Library tours, Children's room, Archive project

9:00 am -2:00 pm
5 hours
Total hours to date: 85.5 hours

Today, I was able to do a variety of things to help out at the library. First, I checked in with Gale about the archive project, got a copy of her Excel spreadsheet for recording the data, and discussed ways we could edit the existing spreadsheet to fit the newer categories for cataloging the archival items. Having the spreadsheet on my laptop will also allow me to work some at home, since I have not been able lately to spend much of my library time in the NC room because of other activities. I worked with Gale for about an hour, then went to help Alicia, the YA Program Coordinator, with a group of 8th grade students who would be coming to tour the library facilities. Alicia led the first group, while I observed, then I led the 2nd group. Each group had about 25 students from Table Rock Middle School. While one group was touring the library, the other group was next door, touring the Burke County History Museum.

During the tour, we gave them a brief history of the library facility and introduced them to the resources available to them in the YA wing of the library--books, graphic novels, CDs, audiobooks. Alicia also told them about upcoming programs in April like Poetry Alive and the Steel Drum Band. She then told them about the Summer Reading Program, along with some of the planned activities. Their ears perked up when she mentioned that two I-pads will be given away to participants in the SRP who have attended at least 7 of the programs that will be offered this summer. At the kick-off, there will be lots of fun activities like sumo-wrestling costumes, human-sized hamster ball races, a rock climbing wall, etc. During the summer, there will be hiking and crafts each week, along with movies and lots of other activities that young adults can enjoy.

During the tour, we showed them where the following were located: YA section, magazines, new non-fiction, adult computers, reference, non-fiction, fiction. We also explained certain policies like how to get a library card, use of computers, how to use the library catalog, inter-library loan, and library etiquette. They received a tour of the NC room and Children's room, as well.

The discussion of library etiquette came about because some of the students were getting rowdy during the tour, and Alicia took a few minutes to remind them of proper behavior in the library. She explained that library use is a privilege and if young adults are acting disruptive or not following library policies, they may be asked to leave. Since I have a teaching background, I often have a teacher's mindset, and I wouldn't have thought about that as an option, because teachers don't have the ability to just ask students to leave when they misbehave. However, at the public library, where the facilities are available to the public as a privilege (not a right), adherence to library policies is required. Violation of those policies can result in losing the library privilege. It was an important reminder to the students, and to me, that use of the library should be respected and honored, and if patrons do not follow the rules, they can lose the privilege of library use.

At lunch time, I went down to the Children's room to help cover the children's area while the circulation librarian was gone to lunch. Due to some illness, the library is a little short-staffed, so I was glad to help out. During that time, I had the opportunity to serve with Barbara, who has been serving as a library aid for a number of years. She has retired from a government job but works at the library about 20 hours a week.