Missed a few days...most of the week was pretty typical; back to back classes at School A...and having one teacher ask if I had any free periods...hahaha. Only on Fridays, my dear. Bring your class down when they're scheduled.
On Thurs at School B the french consultant showed up--and, as usual, I was the last to know. Even though she was going to be taking stuff from the staff collection--we have the last dregs of early immersion--it's a 4/5 class with NINE students (and a teacher that's getting $75000/year for that--that'd pay for 2.5 Library techs)--and after this year, the three grade 4 students will either have to stream english or go to the other elementary that has immersion (only 5-7 mins away). So the books that the current class/teacher don't need are going to be given out to other schools. It wasn't a big hassle, though I did have to discard anything with a barcode--which took away from time I could have been doing shelving/moving books. *shrug* At the end of the school year, the rest of the immersion stuff will be sent away too--frees up some shelves for teacher resources, at least.
Thursday after school I stayed and shelved most of the picture books and chapter books, but I didn't make it all the way through them. It is very discouraging shelving them together. And the nonfic section is so crowded as to be unappealing to shelve in, and I didn't have as many of those, so I'll do it later.
I lucked out for Friday--it was a county based inservice for School B--but not for School A which is the next county west (our board consists of three counties--amalgamated ~15 years ago from three seperate county boards). However... School A was having an early dismissal with teacher training for the latest aspect of the automated reports system. I asked PHP II and she said I could be at School B.
Since PD's schools are in the same county as my School B, I asked my principal there if I could spend part of the day with her. PD switched her morning time to the middle school cus they wanted her there for inservicing, and the rest of the day at the elementary. She figured she'd get over to the Elem about 10:30. So, I worked at my school til then--I've started splitting up the chapter/picture books...I'm working backwards--shelving the end of the alpha bet chapter books first and weeding as I'm going. It means, atm, that I'll have to keep moving the picture books, but I don't have anywhere to store them. Must have discarded close to 100 book.
My fave finds so far: a road atlas of Europe...©1971. I'm sure no roads have been added or changed since then. Another good one was the property stamp in a copy of an abridged Moby Dick--"School B, RCAF Station *name of base*". It was changed to CFB in 1968. Yeaahhhh.... Was talking to DT before he headed out on the road and he said I should keep them in the history section. I told him I was a library, not an archieve and if he wanted them, he could have them. He declined. (I don't think i mentioned it, but school B used to be the junior high for kids whose families lived in PMQs for the base; I grew up in the same town but couldn't go to the school, since Dad was retired from the Forces. Now it belongs to the school board and, is, obvs, an elementary.)
Got to PD's school about 10:40 just after she'd got there. We talked about her ref section (not much to it, even less now that the old crap's been weeded). This school is where I went for elementary--at that time it was primary to grade 7, now it's P-5 cus of the middle school PD works at. Anyhow, the year I started primary is also the year this school opened. I'm 41...so ~35 years old school. God, I'm old.
Then we looked at moving her circ desk and the 5 comps--2 emacs, which are her opacs (her comp is also an emac, she's trying for an imac) and 3 pcs. Anyhow we got her desk and the emacs moved and tidily tucked away...then she wondered if we could take the pcs right out of the library; they don't get used at all by the kids. So, she flagged down her principal, B, (we'd been hoping for him at my School A)--and asked to see him when he had a chance. We moved other things around--even with it not totally finished it still looked much more open. (Probably cus the comps were on huge, 4ft sq tables--and we'd moved the opacs off that to a longer/narrower table.) Anyhow B came down and his first comment was on how open and nice it looked. He agred to let the comps be used elsewhere; we moved them to the math room later.
We finished moving things around and it looks SO much better. We've also discussed getting all her books onto the new shelving. There are two sets of wooden shelves ~9ft long, double sided--they were originally on the floor but were, at some point, put on metal braces with wheels. She wants to move them til the weeding is done, but we coudln't get them moved. Once every section is weeded (we did a bit on Fri; there were books I'm pretty sure were there when I was there--I probably signed at least one of them, on astrology, out), she wants it all on the new shelves...get rid of that wooden shelving (it's original to the school--I remember it)...and that will open up an actual proper seating area in the library. I'm pretty sure B will agree to it.
PD told me that B had commented to her that he really liked what I've done with the library at School A (he was VP there 7 or 8 years ago and has been in since for inservices). I've had a few of the regular substitutes comment on how much nicer the library looks now. I opened it right up, got all the book shelves/mag racks out of the middle of the floor. I really wish we'd gotten B as our principal there--he seems like a really sweet guy--as PD says a "teddy bear". He's an effective admin without being a total dickhead. Which is always a bonus. PD was worried about how some of the teachers might take her changes; I told her not to let it bother her. It's her library now (and unlike our union, I don't believe the fairy tale that these changes are just for this year) and even if we did go back to one LT per school and the other one came back, well... It's PD's library right now. And the changes she wants to make are only going to improve the library.
At lunch I took PD to School B to show her what I'd inherited and then to School A as she hadn't seen it since I'd made the last of the major changes... she avoided being seen by PHP II who is her former VP. I went to PD's for supper and we hung out for the evening, dicussing library things. LOL Alll in all a good day.
29 September 2012
24 September 2012
She remembers bridges, burns them to the ground
I mentioned piercings in my last post. Up until about 2 and half years ago, I had three normal lobe piercings on each side. The first (bottom) set done when I was in grade 7 (~13 years old), the second in grade 9 (~15) and the third, top holes when I as around 24/25 years old.
And your blood's depleted to the point of stable glue
Not a usual work day for me, I have Mondays off, but wish I didn't. I went into school B (thus confusing the heck out of a lot of folks...lol). Went over to PD's elementary school around 9 a.m. In her first class was a girl who'd been at my School A--I couldn't remember her name, but she told me. Later PD told this girl had told HER that she didn't have nearly as many piercings as I do (and she doesn't). Hmm, I should talk about those, but in a seperate post.
I was looking at PD's library to see what needs to be changed around or what can be changed around...and discovered that on all the tall shelving which has fic and then non-fic, when you're facing from where you walk down into the stacks from the other part of the library (ie the "front"), the shelf ranges are backwards, starts on the right, goes to left. If you're at the BACK of the library they're in the right order. *headdesk* This has to be changed--I was doing some shelving for her, and kept going in the wrong direction.
The books are classified with pb, jr non fic, jr fic, fic and non fic. I think she's gonna go with colour coded labels (you can buy opaque ones)...much as I do--that way no need for seperate classifications, just shelve the colours together. It works.
After she was doen there, I went back to school B, had my lunch and then moved the old books from the "reference" section to other empty shelves to be sliced up for discard later. My favourite find, so far, has been a road atlass of Europe...©1971 (a good year, if I do say so myself)...I'm sure none of the roads have changed nor have new roads been added. /sarcasm
Also got all the french collection into one bay--and only discarded a couple dozen books; hoping the french immersion teacher won't notice that part. This means I can start moving the non fiction--weeding as I go. I may hold onto stuff for a year until I'm sure it's not needed...or I may not. Once that's done, then I'm splitting up the picture books and chapter books, again, weeding as I go and I may rearrange the tables and such so that the little ones can have a reading area on the floor near their books. And I'll be rid of the those bloody step ladders the kids use. Well the french immersion kid'll still have to use them, but there's only 9 of and they're in grades 4/5.
So much work, so little time. BUT with the non fic and others I'm moving, I can do that a shelf at a time, now that the french is moved.
I don't think I mentioned it, but i have fucking wooden shelving at the is school I had wooden shelving cus the shelves are adjustable and never meet the side of the shelving unit, so books fall down unless you have the right style of bookends--which I do. Now that I stile them all from School A--which has all metal shelving with slotted in bookends, thus no need for the other type. AND there are two sizes of wooden shelves, one is slightly longer and wider than the others. *sigh*
Will be going over to PD's elem school this friday (around 10:30, she has to go to her middle school first) to help her move the furniture around at least.
