actually trying to find me); other libraries ringing to check if we have such and such book - so the list goes on.
I did manage to get one exciting thing done today - I registered for the upcoming NSW Public Libraries Conference. This year it will be in Mudgee, NSW in November. Another town I have never been too and another exciting networking/professional development event to look forward to.
I also booked my accommodation at the Mudgee Riverside Caravan and Tourist Park. I booked a cabin as I found when I recently visited Nundle, staying in a cabin in the local caravan park can be just as comfortable as staying in a motel. And it gives you a bit extra room around you so that you don't feel cramped. Basically it means I can make more of a mess. I don't know if anyone else finds that their suitcase contents becomes scattered all over the hotel/motel room when they stay over. But mine certainly does. So now I can have a whole cabin full of mess!!
I then got a bit distracted and started looking at possible running routes and places that I could check out during my early morning runs. Also checked out the local sporting fields and ovals to see if there are places for me to do my makeshift boot camp. Yes I have my priorities right. Closer to the date I will get onto my FB running pages and ask if there are any local Mudgee runners who might like some company while I'm there or to show me the best running routes. I love being connected to other runners and we are such great bunches of people that it doesn't matter if you don't know each other, you will run together and find stuff to talk about - mainly pace, fuel, different races etc.
Talking about running - my lunch time run today was a bit of a killer. I had heavy legs and was really struggling with the hills - but I felt sore rather than sorry!! And since I did manage to tick 2 things off my "to do" list today - I will say I ended the day not feeling sorry!!
Did you make the choice to day to feel sore or sorry?!?
It is your choice to complete the task, to make the change, or to do a killer run and feel sore, tired, exhausted. Or you can not do any of them and feel only regret!
Today I procrastinated a lot. The library was closed and I usually use that time to catch up on a lot of work I can't do when we are open and I'm constantly being interrupted.
Funnily enough, there were a number of interruptions today - air-conditioner maintenance people turned up; council staff dropping things off or ringing me up; customers ringing up to renew items (yes I answer the phone just in case someone is actually trying to find me); other libraries ringing to check if we have such and such book - so the list goes on.
I did manage to get one exciting thing done today - I registered for the upcoming NSW Public Libraries Conference. This year it will be in Mudgee, NSW in November. Another town I have never been too and another exciting networking/professional development event to look forward to.
I also booked my accommodation at the Mudgee Riverside Caravan and Tourist Park. I booked a cabin as I found when I recently visited Nundle, staying in a cabin in the local caravan park can be just as comfortable as staying in a motel. And it gives you a bit extra room around you so that you don't feel cramped. Basically it means I can make more of a mess. I don't know if anyone else finds that their suitcase contents becomes scattered all over the hotel/motel room when they stay over. But mine certainly does. So now I can have a whole cabin full of mess!!
I then got a bit distracted and started looking at possible running routes and places that I could check out during my early morning runs. Also checked out the local sporting fields and ovals to see if there are places for me to do my makeshift boot camp. Yes I have my priorities right. Closer to the date I will get onto my FB running pages and ask if there are any local Mudgee runners who might like some company while I'm there or to show me the best running routes. I love being connected to other runners and we are such great bunches of people that it doesn't matter if you don't know each other, you will run together and find stuff to talk about - mainly pace, fuel, different races etc.
Talking about running - my lunch time run today was a bit of a killer. I had heavy legs and was really struggling with the hills - but I felt sore rather than sorry!! And since I did manage to tick 2 things off my "to do" list today - I will say I ended the day not feeling sorry!!
Did you make the choice to day to feel sore or sorry?!?
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Blog December Post 7 - Professional Identity/Branding
There have been a few discussions/articles floating around of late concerning professional identity and branding.
This came through my feed last night - Building your professional presence
I don't think too hard about how I come across to people on my networks. However, I do try to remain professional even when putting slightly personal things out there. I suppose in the social media sense, I have a line that I try not to cross.
