The daily life of a Middle School Library Media Assistant.

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Calendar/Book/Calendar

Finished up the new calendar today and surprised I finished it with all the students coming to check out books. I'd do something on the calendar, then have to climb down to check in or out a book, then back up.... Checked out two class sets of books, one for Geometry Commections V1 and another for Algebra 2 V2. Took in books of the V1 as well. Had a lot of individual students coming in to pick up the books they didn't get for one reason or another when their classes came in. Had two kids bring back billed books, so I took them off the Main Frame billing as well. Had a student bring in some poetry books they cleaned out of an English room, Reflections on a Gift of Watermelon Pickle. They were from North, so I contacted North HS and she said to send them over, so I packed them up and they'll get picked up tomorrow. Had a couple of girls ask for some French books, so I looked some up and got them into their hands to see if they wanted to check them out. Mr. M came with a request for an answer key to one of his spanish texts, so I found the contact information for the company and sent them an e-mail. Did my usual clean-up after the day, turning off monitors, pushing in chairs and generally straightening things up.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

\0/ - Overlujah

Got the last of the oversized books back on the shelf today. It was good to finish up that project. All the books are repaired and ready to be used for another long set of years! Turned on my computer and Trac-it was down! I have classes coming in today, so I threw in a life ring and then went to our tech. We'd been in and out of connection all morning, but was working by the time my first class came in, thank goodness! Checked out two more class sets of book, one for Geometry Connections V2 and the other for Algebra Connections V2. Took in the V1's from both. Did a lot of individual check outs(21)/ins(7); patron assists(7). Pulled some books for my new calendar - I'm going to do a travel calendar, I have a bunch of old National Geographic calendars at home that I'll use. Had a student come in with two bags of munchies, and told me she had gotten them to eat for lunch later. When I caught her eating on our new furniture, she got very red faced. After school she came in with a friend who also had a bag of snacks and said they weren't going to eat them, and I caught her eating! I told them both I was very disappointed and now needed some deep therapy!

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

MagaGeometry

Processed in six teacher magazines and twelve for the library. Checked out four classes of Geometry Connections V2 and took in the V1's. Worked on the books that our volunteer had pulled that needed some fixing in one way or another. Did individual check outs(7)/ins(6); four patron assists; three students came to me to put money in their print accounts. Pulled books for the classes today and got some ready for tomorrow.

Monday, March 28, 2011

We're Back!

So good to be back at work! It was so amazing to be there again! Did a lot of individual check outs/ins. I did a class set of the Anthology of Sci/Fi Fantasy and Algebra 2 V2. I also checked in the V1 and The Martian Chronicles. I did more repairs today and got some more of the oversized books done. I'm almost done with them, I have about five books left and did some more gluing today. I gave a student some ideas for a book from Mr. S's brit lit list. Welcomed in two new students. I also sent out an e-mail on the Channel One TV's. Some of the classes have TV's that won't turn on, so I'll compile a list and send that into Channel One. It was a great day.

Friday, March 18, 2011

Book of Kells

Our last day before spring break and we were busy. Mrs. H and I tallied up all the cash from printing that we had and turned it in. I had two students come and bring in books that they had out from however long. 26 books they turned in and not only their books, but two other students as well! So, I got them all checked in, notes to the office that they were now all cleared from textbooks and the library. I cleared off one of the other students and another one had paid for his book. I had to send an e-mail to Mrs. S that that book was now in. She will send a refund to his parents. I opened a cupboard in the back and found some old books. One is a duplicate of one of the oversized books I just had worked on. The other was a beautiful edition of The Book of Kells. There are many color plates of the original, and they are just unbelievable. I had a teacher ask for this book earlier this school year and didn't know where it was, so I e-mailed who I thought had asked back months ago. I cleaned out all the rest of that cupboard, some old bulletin board things, recycling the old stuff and keeping what we can reuse. CD diamond cases I gave to the techies, some old VHS cases I put into recycling. I unplugged the fridge and defrosted it before we left since no one will be there to use it. All the kids gone, Mrs. H just cleaning up a few things and we are off for spring break.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Geeks Go Bad