I was looking at PD's library to see what needs to be changed around or what can be changed around...and discovered that on all the tall shelving which has fic and then non-fic, when you're facing from where you walk down into the stacks from the other part of the library (ie the "front"), the shelf ranges are backwards, starts on the right, goes to left. If you're at the BACK of the library they're in the right order. *headdesk* This has to be changed--I was doing some shelving for her, and kept going in the wrong direction.
The books are classified with pb, jr non fic, jr fic, fic and non fic. I think she's gonna go with colour coded labels (you can buy opaque ones)...much as I do--that way no need for seperate classifications, just shelve the colours together. It works.
After she was doen there, I went back to school B, had my lunch and then moved the old books from the "reference" section to other empty shelves to be sliced up for discard later. My favourite find, so far, has been a road atlass of Europe...©1971 (a good year, if I do say so myself)...I'm sure none of the roads have changed nor have new roads been added. /sarcasm
Also got all the french collection into one bay--and only discarded a couple dozen books; hoping the french immersion teacher won't notice that part. This means I can start moving the non fiction--weeding as I go. I may hold onto stuff for a year until I'm sure it's not needed...or I may not. Once that's done, then I'm splitting up the picture books and chapter books, again, weeding as I go and I may rearrange the tables and such so that the little ones can have a reading area on the floor near their books. And I'll be rid of the those bloody step ladders the kids use. Well the french immersion kid'll still have to use them, but there's only 9 of and they're in grades 4/5.
So much work, so little time. BUT with the non fic and others I'm moving, I can do that a shelf at a time, now that the french is moved.
I don't think I mentioned it, but i have fucking wooden shelving at the is school I had wooden shelving cus the shelves are adjustable and never meet the side of the shelving unit, so books fall down unless you have the right style of bookends--which I do. Now that I stile them all from School A--which has all metal shelving with slotted in bookends, thus no need for the other type. AND there are two sizes of wooden shelves, one is slightly longer and wider than the others. *sigh*
Will be going over to PD's elem school this friday (around 10:30, she has to go to her middle school first) to help her move the furniture around at least.
21 September 2012
I'm telling you she knows where it's at
Well, I can finally has music on my iMac. When DT stopped in this a.m. (mostly to add ram to ye old emac so it'd run a newer word version slightly better) he basically told me iTunes was a lost cause. I wasn't heart broken or anything; yeah, I like iTunes, in fact it's my player of choice on ALL MY WINDOWS BASED PCs. Yet, amusingly enough, I CAN'T USE IT ON AN iMAC. *cue laughter*
I'm using VLC player--it plays using a playlist and will play vids as well. First version I tried was too new, so I found an older version and that worked. Ah, sweet music. Fucking finally.
Told DT I thought the way programs are installed was stupid. He defended it. I realised later that I don't find the process intuitive as I do with WIN (prolly cus I've used them more, but still). There's nothing in the disk utility window that TELLS you to double click on what you want to "mount" on the HD. I just see buttons and descriptions about fixing your HD or erasing shit. (Seriously, mounting software...hardware that word makes sense, not for software. but macs, what can you do.)
Had to laugh, DT said that he gets pissy with anyone who asks about burning software for the mac. He tells them to just put the damned disk in. Sooooo.... guess what I'm a gonna ask him next time I see him. He makes it too easy sometimes.
Also discovered that until you delete something from the trash, the memory isn't freed up. Even on a fucking flash drive. Now THAT is really stupid. With WIN, it goes tot he trash, you can use the memory....*argh* I'm lucky I've got DT as my tech....for more than one reason.
Saw SR at School A this afternoon, finally coming in to fucking fix things--he was getting the lab comps and printer finished up when I left. I got after him for not doing stuff for PD--he feigned innocence. And his youngest boy is in grade 6 now! I remember when he was in primary (heck I remember when SR's oldest boy was in primary). All three of his boys went to Sham, so I was their LT up until four years ago, when I left for School A.
Tis late, I should go check tumblr and perhaps head to bed; I'm tired.
I'm using VLC player--it plays using a playlist and will play vids as well. First version I tried was too new, so I found an older version and that worked. Ah, sweet music. Fucking finally.
Told DT I thought the way programs are installed was stupid. He defended it. I realised later that I don't find the process intuitive as I do with WIN (prolly cus I've used them more, but still). There's nothing in the disk utility window that TELLS you to double click on what you want to "mount" on the HD. I just see buttons and descriptions about fixing your HD or erasing shit. (Seriously, mounting software...hardware that word makes sense, not for software. but macs, what can you do.)
Had to laugh, DT said that he gets pissy with anyone who asks about burning software for the mac. He tells them to just put the damned disk in. Sooooo.... guess what I'm a gonna ask him next time I see him. He makes it too easy sometimes.
Also discovered that until you delete something from the trash, the memory isn't freed up. Even on a fucking flash drive. Now THAT is really stupid. With WIN, it goes tot he trash, you can use the memory....*argh* I'm lucky I've got DT as my tech....for more than one reason.
Saw SR at School A this afternoon, finally coming in to fucking fix things--he was getting the lab comps and printer finished up when I left. I got after him for not doing stuff for PD--he feigned innocence. And his youngest boy is in grade 6 now! I remember when he was in primary (heck I remember when SR's oldest boy was in primary). All three of his boys went to Sham, so I was their LT up until four years ago, when I left for School A.
Tis late, I should go check tumblr and perhaps head to bed; I'm tired.
20 September 2012
You want to tell someone but you got to be discreet
I hate macs. I really do. I want iTunes on my iMac at school B. I can't have the latest version cus my OS is just slightly too old. So, DT said I could d/l and install an older version, at least until he upgrades my OS, which I think he said would be the Fluffy the Housecat OS. (Okay, he might've really said something like snowy leopard; wtf is it with apple and cat names? they need to fuck off.) I'd asked DT before he left if I had to worry about quicktime. He said it didn't matter.
So, I finally find 9.2.1 of itunes. I d/l it and it takes me to disk utility to install it. Dear DT: this is nothing like windows installations; that doesn't take me to something that could fuck my whole computer. I finally figure out how to isntall the goddamn thing. Yay. I double click on it....and it fucking tells me I need quicktime 7.5.5.....*headdesk*
By this point, DT is gone for the day; I'm suspecting more than itunes relies on QT; I don't wanna update it and fuck everything....that's DT's job. Anyhow I emailed him about it; he didn't get back to me, but I'll also see him tomorrow morning.
Yanno, I just. want. to. listen. to my MUSIC. I mean seriously, macs suck donkey balls. If this were a win machine, I'd've had itunes up and running last week. i think the C-64s from my v. first school I worked at are better than this piece of fucking shit.
ARGH. DT please fix it for me. PLEASE.... *crawls off to sit in corner and whimper*
So, I finally find 9.2.1 of itunes. I d/l it and it takes me to disk utility to install it. Dear DT: this is nothing like windows installations; that doesn't take me to something that could fuck my whole computer. I finally figure out how to isntall the goddamn thing. Yay. I double click on it....and it fucking tells me I need quicktime 7.5.5.....*headdesk*
By this point, DT is gone for the day; I'm suspecting more than itunes relies on QT; I don't wanna update it and fuck everything....that's DT's job. Anyhow I emailed him about it; he didn't get back to me, but I'll also see him tomorrow morning.
Yanno, I just. want. to. listen. to my MUSIC. I mean seriously, macs suck donkey balls. If this were a win machine, I'd've had itunes up and running last week. i think the C-64s from my v. first school I worked at are better than this piece of fucking shit.
ARGH. DT please fix it for me. PLEASE.... *crawls off to sit in corner and whimper*
19 September 2012
everybody was in it, for miles around
Haven't had much time to look at the book fair thing... tomorrow, I'm at school b and have a bit more time. DT got one thing fixed for me and I'm pretty sure he got the second done after I got him the password. He's so much more efficient than SR. (In fact, we've got over 20 items in our online help desk for SR to get to at school A; I finally complained to the PHPII today--we're down to 12 comps in the lab). If he's still out sick they need to send someone over, if he's not, he needs to get here to get things done. *grrr* Told PD today that I was gonna bug DT and say since he went over and helped at PD's elem school, he needs to come over to school A...while I'm there on Fri or Tues/Wed. LOL. I can imagine the response I'll get to THAT!
