Friday, July 31, 2009

Summer Reading Grand Finale tomorrow!

It's Finale time! My favorite event of the year, our Summer Reading Grand Finale is tomorrow, Saturday, August 1, from 1-4pm on the lawns behind the Library and Village parking lots.

Come celebrate the end of Summer Reading with fun activities for everyone. Cool down
under the tent and meet your fellow readers, build your own Culver’s sundae, snack on popcorn and snow cones, play your favorite fun fair games for prizes, listen
to live music from the Andes region of Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador performed by the
Sisai Trio, hop through the tiger moon jump, race against the clock at the pit stop challenge, and test your strength and endurance with the bungee run. Support the Friends of the Library and Plainfield Library Foundation's fundraiser with a $5 donation to receive a free "We Support the Plainfield Library" window cling. Bottled water and reusable bags will also be available for purchase from the Friends/Foundation.

Look for Library staff and volunteers to help direct you to parking. Don't forget to try the parking lot on Route 59 or the lot at the former First Midwest building if the Illinois Street and Library lots are full! Maps of the Grand Finale events will be posted at the entrances and throughout the event grounds.

Thank you to all of our donors and sponsors for the Summer Reading Program, including the Grand Finale. Without your generous support, this program would not be possible! Look for banners at the Grand Finale with a complete list of this year's sponsors.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Donate $5 to Friends/Foundation and Show Your Support!

The Friends of the Plainfield Public Library District and the Plainfield Public Library Foundation are offering a “We Support the Plainfield Public Library! 2009” window cling for every donation of $5 or more. Show your support for the Library by displaying your window cling on your car, home and business! Donations will be split by the Friends and Foundation to support the Plainfield Library in its mission “Educate – Captivate – Connect.”

You can make your donation at the Summer Reading Grand Finale on Saturday, August 1 from 1pm until 4pm. Other Friends & Foundation fundraisers for the Finale include sale of bottled water and reusable bags.

Window clings are also available at the Library when you make your $5 donation.

Thursday, July 9, 2009

All in a day's work...

One of the best (and occasionally worst) things about my job is you never know what's going to happen on any given day. The Library is a public building. That means anybody can come through the front doors during operating hours and anything can happen. I thought I had seen and/or done it all, been just about everywhere in this building. Just about being the operative words here.

Today, a young lady dropped her keys in the crack of the elevator doors. Yup. Down they went. Of course, our Head of Maintenance took a half day of vacation. It never fails. If he takes off, something happens with the building. The roof starts leaking. A toilet overflows. Something. Every time. Today, it was the keys in the elevator.

Staff finds the special device to open the door. We send the elevator to the top level and shut it off at the internal panel. We fumble around, getting the door on the lower level to open. We find the switch for the light in the sump pit at the bottom of the shaft and the main shut off switch. And there are the keys, seven feet below the edge of the door, on the floor of the pit.

We can't find anything other than a long stick to fish them out. Where's a wire coat hanger when you need one? The Head of Children's Services gamely attempts the fishing expedition. No luck. We all look at the ladder. It's a big step over from the edge to the top rung. Thankfully, bottom of the pit is relatively dry.

One thing about being a Library Director: I do not expect anything of my staff that I am not willing to do myself. Of course, now we have an audience. Some moms and kids waiting for the elevator, watching the show.

Deep breath and down the ladder I go, into the pit. Now, mind you, I did not dress this AM to go into a sump pit. I dressed for work, which is usually in a nice dry office. It's a good thing I wore flat shoes and am not afraid of heights! The ladder sides above the rungs are a bit wobbly. The rungs themselves are round rods, not the best footing while wearing dress shoes. I make it down without falling or swearing. The latter was a near thing when the ladder sides moved. But there are children present and I am a professional. :-)

The keys are rescued and returned to their rightful owner. I climb out and step back over onto the landing without incident. Now I can honestly say that I have been EVERYWHERE in this building - roof, eaves, drop-ceilings, closets, boiler room, elevator room - and even the sump pit.

Running a Library is not for the faint of heart. Because you never know what's going to happen.

I'm famous! Or maybe it's just the blog...

This blog was just added to the top 100! 100 Best Blogs for School Librarians

Last summer, I was flattered to find my own blog featured on one of my favorite blogs to read, Tame the Web.

LOL! Not sure if anyone else is following this, but the other librarians love it :-)