That said, with this blog I mix it up between professional and personal. And honestly, I find at times when I'm trying to write something along the lines of being professional, I don't regard my writing ability to be professional. You see that last sentence probably didn't even make sense.
I follow a lot of blogs by fellow library professionals and I am continually floored at how well some people manage to put their thoughts/arguments/opinions out there. I try to do that but more than often my words get caught up and I possibly don't make much sense.
I also try to find interesting things to discuss on this blog and share articles on interest on Twitter. But I think that there are people out there that are much better at this professional identity/branding thing than I am - possibly because as I said before, I don't think too hard about it.
I suppose with me, I am what I am and I try hard not to be someone I'm not so you can often tell when I'm trying too hard! Again you are possibly lost at what I just said!!
You see that is my main problem - forming a post that actually makes sense. When I'm exercising I often come up with some really good posts (ok I think they are good) and then when I sit down to write them, I'm at a loss.
It could be that I do posts in the morning which means I'm rushed for time - but as a mother and full time working, when am I not rushed for time.
Regardless, the article mentioned above does make you stop and think about your professional networks and how you come across to others. So I recommend you have a read and then think about your own professional networks and whether you do have an identity or brand that you try to put out there.
This came through my feed last night - Building your professional presence
I don't think too hard about how I come across to people on my networks. However, I do try to remain professional even when putting slightly personal things out there. I suppose in the social media sense, I have a line that I try not to cross.
That said, with this blog I mix it up between professional and personal. And honestly, I find at times when I'm trying to write something along the lines of being professional, I don't regard my writing ability to be professional. You see that last sentence probably didn't even make sense.
I follow a lot of blogs by fellow library professionals and I am continually floored at how well some people manage to put their thoughts/arguments/opinions out there. I try to do that but more than often my words get caught up and I possibly don't make much sense.
I also try to find interesting things to discuss on this blog and share articles on interest on Twitter. But I think that there are people out there that are much better at this professional identity/branding thing than I am - possibly because as I said before, I don't think too hard about it.
I suppose with me, I am what I am and I try hard not to be someone I'm not so you can often tell when I'm trying too hard! Again you are possibly lost at what I just said!!
You see that is my main problem - forming a post that actually makes sense. When I'm exercising I often come up with some really good posts (ok I think they are good) and then when I sit down to write them, I'm at a loss.
It could be that I do posts in the morning which means I'm rushed for time - but as a mother and full time working, when am I not rushed for time.
Regardless, the article mentioned above does make you stop and think about your professional networks and how you come across to others. So I recommend you have a read and then think about your own professional networks and whether you do have an identity or brand that you try to put out there.
Monday, August 20, 2012
Road Trip Library Photos
In my previous post I mentioned that on the way to the Public Libraries NSW Conference, we stopped and visited some libraries.
I have finally uploaded most of the photos. I haven't got to Tea Gardens Library yet but the photos will be up soon.
Here are links to the photos:
I have finally uploaded most of the photos. I haven't got to Tea Gardens Library yet but the photos will be up soon.
Here are links to the photos:
- Port Macquarie Library
- Laurieton Library - a branch of Port Macquarie-Hastings Libraries
- Raymond Terrace Library - a branch of Port Stephens Libraries
- Tomaree Library and Community Centre - a branch of Port Stephens Libraries
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Ch..ch..changes
When is life not changing? Everywhere things are changing all the time. Some change quickly while others take a while to change.
Not all changes have a big impact but there are a few bigger changes coming my way that I suspect will have an impact - can't say if it will be good or bad but regardless there will be a need to adjust.
MPOW is currently going through an organisational restructure. Not just the Library but the whole organisation. Staff briefings about the suggested changes will begin next week. While what is suggested may not be the change that will happen, as staff have a chance to comment and provide feedback, it will give us an idea of what's on the horizon.
