If you want to read books all day, don't become a school librarian.
I sat down here at about 6:30, about 12 hours after I got up for work. It has come to my attention that a lot of people have no idea what a school librarian does all day.
It's not that. ---->
So, today I kept track of what I did.
Arrived at work after dropping off my daughter at school, and conferred with a teacher. Was chatting with the district tech guy about the "blue screen of death" and what can be done to fix our library computers when the magnet director asked me to remove an application a parent had put into the outside library book drop (old mailbox) after school. (It worked. It got there.)
Continued on my way upstairs and found my library volunteer, Lyndie (<3), and her granddaughter waiting for me. I unlocked and we went in.
She began shelving (Godsend!), and I went down to get the application out of the book drop, picked up my mail, dropped off the application with the Magnet Director's assistant and went back up to the library.
The school bell rang, and we worked on shelving. Readjusting the books to fit better, finding and fixing out of place books, and I began pulling out books to remove from our collection. I gave my library aide a task finding book reviews, conferred with a teacher about where to get posters made, and our Parent Liaison about how many people can fit in the library for a meeting. Checked on the color ink cartridge supply (all good).
I showed my aide how to find Editorial book reviews, and how to print only the pages he wants using print preview. Then had him read through them to find the most useful. While he worked on that I checked email. Asked some incoming students with passes what they were there to do, got their pass and had them sign in on the clipboard on the circulation desk.
I processed an ILL (Inter-Library Loan) for another campus and worked with a student on the computer, helping her to understand the perspective of a person in "exile."
I made more buttons for our AP (for perfect attendance) with my 3rd period aide while we talked. I consider this one-on-one time a type of mentoring and view it as part of my job, even if it occurs only sporadically. I sent him over to the office with the completed buttons.
I took an invoice over to our bookkeeper. Started to check email again, but was interrupted and checked in a book and did a short reference interview with a student to find out what he wanted to read next. Continued going through mail (tangible mail), and checked in an ILL returned from another school. Student returned with a book to check out, and I did a quick repair. By now, it's 11:09.
I sent over my aide to pick up a shipment of new books. While he did that I called the main library office with a question about some incoming materials and put out more of the new books previously received and processed.
At 11:11 I was possibly supposed to have students coming in to continue testing, so I made sure the tables were clear for that situation. Third period ended, and I went out to do hall duty with a Hi-Lo catalog (High interest, Low level). After the tardy bell rang, I shooed three girls away from the girls bathroom and followed them to encourage them to get to class. On the way back to the library I encountered a student from earlier who had left her book at the computers. We looked for it together and I sent her on to lunch.
I returned to my email and or mail. Phone rang at 11:25. It was a vendor. Luckily I've spent all my book funds so was able to end the call swiftly to get back to my task at hand.
I created and sent off an invoice for the buttons. I emailed teachers to coordinate simultaneously visiting classes. I consulted with a teacher who returned to check her time slot on the schedule.
Checked the campus calendar to see if there was a conflict between some training I have to go to and the testing schedule. Then emailed an AP about it.
Teacher arrived and I consulted with her about her class coming in for research and what resources would be best for them. (books in the collection, encyclopedias, online encyclopedias, and art museum web sites.)
I checked in some books, sent my 5th period aide to sort out his schedule with the counselors. Then my lunch group arrived, followed by a teacher who needed to borrow a TV/DVD/VCR cart for the rest of the week. Had the aide and a lunch student help her take it across campus. Asked incoming students what they planned to use the computers for and had them give me their passes and sign in.
Back to the lunch group. Talked to them about reviewing incoming books and making a top-ten list. As usual, there were arguments about which was better, HP or LotR.
When they left for class, my aide and I began processing the incoming books, which means checking them off the invoice, stamping them in 4 places, adjusting their records in the catalog, looking up their Lexiles, putting those numbers and titles in a spreadsheet I'm making and making sure they are set for the alarm system. Not all of this happened at once. At this point it's 1 p.m.
