Day Off

Yes, tomorrow is a day off for me! So I'm taking the car to get it serviced! Yeah! Today was kind of quiet. Got the Breaking Through books to the two teachers. So I can start sending back the extra books. Did more of the math books. Said good-bye to my aides. Did some book ordering on Scholastic since I have over $900 to spend there. Sent out a huge thank you to all the LMA's that sent me books. Copied out new PA for LMSS on it as well! Did our normal work. Just a normal day. Goodbye 1st semester!

Hypnotized by the Green

I'm sure that's why I totally didn't realize I was putting the wrong barcodes on the math books. I had the South kids today stamp all the Say it with Symbols books, and got out the barcodes for them and showed them how to put them on and noticed the barcodes said "It's in the System" another of the green math books. Can't believe I did that. Really?? Luckily, I had only written the numbers on the outside of about 40 of the 'It' books, and not the whole 298 set! So, I've been taking 30 of the 'It' books, printing up the barcodes all over again, then putting the 'Say' barcodes on the 'Say' books and putting the 'It' barcodes over the 'Say' barcodes that are on the 'It' books. Make sense?? Sounds very Seussical to me! Got in more books for the research projects, so had to search emails to make sure books got checked out to the right people or the teacher. Monitored students today. Checked in and out of course! When the LEAP students came in, I went in the back, shut the doors and even closed my blinds to work! Sometimes they get so loud out there, I even turned on Pandora today so I could concentrate on the math books. Had one of our counselor's ask if I would take a 4th period aide and I had to turn her down. I have had aides during my lunch for a year and a half, and really just need the down time. I apologized and she said she totally understood that I needed my time to relax and not have to be watching students. That was so kind of her, I am actually really looking forward to it. Only had five students show up for OBOB meetings today. Had my sign ups all ready, attendance and who was reading what book. I had a title and author match up paper and a question from each book. They did pretty good! I keep hoping that more will come, but we'll see!

Toned Down

Today was much more toned down! I loved it! No classes in the computer lab, no classes in the library. But we did check out five classes of math books and check in the old ones. Some of the old ones were barcoded by students working off fines and they had rubbed against the actual barcode which more or less destroyed it. So I ended up making new barcodes for the books that wouldn't easily scan in. Stripped a bunch of our new books, so I only have one cart shelf to go and they will be all stripped and due dates put in them. Though I still have to cover the paperbacks. Got my budget numbers in, so I sent those off to my supervising librarian and suggested a cap for my last big book order for the year, so we'll see what he says. Sent out more book requests today and got in a ton of books. I am so proud of all our Library Media Assistants that pulled together and we now have more than two class sets of Breaking Through books! I had three mail bins full of books that came in today! Sent up some books to Ms. Fields class for the ones they had ordered in. Hoping to get more in tomorrow for her! We got an email from our safety committee that they will be out and about looking for problems, and especially missing grounding plugs. I just had the grounding plug for our computer cart come off last week, so I sent in a maintenance request to our office manager to get that fixed. There's a lot of equipment on that cart and it really needs to be properly grounded. Numbered some math books today. Worked on my OBOB students who I've kind of neglected. Made an attendance sheet, ran book marks with the book titles on them and I'll put them together and laminate them. I have some questions that I'll have ready for them tomorrow while we meet, especially on the books I've read. Did laminating today after school was over. I also got to account for students that come in on passes. I love to take our sign in notebook and go around accounting for everyone and to make sure they have a pass. I had one student today that argued with me. I finally sent him and the two others he was with back to class. I ended up writing him a referral, even though I don't like to do it. He was disruptive, questioned my authority, and focused on another student and his take on what she was doing rather than his own work. I asked him to move, and he threw it right back at me. I finally moved him into the back work room on my aide desk and he started to wheel around with the chair back there. I was done with him! Other than that, it was a great day, love our students, especially when they smile at me, like one gal when I checked a book out to her. I love my job!

29 in 27

Sent out 27 emails today for 29 books! I think that's a record for me!  - So here we go! The clock I super glued on Friday got put back on the shelf. 36 science books pulled and checked out to Mrs. C and delivered upstairs. 6 dictionaries pulled and checked out and taken up to Mrs. B. Book talk in first period about OBOB and the five titles I read. Back to my office and work on the 27 emails to different schools for 29 different books! Our students are really taking advantage of district resources! That took awhile. Took down my civil rights books and replaced them with books about Native Americans for the social studies department. Put away all the non-fiction today (there are more than fiction books because all the students are doing non-fiction for reports at the moment!). Put away all the math and science books that had been just put on a cart. Put away all the LIT sets I had been getting back. Of course we were checking in/out today like normal too! Did another OBOB book talk for 5th period then it was already 6th period it seemed. Had a student come and sign in and left. So I signed her out. She came back 20 minutes later. We talked about that. Started to get in the Breaking Through books I requested last week, and I think we will have plenty for two class sets. The two teachers are very happy about that! Love my job!