Got through OH&S meeting today--I'm the secretary AND the co-chair as no one else would do co-chair (I've done secretary almost every year/ohs team I've been on). *sigh* and the PHPII wants mouch more formal minutes than we're used to--more so than what I had at Sham. Oh, well, I'm modifying the template she sent me for the minutes, the format is horrendous. Stuff bolded and underlined. I'm surprised it wasn't italicised as well. *bah* Oh, well, I'll live.
The PHPII has said that on half days/inservice days, if I need to, I can go to school b. I'm sure there'll be some that I'll have to be at school A, which is fine. I'm getting a full day on the 28th (it's a full day in school b's county and half day at school A--yes, different counties, same board, different days off...there're only two of this affected by that)--which I'll spend part of at school B but I'm going to talk to L (principal there) and see if I can maybe spend half the day helping PD at Kton her elementary. She'll spend half her day helping me at school b. We're planning something similar for the prof dev day in Oct.
My volunteer C was in yesterday and today so all my shelving is done. I've barely had to do any shelving the last two years--she does it and ENJOYS it. I think that's weird since shelving is my least fave thing to do, but different strokes as they say.
Got through OH&S meeting today--I'm the secretary AND the co-chair as no one else would do co-chair (I've done secretary almost every year/ohs team I've been on). *sigh* and the PHPII wants mouch more formal minutes than we're used to--more so than what I had at Sham. Oh, well, I'm modifying the template she sent me for the minutes, the format is horrendous. Stuff bolded and underlined. I'm surprised it wasn't italicised as well. *bah* Oh, well, I'll live.
The PHPII has said that on half days/inservice days, if I need to, I can go to school b. I'm sure there'll be some that I'll have to be at school A, which is fine. I'm getting a full day on the 28th (it's a full day in school b's county and half day at school A--yes, different counties, same board, different days off...there're only two of this affected by that)--which I'll spend part of at school B but I'm going to talk to L (principal there) and see if I can maybe spend half the day helping PD at Kton her elementary. She'll spend half her day helping me at school b. We're planning something similar for the prof dev day in Oct.
My volunteer C was in yesterday and today so all my shelving is done. I've barely had to do any shelving the last two years--she does it and ENJOYS it. I think that's weird since shelving is my least fave thing to do, but different strokes as they say.
18 September 2012
is your daddy home, did he go and leave you all alone?
Been a couple days. I spent Monday trying to figure out how I'm going to hold to book fairs simultaneously at two schools. After swearing I wouldn't do it. The Feb book fairs are different weeks, one right after the other. Not AS bad.
If I can get C, my faithful and wonderful volunteer to cover the nighttime part of bookfair at school A, I can be at school B for that. During the day, I'd have to have parent volunteers. I'm going to have to talk to my admins--the ONLY way this will work is if I can have the freedom to go to each school as need be. I think I can get away with one day less at School B (less kids). Not looking forward to it, but we'll see. I hate book fairs with the passion of a 1000 burning suns. My rep is cunt, though I have to pretend like she isn't. (Yeah, how many customer service reps have YOU had to apologise to--and really, I wasn't that mean or rude. *sigh*)
Not sure if I've got it all figured out, but am close, I think.
Today I had an appt with the eye specialist--I have type 2 diabetes and am now insulin dependant. End of February I had DKA, ended up in ICU for a few days, about a week in the hospital overall. Anyways, I normally see Dr. T. once a year, but today he found the first signs of diabetic retinopathy in my eyes ever but he said it's very small but it is ia change, so I have to see him in 9 months. Which would be June, but I asked the receptionist if I could book in early July so I'd be out of school. And I got a morning appt.
I had to leave work early; they didn't get one of my fave five as my sub, but a woman who used to sub for me before I got my current volunteer, C. I got tired of getting this other woman as they'd always pull her as an EA sub. *sigh*
Other than that, not a lot going on. PD and I are going to try and coordinate some of our inservice days so I can help her at her elem and she can help me at school B. (She's never done elem before...) I asked PHP II and she's okay with me going to school B on inservice days--I told her I'd check with her before each as there may be some for school A I need to attend.
Had SAC (School advisory council) meeting tonight which went til 8:30....been a long day and I should really go to bed soon, I guess...
If I can get C, my faithful and wonderful volunteer to cover the nighttime part of bookfair at school A, I can be at school B for that. During the day, I'd have to have parent volunteers. I'm going to have to talk to my admins--the ONLY way this will work is if I can have the freedom to go to each school as need be. I think I can get away with one day less at School B (less kids). Not looking forward to it, but we'll see. I hate book fairs with the passion of a 1000 burning suns. My rep is cunt, though I have to pretend like she isn't. (Yeah, how many customer service reps have YOU had to apologise to--and really, I wasn't that mean or rude. *sigh*)
Not sure if I've got it all figured out, but am close, I think.
Today I had an appt with the eye specialist--I have type 2 diabetes and am now insulin dependant. End of February I had DKA, ended up in ICU for a few days, about a week in the hospital overall. Anyways, I normally see Dr. T. once a year, but today he found the first signs of diabetic retinopathy in my eyes ever but he said it's very small but it is ia change, so I have to see him in 9 months. Which would be June, but I asked the receptionist if I could book in early July so I'd be out of school. And I got a morning appt.
I had to leave work early; they didn't get one of my fave five as my sub, but a woman who used to sub for me before I got my current volunteer, C. I got tired of getting this other woman as they'd always pull her as an EA sub. *sigh*
Other than that, not a lot going on. PD and I are going to try and coordinate some of our inservice days so I can help her at her elem and she can help me at school B. (She's never done elem before...) I asked PHP II and she's okay with me going to school B on inservice days--I told her I'd check with her before each as there may be some for school A I need to attend.
Had SAC (School advisory council) meeting tonight which went til 8:30....been a long day and I should really go to bed soon, I guess...
15 September 2012
This is quality
I say you can tell what a person is like from how they act, more so than what they say.
DT, my tech at School B proved that on Friday. I was talking to PD and she said DT was her tech on Friday at her second school--which is normally covered by MY other (and long time) tech SR. SR's been out sick all week and he'd left a lot of shit undone at that school; apparently DT himself complained about it. So, they told him to go and do it (now, yes, DT's wife is a secretary at that school, but she didn't need anything done!) and he did. By complaining, he'd made more work for himself, but he looked at all the work orders outstanding at the school and I'm sure it pissed him off.
As I said to PD today; I love SR dearly but the man is slower than frozen molasses going uphill in February. And he doesn't care about his job in the same way DT does... I think I'm correct in making DT my fave tech. As she said, I don't know how he keeps his job. Prolly cus he can justify why everything takes so long. That's why, when the lab comps at School A weren't hooked up, I had the principal put the tech request through; I KNOW he won't ignore her. Or he's less likely too. Plus, he doesn't like macs, so doing stuff at PD's library means touching macs.
I'm so very tempted to tell him I want an iMac at School A now. Oh, god, I wonder if DT would let me borrow my iMac from School B when I leave on Friday and take it to School A--and I'd put a work order in to get SR over to see me right away....and have the mac set up....ahahahaha. Tell him I can't connect to the server now and need to so I can back up. I'd have to make sure it was a week he wasn't sick. Oh, I wonder if DT would let me do that? I am so fucking evil.... Oh, god, even worse, show up with my old EMAC. I am so very devious. Oh, email him and tell him I'm having problems--everything on my screen looks different...heehee. He would fucking kill me but it would be worth it.....
I really should become an evil genius and take over the world....