I checked out a book and interviewed incoming students regarding their plans and asked them to sign in and give me their passes. One girl arrived but wasn't on the pass, so I sent her back. Looked through the Lone Star List for a display. Got a book ready to mail.
During SEL (nee Advisory), I helped students check out books and with computer projects, or possibly just reminded them no games were allowed.
I took the book to the mail, checked my mail, talked to the AP about new designs for future 100% Attendance buttons, and then did hall duty.
Gave my student aide a project, and then proctored an exam (surprise! they weren't expected today). I then alerted the incoming class planning to use the computer lab of the people testing and asking them to maintain the quiet atmosphere. At about 2:20, I went to ask the magnet director about when the students should begin their essays. At 2:35 I helped start the magnet essay section, then I went in my office and ate a banana.
Returned to the circulation desk to continue working on the new books. Then had to escort two girls to the restroom. I checked in with my aide on his task (2:42). Then returned to checking and marking books with their Lexiles. I had checked one book when I was interrupted by a raised hand. I helped the visiting/testing 5th graders and then helped a couple of the Fulmore students find a book about their biome.
Checked in with the aide. Notified the 5th graders of the 5 minutes left to work, and redirected some noisy 8th graders incoming with a pass.
When the 5h graders were finished I took up their tests ans answered some questions about the school and our library and prepared to escort them to the magnet office when the magnet director arrived.
After school tutoring coordinator arrived to set up her materials, and a teacher-mentor arrived for an after-school meeting to be held in the library. I gave bookmarks (cool previously unreleased) to the class in the lab in appreciation for them having been so quiet and well-behaved while our guests were testing.
I switched out the bookmarks on the circulation desk for Valentine's Day (cute puppies, candy hearts, etc.), and returned to working on the Lexiles by the time the end of school bell rang (3:34). Told incoming tutoring students where the phone they could use was, and continued working on my books. Had the boys who come in to play Minecraft after school sign in and told them how long they could expect to stay.
By 4:10 I had entered the remaining books into my list and was ready to go. Heated up my breakfast and was headed out the door when I saw one of the teachers who had made a special book request. This one had arrived and been processed today. She was really happy when I checked it out to her.
Then I headed
It's not that. ---->
So, today I kept track of what I did.
Arrived at work after dropping off my daughter at school, and conferred with a teacher. Was chatting with the district tech guy about the "blue screen of death" and what can be done to fix our library computers when the magnet director asked me to remove an application a parent had put into the outside library book drop (old mailbox) after school. (It worked. It got there.)
Continued on my way upstairs and found my library volunteer, Lyndie (<3), and her granddaughter waiting for me. I unlocked and we went in.
She began shelving (Godsend!), and I went down to get the application out of the book drop, picked up my mail, dropped off the application with the Magnet Director's assistant and went back up to the library.
The school bell rang, and we worked on shelving. Readjusting the books to fit better, finding and fixing out of place books, and I began pulling out books to remove from our collection. I gave my library aide a task finding book reviews, conferred with a teacher about where to get posters made, and our Parent Liaison about how many people can fit in the library for a meeting. Checked on the color ink cartridge supply (all good).
I showed my aide how to find Editorial book reviews, and how to print only the pages he wants using print preview. Then had him read through them to find the most useful. While he worked on that I checked email. Asked some incoming students with passes what they were there to do, got their pass and had them sign in on the clipboard on the circulation desk.
I processed an ILL (Inter-Library Loan) for another campus and worked with a student on the computer, helping her to understand the perspective of a person in "exile."
I made more buttons for our AP (for perfect attendance) with my 3rd period aide while we talked. I consider this one-on-one time a type of mentoring and view it as part of my job, even if it occurs only sporadically. I sent him over to the office with the completed buttons.
I took an invoice over to our bookkeeper. Started to check email again, but was interrupted and checked in a book and did a short reference interview with a student to find out what he wanted to read next. Continued going through mail (tangible mail), and checked in an ILL returned from another school. Student returned with a book to check out, and I did a quick repair. By now, it's 11:09.