Just Super

I was doing so many emails today. I sent out a request for 70 copies of Breaking Through and there are about one to two copies at each school. One school does have 28, but for all the rest we are getting in. I got email after email saying our great Library Media Assistants were all pitching to send a copy or two! I thanked each one! Then we had our students in today doing their non-fiction research papers and looking up appropriate books across the district, so again I sent out tons of emails to specific schools for specific students to request books from tattoos to buffalo soldiers. Got back a ton of confirmation emails on those as well and even had a few show up today, so I immediately let the students know they were here and they came down and got them. I did manage to get all the non-fiction shelved today and cleaned, organized and straightened them up! They were a disaster! One student today jumped up to check out our clock we have sitting in the back of the library so people can keep an eye on the time, batted it down, and it fell and broke the rim off it. So disappointing. So before I left, I thought, hey, I have some super glue, I'll glue it before I leave, and that was a mistake! I now have super glue and black marks from the rim all over my hands and even had to separate my thumb from the rim with an exacto blade! I finally got some tape, taped it up and poured super glue all over it and left it for Monday! Happy weekend everyone! Next week is the last week of the semester!

Book Talks

Spent three periods today doing an OBOB book talk for classes coming in to check out books. Talked about OBOB and book talked five of the ten books we're doing for that. We checked in and out a ton of books today. Sent in my order for January books. So I'm glad that's out of the way! Had to take the books I wanted off the librarian order and put in their ISBN's into an excel sheet. Luckily I could pull up the file they sent and just copied and pasted that. So much better. I just need to check what's left in my budget before they send it in. Sent out another fabulous book recommend for Flawd. Stripped more books today and got out my rolling new book rack to display even more of the new books. Talked with Scholastic about our book fair coming in March. Found 10 fiction books someone had put on a rather empty non-fiction bookshelf. Really?? Don't I have enough work to do already??? Did a crazy call number for some of our new graphic 921's. Decided I really wanted them on the graphic novel shelf, so I put their call numbers to 741.5 - 921! We'll see how that goes! Trying to find 70 copies of Breaking Through for two teachers. Classes in the computer lab nearly all day and lots of students trying to complete work. Crazy busy day!

More Books!

I was very excited to get an email from the office saying I had a box waiting for me! That had to be my Perma-Bound order I got from the extra technology grant that the libraries got. I opened it up and it was only about half my order, the rest are on back order! Argh! But they look beautiful and I'll check them in tomorrow since I'd just gotten them right before I left for home. Had four classes in today checking out math books. Groups of students from Language Arts classes rechecking, turning in and checking out new books. Had classes in the computer lab for five periods, so we were pretty busy today! Got more of the new books stripped, and I did bring home books to cover and strip since it's hard to get that done during the day, there's so many. Had two OBOB meetings today and will do some presentations to the LA classes to try and get more students involved. A great suggestion from Ms. V, our instructional coach. Sent an email to our office and suggested they just send me the new barcodes for the books, and they did so I didn't have to send them in! Worked perfectly! Worked on my last book order and pared down the librarian order so asked my supervising librarian what he needed me to do, so I need to make a quick excel sheet for him to go from when they order at the end of the month. More time! So back to covering books here at home!

Stick with Love

I did the quote today off an image I found of a big heart. It was cool, then put it on paper and mounted it on the middle gate of the library. Then I did a whole book display on the civil rights movement for my non-fiction display and came out rather nice I thought. Had four LA classes in checking into and out non-fiction books, and two math classes in checking out books. We had 84 students in dropping in during the day to work on assignments - probably because next week is the end of the semester! Had our copier rep stop by and give me some training on our new copier. She was very awesome and spent about an hour with me going over some of the more technical aspects of the new copier. Got in the book pics from our librarian so started to go through all of those to see what books I wanted and which to take off since my budget is not big enough for her, let alone the books I want! At one point during 6th period, we had the computer lab filled with a class, the LA class in looking up research for their assignment, multiple students in working on science fair projects, others trying to print, rewrite, or just write their assignment. I was like, wow! It is truly a busy place today! On my way home I even had to stop and get the last of the OBOB books! Work after work! But you got to do what you got to do!