DT, my tech at School B proved that on Friday. I was talking to PD and she said DT was her tech on Friday at her second school--which is normally covered by MY other (and long time) tech SR. SR's been out sick all week and he'd left a lot of shit undone at that school; apparently DT himself complained about it. So, they told him to go and do it (now, yes, DT's wife is a secretary at that school, but she didn't need anything done!) and he did. By complaining, he'd made more work for himself, but he looked at all the work orders outstanding at the school and I'm sure it pissed him off.
As I said to PD today; I love SR dearly but the man is slower than frozen molasses going uphill in February. And he doesn't care about his job in the same way DT does... I think I'm correct in making DT my fave tech. As she said, I don't know how he keeps his job. Prolly cus he can justify why everything takes so long. That's why, when the lab comps at School A weren't hooked up, I had the principal put the tech request through; I KNOW he won't ignore her. Or he's less likely too. Plus, he doesn't like macs, so doing stuff at PD's library means touching macs.
I'm so very tempted to tell him I want an iMac at School A now. Oh, god, I wonder if DT would let me borrow my iMac from School B when I leave on Friday and take it to School A--and I'd put a work order in to get SR over to see me right away....and have the mac set up....ahahahaha. Tell him I can't connect to the server now and need to so I can back up. I'd have to make sure it was a week he wasn't sick. Oh, I wonder if DT would let me do that? I am so fucking evil.... Oh, god, even worse, show up with my old EMAC. I am so very devious. Oh, email him and tell him I'm having problems--everything on my screen looks different...heehee. He would fucking kill me but it would be worth it.....
I really should become an evil genius and take over the world....
the boys chased the girls with the curls in their hair
I'm doing up my substitute plan--I do it every year--revise the classroom schedule. I also include a section on how to use Alexandria. I've got an appt this Tues--it's with the eye specialist and was set last year before I even knew how LTs would be treated by the board. And I can't change it easily. So for subs this year, we have to give preference to those LTs who got laid off last school year. We've an automated system for this, so my fave five are former LTs (while I understand this, it annoys me slightly cus I have a sub I've trained myself and who's worked for me for two years--also done tremendous work as a volunteer). Anyhow, my first choice is A, who worked in our board several years ago; she remarried and moved to Cali, she came back last year and started working at the board again. Bad timing, eh? Anyhow, I know she knows her shit.
Also found out the person I replaced at school B has her name on the sub list. I'm going to both my admins and saying that I do NOT want her subbing for me at either school, ever (if I'm sick and put in an absence the system doesn't follow the fave five...it can go to anyone). My reasons are a few fold: first of all, she's NOT a trained LT, she's barely a trained clerk; she's obviously NEVER done automated circ and she was really unprofessional when she left School B. She left me NOTHING about how she did things, where things were located, what she did for fundraising/bookfairs. I think I mentioned I didn't contact HER at the end of last school year cus I was warned by a few folks she was royally pissed; had she called me, I would've gone over to visit. So, no, I don't want her at School A and def not at School B--who knows, she might try to sabotage something. (Look, I'm an Aquarius with Scorpio rising; suspicious is second nature to me.)
Soooo... I'm typing up my sub plan and adding school B stuff, when I realise that I'll have to take a picture of the electrical panel in the library as THAT is where I have to turn my lights on. Yes, I have to flip circuit breakers to turn my lights on and off.... I'm taking a pic cus that's just easier than trying to write it all out. I can do arrows and stuff. I'll also have to do screen shots of the Mac cus some of the stuff on that is a bit different...like how to shut programs down. (Oh, no, don't let the x put you out of the program. You can do that but then you STILL have to go to the menu to close it out. Yeah, Macs are so much fucking better. Not.)
So, yeah, doing some work on the weekend.
Also found out the person I replaced at school B has her name on the sub list. I'm going to both my admins and saying that I do NOT want her subbing for me at either school, ever (if I'm sick and put in an absence the system doesn't follow the fave five...it can go to anyone). My reasons are a few fold: first of all, she's NOT a trained LT, she's barely a trained clerk; she's obviously NEVER done automated circ and she was really unprofessional when she left School B. She left me NOTHING about how she did things, where things were located, what she did for fundraising/bookfairs. I think I mentioned I didn't contact HER at the end of last school year cus I was warned by a few folks she was royally pissed; had she called me, I would've gone over to visit. So, no, I don't want her at School A and def not at School B--who knows, she might try to sabotage something. (Look, I'm an Aquarius with Scorpio rising; suspicious is second nature to me.)
Soooo... I'm typing up my sub plan and adding school B stuff, when I realise that I'll have to take a picture of the electrical panel in the library as THAT is where I have to turn my lights on. Yes, I have to flip circuit breakers to turn my lights on and off.... I'm taking a pic cus that's just easier than trying to write it all out. I can do arrows and stuff. I'll also have to do screen shots of the Mac cus some of the stuff on that is a bit different...like how to shut programs down. (Oh, no, don't let the x put you out of the program. You can do that but then you STILL have to go to the menu to close it out. Yeah, Macs are so much fucking better. Not.)
So, yeah, doing some work on the weekend.
14 September 2012
they draft white trash first 'round here anyway
Ah, Friday, sweet Friday. Morning went well at School B. Had to go over to the bookstore at the mall local to School B to pick a small book order for School A. I made sure I had PHP II's permission as I knew it would make me a bit later than what I was scheduled for. She was fine with it.
Anyhow, I got to School A, put my lunch in the fridge, dropped the books off at the office (and had the secretary tell me I shouldn't have used the library's book points. What do I care, it's books for the school. *shrug*). I go back in the library and as I walk by the door to the comp lab, I stop, and look again. One of the monitors was turned upside and leaning against the chalkboard behind it. I went in and stared it at for a few moments, with what I'm sure was a momentous WTF? look on my face. I wasn't sure what had happened, but figured the PHP II should know.
She's in the main office, so I say to her, "Um, I found one of the monitors upside down and leaning against the chalkboard..." PHP II: "Oh, that was me!" Me: *bwuh??* Her: "Oh, I went to use it and the display was upside down and I didn't know how to fix it, so I turned the monitor upside down." Me and everyone else in the office, including the secretaries: *bursts out laughing* She then tells me that she wants me to teach her how to fix it. So, I did. I also told everyone at lunch about it...and plan to tell PD and the tech guys.
So, yeah, highlight of my day.
Anyhow, I got to School A, put my lunch in the fridge, dropped the books off at the office (and had the secretary tell me I shouldn't have used the library's book points. What do I care, it's books for the school. *shrug*). I go back in the library and as I walk by the door to the comp lab, I stop, and look again. One of the monitors was turned upside and leaning against the chalkboard behind it. I went in and stared it at for a few moments, with what I'm sure was a momentous WTF? look on my face. I wasn't sure what had happened, but figured the PHP II should know.
She's in the main office, so I say to her, "Um, I found one of the monitors upside down and leaning against the chalkboard..." PHP II: "Oh, that was me!" Me: *bwuh??* Her: "Oh, I went to use it and the display was upside down and I didn't know how to fix it, so I turned the monitor upside down." Me and everyone else in the office, including the secretaries: *bursts out laughing* She then tells me that she wants me to teach her how to fix it. So, I did. I also told everyone at lunch about it...and plan to tell PD and the tech guys.
So, yeah, highlight of my day.
13 September 2012
first days with kids
So, this week were my first days with the kids. Went well at School A (tues/wed), though a few classes missed on Wed cus of a bus safety presentation. Although I always forget how BUSY it is with the primaries the first few library times. "Make sure the only book you take with you is the one you signed out with me." "You have to keep the book you signed out, don't put it back on the shelf," etc. You get the idea. They're cute but it's exhausting. By the end of the school year, they're so good at it, I forget. (Of course, PD's second school is the elementary across the way from her middle school, that she was at last year. And she's never worked elementary before. *evil laughter*).
Today were the majority of my School B classes, just two tomorrow morning. Primaries just as busy and I knew ONE student's name (cus she'd been at School A last year). But it's the first time they've had automated signout at the school and the kids love it. As do I. At one point, with the primary class, one student signed out a book another student had--I didn't think to check the name that came up to see if it was a primary in the class (live and learn). But we just had the first kid find another book and she was okay with it. The teacher told me that I was much calmer than the previous "librarian" would've been about it.
