Well, a bit of catch up is due, it seems.
Shelf reorganisation at school B: I have finished re-shelving the picture books and chapter books. Have also weeded. My discard count is ~2600. And I haven't finished discarded all the weeds yet--all the chap books are done, but about 1/2 or a 1/3 of the picture books.
But seeing as I am in the midst of Book Fair Ponn Farr, it'll have to wait. It IS nice to stare at the shelves across from me and see just picture books neatly on the shelves...then look to the chapter books; but then I shudder when I look at the non fic that still needs to be done. *sigh* I've put posters up in some of the bays over the empty shelves--that's gotten me raves from just about everyone that's set foot in the library. I figured I may as well use it....
Book Fairs--am holding book fairs at both schools in the same bloody week; evening parent events are the same night as well. I'm doing the one at School B as it's my new to me school. PD and one of the EA's at school A are doing the evening event for me. (PD also has BF at her school B--their evening event is Wed, so I will be going up to help her.) Managed to get enough volunteers to cover most slots. I have to be at School B at the end of day both Tues and Wed, and will be by myself there Thurs p.m. (Luckily, school A isn't doing P/T interviews Thurs afernoon.) I'll be working Fri afternoon at school A by myself, too. I'm not sure which is worse, two the same week or doing them one per week, one after the other. I'll know that after February. I DO have interac at School A for the first time. (School B is so small they'd never get interac.)
Almost had a disaster of immense proportions. Not sure if I mentioned it, but School A has a small 14 computer lab in a long narrow room off the library (I think it _might've_ been a library classroom at one point--it has chalkboards. *shrug*). Anyhow, the teachers' have been jonesing for a full classroom sized lab, especially now that they can't do doubles with me.
So PHP II was talking to the head of Info instruction for the board (and the comp tech for School A, SR); the head said that the board wouldn't pay for the full room lab, etc. The genius fucking solution they came up with? 5 computers on either side of the door to the lab--on the LIBRARY side. Where I have the beginning of my non fic and reference. When discussing this with the PHP, I was against it and when I asked where we'd put the books. She waved at the other side of the library, "Oh, over there." fuuuuccckkkk. I was worried about pissing her off, as PD said that's when she tends to get tetchy with folks. So, she left, I went in the back room for a cry and some self pity. Still felt like a slap in the face after all I've done to clean up / open up that library. Once I finished there, I went out and plotted out how I'd have to change the way the library is set up; otherwise I'd be staring at one of the new banks of comps. Anyhow, some teachers were for this idea (bastards) and some weren't.
About a week ago, PHP II tells me (I didn't mention she broached the above with me by asking if I'd heard any rumours about the library. *rolls eyes* What, are we in HS here?) that after talking with the head of Info Tech (not the same dude as above), who's the dude in charge of the tech guys, that he'd said NO to putting the comps in the split situation; 10 in the library 14 in the current lab. I have never wanted to hug a man who is pretty close to a complete stranger to me as I did this man. Tl; dr: both he and the head of property services signed off on us getting the classroom lab (upstairs)--I'll give the PHP II credit--once she learned we'd been thisclose to a lab about 4 years ago (before big budget cuts)--to the point of work orders--she pursued it hardcore. Anyhow, talking to DT at school b today and he said we ARE getting our lab--PHP II didn't make that clear at the last staff meeting.
AND when one of the teachers asked what would happen to the lab once the comps were moved, she answered that "slashgirl has plans for it". I said that I would be making it into a workroom as I have no space to work that isn't in the main library (my backroom is storage and staff books/resources). I also said that it could be used a small meeting room or if teachers wanted to do student testing while in for library, that was cool too. *whispers* I might have an office again, soon.*
Honestly, I love comps and tech, but I hate having the lab near the library cus guess who is always responsible for shit? Yeah. I don't mind on one hand, but on the other? It'll be nice that it's upstairs, far away from me. :D
And I'm pleased the PHP II seems to be willing to give me what I want...and if I get this, I'll try not to ask for anything major for a year or two. LOL
I've actually gotten a bit of cataloguing done--and processing for the hackmatack books. Sent the records to PD and she sent me the french ones (school B gets the french; who do I need to call to cancel those for next year?). If I had my druthers, I'd be a full time cataloguer...and that's all I'd be responsible for. *sigh*
Ah, well. If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.