Cleaning House

My office looks so much better! I am breathing a sigh of relief that it is nearly back to a manageable degree of works in progress! Instead of four carts of books in there, I only have two. My desk to the right and left of the computer is now workable space! Huzzah! Did normal checking in and out today, shelved all the non-fiction. Cleaned up our library computer cart. Mr. M asked me to make the cart more user and after user friendly, so I labeled the connector cords and numbered each end to where they should go, put a sheet on the monitor that they need to fill out and tape to my office door with a notice to please put cords back where they belong for the next person! Sent off my book order requests to my supervising librarian and tried to come up with my blurb for the newsletter and just couldn't get anything good to come. Argh. So I need to have that done by Tuesday! Three day weekend coming up! See you on Tuesday!

OBOB Beginnings

So today we began our OBOB meetings. I only had two kids first lunch, and five for second, and I wasn't really sure about three of them! Created this window board today for that! I love the colors and themes, but still probably need to add a few things! But I like it! Hopefully we'll get in a few more kids. Replaced a doc camera today for a teacher. Gave back some repaired books to a teacher. Printed up some more of the list of books we're using for OBOB. Met with both lunches and it was nice. Had our old copier taken out today, and replaced with a new one like up in the office, so we'll see how that goes! I gave our district tech all the rest of the cartridges, staples, fill box that we had left over. He also reset my computer so it's now linked up to print off of there if I want. Printed up my Perma-bound list and one of the other LMA's wanted a copy of it to see. We were supposed to meet tonight, but too many people couldn't make it. I need to finish up my last order for the year and got a minute or two today, but need more time! Had a student come in who needed to find her old math book, so I found her number for her and put her in the back room and she found the book with her homework still inside! Good for her! Cleaned up a few things in my office this afternoon because I am going crazy it's so messy in there! Had a student bring back a book for another school so I sent that off. I love it when a book comes home! 

Variables

Today I spent a good deal of time on finishing up numbering the Variables and Patterns math books. It gave me something to do while watching all the students in the library. Grading day is looming and everyone is in from class with projects to finish up. I took a count today during 6th period and I had 19 students in the library all doing independent work! It's like I had a class going on! Checked out math books to Mrs. S's 1st and 2nd period classes today, and the others come on Friday. Got her 6th period checked out by class list since they are not allowed to come down! They were way too wild the last time. Working on my glass bulletin board for OBOB and noticed, I am missing a whole set of books. Drats. So I had to ask my friends at Escape Fiction to get some in for me! A great day!

Laminating the Earth's Core

Yep. It's done. Mr. R brought in all the sketches his students made of the earth's core and asked me to laminate and I did. I love to see what the students do and their creativity is amazing! It was much quieter in the library today, only two classes in the computer lab, and no one in the library, except the hordes of students coming in to exchange books, get new books, work on projects and assorted other tasks! So in that way, yes, we were very busy! Got all the books ready for tomorrow's check outs. Put numbers on about 90 math books. Went hunting for Mrs. M's low level readers books for the non-fiction unit. I tried to find a report and finally called Mrs. M over at LMSS and she got me a report that mostly did what I wanted! Still not very happy with the results, got about half a shelf on a cart. Not near enough in my opinion. Had my supervising librarian come and surprise me with a visit and we talked budget - how it would be nice if we got to use 2/3rds of our budget for librarian tallied books and 1/3 still for us to get certain books. He liked the idea. We talked about genrifying the library, I might take a survey on that. Looks good in here! The core of the library is great!

Ladder

Today I had a lot of fun with our wheeled ladder. My Non-fiction sign sits right where the blower for the heat blows on it all day and the letter 'o' has flipped down so that it's a 'u'. We have this rolling ladder and I thought "I wonder if it will fit through the door into here..." And it did! So I rolled it in, got a perfect height to reach that 'o' and tape it back in place. Then while I was up there, I decided to look in between our two sets of book shelves. There's a space since it's in the corner and I was wondering just how many books and things had been tossed up into there and I was surprised! Cobwebs, but only a lone spiral bound notebook lay in the very bottom! I took up some cardboard and fit it over the hole and taped it down! That makes me feel better!! Redid some of the books up there on display as well, and uncovered some of our Dewey decimal signs we had up there. Got all the non-fiction shelved today and nearly all the fiction! My aides did most of their work (yeah aides!!) so I finished their one shelf off. There is maybe only about 10 books to shelve currently! I gathered together a bunch of lit books, but didn't end up shelving them because we had a math teacher call for one of our last sets of math books to use! I thought we wouldn't be using them until April, but she has an advanced class! So we ripped open a box and I got the barcodes out for my aide.  He stamped 70 books and put the barcodes on, and I wrote all the numbers on the ends of the books. So glad we got that done for Ms. S! Still checked in and out books all day. Did my Renaissance and medieval display all better today with some stone work from home! Did my word for the day. I even got two kudo awards at the staff meeting today! I really am blessed to be part of my great Leslie school! 

