Don't say we didn't warn you! The Library will be undergoing some significant changes this fall.
Overall, shelving will be taller - and there will be more of it. Some aisles will be narrower (Americans with Disabilities Act minimum 36" rather than the preferred 42"). Tables and seating will be closer together. Local History and genealogy collections will be housed in the Original Library, along with newspapers and magazines. One Study Room will still be available for public use, but it will be the former Local History Room on the upper level. The changes will be phased in throughout the fall, with a target of November for completion of all phases.
Today, the Youth Services Desk reconfiguration began. The last piece will be remade and delivered Monday. Already, the space has a new feel. The Desk has moved forward and is narrower. The openings are on the sides, allowing staff to come and go more freely.
For the next step, the new shelving is ordered and scheduled for delivery. The plan is being finalized for the relocation of the existing shelving and furniture. It's tentatively scheduled to begin September 14. The Library will be open during the process, though the actual installation and physical moving of existing shelves is slated to occur in the early AM before the library opens to the public. The process is anticipated to take a week for the actual installation and relocation.
Shifting of collections to new locations and onto new shelving will require a little more time, since all of that work will be done by Library staff while still conducting business as usual. Our fabulous Pages, led by Lisa and Sheilah, are the ones performing the bulk of that work.
The final piece of the project will be the relocation of the Study Room and changes to staff spaces that will take place once the shelving installation and relocation. Stay tuned for more on that!
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Illinois Public Library Annual Report - What a Year!
The staff and I have been compiling year-end data for the Illinois Public Library Annual Report. Our fiscal year ends June 30. This report must be submitted to the State of Illinois by September 1.
Here are some highlights from the report:
Visits: 500,872
Programs Held: 1,599
Program Attendance: 51,254
Card Holders: 29,916
Books/Print Resources Owned: 124,746
Non Print Resources Owned: 19,710
Check Outs: 612,228
Reference Questions Answered: 55,069
PC Uses Logged: 42,517
That's up 10% on most measures in a single year!
Here are some highlights from the report:
Visits: 500,872
Programs Held: 1,599
Program Attendance: 51,254
Card Holders: 29,916
Books/Print Resources Owned: 124,746
Non Print Resources Owned: 19,710
Check Outs: 612,228
Reference Questions Answered: 55,069
PC Uses Logged: 42,517
That's up 10% on most measures in a single year!
Monday, August 3, 2009
1,145 Attend Finale, Star Elected Mascot!
Despite the rain, over 1,100 people turned out to enjoy the Plainfield Public Library District's Grand Finale event! "Read on the Wild Side" Summer Reading program ended with carnival games, inflatables, frozen custard sundaes, popcorn, snow cones and fun for the whole family. One patron remarked "Plainfield Library really knows how to treat its kids!" Hundreds of kids petted an alligator, got their faces painted, played games, enjoyed treats, and won prizes.
Over two dozen sponsors helped to make the program possible with donations of cash and prizes.
The Friends of the Library sponsored the election of a library mascot for the year. Star, a sweet brindle greyhound, won the election. Look for Star to attend library events throughout the year.
Thank you to our friends at PlainfieldTV for coming out to cover the event! Look for us on PlainfieldTV!
Over two dozen sponsors helped to make the program possible with donations of cash and prizes.
The Friends of the Library sponsored the election of a library mascot for the year. Star, a sweet brindle greyhound, won the election. Look for Star to attend library events throughout the year.
Thank you to our friends at PlainfieldTV for coming out to cover the event! Look for us on PlainfieldTV!
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.
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.
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.
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 :-)
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 :-)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)