Sent out an e-mail to see if anyone's seen our Discover magazines and thought of all the magazines people could mess about with, why Discover? Is it a case of 'Geeks Go Bad?' We're also out a Popular Photography magazine, the March issue, we just found the torn off back cover today. Processed in three teacher magazines and three for the library. Did some more repairs and got a couple more books on the oversize shelves. I'm very proud of an old book that I ended up taping up all the edges and remaking a spine title. A mom called about a math book, so I told her what number her son was supposed to have and then let her know about our '2 texts out' form. He just needs to pick one up and she signs it and then we can check out a second book of that title. Met a new student and got her set into the Trac-it program. Made new signs for all the computers that there is no eating in the library. It had gotten out of hand, so we needed to rein them back in. Out of 60 computers only about ten of them had the 'No Food/Drinks/Candy' signs still on them, so now they all do. I closed out the library again this afternoon since Mrs. H had another meeting. She's been a busy girl!

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Cookies to Techies

I brought in a cookie mix for the wonderful techies that fixed my computer - I'm sure they were devoured in short order! I bought myself a doughnut today for a fund raiser since one of the guys brought them right up to my window! Did more repairing and checking in and out. I made a sign for the 921 section since I've found that number on the regular shelf two days in a row instead of on the carts! So the sign will direct not only patrons, but our shelvers as well! Boxed up all our surplus books for pick up next week, all tagged and taped. Had a teacher ask me about a Charles DeLint book for reading groups, so I suggested The Onion Girl. She was still searching a bit later, so I pulled The Hearts of Horses and Till We Have Faces which I think she's checking out as well. I love it when I get to make suggestions. I also had a student ask for a sci/fi book, so we went through my reviews and he picked out Leviathan to read. Another student came by to tell me that my suggestion of Firehorse was fabulous. Happy sigh! We've had a cart of Mythology books out for about a month, so I finally put them away. Found a Watership Down book squished on the floor of the telescoping shelves. It had fallen off its shelf and been wedged by the moving shelf and the back cover bent - so sad :( Was up to see Mrs. H and Mrs. M get in the new Library Guild books, always a treat to see what we get. Mrs. H left for a meeting, so I went up to Mrs. M's desk when she left for the night and worked the front desk. We had a new aide, so I was showing her how our library is situated, the fiction, the non-fiction, our specialty shelves. She was very good at asking kids for their passes and getting them to sign in and out. As I was straightening up the library before I left, one of the students got ill and hurled all over the floor by the emergency doors down by me. Oh no! Poor thing! I helped the student out the back door to get to the bathroom. I hope he's all right. I called the office for them to call custodial on the walkie talkie. Mr. B came over and mopped it up and took the trash can liner that had been used as well. At least it wasn't on the carpet and in a nice easy to clean space.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Happy Computer

Did more repairs today, both with the oversize and just our regular textbooks. I had a teacher ask if we had The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens and I showed him the set we had plus we also have the workbooks. He asked if we'd be getting rid of anything this year, and I said, oh my no! We're not getting rid of anything this year. In fact, our pick ups for spring break are rather limited. I did pack up some of the books we've borrowed from other schools and shipped them back after I got them all withdrawn from our system. Processed in four teacher magazines and nine for the library. Checked in/out books and put money in print accounts. My computer came back from the techs and see how happy she is? I have her at home and typing on her right now! I'll have to buy doughnuts for them tomorrow! I had to pull First Aid books for Mrs. E for first thing in the morning. I had to set up the screen and InFocus machine for the meeting this afternoon in the library.

Monday, March 14, 2011

Vista 2011 - Infected!