I'll suspect the Library may not be affected much but sometimes a little change which you think will only generate small waves can generate tsunami's.
Other changes coming up involve a big change to our library service with one of the member councils pulling out at the end of June. The library service will now only have two member councils which will take a while to adjust to. Our library members will have access to a smaller collection and because the member council borders on our council border, our staff will have some PR work to do around those members from the other council who will no longer have full library member access but will have to become reciprocal borrowers in order to access our collection and services.
There is going to be council elections in September which may result in new councillors in our council. Which will then result in a change to the councillor who sits on the library committee. We have been blessed in the past to have wonderfully supportive councillors on the library committee but you never know what the election will result in.
Then there is the flow on of the Destination 2036 Action Plan Destination 2036 provides a process and a forum for local government to explore these issues and to consider and develop structures and approaches to local government in NSW that will allow the sector to meet the needs and expectations of our communities of the future.
Not to mention all the continuing technology changes which seem to be happening on a daily basis.
How we handle change differs. I like to think that I don't mind change but am also one to say "why change something if it is working well?" I may think it is working well but perhaps someone with another point of view may not think so.
I am one who enjoys routine and probably is not as spontaneous as I should/could be. However, I think the next few months will be an interesting time for all involved with these changes. As a manager it will be a test for me to bring my staff through these changes without too much conflict.
How do you deal with change? Can you see some big changes coming up that might impact you?
Not all changes have a big impact but there are a few bigger changes coming my way that I suspect will have an impact - can't say if it will be good or bad but regardless there will be a need to adjust.
MPOW is currently going through an organisational restructure. Not just the Library but the whole organisation. Staff briefings about the suggested changes will begin next week. While what is suggested may not be the change that will happen, as staff have a chance to comment and provide feedback, it will give us an idea of what's on the horizon.
I'll suspect the Library may not be affected much but sometimes a little change which you think will only generate small waves can generate tsunami's.
Other changes coming up involve a big change to our library service with one of the member councils pulling out at the end of June. The library service will now only have two member councils which will take a while to adjust to. Our library members will have access to a smaller collection and because the member council borders on our council border, our staff will have some PR work to do around those members from the other council who will no longer have full library member access but will have to become reciprocal borrowers in order to access our collection and services.
There is going to be council elections in September which may result in new councillors in our council. Which will then result in a change to the councillor who sits on the library committee. We have been blessed in the past to have wonderfully supportive councillors on the library committee but you never know what the election will result in.
Then there is the flow on of the Destination 2036 Action Plan Destination 2036 provides a process and a forum for local government to explore these issues and to consider and develop structures and approaches to local government in NSW that will allow the sector to meet the needs and expectations of our communities of the future.
Not to mention all the continuing technology changes which seem to be happening on a daily basis.
How we handle change differs. I like to think that I don't mind change but am also one to say "why change something if it is working well?" I may think it is working well but perhaps someone with another point of view may not think so.
I am one who enjoys routine and probably is not as spontaneous as I should/could be. However, I think the next few months will be an interesting time for all involved with these changes. As a manager it will be a test for me to bring my staff through these changes without too much conflict.
How do you deal with change? Can you see some big changes coming up that might impact you?
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
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??
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??
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Library Day in the Life - Post #1
This year I have decided to participate in the Library Day in the Life Round 8 project. Twice a year librarians, library staff and library students from all over the globe share a day (or week) in their life through blog posts, photos, video and Twitter updates. I'm working on Blog updates and possibly some twitter ones too.
So to start with I should give you a bit of background (for those that don't already know me). Today is my birthday!! Yes it really is so what better time to start a blog project.
I work in a regional public library service on the mid-North coast of New South Wales, Australia. I manage three branch libraries. Our Shire (the three branch libraries sit in) has a population of around 13,369.