It's not a big deal. If they tell me they left on the shelf/table, I'll just sign it back in. No biggie--although more of an issue, if you're using, oh, say...book cards?
Got a bit of decorating done at B--the walls are painted, where you can see the entire wall, in horizontal stripes, colours from bottom to top: orange, green, red, yellow and blue. With blue around the rest of the top of the room (and anywhere you can see wall). Oi. I'm appropriating the bulletin board across the hall form the library for cultural type displays and possibly one slight further up the hallway. Since I'm the only down that end now.
I just have one more section of wall to decorate at A and I'm done there (I have a lot more wall space there). Also have to get some office supply requests into the secretary at school B tomorrow morning.
Well, I guess that's about it for tonight. It's late and I need to get some sleep...
Today were the majority of my School B classes, just two tomorrow morning. Primaries just as busy and I knew ONE student's name (cus she'd been at School A last year). But it's the first time they've had automated signout at the school and the kids love it. As do I. At one point, with the primary class, one student signed out a book another student had--I didn't think to check the name that came up to see if it was a primary in the class (live and learn). But we just had the first kid find another book and she was okay with it. The teacher told me that I was much calmer than the previous "librarian" would've been about it.
It's not a big deal. If they tell me they left on the shelf/table, I'll just sign it back in. No biggie--although more of an issue, if you're using, oh, say...book cards?
Got a bit of decorating done at B--the walls are painted, where you can see the entire wall, in horizontal stripes, colours from bottom to top: orange, green, red, yellow and blue. With blue around the rest of the top of the room (and anywhere you can see wall). Oi. I'm appropriating the bulletin board across the hall form the library for cultural type displays and possibly one slight further up the hallway. Since I'm the only down that end now.
I just have one more section of wall to decorate at A and I'm done there (I have a lot more wall space there). Also have to get some office supply requests into the secretary at school B tomorrow morning.
Well, I guess that's about it for tonight. It's late and I need to get some sleep...
your head feels twice the size
Getting so behind on this already!
My current sched has me at school A all day Tues and Wed and then Friday from 11:30 til 2:30 ish, including my lunch time. I'm at school B all day Thurs and Fri. morning.
I'd ask K when he was doing schedules last year, if he'd schedule the actual library times--he had the master sched and it was easier for him to do it as he could rearrange other things as need be--since it was a matter of scheduling 16 classes over two days (leaving me Fri afternoons to do library work). He'd asked me how I'd wanted my time structured--it's easier doing full days and given it's a 15 min drive between my two schools, cheaper. Anyhow, he set it up for me, and said, when it was done "There, I've done it for you, you big baby!" (Teasing me--in prior years I'd let the teachers pick their times and done up the sched).
I did my sched at School B with the teachers coming to see me--there's only 8 home rooms; half what I have at school a. Anyhow a bit more unscheduled time there, which I'm gonna need.
I didn't have classes the first week of school at either site. Which was good cus last Thursday, DT (my tech at school B) got me an imac--he asked when I wanted it. I said now? He said: Done. Then went upstairs and got it. We got Alex and other things I needed set up. Bless him--he's so much faster at stuff than SR. I still <3 SR, but he was supposed to upgrade my pc at school A to win7 over the summer. Never happened. Not shocked, I've worked with him for 12 or so years now and same as always. *sigh* He's a good tech just fucking slow. As I told PD--DT is my favourite tech now...not that I've broken the news to SR. *heh*
Anyhow, had a good chat with DT Thursday--him ranting about how things are done with/via the techs for the board and what he'd do differently if he was in charge. He's so funny--one of THE most laid back guys I've ever met (even more than SR) yet he gets so worked up over shit he cares about. I had a couple simple questions for him today--so I went upstairs to the Tech Cave (my name for it) and asked, but it would've been as easy to email. I asked him if he minded if I did email him--he said he doesn't care, go ahead. (I only ask cus not all techs like folks emailing them about stuff--we have an online help desk to submit things--but if it's a question, email's easier; SR lets me email him as well).
So, Thurs, at School B, I called Comp Corp who own Alexandria to get my codes for v.6 (licence/reg codes change with the update)...the rep said it wouldn't propogate on their servers for about 3 hours; told her this was fine as I wasn't going to update til the next day. Friday morning and I had my updated codes and d/l the installation file for Alex--but there was a line of instruction that I didn't quite get, so I was going to call their tech support, but got no answer (3 hr time diff, it was 7 for me, 4 a.m. for them tho it's 24 hour support). Anyhow DT showed up and he had no idea what they really meant (probably don't overwrite the previous install--it's a bloody mac). He was looking for Alex and saw that I'd dropped the program from the app window onto the desktop. Hee. DT was all "Why did you do that, you don't move programs like that on Windows, etc, etc"; I'm pissing myself laughing at this point--managed to sputter out "but I don't use macs" and "It still worked". hahaha. Yeah, still getting used to the dock thing.
So, we get Alex installed and she doesn't want to let me log in. I'd logged into V5 before I upgraded... DT can't figure out what's wrong, we try again, still didn't work; DT went back to the Tech Cave...I ended up calling Alex tech support--turns out that sometimes the login info doesn't transfer, so he gave me a backdoor pword (yanno what? DID NOT have this problem with Windows...). It worked and I was able to set up users again. Yay. Went upstairs to find DT to let him know it worked.
Then I discovered there was no iTunes. On an iMac. o.^ Couldn't d/l it either (DT doesn't believe me that it's because https sites are blocked, except for whitelisted sites--one of which he showed me that worked. I smirked rather muchly when he couldn't access the d/l even when he used Safari.) I told him, when I'd gone up to ask about it, that I was whiney and needy. He replied, "Only til you get what you need." I forgot to ask about the iTunes today til after he'd gone...so I emailed him tonight.
He really is one of the good guys (married, natch)--today on one of his many forays to and fro from his vehicle to upstairs, he poked his head in and asked if everything was okay. I said it was except I wanted a PC. He responded with sign language...I'm sure you can guess which one. Another reason to like him! LOL
Okay, this is getting long....there's a surprise. I'll talk about first days more in my next post.
My current sched has me at school A all day Tues and Wed and then Friday from 11:30 til 2:30 ish, including my lunch time. I'm at school B all day Thurs and Fri. morning.
I'd ask K when he was doing schedules last year, if he'd schedule the actual library times--he had the master sched and it was easier for him to do it as he could rearrange other things as need be--since it was a matter of scheduling 16 classes over two days (leaving me Fri afternoons to do library work). He'd asked me how I'd wanted my time structured--it's easier doing full days and given it's a 15 min drive between my two schools, cheaper. Anyhow, he set it up for me, and said, when it was done "There, I've done it for you, you big baby!" (Teasing me--in prior years I'd let the teachers pick their times and done up the sched).
I did my sched at School B with the teachers coming to see me--there's only 8 home rooms; half what I have at school a. Anyhow a bit more unscheduled time there, which I'm gonna need.
I didn't have classes the first week of school at either site. Which was good cus last Thursday, DT (my tech at school B) got me an imac--he asked when I wanted it. I said now? He said: Done. Then went upstairs and got it. We got Alex and other things I needed set up. Bless him--he's so much faster at stuff than SR. I still <3 SR, but he was supposed to upgrade my pc at school A to win7 over the summer. Never happened. Not shocked, I've worked with him for 12 or so years now and same as always. *sigh* He's a good tech just fucking slow. As I told PD--DT is my favourite tech now...not that I've broken the news to SR. *heh*
Anyhow, had a good chat with DT Thursday--him ranting about how things are done with/via the techs for the board and what he'd do differently if he was in charge. He's so funny--one of THE most laid back guys I've ever met (even more than SR) yet he gets so worked up over shit he cares about. I had a couple simple questions for him today--so I went upstairs to the Tech Cave (my name for it) and asked, but it would've been as easy to email. I asked him if he minded if I did email him--he said he doesn't care, go ahead. (I only ask cus not all techs like folks emailing them about stuff--we have an online help desk to submit things--but if it's a question, email's easier; SR lets me email him as well).