Much Better

Today I actually managed to get some other things done! Shelved all the rest of the non-fiction from the week. Got more new books out and the new non-fiction books out. Got to help some of the students pick out a great non-fiction book, one of my favorite things to do! Packed up and sent 15 Roll of Thunder books out to another school and told them to keep them! I have over 100 still! Took out the trash, shuttered all the windows. Made sure all the computers were off for the weekend. Checked in/out all day. Still too many books to shelve, but that'll be for another day!

Books All Over

I had books all over the place today! More books checked out, more checked in. Carts with books to shelve, new books waiting to go out....Attack of the books!! Luckily, I have aides! Today I worked on getting the new books out onto the rack, so by the time school started I had the one side all with brand new fiction. Made a sign for the rack "Brand New Books!!" And it was great! I love my new books. I had a very hard time letting them go out to other homes. One student wanted this new book,  Positive, and I was like in my head "no....not him....." But I finally gave it up. Still a bit teary eyed over it though. My two aides did a lot of shelving and did some for our aide who is still out. I finished up his section today as well and started my entire cart of non-fiction. Oh my. The non-fiction shelves were a mess. The students were checking out non-fiction and it was pretty much a disaster, but I straightened and tried to get stuff shelved. I think if I hadn't had to straighten so much stuff out, I could've gotten done, but I didn't. Only got about two thirds of one cart shelf done. But, things look better. I have books on my new book cart in my office. The rest of my non-fiction is outside my office. Two carts in the back workroom and a cart of books that are checked in but need to be resensitized. Did a bit of laminating, almost forgot so had to stay just a bit longer to get those done for teachers tomorrow. Mr. G was very happy that I had run his copy job on the cardstock for him yesterday and came down to let me know the students loved doing the exercise he did for them. Had four classes in checking out books, two of them came the same period! Mr. B forgot he was really supposed to come tomorrow! It was chaos, but we got through it! My office was a mess, and I did get some of it picked up before I went home. I am tired tonight! But looking forward to making more progress tomorrow!

True Heroes

Was looking at our new books for something to peruse while eating lunch and picked this book - oh my, what a great read!! I am in love with it! Jonathan Diaz took incredible pictures of kids facing cancer, and had them in their dreams and wishes. Then had authors craft stories about them! Oh my! I had to take it home to read tonight. Such amazing kids! I am in love! I've already told like 6 teachers, our instructional coach and some students about it! Back to my work day! Finished checking in all the new books today and started to strip them (put in the Tattle strips!) and put in their check out slips. I can hardly wait to put them on the shelves! A much quieter day today, but still very busy! Got in old books, sent out others in our district mail. Patrolled our students in the library working on projects. We had quite a few in today. At least 60. Checked in and out books (not nearly as many as yesterday!) renewed books as well. Helped a teacher with her doc camera. Helped out our new teacher who is replacing our just retired social studies teacher by using the copier to make cardstock signs for his students to explain timelines in Native American culture. There were issues and how to make it work, and I just decided he was busy, trying to fit into a brand new class for him, and I just went ahead and did it for him so he would have one less thing on his very new plate. That took awhile! They had to feed through another tray, it had to be set on 'heavy' paper. But I think it all worked out in the end! Figured out our new projector today for a teacher. It wouldn't show the whole screen so I found a manual and voilà! Got it to work and didn't have to put in a heat ticket!

Crazy in Love

Yes, I am, Crazy in love with my job. Especially today! What a crazy busy day! Eight classes in for new science books (that's about 250+ students) plus checking in those eight classes of books. 252 library books came back today and got resensitized. I had two classes come in so I could do a non-fiction talk about how non-fiction works in the library and checked out non-fiction books to the students. Took down one holiday book display and started to work on the next one, medieval and Renaissance books. And....new books arrived!!! Six whole boxes of new books!!! 237 books to unpack! I had a little bit of time to check off the invoice before I left, but I am so excited our kids will get new books to check out! Crazy in Love with all the new books!!!

Inclement Weather

A very nasty weather system rolled in yesterday and the ground is covered in snow and ice. No school today! I put away Christmas decorations instead!