24 November 2012
10 October 2012
you can give it all up for a place in the sun
There was an admins meeting at the board yesterday (they have them at least monthly). So, no PHP II at work, at least.
Except she must've been bored cus I got a half dozen emails for me. Wanting me to put up the OH&S minutes before they're approved by the committee. *sigh* Okay, whatevs, but I'm NOT sending them to the board before they're approved. Then a list of books for mi'kmaq heritage and african cdn/american stuff. She wanted to know what we didn't have...of course it was a pdf so I couldn't do it back to her electronically but gave her the paper copy today.
Then she sent me some stuff for the SAC section of the website--and with that one I won the arguement about putting the minutes up before committee approval. Anyhow she wondered if she could have admin access to the website. *TWITCH* There are many reasons I'm in library sciences. Control freak are two of them. I was initially going to email her back and pretty much say, in a small voice, "um, no, if that's okay with you." But I knew that would only spur her to want access and show me not to be a Team Player (there is no I in team (but there IS "me" if you rearrange the letters)).
I quickly threw out that idea and instead went for defeat via techno babble. I emailed back and said that while she could certainly have access, well, right now you have to upload files via Front Page as the FTP isn't working...and that while she could upload, I'd rather be the one to do the links, since the sites CSS could easily be affected and mess up the entire site. *halo--sitting on the devil horns* I also pointed out that I can generally get things up the same day as I have access to the website from home and do check my email on the weekends (my weekend includes Mondays).
And it was the right tack to take as she quickly emailed back that it would be easier for me to do--as she thought it would be. I wonder if it was an intentional test... To see how cooperative I'll be. I always feel like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop with that woman.I've been really good about not asking her to stop using my secret door.
I have two doors into the library--they're on the same wall but at different ends; the door the kids use is goes the hallway--the other door is across from the main office door, but also right next to the door into the above mentioned hallway and near the lobby. If it was used during class time by the kids, the congestion would be quite bad. I call it my secret door as one day, early on during my time at the school, Principal mr K was at the office door when I came out of the library door. He called down the hallway to the VP: "Hey, S, the librarian found the secret door!" So that's what I've called it ever since. I'd rather she didn't use it, but hey, as one of the EAs I work with says: "That's not a hill I want to die on." Yep, pick yo' battles, man.
I'm currently staying at PD's place as they're on their trip to the NASCAR race and to meet Jimmie Johnson down in Charlotte, NC. (Her son had to have a heart transplant a year ago Memorial Day weekend.) So they're off, I'm here and abusing her washing machine and dryer, but she said I could. LOL I don't think she thought I'd bring all my laundry--I did leave towels and sheets at home. Just a few small washes. *g*
Except she must've been bored cus I got a half dozen emails for me. Wanting me to put up the OH&S minutes before they're approved by the committee. *sigh* Okay, whatevs, but I'm NOT sending them to the board before they're approved. Then a list of books for mi'kmaq heritage and african cdn/american stuff. She wanted to know what we didn't have...of course it was a pdf so I couldn't do it back to her electronically but gave her the paper copy today.
Then she sent me some stuff for the SAC section of the website--and with that one I won the arguement about putting the minutes up before committee approval. Anyhow she wondered if she could have admin access to the website. *TWITCH* There are many reasons I'm in library sciences. Control freak are two of them. I was initially going to email her back and pretty much say, in a small voice, "um, no, if that's okay with you." But I knew that would only spur her to want access and show me not to be a Team Player (there is no I in team (but there IS "me" if you rearrange the letters)).
I quickly threw out that idea and instead went for defeat via techno babble. I emailed back and said that while she could certainly have access, well, right now you have to upload files via Front Page as the FTP isn't working...and that while she could upload, I'd rather be the one to do the links, since the sites CSS could easily be affected and mess up the entire site. *halo--sitting on the devil horns* I also pointed out that I can generally get things up the same day as I have access to the website from home and do check my email on the weekends (my weekend includes Mondays).
