The daily life of a Middle School Library Media Assistant.

Monday, February 28, 2011

Books to Movies

With the Oscars last night, I decided to do my books into movies calendar, so I tore down the old one and got the new one all up. It's so easy when everything has been done several times! I just wish we had more of the books on hand, three are checked out (Eat, Pray, Love; Dear John; The Last Song) and one is missing (The Lightning Thief) but we still had enough to get the point across. I even had a book on Britain's Monarchy that has a fabulous picture of George the VI for the King's Speech (even though it didn't come from a book - still worthwhile to display!). Checked out three class sets of Algebra Connections V2 books today so three sets of V1 in, money into print accounts, other various books in and out. Showed the shop students how I wanted the shelves on the oversize book case. Another day of CIS today and I helped these seniors work on the same course planner as the ones I had on Friday. Had a couple of parents call on books that have been billed and we went through that with them.

Friday, February 25, 2011

CISeniors

Got some more books ready for check out and checked out a class set of Algebra books. Did a lot of individual check ins and outs. Mrs. M and Mrs. H rearranged their desks up front and it seems to be working better. I helped Mrs. H last night a little bit. Worked on the oversized books, gluing hinges, prepping the laminated covers. Redid the shelves on the cart to just two shelves instead of three. I think we might have just enough space for what's left in the back! Had the seniors for CIS this morning and had to get them to finish up their courses since it will be the last time in the computer lab this year. Spent some time cleaning up the library since we have a competition using the school and they will be in the library as well, so I made sure computers were off, all chairs pushed in, magazines arranged where they belong, books reshelved from the science class looking up elements. It all looked good when I left for the weekend.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Delay

We had a two hour delay, but I went ahead anyway and went in so the kids would be able to come in and access the library if they needed to. Worked on the oversized books, taking covers off another 20 so Mrs. M could laminate them for me. Checked out a class set of America: Pathways and other books in and out as well. Helped Mrs. H move around furniture up front to reposition desks for her and Mrs. M.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Überlebt

Today I worked on getting the translations for our german books. When we got some carts from a clean up of the german room, we decided to send them to LMSS so we could have some german library books in case someone needed one to read. They sent them back asking for translation, which means the information for them to catalogue it. So, I had a great time searching out the publishers, copyrights, illustrators, subjects. So I filled out all the forms for each book and sent them back. Most of them were fairy tales and a few other classics. One was a book on a mountain climber called Überlebt. That means 'survived'. Checked in and out more books, processed in 5 teacher magazines and 3 for the library. Sent a list of books out from Ms. A's students for 4 different books. Touched base with a teacher on some books we have stored in the back. Asked the shop teacher if we could have some kids redo the shelves for our oversized books. Put money into print accounts.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Sore

Sore on two counts, my muscles from snowshoeing on Saturday and from my sore throat. Did more work on more of the oversized and taped up the sides, corners and spine ends of a set of books. I've filled the whole entire one side of the rolling cart, so another side to go! Helped a dad looking for his daughter's lost book today. Checked in and out books. We had another migration over the weekend and I was glad that most of the hoopla was done before I got there. Mrs. H started my computer and it was almost all ready to go by the time I arrived. Put money into print accounts. There was a staff meeting after school in the library so I went into the back with my books for the last half hour of my day.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Green are my Labels

Worked a lot on the oversize books today and got more done, more than halfway done with that project. Taught a kid how to use the search computers, checked in books, checked out books. Got some kids to return 1st semester books which is very excellent! Threw in liferings for the techs.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Full Moon

Must be. Kids, adults, everyone was crazier than a librarian with new books, which by the way, we got in two boxes of our books we had sent to LMSS. I put the hardback laminated covers on and took the cart to Mrs. M to check in and put out on the shelves. Checked in a class set of American Government books and various others. Got in a couple of Algebra Connections books and sent them off to South. Mostly worked on the oversized books and finished up the repairs on the set I was working on and did some of the books that don't need laminated covers or anything but the new barcodes on. Contacted Pearson to see if we can get access to some online teacher resources. Straightened up the biographies since they were very plowed through by Mr. S's class.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Please Return