So, Thurs, at School B, I called Comp Corp who own Alexandria to get my codes for v.6 (licence/reg codes change with the update)...the rep said it wouldn't propogate on their servers for about 3 hours; told her this was fine as I wasn't going to update til the next day. Friday morning and I had my updated codes and d/l the installation file for Alex--but there was a line of instruction that I didn't quite get, so I was going to call their tech support, but got no answer (3 hr time diff, it was 7 for me, 4 a.m. for them tho it's 24 hour support). Anyhow DT showed up and he had no idea what they really meant (probably don't overwrite the previous install--it's a bloody mac). He was looking for Alex and saw that I'd dropped the program from the app window onto the desktop. Hee. DT was all "Why did you do that, you don't move programs like that on Windows, etc, etc"; I'm pissing myself laughing at this point--managed to sputter out "but I don't use macs" and "It still worked". hahaha. Yeah, still getting used to the dock thing.
So, we get Alex installed and she doesn't want to let me log in. I'd logged into V5 before I upgraded... DT can't figure out what's wrong, we try again, still didn't work; DT went back to the Tech Cave...I ended up calling Alex tech support--turns out that sometimes the login info doesn't transfer, so he gave me a backdoor pword (yanno what? DID NOT have this problem with Windows...). It worked and I was able to set up users again. Yay. Went upstairs to find DT to let him know it worked.
Then I discovered there was no iTunes. On an iMac. o.^ Couldn't d/l it either (DT doesn't believe me that it's because https sites are blocked, except for whitelisted sites--one of which he showed me that worked. I smirked rather muchly when he couldn't access the d/l even when he used Safari.) I told him, when I'd gone up to ask about it, that I was whiney and needy. He replied, "Only til you get what you need." I forgot to ask about the iTunes today til after he'd gone...so I emailed him tonight.
He really is one of the good guys (married, natch)--today on one of his many forays to and fro from his vehicle to upstairs, he poked his head in and asked if everything was okay. I said it was except I wanted a PC. He responded with sign language...I'm sure you can guess which one. Another reason to like him! LOL
Okay, this is getting long....there's a surprise. I'll talk about first days more in my next post.
11 September 2012
Catching up part III
As I mentioned at the end of my last post. Changes. We can has them. Rather unfortunately. (And yes, laundry is dried and put away. go me).
Last school year, K announced his retirement. And much sadness fell upon the land...well, for many of us at School A--some of whom had worked with him for years and basically followed him from school to school. (Had I known how much I'd enjoy working with him, I might've tried that sooner!). So, he didn't officially retire until the end of June, but his replacement was found and announced early that month. We knew of people who were applying/might apply. My friend, PD's VP was one of them. I'll refer to her as PHP II (to differentiate her from PHP whom I had at Sham for four or so years, which was six too many). There was a guy who'd been VP at School A before and everyone at the school whom I respected wanted him to get the job.
So, the day of the announcment arrives; normally the principal tells the staff, but K was out for minor sugery, so it fell on our VP S, to do so. It was in the morning before classes...we gathered in the staff room and waited for her to tell us.
"I'm pleased to announce that our new principal is PHP II". You could've heard a pin drop, it was so quiet in that room. We all knew we were screwed. (PHP II had also been VP at school A a few years ago....) Poor S, she rambled on and said she'd email PHP II welcoming her to our school. See I knew we were screwed because I'd listened to PD tell exactly how the PHP II had treated her, the support staff and some of the teaching staff for the last six years as the VP at her school. She only let up on PD when PD's son ended up needing a heart transplant.
So, after the initial shock wore off, I went to the phone in the book room (more private) to call PD at home and tell her (her school goes in an hour later than ours); her hubby answered and asked if everything was alright. I said it was...then told PD the good news. Good for her, not for us. She told me later that she was so happy she'd been singing int he shower, but her hubby told her to stop it as she was scaring their children.
I will say things have been going along okay so far--PHP II is being nice to me (I almost hate it, I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop) and she hasn't really done anything to really piss anyone off. She did schedule me for end of the day stairwell duty but I went to the VP about it because a)I'm not a teacher and that's teacher supe time b)I've had my hours cut back and you're adding something to it and c) I wasn't asked OR told, I read it in the emailed sched that came out. Anyhow, rather surprisingly to me, PHP II didn't have a hissy or get angry at me; one of the resource teachers will do it--though I did offer to cover for her if need be, which PHP II seemed to appreciate.
It's a good thing I'm a woman and used to/good at faking it.... or I'd be in big trouble....lol
Last school year, K announced his retirement. And much sadness fell upon the land...well, for many of us at School A--some of whom had worked with him for years and basically followed him from school to school. (Had I known how much I'd enjoy working with him, I might've tried that sooner!). So, he didn't officially retire until the end of June, but his replacement was found and announced early that month. We knew of people who were applying/might apply. My friend, PD's VP was one of them. I'll refer to her as PHP II (to differentiate her from PHP whom I had at Sham for four or so years, which was six too many). There was a guy who'd been VP at School A before and everyone at the school whom I respected wanted him to get the job.
So, the day of the announcment arrives; normally the principal tells the staff, but K was out for minor sugery, so it fell on our VP S, to do so. It was in the morning before classes...we gathered in the staff room and waited for her to tell us.
"I'm pleased to announce that our new principal is PHP II". You could've heard a pin drop, it was so quiet in that room. We all knew we were screwed. (PHP II had also been VP at school A a few years ago....) Poor S, she rambled on and said she'd email PHP II welcoming her to our school. See I knew we were screwed because I'd listened to PD tell exactly how the PHP II had treated her, the support staff and some of the teaching staff for the last six years as the VP at her school. She only let up on PD when PD's son ended up needing a heart transplant.
So, after the initial shock wore off, I went to the phone in the book room (more private) to call PD at home and tell her (her school goes in an hour later than ours); her hubby answered and asked if everything was alright. I said it was...then told PD the good news. Good for her, not for us. She told me later that she was so happy she'd been singing int he shower, but her hubby told her to stop it as she was scaring their children.
I will say things have been going along okay so far--PHP II is being nice to me (I almost hate it, I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop) and she hasn't really done anything to really piss anyone off. She did schedule me for end of the day stairwell duty but I went to the VP about it because a)I'm not a teacher and that's teacher supe time b)I've had my hours cut back and you're adding something to it and c) I wasn't asked OR told, I read it in the emailed sched that came out. Anyhow, rather surprisingly to me, PHP II didn't have a hissy or get angry at me; one of the resource teachers will do it--though I did offer to cover for her if need be, which PHP II seemed to appreciate.
It's a good thing I'm a woman and used to/good at faking it.... or I'd be in big trouble....lol
10 September 2012
Catching up, part deux
Whilst I wait for the washer to finish so that I can lug a couple loads of laundry to the laundromat to dry...I'll talk a bit about School A.
This is my fourth year at this school--I'd been at my previous school....we'll call it Sham, for 9 years. having started there when it opened in 2000--and I'd only left because with declining enrollment, my hours had gone from 6/day to 4/day (and I was working p/t at a call centre--horrible work but I met some awesome people). School A became available when the LT there decided to retire. I put in for the transfer and because I was the most senior to apply for it, I got the job. (Yes, we are unionised.)
The principal at School A, K, was a man I'd known from my High School--he'd taught English and then after I'd graduated, became a VP. So, once it was confirmed the position was mine, I was asked to call him as a courtesy--which I did. Amazingly enough he remembered me from HS, though he'd never taught me nor had me in his class for a spare. (My last name is unique for the area--ie my family are the only ones around with it, plus my parents had owned a convenience store nearby--everyone knew that. I swear I wasn't a bad kid.) Anyhow, talked with K, then went to visit the school for their end of year staff meeting. That allowed me to talk to the retiring LT about things, too.
