This week at the library; or, Madness Resumes

This is Stuart. He hasn't bitten anyone. Yet.

What's Happening (with bonus overview of December!)
  This year I'm not offering our winter reading program - after we got Reading Explorer off the ground, interest in a specific winter reading program, never high, dwindled to almost nothing. I'll revive it someday at a different time perhaps (it's not season-specific). I added a Scholastic Book Fair, hoping to take advantage of all the community holiday programming that takes place this week (most of it happens in the library's community room or right outside our building). My book prize cart has gotten a bit sad and I wanted some new titles to spruce it up.
  Nobody leaves holiday decorating to me, because I'd just put facts about how snakes hibernate everywhere (and hedgehogs! Hedgehogs are super festive!) but Jess put lots of stuff up, mostly snow-themed. We haul all the Christmas books and movies out from the back of the stacks (every year I try to weed some of the older stuff - who needs that many Christmas books???) and add books on hibernation and snow into the display.
  Our circulation staff, who do most of the general library decorations, put up a tree in the open area in front of the children's desk and wrap bundles of books. Generally not Christmas books specifically, but picture books and easy readers. Patrons can check out a whole bundle and unwrap it at home (although some kids can't wait). We usually circulate about 300+ books with this gimmick (and I'm very grateful the circulation staff does all the wrapping!)
  Our programs are mostly over by the second week of the month and then we take a break from programming. Patrons do ask for programs later in the month, but I've found through trial and error that they won't actually attend anything after about the 15th. Our schools are only off for about 10 days.
  I always think of all these cool things I'd LIKE to do in December - like hafuboti's cool Decemberley decorating scheme, or outdoor stuff like snowman building and bird feeding stations. Realistically, when it comes to this point in the year I'm crazy with Cybils, planning next year, writing end-of-year reports, trying to finish all the projects, etc. This year I am not doing ANY outreach in December and it's a great relief.

• Monday
• Playgroup with Pattie
• Tiny Tots (Pattie)
• It was cold and rainy. A good day for staying home in bed. Alas, we had to go to work. Humphrey II suddenly expired in the early afternoon and was hastily replaced by Stuart. Then a window started leaking. It was a typical Monday.
• Tuesday
• Toddlers 'n' Books (2 sessions) (Pattie)
• Board meeting for OPtions. Sorting picture books in preparation for shelving. Scheduling, scheduling, scheduling. I left at 3 since my hours are weird this week.
• Wednesday
• EAYC Outreach (Jess)
• The book fair arrived in the morning. Sadly, our volunteer couldn't come in to help as she had a sick kiddo on her hands, but Jess got the basics up. When I came in at 1 (I was working a half day) I finished setting it up. Although I hesitate to call it a book fair, considering the lack of actual books. I am feeling a bit annoyed right now about that to be honest. It was a very annoying afternoon.
• Thursday
• Books 'n' Babies
• Messy Art Club: Holiday Ornaments
• Teen Give a Gift (2 sessions) (Jess)
• Scholastic Book Fair
• Phew, what a day! I decided at the last minute I really did need to come in and get things started, so I came in about 8:30 and got the book fair running and made sure our volunteer was set up. I went back home around 9, ate breakfast, and then back to work at noon, when I have a short desk shift, then misc. things to do, including huge hold stacks for book club and teacher requests, then vast amounts of glitter for the holiday ornaments - fortunately only 60 people came, I don't think we could have handled the 100+ people who came last year! We also had the high school choir singing in the lobby by the book fair and although last year nobody was interested this year tons of people came to that too! Jess had continuous middle schoolers and teens at her two Give a Gift sessions upstairs (note to self - next year make it clearer where the program is - several teens came to Messy Art Club instead by mistake) and then we did clean up and other things until closing at 8. The girls (my aides) played with the new hamster. He does not bite!
• Friday
• Scholastic Book Fair
• I came in at noon and got misc. things done as it wasn't busy until near closing time at 6pm. Kids came out and got me to answer reader's advisory questions which warmed my heart. I also realized that I am a horrible salesperson, b/c when my patrons ask if this is a book they should buy 3/4 of the time I say no, I have a better one in the library you can check out...there was a parrot.
• We closed at 6 and I buckled down and got most of my monthly report written until a staff member attending the Santa reception used her key to get into the library and tell me the people were here now! I did brisk business until things started winding down at 8, but stayed open for some of the people running the reception who wanted to buy things and then helping shift furniture and stuff back into place. Finally left about 8:40. My feet hurt.
• Saturday
• Scholastic Book Fair
• I came in to run the book fair. We had more stuff to put back from last night and I did some reader's advisory and help with the kids. It wasn't very busy, so I got some reports written and other work while I went back and forth. Finished the financials and was done at 3! It's been a long week.

Reader's Advisory

• nonfiction author studies - Seymour Simon, Gail Gibbons, and Jean Fritz were requested, but many of those are out of print (or outdated). I suggested Steve Jenkins, Nic Bishop, Nicola Davies, and Jim Arnosky
• Wimpy Kid
• Peep and the big wide world
• Pokemon gotta-catch-em-all handbook (checked out)
• Stella Batts - checked out and had read them all, recommended Clementine
• Dragon chapter books - Dragon Masters
• Who Was series
• penguin picture books
• read-alike for Pip's Guide to Magical Creatures - Suzanne Selfors' Imaginary Veterinary
• Josh Lacey's Island of Thieves for fan of Patterson's Treasure Hunters
• Wimpy Kid
• Pete the Cat multiple requests (kids saw it in the book fair)
• Book fair titles we need - more Pokemon handbooks, Disney comic books - Finding Dory
• I have been informed that Lego Ninjago is still popular and the kids don't really care about Nexo Knights - yet.