Saturday, August 21, 2010

Update

Well, it's been a long time since my last post (of course). There have been many many things I've THOUGHT about posting but didn't- mostly because I'm too tired or don't have access to a computer at the time I'm thinking about posting a library-related issue or thought that crosses my mind.

We're in the midst of big changes at our library (story of my life!). It's been going along pretty smoothly I'd say. Each day there's a new set of obstacles to get around, but it's either getting a) easier to expect the obstacles and therefore know how to overcome them or b) easier because I've become "used" to the types of problems that arise. I'm not sure which, maybe both.

Things I'm doing now:
Buying the Teen Collection. This is fun fun fun. I'm basing the collection on new and popular fiction that's coming out now. I'm also buying things that were on BBYA lists for the last 2 years and anything classic or required reading for area school districts. This doesn't include nonfiction. I'm buying graphic novels here and there, but am reluctant to buy into the big manga series because once you buy ONE, you need to buy all 40-some, and I don't know which ones will be popular. So I'm going to eventually start off with a few series and see how they do, and base further selections off of that. The graphic novels now are being inter-shelved along with Teen Fiction, because there aren't many and it just makes sense right now to have them in there. I believe some colleagues question my judgment on purchasing "older" books (books that have been published in 2007, 2008, and 2009). However, I believe the way I'm doing it is the right way to start off with a collection that still had (prior to my weed-frenzy) paperbacks from 1999 circulating within it. You gotta start somewhere.

Weeding Juvenile Nonfiction. This is insane, like bat-$hit craziness. I pulled a book from 1911 the other day. Many of them are falling apart, and others are just so well-put together that they could easily withstand being on the shelf for another 30 years without a problem. This is frustrating because so much of what we need to get rid of isn't being published anymore. Nothing even close is out there. The reading level in these books is much much higher than the stuff they put out now. And the sheer volume/size of the books we're getting rid of is leaving our shelves bare. I KNOW without a doubt, that I could purchase every book that's now being published on...say, the constitution, and our shelves would in no way be as filled up as they were with the old stuff. The old stuff is dusty and moldy and gross, and outdated....and THICK. The books themselves are huge and take up much more shelf space than any and everything put out now. As a result, our shelves were looking so bare that we "slowed down" the process. So the Nonfiction collection is quite hodge-podgy at the moment. And when I do dive in for another round of speed weeding, my eyes water, nose runs and throat burns. It's interesting and fun, and overwhelming.

Ordering Adult Fiction. This is fun, but time consuming and a little stressful. Since immersing myself in Juvenile and Teen collections, I feel a bit out of the loop on Adult Fiction. There are tools to help you know what's coming out by big authors, and I'm using review journals and NYT book review to help with all of that but still, I haven't been here very long to know exactly what circs well and what doesn't, so it's kind of a crapshoot. We have a weekly budget and I have a colleague who's helping. We're splitting it 50-50, and I can't imagine doing it on my own at this point. But it's good experience, and I feel it gives me the "right" to weed fiction when I'm up in adult, which really needs done.

Working multiple service points. This is part of any job, and I enjoy this part of the job. It mixes up your day and you get to see how other departments operate. It is also one of the most frustrating parts of my job because we are so short staffed that often I have to work another desk when I have work that needs to get done in my own department. Also, it's difficult when I know that other co-workers aren't willing to cover in other departments. Being flexible and willing to learn can put you in a position to cover for others, when they're not willing to do the same, which is irritating. Initially I was very gung-ho about working in other departments, but now I look at the schedule and see myself in Reference for 4 hours the next day and feel a little deflated. There are obstacles in these departments as well- mainly our patron computers that need updated badly. There's no way to "track" how long a person has been on a computer, so when they're filled up, we make a list so the next person in line gets the next available computer. There's no word processing, flash drives, and the browsers are so slow that many who are trying to access certain websites are unable to do so. This makes for irritated patrons. Once in a while you'll get a good reference question and that makes me feel good- but then when I'm back in that collection I REALLY want to weed, or I see a lot of work that's gone into things that isn't really necessary...it's hard to reign in all of the energy and wishes to improve things, if that makes sense.

Planning for the Homework Help Center/Children's remodel. This is really fun right now, because things are being moved around and around and around, and patrons are asking questions. It's fun to tell them about the exciting changes, though it's hard to be patient. The space for the HHC is now opened up, and we're waiting on paint, computers, desks and chairs. The designer has been by with all of this - the swatches and the carpet samples, etc. It's so exciting. Now it's just difficult to plan and be patient. With school about to start, I want to be able to promote the HHC at area schools but I don't have a definitive timeline for when it'll be completed. Also, coordinating volunteers is a little tricky for the HHC when I'm not sure when we'll be opening it. All of this is stuff that's not a big deal, just in my head and bouncing around.

Cataloging. Dum dum dummmmmmm....Yes, I've been cataloging. And hopefully not completely screwing it up along the way. I'm copy-cataloging mostly and it is terrifying. It is also nice to be a part of the WHOLE process: selecting, ordering, processing and then placing the book on the shelf. I'm hoping it doesn't make me too attached to the books themselves (I have a feeling that's why we have so many books that haven't been withdrawn-- there's a personal connection between librarian and book when you've been with it the whole way through it's life at the library.)

All in all I'm still satisfied with my decision to switch systems. I was talking to the boyfriend the other night and remarked upon some colleagues of mine that are moving up and becoming big-time-stuff in their jobs. I told him, "It seems that they're on a fast track..." and he said, "Well you are too..." But my track doesn't seem quite fast enough for me. I know all of this is a lesson in patience (and probably time and project management).

But I've created a basic goal: in two years, I want to be in a Management position. I don't think that's an unreasonable goal. I've had almost 5 years of experience in libraries, and by then 5 of those years will be in post-MS work. I'll have built two collections from the ground up and worked in multiple branches and departments. I need to get with my boss and find out how else I can improve my "track" so I get where I want to be in the time-frame I've created in my mind. I feel that since I started the Library-ing game late in life (about 4 years after starting a career in a different field) I owe it to myself to reach these goals already!

1 comment:

beyondtheautumns said...

...but books from 1911 are super sexy. Well as long as there not moldering.