A few days after school ended, I was at my house/pet sitting gig (an EA I worked with at Sham and her hubby who happens to be the CFO for the school board; they're lovely folks, both of them), when K called to say he was thinking of rearranging the library but figured I might want some input. I laughed, said yes and we arranged for a day for me to come up and look around, then talk to K (he and the VP, S, were doing interviews).
The previous LT had had shelves blocking her into her desk, you couldn't see the kids if you turned around. Even though she could've been automated, she still did book card sign out, and kept a huge desk in the middle of the floor for that...and a few other things. Anyhow, whilst K & S did their interviews, I looked around, noted what I would change. When K came over, turns out what I wanted to do was pretty much what he'd planned on doing--even a bit more. So, both of us were happy. I told him I planned to be fully automated--I'd been so at Sham, wasn't going to change here. He liked that idea; in fact, when S came over, he looked at her and said, "Good news! We're moving into the 21st century, no more book cards!"
Oh, the work to be done in that library. In weeding the collection on the shelves, I took ~6000 books out of circulation (my favourite example: a book, ©1957 about the Malasite INDIANS of NB. Yeah.) Plus there were two magazine racks (big metal ones with slanting slide down shelves, 5 shelves per) that were packed full of donated books. Didn't track how many thousands I got rid of there. By my second year, I ended up with a great volunteer and between us, by the end of last year, I'd gotten through the worst of the mess and moved even more stuff around to make the library nice and open looking. I've only gotten compliments on what I've done with it. K LOVED it. I even had one of the regular subs (PD's former principal--he retired), comment on it "The library looks SO much nicer now, so open."
Anyhow, I came to adore K--not everyone, esp parents did. But that's because he thought he was right most of the time (and he was--and if he was wrong, he'd own up to it) and had no trouble telling students OR parents what was what. When kids were sent to the office, they didn't get a treat if they'd misbehaved (as they had at Sham). I think what sold me on him initially, was the day that first oct/nov; I was working away in my library, when K came over the PA, announcing that a small blue plastic hockey stick had been lost upstairs--could teachers check students' bags and if it was found, to send the perpetrator to the office. I literally stared, open mouthed at the PA in my room--the word perpatrator would never have been used at Sham.
Okay, wash is finished... this will be con't ... later. Cus we've had some ch-ch-changes.
This is my fourth year at this school--I'd been at my previous school....we'll call it Sham, for 9 years. having started there when it opened in 2000--and I'd only left because with declining enrollment, my hours had gone from 6/day to 4/day (and I was working p/t at a call centre--horrible work but I met some awesome people). School A became available when the LT there decided to retire. I put in for the transfer and because I was the most senior to apply for it, I got the job. (Yes, we are unionised.)
The principal at School A, K, was a man I'd known from my High School--he'd taught English and then after I'd graduated, became a VP. So, once it was confirmed the position was mine, I was asked to call him as a courtesy--which I did. Amazingly enough he remembered me from HS, though he'd never taught me nor had me in his class for a spare. (My last name is unique for the area--ie my family are the only ones around with it, plus my parents had owned a convenience store nearby--everyone knew that. I swear I wasn't a bad kid.) Anyhow, talked with K, then went to visit the school for their end of year staff meeting. That allowed me to talk to the retiring LT about things, too.
A few days after school ended, I was at my house/pet sitting gig (an EA I worked with at Sham and her hubby who happens to be the CFO for the school board; they're lovely folks, both of them), when K called to say he was thinking of rearranging the library but figured I might want some input. I laughed, said yes and we arranged for a day for me to come up and look around, then talk to K (he and the VP, S, were doing interviews).
The previous LT had had shelves blocking her into her desk, you couldn't see the kids if you turned around. Even though she could've been automated, she still did book card sign out, and kept a huge desk in the middle of the floor for that...and a few other things. Anyhow, whilst K & S did their interviews, I looked around, noted what I would change. When K came over, turns out what I wanted to do was pretty much what he'd planned on doing--even a bit more. So, both of us were happy. I told him I planned to be fully automated--I'd been so at Sham, wasn't going to change here. He liked that idea; in fact, when S came over, he looked at her and said, "Good news! We're moving into the 21st century, no more book cards!"
Oh, the work to be done in that library. In weeding the collection on the shelves, I took ~6000 books out of circulation (my favourite example: a book, ©1957 about the Malasite INDIANS of NB. Yeah.) Plus there were two magazine racks (big metal ones with slanting slide down shelves, 5 shelves per) that were packed full of donated books. Didn't track how many thousands I got rid of there. By my second year, I ended up with a great volunteer and between us, by the end of last year, I'd gotten through the worst of the mess and moved even more stuff around to make the library nice and open looking. I've only gotten compliments on what I've done with it. K LOVED it. I even had one of the regular subs (PD's former principal--he retired), comment on it "The library looks SO much nicer now, so open."
Anyhow, I came to adore K--not everyone, esp parents did. But that's because he thought he was right most of the time (and he was--and if he was wrong, he'd own up to it) and had no trouble telling students OR parents what was what. When kids were sent to the office, they didn't get a treat if they'd misbehaved (as they had at Sham). I think what sold me on him initially, was the day that first oct/nov; I was working away in my library, when K came over the PA, announcing that a small blue plastic hockey stick had been lost upstairs--could teachers check students' bags and if it was found, to send the perpetrator to the office. I literally stared, open mouthed at the PA in my room--the word perpatrator would never have been used at Sham.
Okay, wash is finished... this will be con't ... later. Cus we've had some ch-ch-changes.
Catching up
I don't get paid until the first day of school but am usually in to work the week before to get ready--student recs exported by the secretary and imported by me into my library program (which is Alexandria, Alex for short). Library decorating done, any schedule changes done and finalised. This year I also wanted to go to School B--I'd known I'd be there since May, however the then principal (currently on a year's deferred leave) didn't contact me to come visit and because I'd been warned by my best friend (PD, also an LT in the same board--though she used to be just at a MS, she's now got an elementary added) and now former Principal, K, at School A, that the Library clerk at School B was very angry and bitter about things, I didn't bother trying to go visit before August.
Went over and met the new to me and new to the school principal L and the secretary, B, both of whom seem very nice. Then I walked down the loooonnnnggg hallway to the library (there are no classrooms nearby--two former classrooms are now storage for the school board and there's the day care and janitor's office; I feel rather isolated....). When I walked in, I almost cried because there, sitting on the desk was not one, but two bloody eMacs. I am totally a PC person. The library clerk left little to nothing for me about her library--not even a subfile saying how she'd done library classes. Didn't know the passwords for the computer, but luckily the janitor did--and then I realised the pword was taped to the monitors--well the computers since they're one piece.
Anyhow, the one emac was running OSX, while the other one, which had Alex on it was on 9.2. *twitch* I emailed my tech, SR, from School A as he was supposed to be my tech at School B as well--asking him where the PC he'd told me would be here was and that I my sanity wouldn't last til xmas if I had to use emacs. (I've used macs briefly over the years--I hate the one button mice--I keep trying to right click. *headdesk*) I found out a bit later that SR was not the tech at School B anymore. Having had to work with a couple of real dicks for techs, I hesitantly asked the teacher who our new tech was. She said it was DT, whom I've known for years and really like. He'd been PD's tech at her MS for several eyars and that's how I'd met him. He's a mac tech (unlike many of the techs who act like they'll catch on fire if they have to use/fix a mac--SR is included in that list) and knows PCs as well. Our school is his only school--otherwise he and another tech are specialists for sound systems, PA systems, video systems, etc. They're based out of School B--so DT isour tech, then he and his coworker head out to do whatever they're needed for that day.
