This week at the library; or, A nice, relaxing vacation...whatever

Programs

• Tail Waggin' Tutors
• Toddlers 'n' Books (2 sessions) (Pattie)
• Preschool Interactive: That's Good, That's Bad!
• Books 'n' Babies
• Lego Club
• Teens on Screen: Ender's Game (Lindsay)
• We Explore Art and Stories: Pete the Cat (3 sessions)

Random Commentary

• Somehow vacation is never as relaxing as I hope it will be. I took Monday and Tuesday off (our newest staff member supervised the last Tail Waggin' Tutors), and since we were closed Friday had a really long weekend, but since I got sick Thursday night and was still sick when I went back to work...oh well. Nothing's perfect. I did get the kitchen clean.
• I plunged right back in without a space for breath when I returned - I had most of my work done, but programs still needed last-minute planning and I had a preschool visiting (come to think of it, I think I've gotten sick almost every year when they come. So either they set something off or it's just April I can't take) Anyways, I did my Pete the Cat program for them (sans snacks) and then I had to work Saturday and the school librarians came over to plan the district Battle of the Books for next week....let's just say vacation rapidly became a distant dream.
• As I was leaving, one of the staff told me somebody wanted to talk to me. I went over to the children's area, and one of the little girls from the preschool visit this morning had returned with her mom and baby brother! The mom said they'd NEVER BEEN TO THE LIBRARY BEFORE! I gave her some new books and they were picking out books as I left. Outreach for the win!
• Wednesday - Preschool Interactive, desk time, all the things that were neglected during my absence.
• Thursday - came in at 8:40ish which was not early enough, ran around like a chicken with my head cut off to get ready for the preschool group at 8:50 (thankfully they didn't show until 9 because I wasn't ready!) then trying frantically to finish one section of my neighborhoods project b/c it's causing issues for staff and patrons to have every book in the 600s sitting on a cart in my office, then on the information desk, said hi to the group of preschoolers that came in on their own (at least I was realistic about what I could do - they just kind of hung out, drew some Culver's pictures, had storytime, etc. and I waved to them as they passed) then grabbed something to eat, finished the section of Neighborhoods YAY, then Lego Club. It didn't feel like it, but we had 52 people! Continued discussion with Pattie on a big outreach project we're planning for the summer. Once we get everything in place shouldn't be too time-consuming...Frustrated struggle with the hamster water bottle and by the time I left it was nearly six.
• Friday - learned my lesson and came in at 8:30 to set up for the preschool group, ran the Pete the Cat program for them and then sent them out to the lobby with handfuls of pennies to do the wishing well, giving myself about 5 minutes to set up for the regular group. It was a small group and we finished a little after 11. After I cleaned up, I took care of misc. stuff - weekly newsletter, planning stuff for next week, new books, etc. Left around 12:30 and ran errands for myself then staggered home.
• Saturday - feeling grumpy because I felt sick and cancelled my breakfast date with Sara the Librarian before work which just made me feel grumpier and...yeah, I don't know where that's going either. Saturday. Busy, no more crazy people than usual, worked alternately on Neighborhoods, thinking about school visits for summer, more new books. I don't know if my aide was really finished painting the reading nook, but we were tired of it cluttering up the back, so out it went!