And it was the right tack to take as she quickly emailed back that it would be easier for me to do--as she thought it would be. I wonder if it was an intentional test... To see how cooperative I'll be. I always feel like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop with that woman.I've been really good about not asking her to stop using my secret door.
I have two doors into the library--they're on the same wall but at different ends; the door the kids use is goes the hallway--the other door is across from the main office door, but also right next to the door into the above mentioned hallway and near the lobby. If it was used during class time by the kids, the congestion would be quite bad. I call it my secret door as one day, early on during my time at the school, Principal mr K was at the office door when I came out of the library door. He called down the hallway to the VP: "Hey, S, the librarian found the secret door!" So that's what I've called it ever since. I'd rather she didn't use it, but hey, as one of the EAs I work with says: "That's not a hill I want to die on." Yep, pick yo' battles, man.
I'm currently staying at PD's place as they're on their trip to the NASCAR race and to meet Jimmie Johnson down in Charlotte, NC. (Her son had to have a heart transplant a year ago Memorial Day weekend.) So they're off, I'm here and abusing her washing machine and dryer, but she said I could. LOL I don't think she thought I'd bring all my laundry--I did leave towels and sheets at home. Just a few small washes. *g*
08 October 2012
sad news
Was at the 'rents today for Thanksgiving (Canada, eh?) and in talking to my mum, found out that a former student of mine had died at the age of 21. I wasn't sure if I was putting the right face with the right name, but when I got home, I checked for his obit--found the funeral home info which included pics. It was. He would've been in grade 1 or 2 when I started--I've been with the board for ~15 years now. And I would've had him through to grade 5.
He wasn't a child I was especially close to or fond of--but he was a pretty good kid. And did a lot in HS. He was going to school out west...and he died of alcohol poisoning. Which, in some ways, makes his death that much sadder. I'm pretty sure he's the first former student of mine that's died--or at least the first one I know about. (You get the transient kids, who've been to a dozen schools in less years--always moving and often you never hear of them again once they move.)
He wasn't a child I was especially close to or fond of--but he was a pretty good kid. And did a lot in HS. He was going to school out west...and he died of alcohol poisoning. Which, in some ways, makes his death that much sadder. I'm pretty sure he's the first former student of mine that's died--or at least the first one I know about. (You get the transient kids, who've been to a dozen schools in less years--always moving and often you never hear of them again once they move.)
07 October 2012
his moves would put you in a trance
Thursday and Friday were...nothing out of the ordinary. Although I did walk into my library at School B Thursday morning to find all my chairs and tables missing. I had no idea what was up--did they want to get rid of me, too? LOL I started the long walk down to the office to ask the principal what was up...and as I walked I realised the school board meeting had been hosted there the night before. Hmmm, could it be? I checked in the gym and there were my tables and chairs. I assumed the day janitor would be bringing them back--and she did.
I've started shifting the picture and chapter books at School B--if you remember they were interfiled. (Whisky. Tango. Foxtrot.)--and on 7 ft shelves, etc. I've started working with the chapter books first, going from Z to A cus I know where I wanted that section to end. I'll be moving the picture books twice, because, although I know where I want them to START, I can't put them there as there are books on the shelf already.
I'm weeding the chapter books as I go through (I'll do the pic books when I go to put them back on the shelves)--and putting them 5 shelves high, probably about 4.5 ft for the highest, if that. The non fic will be just a bit higher--boob height on me--the same height I have them at School A (and I lowered several of those that were too high). Non fic, will be done and moved after chaps and pbs--cus I've got soem of the picture books on the shelves for the non fic.
The French immersion teacher is quite willing to cut apart any hardcover books I might have for discard; she likes having something to do while the kids are in the library. We were talking when they were in on Thurs and I said it drives me crazy looking at the books intermixed, but that where I've just got chapter books is calming for me. She said that she feels the same.
Friday morning, the principal was on the PA and called Oct black history month. It's actually Mi'k maq history month. I emailed her the list of facts that I use at School A for the announcements; she came down to the library to thank me for them and said she'd use them. I need to get some more facts so that I can vary them from year to year.