My computer got a virus and so I brought it in today to our techie crew and I'm happy to say that my computer is happily restored and just getting an overnight scan to make sure she's all clean! I love that I work somewhere I can access some great help and give them some experience as well! Guess I'll be picking up some doughnuts for them tomorrow! Checked in and out individual books today and since the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, I brought out a picture book on Japan up at our front desk for the kids to look at. I found a stack of books in the 921 spot so I took them over to the 921 shelves and straightened that all out since the kids checked out biographies. I had to help with searches today since the forcasting is still going on and they are using the computers patrons usually search on. Mrs. M got the laminator working and did all my covers. So, the covers are all done and I just have a few books left to do. A teacher brought in a book that a student brought in and it turns out it was a lost book that a student had paid for, so I e-mailed our bookkeeper and let her know it was in. She will send them a check to reimburse them for that book. We work together really well on issues like this! Processed in three magazines. Mrs. H went to work on drafting a grant for library funding, so when Mrs. M left for the day, I closed up my window and moved to the front desk for the rest of the afternoon. It was fun and I really enjoyed helping kids. I know how much Mrs. M loves to be up there, I can see why! I also moved through the library during lunches to tell kids they can't be eating in here anymore. It's just gotten out of hand. Today I had three boys eating burgers over keyboards in the computer lab! Bbbaaadddd!

Friday, March 11, 2011

Inservice

Today was a half day for me (since I don't grade anyone!) and so I went in and finished up the oversized covers and worked on gluing the hinges of the books. We had one student come in and return books since she's moved to a private school and I checked them in and gave her a list of the four books she still has out. Mrs. S (our bookkeeper) also brought in some books that she had checked in. When the meeting in the library finished up, I took the equipment and locked it up in Mrs. H's office. Short and sweet!

Thursday, March 10, 2011

9:45

So Mrs. H was off to a workshop today and so Mrs. M and I handled the library. There were no subs, so the office worked it out with teachers on their prep to have a certified teacher present, but with all the counselors and admin there for forecasting, it was just extra nice. I worked on the last of the covers we needed laminated and Mrs. H had said that the laminator was acting up, so I went up and talked to Mrs. M about all that, and she's going to put on a new roll since getting it fixed isn't really in the budget right now. We'll keep the rest of that roll and see if the new roll will work. If it does, then I can laminate the last of the oversized books! We had a whole bank of computers go down and I went to Mr. A to address it then threw in a life ring and we talked about the documentation that the techs have to go through. Turns out that the site on the net went down, not our computers. I came in late because on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays we have Manga Club in the library after school and Mrs. H asked if I'd stay until 4 so they could still meet, so I did. Helped Mr. M find his briefcase he forgot this morning, got the machines all ready for the inservice tomorrow morning in the library. Cleaned up, found a lost book. We were certainly very busy all day with just the two of us, another class came and checked out Geometry Connections V2 and checked in their V1 and a lot of other kids came to get books we've been doing the last couple of weeks.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

All Night Long

So I read in an America Pathways textbook today as I erased several drawings and crude sayings. It really is sad that not only I have to see them, but someone else does too. :( Did a lot of repairs today and cycled through more of our Lit Gold books. The computer lab was open for half the day so I spent a bit of time monitoring the kids. One fellow was quite the roamer and finally buckled down when I sent him over to the other lab where his class really was, then he came back in later in the day and was roaming around again - ! Just seems that one kid really can impact your day sometimes! Another student asked for a Mythology book to study, then asked if he could check one out since we had plenty and he was having trouble wrapping his head around some of the stories. I told him we had other books here in the library that might be able to help him out if he needed it and he appreciated that. I'm most proud of today finishing up this huge oversized book on Norman Rockwell. I repaired the cover and glued some of the book together and retaped the bottom edges and it looks so much better - I was happy to put it on the shelf today, I've been working on it for quite awhile. Processed in two magazines, checked in and out lots of individual books, pulled all our print money out of our drawers to lock it up for the night since we have a big event in the library tonight, closed everything up for Mrs. H since she had a meeting. I also had come in half an hour early, and, I must admit, I hid in the back and read my current book - Pegasus. A couple of kids found me, but I did get in some pages before I got into the day :)

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Cleaning

So today I had to work on my repair stuff and get that all cleaned up, trash and pieces of stuff all gathered and put in sleeves together so they're not all over my repair box like it's been. We had our classified meeting today and I attended it for the library (Mrs. M went last month for us!). Did some repairs on the Lit Gold books. Checked in a class set of Foundations of Algebra V1's and checked out V2's. Checked out another class of Wild Children. Got some Geometry books ready for the morning. Patrolled the students. Not only are they eating all over the library, but in the labs as well today. We decided that we'll start moving them all out by Monday. It's just gotten out of control. Checked in and out a lot of other books. Cleaned up things for the meeting in the library tonight. Turned off computer monitors and turned the kids out since we don't have students in the library during a teacher meeting. Tracked down the head custodian to try and get the extra lights in the library turned off for the meeting so they can see the PowerPoint presentation.

