This week at the library; or, Winter or spring? I am very confused.

What's happening in my head and at the library

• The weather is weird. Was it only last week school was closing due to extreme cold and now it's in the 30s and I hardly need my sweater!
• I had two interviews, a staff meeting, and a deathly determination to finish the Neighborhoods this week. Y - Z I AM COMING FOR YOU.
• THE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE FINISHED!! Of course, I still have to deal with the 50+ missing items, everything that was checked out to the youth/tech services and not discharged, 50 holds on items still checked out, signage, and the rest of the replacement order but the main work is done!
• I went out to New Berlin on Friday morning to join another system's pre-summer reading thing (I have been told that it's NOT a conference and there are no free books, but there is Marge Loch-Wouters and that counts for me) and then I took off the afternoon and went to the zoo and shopping, which is why I'd worked 6 days last week.
As always, Marge was very reassuring and relaxing to listen to (although I probably seemed a little abstracted, especially when she mentioned my blog and I looked over my shoulder and was like "huh? me?" but I was listening, honest!) My main take-away was that I need to stop looking for the "perfect" summer reading program, which we can then do forever, world without end, amen. Instead, I need to think of what summer reading program will work well for us, right now, and possibly a few years into the future. What is something simple that can easily be changed and adapted as needed? Related to that, I need to stop trying to reassure staff who are not comfortable with change (or not the frequency of change in my department) by telling them this will be the last change, or I'm not going to change anything again or trying to justify, defend, or cajole. I'm going to practice saying "yes, I'm trying a new program. I think it will be really popular with the parents and kids for X reasons and not too difficult for the staff to pick up, especially since you're all so awesome!" (and I really don't mean that sarcastically - we do have a great staff who have dealt with a lot of difficult changes well)
• I'm really tired and am now trying to figure out how to set up a schedule for my new employee that won't change every week, will still allow me to train them, and will also take into account the vacation I already put in for in February. It's really hard for me to take vacation, so I usually take long weekends.

Programs

• Playgroup with Pattie
• Toddlers 'n' Books (2 sessions) (Pattie)
• We Explore Nature: Snow
• Books 'n' Babies (Pattie)
• Messy Art Club: Feel it with Felt
• January Outreach: Under the snow (6 sessions)
• Stealth: 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten
• Stealth: Paws to Read (winter reading program)
• Stealth: I Spy Aquarium
• Stealth: Birdwatching station
• Stealth: Take home storytime: Let it snow

What the kids are reading

• Showed a parent the truck movies. We did not have the specific one she wanted, but there were plenty of others.
• Spirited Away - new copies coming soon
• Parent wanting books to help talk about sex/puberty with an 11 year old girl.
• ATV books - I think I only have one. Need to update the sports section of race cars etc.
• Found the missing Ira Sleeps Over for a parent needing it for homeschooling curriculum. Discussed why a grade school reader would/should be assigned picture books.