Thursday a.m. rec'd a call from LM, the HR woman for LTs/support staff. We've had, with the school changes, some folks going to Alex schools from Library Pro schools. I knew they'd eventually ask me to inservice folks as I've used Alex the longest and am always as up to date as I can be. So, she called asking me to do it on prov con day which is 26 Oct. I said I would.
Thing is, LM had approved PD and I for the day to do something else, so she's offering us a day in lieu of. We were going to do my school B, but I think now, we'll do PD's school B; she needs help with weeding her picture books. She's never worked elem before....And it's all I've done. The best day for us (I want a tues or wed, she wants a day 2 or 4), is the 24th, two days before the prov con day, but the only day we'd both get what we wanted (though those aren't deal breakers) until the new year because of book fairs and other things. And she'd like to do it sooner rather than later.
I'll ask LM if this is a case of having all the people (prolly 8 or so) having alex on the comps they'll be using (they'd have to bring their own codes to activate them) or if it's just gonna be me, showing them how to do things using an LCD and my version of Alex.... And I'm sure some are on v5, some are on v6.... I'll email her on Tuesday asking for clarifications. Also, see if those who want inservicing have any particular areas they want to go over. I'm sure for most of them, it's probably little things that they want to know how to do or change. And I've got a few suggestions fo things I find help me, that I can also suggest to them/let them know about. I suppose I should feel honoured to be asked to do this. But I'd much rather get my Mondays back....lol.
I've started shifting the picture and chapter books at School B--if you remember they were interfiled. (Whisky. Tango. Foxtrot.)--and on 7 ft shelves, etc. I've started working with the chapter books first, going from Z to A cus I know where I wanted that section to end. I'll be moving the picture books twice, because, although I know where I want them to START, I can't put them there as there are books on the shelf already.
I'm weeding the chapter books as I go through (I'll do the pic books when I go to put them back on the shelves)--and putting them 5 shelves high, probably about 4.5 ft for the highest, if that. The non fic will be just a bit higher--boob height on me--the same height I have them at School A (and I lowered several of those that were too high). Non fic, will be done and moved after chaps and pbs--cus I've got soem of the picture books on the shelves for the non fic.
The French immersion teacher is quite willing to cut apart any hardcover books I might have for discard; she likes having something to do while the kids are in the library. We were talking when they were in on Thurs and I said it drives me crazy looking at the books intermixed, but that where I've just got chapter books is calming for me. She said that she feels the same.
Friday morning, the principal was on the PA and called Oct black history month. It's actually Mi'k maq history month. I emailed her the list of facts that I use at School A for the announcements; she came down to the library to thank me for them and said she'd use them. I need to get some more facts so that I can vary them from year to year.
Thursday a.m. rec'd a call from LM, the HR woman for LTs/support staff. We've had, with the school changes, some folks going to Alex schools from Library Pro schools. I knew they'd eventually ask me to inservice folks as I've used Alex the longest and am always as up to date as I can be. So, she called asking me to do it on prov con day which is 26 Oct. I said I would.
Thing is, LM had approved PD and I for the day to do something else, so she's offering us a day in lieu of. We were going to do my school B, but I think now, we'll do PD's school B; she needs help with weeding her picture books. She's never worked elem before....And it's all I've done. The best day for us (I want a tues or wed, she wants a day 2 or 4), is the 24th, two days before the prov con day, but the only day we'd both get what we wanted (though those aren't deal breakers) until the new year because of book fairs and other things. And she'd like to do it sooner rather than later.
I'll ask LM if this is a case of having all the people (prolly 8 or so) having alex on the comps they'll be using (they'd have to bring their own codes to activate them) or if it's just gonna be me, showing them how to do things using an LCD and my version of Alex.... And I'm sure some are on v5, some are on v6.... I'll email her on Tuesday asking for clarifications. Also, see if those who want inservicing have any particular areas they want to go over. I'm sure for most of them, it's probably little things that they want to know how to do or change. And I've got a few suggestions fo things I find help me, that I can also suggest to them/let them know about. I suppose I should feel honoured to be asked to do this. But I'd much rather get my Mondays back....lol.