I sent over my aide to pick up a shipment of new books. While he did that I called the main library office with a question about some incoming materials and put out more of the new books previously received and processed.
At 11:11 I was possibly supposed to have students coming in to continue testing, so I made sure the tables were clear for that situation. Third period ended, and I went out to do hall duty with a Hi-Lo catalog (High interest, Low level). After the tardy bell rang, I shooed three girls away from the girls bathroom and followed them to encourage them to get to class. On the way back to the library I encountered a student from earlier who had left her book at the computers. We looked for it together and I sent her on to lunch.
I returned to my email and or mail. Phone rang at 11:25. It was a vendor. Luckily I've spent all my book funds so was able to end the call swiftly to get back to my task at hand.
I created and sent off an invoice for the buttons. I emailed teachers to coordinate simultaneously visiting classes. I consulted with a teacher who returned to check her time slot on the schedule.
Checked the campus calendar to see if there was a conflict between some training I have to go to and the testing schedule. Then emailed an AP about it.
Teacher arrived and I consulted with her about her class coming in for research and what resources would be best for them. (books in the collection, encyclopedias, online encyclopedias, and art museum web sites.)
I checked in some books, sent my 5th period aide to sort out his schedule with the counselors. Then my lunch group arrived, followed by a teacher who needed to borrow a TV/DVD/VCR cart for the rest of the week. Had the aide and a lunch student help her take it across campus. Asked incoming students what they planned to use the computers for and had them give me their passes and sign in.
Back to the lunch group. Talked to them about reviewing incoming books and making a top-ten list. As usual, there were arguments about which was better, HP or LotR.
When they left for class, my aide and I began processing the incoming books, which means checking them off the invoice, stamping them in 4 places, adjusting their records in the catalog, looking up their Lexiles, putting those numbers and titles in a spreadsheet I'm making and making sure they are set for the alarm system. Not all of this happened at once. At this point it's 1 p.m.
I checked out a book and interviewed incoming students regarding their plans and asked them to sign in and give me their passes. One girl arrived but wasn't on the pass, so I sent her back. Looked through the Lone Star List for a display. Got a book ready to mail.
During SEL (nee Advisory), I helped students check out books and with computer projects, or possibly just reminded them no games were allowed.
I took the book to the mail, checked my mail, talked to the AP about new designs for future 100% Attendance buttons, and then did hall duty.
Gave my student aide a project, and then proctored an exam (surprise! they weren't expected today). I then alerted the incoming class planning to use the computer lab of the people testing and asking them to maintain the quiet atmosphere. At about 2:20, I went to ask the magnet director about when the students should begin their essays. At 2:35 I helped start the magnet essay section, then I went in my office and ate a banana.
Returned to the circulation desk to continue working on the new books. Then had to escort two girls to the restroom. I checked in with my aide on his task (2:42). Then returned to checking and marking books with their Lexiles. I had checked one book when I was interrupted by a raised hand. I helped the visiting/testing 5th graders and then helped a couple of the Fulmore students find a book about their biome.
Checked in with the aide. Notified the 5th graders of the 5 minutes left to work, and redirected some noisy 8th graders incoming with a pass.
When the 5h graders were finished I took up their tests ans answered some questions about the school and our library and prepared to escort them to the magnet office when the magnet director arrived.
After school tutoring coordinator arrived to set up her materials, and a teacher-mentor arrived for an after-school meeting to be held in the library. I gave bookmarks (cool previously unreleased) to the class in the lab in appreciation for them having been so quiet and well-behaved while our guests were testing.
I switched out the bookmarks on the circulation desk for Valentine's Day (cute puppies, candy hearts, etc.), and returned to working on the Lexiles by the time the end of school bell rang (3:34). Told incoming tutoring students where the phone they could use was, and continued working on my books. Had the boys who come in to play Minecraft after school sign in and told them how long they could expect to stay.
By 4:10 I had entered the remaining books into my list and was ready to go. Heated up my breakfast and was headed out the door when I saw one of the teachers who had made a special book request. This one had arrived and been processed today. She was really happy when I checked it out to her.
Then I headed
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