Got in the rest of the math books Mr. O had requested so I let him know they were here. FedEx came and picked up the books we sold to Follett yesterday. I had a request for online access so I asked our teacher if she had it, and she doesn't, so tomorrow I will contact the rep to see if we can do that. I printed out more return books slips and got those all designated so our aides could deliver them. We had borrowed some Algebra Connections books from South HS at the beginning of the year, and now they need them back. We had two in, so I sent those off and I made slips asking our students to please return the South texts they had and we'd replace them with a Sprague text since we had some extras, so I hope they get turned in starting tomorrow. Processed four teacher magazines and eight for the library. I had a student return an AP Biology book and the end was all ragged, so I let him know that I'd have to put some tape and time on it and he'd get a bill for $5. He said that it was all right, he could see it. With all the work the techs are doing to our Central Server, Mrs. H got a flash drive and we backed up all our files in our document folders. I then took it, labeled it and put it in one of our locked cabinets. I got more oversized books out on the shelf and we had a book display that could sit on a counter, so we put that out by our check out computer and we'll display an oversized book for the kids to walk by and see and maybe get a bit intrigued by. Mr. S is having his students read a biography. It has to be over 300 pages and the person has to be deceased, so I got to go through some of our books with the students today and that was a lot of fun.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Follett

Today Mrs. H was walking out the door as I came in, her kiddo was ill and she was off to go home and take care of him. She suggested we move the 921 rolling shelves over to my side of the library by the blue lab, so he did that for us and helped keep the kids honest with passes and signing in, and read shelves. We got in two boxes of supplies, one had our new tattle tape, 2 boxes of it, and one with some new fiber tape, sharpies and some batteries. We got another box of preview books for Mr. O, so I let him know they were here along with the Connected Math books and he came and got them 4th period. A girl needed a book, and I discovered that when we put the bio shelves over, we had turned one around! So we flipped it. Ms. O loves that we put the shelves there. I worked on some minor repairs to our America: Pathways books for a class coming in during 8th period. I hate to check out battered books, so I quickly did some and had enough done when the class came in. Mr. C brought his class in to check out Martian Chronicles. Mr. C from Follett came in looking for books to sell or buy. I told him I didn't think we had anything, but remembered our old Bedford Readers that we don't use anymore, and he said yes, they were buying at about 3 times the normal buy price, so I called Mrs. H and she gave the go ahead to sell them, so I did. We checked on 3 other books, but they were a no go. I was the last one in the library, so closed it down and headed home.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Early Bird

Since today I had a dentist appointment, I switched shifts with Mrs. M and went in early. I got in at 7 and got the library ready to go for the day. I had to text Mrs. M and ask for the password for the search computers! She texted it back to me :) Checked out kids, put money into accounts and sat up front until Mrs. M come in. Then I headed back to my desk. I worked on the covers for the oversized books and glued the hinges of the books so they'll sit until tomorrow. Had a class come in to pick up some Algebra books and I picked the wrong set, so Mrs. B said, no, they needed this one, and I went and got it, and it was the wrong one again. *sigh* so one of her kids was there and he went back and pulled the right ones while I checked in the wrong ones. Finally we got it right. My fault entirely I checked the e-mail, but didn't read it very well. After I got all the books glued and set, it's time to go!

Friday, February 11, 2011

Unstoppable

I am so happy that I got a lot done with the oversized books today. I now have one set all done and on the shelf and one in the wings. Checked out a class set of Geometry Connection V2. I also did some coordinating with the Early College and our own science department about some Human Anatomy and Physiology books that we have. Got the all right to get them packed up and sent them off.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Fixed Carts

The shop class came in today with all our carts we had sent down to strengthen! Some were very wobbly and now they seem to be like new! They did a great job! Checked out two class sets of Geometry Connections V2, a block class of America: Pathways and a class of Ordinary People. Did some repairs on the oversize books, the hinges are coming out since the books are so big. Got another set all barcoded and started to work on the next 20. Did a lot of other checking out today and checking in scattered throughout the day!

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Making Bad Kitty Happy

So, we still have a lot of 1st semester books out, so Bad Kitty made an appearance on the live student announcements this morning. We asked for kids to bring them in, especially Economics, Mythology and Martian Chronicles books, to make Bad Kitty happy, of course! Checked out to Mrs. A a class set of Nineteen Minutes and Brave New World. Classes came in to get To Kill a Mockingbird and two classes for Developing Child. Boxed up and shipped out 4 boxes of Anatomy and Physiology to another school. Had to clean out my e-mails and then my document folder for the printer migration that happens tonight. I got the first set of oversized books all relabeled and some back on the shelf! Yeah! Our security lady also started going into lockers and pulling out the 1st semester Economics books and found a bunch (but no Mythology), so that was good news for the students waiting for them. A girl came in looking to pay her bill for a Great Gatsby book and we were astonished that they were $27! So I looked it up and they are even going for more now! One site said $67! I told her to run with the $27! Great Gatsby!