04 October 2012
see chameleon lying there in the sun
Yesterday was school A again. One of the teachers, the power cord on her laptop was making a beeping noise. So, I emailed DT (tech guy from school B) about it, figuring I'd get an answer faster than if I emailed SR... I emailed with 'power cord beeping' as the subline...and asked if that meant imminent death or some other issue. Before he could reply, the teacher comes and tells me it's died and asks if I have another one. I didn't think I did, but when I went to take my lunch time insulin injection, I realised that the last time I borrowed a school laptop that when SR took ti back, he didn't take the cord. So I had one and it was the right one.
Thus, I emailed DT again, with the sub line 'nevermind' and the text that the power pack had answered its own question and died.
I stayed after school to laminate some bookmarks (with barcodes) for the kids in the primary class... I printed to the photocopier and when I came through the office, there was DT leaning against the front counter. I asked if he was lost, he said that he was and hadn't been found. He then said if I was going to send such amusing emails, I could continue to send them. I just looked at him; he said he'd laughed when he'd rec'd my first email, showing it to his co-hort and laughing cus "Power cords can't beep, it's an adapter". Cue me rolling my eyes and only not telling him to bite me cus we were in the main office. Then he said they LOVED the second email with "nevermind, it's died". Good to know I'm useful, even if it is just as comic relief.
Anyhow, DT and co-hort were at our school to install the security camera.... A little while later I was in my library taking all the laminate that hadn't fused on my bookmarks (which was all of it), when DT comes in, and he sounded like he was asking if I had ocmps with CD player issues. But no, he wanted a comp that had a working cd player as the one on his "craptop" wasn't working. He provided me with about 20 mins of amusement as he tried to get the camera stuff set up and working.
I told him that while he was there, could he install win7 for me--the cd was right there. He laughed. I said it was supposed to have been installed over the summer. DT: "How's that working for you?" Me: "You know who my tech is...." He didn't install it for me, the bugger.
Upgraded Alex as a new version was out--and before I installed it, the sounds wouldn't change for me, and even after the update, the sound alerts wouldn't change--so I submitted a request via their website. I didn't get the email til I got home, telling me to rebuild the db. Which it had done after the install--so I didn't think it would work. I tried it on my way in this morning (I have to go by school A's street to get to school B)--and it still didn't work. Emailed them once I was at school B to tell them.
So, I do the Alex update at school B (where the sounds were okay). Then realised it had deleted all my books listed as discarded (or at least it was showing 0 discarded books, when I had ~200 last week). Called them and the guy starts telling me to restore from the archived copy--and I say that will erase all my transactions from today, won't it? "Oh, you've done sign out". Yes, my darling, you're in Utah or Colorado--it's past 10 out here and only 7 am. for you. Then I ask if I can temp install Alex on another comp to at least get my list of discarded books. He says yes, if I shut the other one down. I laughed mentally.
I hike back to the library, d/l the installation file for the previous version of Alex, go to install it and! I need at least 10.5...the emac only has 10.4.whateever. So I tried vers 5.9, sometimes the new files work in the older version. Not this one.
I'm going to try it at home on my win machine (yes, I know, but I never use it at work/home the same time). Hopefully the archive will work regardless of mac/win. *sigh*
At least tomorrow is Friday.
Thus, I emailed DT again, with the sub line 'nevermind' and the text that the power pack had answered its own question and died.
I stayed after school to laminate some bookmarks (with barcodes) for the kids in the primary class... I printed to the photocopier and when I came through the office, there was DT leaning against the front counter. I asked if he was lost, he said that he was and hadn't been found. He then said if I was going to send such amusing emails, I could continue to send them. I just looked at him; he said he'd laughed when he'd rec'd my first email, showing it to his co-hort and laughing cus "Power cords can't beep, it's an adapter". Cue me rolling my eyes and only not telling him to bite me cus we were in the main office. Then he said they LOVED the second email with "nevermind, it's died". Good to know I'm useful, even if it is just as comic relief.
Anyhow, DT and co-hort were at our school to install the security camera.... A little while later I was in my library taking all the laminate that hadn't fused on my bookmarks (which was all of it), when DT comes in, and he sounded like he was asking if I had ocmps with CD player issues. But no, he wanted a comp that had a working cd player as the one on his "craptop" wasn't working. He provided me with about 20 mins of amusement as he tried to get the camera stuff set up and working.