All of our Shire library branches are closed on Monday's so this is a day I use to catch up with the tasks I can't complete when I'm doing circulation/shelving duties. Today was the first day I have had to catch up since returning from 3 weeks holiday I took over Christmas. On top of that our Shire was inundated with floods last week so it is making catch up a little bit harder. Add to that we are now on a Flood Watch with possible minor to moderate flooding from tomorrow onwards. However, we are very much used to rain and floods here - it is a way of life!!
Today started with me walking into the library and realising that a numbe of people must have returned their books on Saturday and my staff member did not have time to shelve them all. Three trolley loads of shelving ready to be shelved and a full return chute. I'm still trawling through the shelving and using it as a break from the computer.
I then caught up on some emails and printed out the papers for our next Library Committee meeting. I have read through them briefly and plan to read through them in more depth later today and make notes to raise during the meeting.
Our IT guy came over to look at some of our public computers to see why Internet Explorer wouldn't open. We went through the process of how to update the computers and lock them back down so that each time they restart they are "cleaned." I am taking over the role of maintaining our public computers as we only limited IT support to support the whole of Council. I visit my branches every month so will do the updates during that time.
I answered some telephone calls concerning borrowers wanting renewals and when our opening hours are. I returned and shelved some more books. I took the mail to Council administration, next door, for posting and said "hello" to all the staff in the Council administration building. I also checked in on a staff member whom I had assisted finding some books to read last week to see if they enjoyed them - they did!!
Lunch time came around and I took off to our local swimming pool to do some laps. Very proud to say I managed to do 50 laps of the 25 meter pool. The water was a bit cool but it makes you swim faster.
I returned from lunch and now I am here updating my blog and thinking about what I have to get through this afternoon. I have some professional reading to catch up on, more returns and shelving, running the allocations list to pick reserves from the shelves, and getting to the meeting papers.
What did you get up to today??
So to start with I should give you a bit of background (for those that don't already know me). Today is my birthday!! Yes it really is so what better time to start a blog project.
I work in a regional public library service on the mid-North coast of New South Wales, Australia. I manage three branch libraries. Our Shire (the three branch libraries sit in) has a population of around 13,369.
All of our Shire library branches are closed on Monday's so this is a day I use to catch up with the tasks I can't complete when I'm doing circulation/shelving duties. Today was the first day I have had to catch up since returning from 3 weeks holiday I took over Christmas. On top of that our Shire was inundated with floods last week so it is making catch up a little bit harder. Add to that we are now on a Flood Watch with possible minor to moderate flooding from tomorrow onwards. However, we are very much used to rain and floods here - it is a way of life!!
Today started with me walking into the library and realising that a numbe of people must have returned their books on Saturday and my staff member did not have time to shelve them all. Three trolley loads of shelving ready to be shelved and a full return chute. I'm still trawling through the shelving and using it as a break from the computer.
I then caught up on some emails and printed out the papers for our next Library Committee meeting. I have read through them briefly and plan to read through them in more depth later today and make notes to raise during the meeting.
Our IT guy came over to look at some of our public computers to see why Internet Explorer wouldn't open. We went through the process of how to update the computers and lock them back down so that each time they restart they are "cleaned." I am taking over the role of maintaining our public computers as we only limited IT support to support the whole of Council. I visit my branches every month so will do the updates during that time.
I answered some telephone calls concerning borrowers wanting renewals and when our opening hours are. I returned and shelved some more books. I took the mail to Council administration, next door, for posting and said "hello" to all the staff in the Council administration building. I also checked in on a staff member whom I had assisted finding some books to read last week to see if they enjoyed them - they did!!
Lunch time came around and I took off to our local swimming pool to do some laps. Very proud to say I managed to do 50 laps of the 25 meter pool. The water was a bit cool but it makes you swim faster.
I returned from lunch and now I am here updating my blog and thinking about what I have to get through this afternoon. I have some professional reading to catch up on, more returns and shelving, running the allocations list to pick reserves from the shelves, and getting to the meeting papers.
What did you get up to today??
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