Anyhow, looked around the library--she'd intershelved all the picture books with the fiction, the spine labels are handwritten! (with TWO printers in the library) and the barcodes are on the front of the book--but not in the same spot--they can be anywhere on the bottom half of the front cover. *sigh* And then I looked at Alex--her cataloguing is atrocious and doesn't follow the rules, but I guess when someone's not actually trained, you get what you pay for. Granted, it pales in comparison to what I faced, junk wise at School A when I started there four years ago, but still. *sigh*
Next to nothing for display materials, again a library without an office (might've had one but it's now the math manipulatives/lamenting room)...no phone, again. If I need something have to use the PA system. If I need to make a call, the janitor has said I can use the one in her office, elsewise it's a long walk to the "fishbowl"--so called because the wall to the hall is basically all windows. No idea what purpose it originally served (School B was built in 1962). Also discovered the gymnasium is named for a young man who was a year or so ahead of me at HS and who was killed after a freak hockey accident. He fell into the boards (pretty sure he wasn't checked, though I could be wrong) and the way he hit, it broke his neck; he lingered for a bit, but there was no hope for him. He wasn't a close friend of mine--I more knew of him than anything. Still kinda freaky seeing the gym named for him.
So, that was School B. More about that and School A in another post.
Went over and met the new to me and new to the school principal L and the secretary, B, both of whom seem very nice. Then I walked down the loooonnnnggg hallway to the library (there are no classrooms nearby--two former classrooms are now storage for the school board and there's the day care and janitor's office; I feel rather isolated....). When I walked in, I almost cried because there, sitting on the desk was not one, but two bloody eMacs. I am totally a PC person. The library clerk left little to nothing for me about her library--not even a subfile saying how she'd done library classes. Didn't know the passwords for the computer, but luckily the janitor did--and then I realised the pword was taped to the monitors--well the computers since they're one piece.
Anyhow, the one emac was running OSX, while the other one, which had Alex on it was on 9.2. *twitch* I emailed my tech, SR, from School A as he was supposed to be my tech at School B as well--asking him where the PC he'd told me would be here was and that I my sanity wouldn't last til xmas if I had to use emacs. (I've used macs briefly over the years--I hate the one button mice--I keep trying to right click. *headdesk*) I found out a bit later that SR was not the tech at School B anymore. Having had to work with a couple of real dicks for techs, I hesitantly asked the teacher who our new tech was. She said it was DT, whom I've known for years and really like. He'd been PD's tech at her MS for several eyars and that's how I'd met him. He's a mac tech (unlike many of the techs who act like they'll catch on fire if they have to use/fix a mac--SR is included in that list) and knows PCs as well. Our school is his only school--otherwise he and another tech are specialists for sound systems, PA systems, video systems, etc. They're based out of School B--so DT isour tech, then he and his coworker head out to do whatever they're needed for that day.
Anyhow, looked around the library--she'd intershelved all the picture books with the fiction, the spine labels are handwritten! (with TWO printers in the library) and the barcodes are on the front of the book--but not in the same spot--they can be anywhere on the bottom half of the front cover. *sigh* And then I looked at Alex--her cataloguing is atrocious and doesn't follow the rules, but I guess when someone's not actually trained, you get what you pay for. Granted, it pales in comparison to what I faced, junk wise at School A when I started there four years ago, but still. *sigh*
Next to nothing for display materials, again a library without an office (might've had one but it's now the math manipulatives/lamenting room)...no phone, again. If I need something have to use the PA system. If I need to make a call, the janitor has said I can use the one in her office, elsewise it's a long walk to the "fishbowl"--so called because the wall to the hall is basically all windows. No idea what purpose it originally served (School B was built in 1962). Also discovered the gymnasium is named for a young man who was a year or so ahead of me at HS and who was killed after a freak hockey accident. He fell into the boards (pretty sure he wasn't checked, though I could be wrong) and the way he hit, it broke his neck; he lingered for a bit, but there was no hope for him. He wasn't a close friend of mine--I more knew of him than anything. Still kinda freaky seeing the gym named for him.
So, that was School B. More about that and School A in another post.
Haven't used this for a few years
I'm going to try and keep this blog up and running. I plan for it to mostly be about work; yes, there will probably be some venting now and again. Railing against the system or myself or others.... I will do my best to keep it pro--no one will be referred to by their real names (Or as one of my former teachers always put it, "Names have been changed to protect the guilty"--which will apply in some cases.). I shall try to avoid mentioning specifics about any of my students--if I tell a story it will be in the most generic of terms....
I am a very fannish person, but other than the occasional squee about a new show or one of my faves (and possibly posts of some guys I consider hotties), I'm really going to try and keep this blog work related. I have other places to be fannish...but I'm not linking to them here. I have no desire for my fannish life and my work/personal lives to intersect.
So background--I know in my user info it's hard to see but that's 22.5 hrs per week to run two school libraries (not 225). I live in a rural area of NS Canada; both of my schools are in large villages/towns; School A at which I have 15 hrs per week, is the larger of the two (and what I consider my home school as it's where I was last year before the changes--more on that later) with ~400 students in P to 5. School B is actually in the village I grew up in, however I didn't attend this school as at the time, it was only for DND dependents who lived in the PMQs. Now, however, it only has ~150 students, also P to 5. The school board has said they're going to look at the boundaries and I hope they do as the boundaries school B shares with the school in the next village over are ridiculous.
Last year, I had a 30 hour/week position at school A (which was considered full time). The provincinal gov't here has been cutting back and cutting back and cutting back on education and health care severely. The next board over initially had all their library staff laid off (they only brought back MS and HS folk). Here? The solution was to cut all library positions (most of us being LTs with a few untrained-but-grandmothered-into-our-contract workers) by 50%. Then they'd pair two schools up and we'd be reassigned, choosing our schools by seniority. With a couple LTs opting to take only one school it ended up that 22 out of 43 of us kept our jobs (there was one retirement in there). My position fell from 30 hrs to 22.5--I was 11th on the seniority list, however any 6 hour positions were so far away that any gain I'd have by that 1/5 hours would be lost in the cost of gas. And I've done the 45 min or more drive to work and it's awful, esp in NS winters. So, I chose these two schools....
And now as I look at the clock on the comp, I realise it's 2:30 in the a.m. No work on Monday (my sched is done over 4 days, thanks to K, my previous admin at school A.) but I do have things I'll need to do later today so I should get a few hours sleep. G'night.
I am a very fannish person, but other than the occasional squee about a new show or one of my faves (and possibly posts of some guys I consider hotties), I'm really going to try and keep this blog work related. I have other places to be fannish...but I'm not linking to them here. I have no desire for my fannish life and my work/personal lives to intersect.
So background--I know in my user info it's hard to see but that's 22.5 hrs per week to run two school libraries (not 225). I live in a rural area of NS Canada; both of my schools are in large villages/towns; School A at which I have 15 hrs per week, is the larger of the two (and what I consider my home school as it's where I was last year before the changes--more on that later) with ~400 students in P to 5. School B is actually in the village I grew up in, however I didn't attend this school as at the time, it was only for DND dependents who lived in the PMQs. Now, however, it only has ~150 students, also P to 5. The school board has said they're going to look at the boundaries and I hope they do as the boundaries school B shares with the school in the next village over are ridiculous.
Last year, I had a 30 hour/week position at school A (which was considered full time). The provincinal gov't here has been cutting back and cutting back and cutting back on education and health care severely. The next board over initially had all their library staff laid off (they only brought back MS and HS folk). Here? The solution was to cut all library positions (most of us being LTs with a few untrained-but-grandmothered-into-our-contract workers) by 50%. Then they'd pair two schools up and we'd be reassigned, choosing our schools by seniority. With a couple LTs opting to take only one school it ended up that 22 out of 43 of us kept our jobs (there was one retirement in there). My position fell from 30 hrs to 22.5--I was 11th on the seniority list, however any 6 hour positions were so far away that any gain I'd have by that 1/5 hours would be lost in the cost of gas. And I've done the 45 min or more drive to work and it's awful, esp in NS winters. So, I chose these two schools....
And now as I look at the clock on the comp, I realise it's 2:30 in the a.m. No work on Monday (my sched is done over 4 days, thanks to K, my previous admin at school A.) but I do have things I'll need to do later today so I should get a few hours sleep. G'night.
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