Monday, March 7, 2011

Forecasting

They did forecasting for next year in the library today, so we were very busy with classes coming in to meet with counselors and admin. I worked on more oversized books today and actually got to the bottom of the pile of books! I'm so excited! That project is getting done! Did more checking in/out today, money into print accounts. Responded to a teacher about some books. Met one of our book reps who came in to let me know that our old rep was laid off - I will miss him :( but I understand. Did more repairs on the oversized, talked with our bookkeeper about a student. The day just flew by.

Friday, March 4, 2011

Wild Child

Checked out two class sets of Wild Children today for Ms. O's history class. Worked a lot on the oversized books and have one whole side of the rolling cart all filled. I hope I have enough room for the rest of them, it'll be close, maybe off just a bit. Pulled off old covers, did some more repairs, catalogued all the missing pictures from the Norman Rockwell book, and it appears that only 15 are missing. Too bad they are the very nice ones, but there are literally hundreds of other pictures and drawings, so it is still a beautiful book. Sent out slips for more Street Law books to come back in, checked in/out various books today. Did a good clean up of the library this afternoon before we left. Checked out a girl who is leaving the school and she was all clear.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Chair Pass

A set of boys came into the library this afternoon and one of them pushed a chair into a table and I applauded him and made a big deal about it so they all started pushing in the chairs! It was very cute. I told them that they had passes into the library whenever they wanted! I helped another student today look up Henry Moore - a sculptor in the 40's. We didn't have a book on him but there were some magazine articles so I asked him if he knew about our Gale database and he did, so he was going to go and look up more information there. We had another day of advisory and I had more seniors in today. The seniors were about done and I helped a couple of them, but most were done and just skating along. A new student came over from another school that has trimesters and our CIS program has credits for year and 2 semesters, but not for 3! So I ran down to the office and Mrs. K went into the Admin part of the iste and there's nothing there she could do, so I went back and she called them. It turns out they are adding in the trimester credits for next year, but since he's a senior, it won't help him this year. So she let me know that he's just to put the .33 credits in the notes. I e-mailed his advisor so she could let him know about that, but he was in later in the afternoon and so I went ahead and told him what to do, then let his advisor know I had gotten a hold of him. Worked on the oversized books again. Our sub for Mrs. M laminated the covers, so I prepped them all and glued the hinges of the books that needed that, so tomorrow they should be back on the shelf. I also decided to catalogue all the missing pictures from the Norman Rockwell book so we have a record of that. The book is still fabulous, but so sad to be missing these pieces.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!


I came in today and kids all over the blue lab were all snacking away When I asked them to stop, they were all like, yeah whatever lady. But they did. Mrs. M did a marvelous bulletin board in honor of Read Across America and Dr. Seuss! Isn't it fabulous? We all had Dr. Seuss books on our desks with the Cat in the Hat hats on them. Checked out another class set of Algebra Conections V2 and checked in V1. Did more individual check ins/outs today. Had the wood kids come up and do the back side of the oversized shelf today. Finished up a set of oversized and started the next set. Got all the covers off, the new labels printed and set on the covers, did cover repair and got them all put over by the laminator for Mrs. M to run through tomorrow. My hubby brought us all lunch today, Luv Luv Teriyaki. Awwwhh, what a love!

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Marching On


Getting on the green here in time for March! Checked in and out four class sets of Algebra Connections books - the V1 in and the V2 out. Also checked out The Journal of Patrick Seamus Flaherty and Where Have all the Flowers Gone? for Ms. O's history class. Did some more book repairs and more of the oversized books back out on the shelf. I noticed that the shop kids did a great job on one side of our cart, but didn't do the other side, so I sent an e-mail to get that taken care of. Ran the front desk this afternoon after Mrs. M left and got together some stuff for Read Across America day tomorrow for the live announcements. Had my oil changed by the auto class and they found a nail in one of my tires and fixed it - what a great asset to have them here and let them do my car while I'm here working!