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

I Just Want to Play with the Books All Day

Pulled the plug on the TV when I came in since the testing hadn't started yet so we could show Channel One after second period started. We helped a few students before we had to shut the library doors for testing. The phone rang and I had to go in and turn them to 'do not disturb', something we usually remember to do! Mrs. H brought in the books we bought last Saturday with the last PO she had. We took off the price tags, stamped them and put in the Tattle-Tape strips. It was so much fun to got through the books, but they'll be the last for the year. Checked out a class set of Glencoe Health to Mr. G, pulled the rest of the Mythology books for Mrs. M and Mrs. M. Worked on the oversized books, trying to use the green labels we got to set them apart. Mrs. M went to our staff meeting and the news was pretty grim, if you think you've reached the bottom, just look down kind of thing. I sang to Mrs. H from the 'Play on the drum all day' song:

I just want to work, want to play with the books all day!
I just want to work, want to read all the books all day!
When I was a little girl, the books they opened a whole new world,
I opened the cover and started to read the best stories ever, can't you see?
I just want to work, want to stay in the library all day!
I just want to work, want to check out the books all day!
The books I read, they opened doors got my education and so much more!
Learned of other people and other lands, just from the books open in my hands!
I just want to work, want to share all our books all day!
I just want to work, want to check in the books all day!
They led me here, to the library, now I get to work here and be happy!
Surrounded by books, and kids who read, that's all a librarian really needs!
I just want to work, want to be in the library!
I just want to work, I want to be in the library!

Monday, February 7, 2011

Masters of the Far East

So, a student came in wondering where this set of books had gone and honestly, I have no idea! We should have 6 volumes, but there aren't any, not in the reference section either. I will ask Mrs. H about it tomorrow! She was ill today. Checked out ten Fit & Well books to Mr. G; 34 US Government Democracy in Action to Mr. C. Processed in 30 Deutsch Aktuell 3 Workbooks we've been waiting for and let the teacher know they had come in. Processed in one teacher magazine and two for the library. Mrs. M and Mrs. M wanted to check out Mythology books tomorrow, but the library is closed for testing, so they came in and I checked out a class set to them so they could get through the first class tomorrow. Mr. C needs some Martian Chronicles, so I printed up notices and gave them to the office to get out tomorrow. Our rep will come and pick up some preview stuff so I had it brought down to the textbook room since it won't happen for a couple of weeks so the office staff won't have to keep walking around it. Cleaned up some taco and rice spillage after lunch today. Finished up the bulletin board outside the door. Namaste!

Tumblin' Tumbleweed

Friday - February 4th: So it's been spirit week and I have the old west down the hallway. There's a tumbleweed under my window and an outhouse door across the hall. Birds flying up above and a big yellow sun beaming down as much as poster paper suns can. But all in all, a busy day as we are still checking out class sets, getting individual books checked in from students, helped out with finishing up some of the book making class today, worked on the outside the door bulletin board for Black History Month and highlighting some of our black history books. Yee haw! It's Friday!

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Volunteer

We have a lady coming in to volunteer, and since Mrs. H has been so busy, I've been setting her tasks. Mrs. M wasn't in today and we had a nice sub in her place, just a nice easy going fellow, nice to have a guy on staff in the library for once! Checked out more class sets of books and individual books too. Checked in a lot still from 1st semester as well. Did a bit of repairing, checked on getting some Chemcom books from other schools if they are willing to give them up. Did some magazine work. Since we had a staff meeting this afternoon, I hung out the library closed signs for Mrs. H. A very busy fabulous day!

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

New Couches

So Monday while I was gone, Mrs. H got in our new couches for the library! We are very excited about them. Our old couches were, well, old and our principal just said they were wrong from so many different areas, not to mention illegal from the district policy of furniture, so they are a welcome addition! Did more checking in and out today for the classes. Had teachers e-mailing pick ups and just coming by, checking on how many books we had in. Another school wants ten books that we have so I sent out an e-mail to staff asking if anyone was going to need it before I sent it off. We also learned today that our budget has been cut off. If we haven't used everything, it is now unusable. Luckily we had already sent for a PO for some new books and that we think we can still go out and purchase some new spring books. Did some repairs and helped a new volunteer work today while Mrs. H was teaching a class. Got to help three students work on their book projects that hadn't been able to do that the other day. Ended up eating lunch at my desk, but I got to read my book with it, kind of in between helping students.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

2 Weeks


Two weeks ago I sent out an e-mail telling everyone to schedule their book pick ups for the first day of the new semester. I had only one response. So today, I came in to chaos as teachers were all in grabbing books and sending e-mails to get their stuff today. We checked out a lot of books. I also did most of my calendar and processed in 4 teacher magazines and 6 for the library. I also had a teacher come in and ask about on-line resources for her text so we explored that and found that we do have them, so she's going to check that out! I'm bushed!