I told him that while he was there, could he install win7 for me--the cd was right there. He laughed. I said it was supposed to have been installed over the summer. DT: "How's that working for you?" Me: "You know who my tech is...." He didn't install it for me, the bugger.
Upgraded Alex as a new version was out--and before I installed it, the sounds wouldn't change for me, and even after the update, the sound alerts wouldn't change--so I submitted a request via their website. I didn't get the email til I got home, telling me to rebuild the db. Which it had done after the install--so I didn't think it would work. I tried it on my way in this morning (I have to go by school A's street to get to school B)--and it still didn't work. Emailed them once I was at school B to tell them.
So, I do the Alex update at school B (where the sounds were okay). Then realised it had deleted all my books listed as discarded (or at least it was showing 0 discarded books, when I had ~200 last week). Called them and the guy starts telling me to restore from the archived copy--and I say that will erase all my transactions from today, won't it? "Oh, you've done sign out". Yes, my darling, you're in Utah or Colorado--it's past 10 out here and only 7 am. for you. Then I ask if I can temp install Alex on another comp to at least get my list of discarded books. He says yes, if I shut the other one down. I laughed mentally.
I hike back to the library, d/l the installation file for the previous version of Alex, go to install it and! I need at least 10.5...the emac only has 10.4.whateever. So I tried vers 5.9, sometimes the new files work in the older version. Not this one.
I'm going to try it at home on my win machine (yes, I know, but I never use it at work/home the same time). Hopefully the archive will work regardless of mac/win. *sigh*
At least tomorrow is Friday.
02 October 2012
Look at all you happy people, wish I could be like you
Tuesday so it must be school A. One of the primary teachers couldn't deal with her entire class in the lab, so she's going to do half and half on tues, then on Monday, the same--I'm making bookmarks to put in the books so the kids can sign out. I'll do it tues a.m. I really shouldn't do this, but fuck it. Whether I do it or not is not going to put us back to FT at one school or not. This change is permanent, despite the wishful thinking of our union (who've done dick all to help us, really. a few small rallies last school year...but yeah).
Anyways, today I had to do shelving. I hate shelving...my least favourite thing to do. But for the past two years I've had a volunteer (whom I'd trained to be my sub) who LOVED to shelve (I know, wtf?) but she's done almost all of it. I've done a handful here and there. But she's gotten a job (she's on income assistance and wants to get off of it, which I think is awesome), so her ability to come in when I'm in on this reduced schedule is lacking. She's been good about not coming in when I'm not there.... Anyhow, had three shelves of shelving to do (I do a presort as I sign in--non fic, chapter books and pic books) since it didn't get done last week and the book return box was FULL to almost over flowing. So, yeah, no choice. Did it during the classes--it's a lot easier with the older groups. Of course, by the end of the day, I had another set of three half full shelves. I really hope my volunteer is in tomorrow. And not just cus of the shelving; I like her as a person, too.
From 10-15 Oct, I'll be house/cat sitting for my best friend, PD. Her 14 year old son (whom I've known since before he was born, *g*) had to have a heart transplant last year--which he got on the US Memorial Day weekend--he was "lucky" in that he needed an adult sized heart as he was a big boy (no, i don't mean fat, I mean tall)--children's hearts are really hard to come by. Anyhow, the reason PD is away is that it's her son's Make a Wish (er, not sure if it's that org, but same idea)--he wanted to go to a NASCAR race and meet his fave driver, who I think is Jimmie Johnson--what do I know about NASCAR? Not much. Anyhow, there's been a fair bit of B&E in PD's area by kids who go to the school she works at, so if they knew her house was empty--she might come home to nothing. So, I'm going up. She's got three cats and dog, but the dog'll be staying with her parents--her step father loves having the dog over...and they're home all day, which is easier than me who's working. I'll still be the same distances, approx. from my work sites, just now, school B will be closer than school A.
Anyways, today I had to do shelving. I hate shelving...my least favourite thing to do. But for the past two years I've had a volunteer (whom I'd trained to be my sub) who LOVED to shelve (I know, wtf?) but she's done almost all of it. I've done a handful here and there. But she's gotten a job (she's on income assistance and wants to get off of it, which I think is awesome), so her ability to come in when I'm in on this reduced schedule is lacking. She's been good about not coming in when I'm not there.... Anyhow, had three shelves of shelving to do (I do a presort as I sign in--non fic, chapter books and pic books) since it didn't get done last week and the book return box was FULL to almost over flowing. So, yeah, no choice. Did it during the classes--it's a lot easier with the older groups. Of course, by the end of the day, I had another set of three half full shelves. I really hope my volunteer is in tomorrow. And not just cus of the shelving; I like her as a person, too.
From 10-15 Oct, I'll be house/cat sitting for my best friend, PD. Her 14 year old son (whom I've known since before he was born, *g*) had to have a heart transplant last year--which he got on the US Memorial Day weekend--he was "lucky" in that he needed an adult sized heart as he was a big boy (no, i don't mean fat, I mean tall)--children's hearts are really hard to come by. Anyhow, the reason PD is away is that it's her son's Make a Wish (er, not sure if it's that org, but same idea)--he wanted to go to a NASCAR race and meet his fave driver, who I think is Jimmie Johnson--what do I know about NASCAR? Not much. Anyhow, there's been a fair bit of B&E in PD's area by kids who go to the school she works at, so if they knew her house was empty--she might come home to nothing. So, I'm going up. She's got three cats and dog, but the dog'll be staying with her parents--her step father loves having the dog over...and they're home all day, which is easier than me who's working. I'll still be the same distances, approx. from my work sites, just now, school B will be closer than school A.
01 October 2012
it must be wrong to love you like I do
Well, another Monday not spent at home, but at work. I'm the race committee rep at both of my schools (it has a longer, nicer sounding name, but it's pretty specific and I'd rather not mention it, yanno) doing rc work--putting up displays at both schools as Oct is Mi'kmaq History Month (and we still haven't got the posters, which is par for the course. It's the same time. Every year. Every year, posters are late. *sigh*). In my library at school A--I figure all the kids will see anything I do in there. At shcool B, there's an rc bulletin board, so I did that one and two other ones down by my library.
I worked on my supply order for School B--I think I have ~1500$ in budget money there...and I need spine labels and protectors, more barcodes and protectors... yeah, that money isn't going far, let me tell you. Library supply places charge so much because it's such a specific market they get away with it. I think I've got ~500$ in my school based acct, so will order some display things from that. Sometimes I think PD and I are the only two LTs in this entire board who actually decorate their libraries. This is the third Library I've come into with no display stuff--well, not enough to count. I get reading sets, character education sets, racial/diversity sets...*argh* Of course, I have no place to store anything at school B right now, but will also buy poster storage boxes.
Hmm. I think I'll get BD (tech mentor) when he's in this wed to come over before the inservicing to show me how to set up the cloud thingy for my files--so I can access them from my laptop and at the other school--right now I'd love to be able to see where I'd ordered a nice set of winter celebration posters from, but will have to wait til I'm at school tomorrow.
I worked on my supply order for School B--I think I have ~1500$ in budget money there...and I need spine labels and protectors, more barcodes and protectors... yeah, that money isn't going far, let me tell you. Library supply places charge so much because it's such a specific market they get away with it. I think I've got ~500$ in my school based acct, so will order some display things from that. Sometimes I think PD and I are the only two LTs in this entire board who actually decorate their libraries. This is the third Library I've come into with no display stuff--well, not enough to count. I get reading sets, character education sets, racial/diversity sets...*argh* Of course, I have no place to store anything at school B right now, but will also buy poster storage boxes.
Hmm. I think I'll get BD (tech mentor) when he's in this wed to come over before the inservicing to show me how to set up the cloud thingy for my files--so I can access them from my laptop and at the other school--right now I'd love to be able to see where I'd ordered a nice set of winter celebration posters from, but will have to wait til I'm at school tomorrow.
29 September 2012
sweet dreams of you, things I know can't come true
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.
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.
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.
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