Library Weekly Report Week of January 23-28, 2023
This week we circulated 2,343 items, received 361 items in transit and sent 581 items. We requested 452 items and filled 369 hold requests; registered 6 patrons for library cards, and added 64 new items. The most popular book this week is Spare by Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex. We hosted 16 meetings in our conference, study, and tutoring rooms for 96 people including Town of Grafton Select Board and Tai Chi Ladies, as well as private work, study, homeschool, and tutoring sessions.
The Library was closed on Monday, January 23 due to winter weather and closed at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, January 25 due to staff shortage and impending winter weather.
The Friends are accepting donations for their upcoming book sale! Please bring gently used books and media in saleable condition during Library operating hours now through Feb 10! Please drop off items in bags or boxes to Community Room B. The Book Sale takes place Saturday Feb 11 from 10am-4pm and Sunday Feb 12 from 12-2pm.
Admin
Beth attended the Board of Library Trustees meeting on Wed 1/25. We unintentionally submitted the agenda with December’s Zoom meeting link, and as soon as we were alerted by a resident, posted the correct link to the Library’s Facebook page. The Director checked in to the Town Clerk and Town Administrator the following day and then self-reported the alleged OML violation to the MA Attorney General’s office using their form.
Beth met with Mary, Evan and William to review the Library’s FY24 budget request, and met with various staff. We were short this week with staff on unscheduled leave. She drafted a Food, Beverage and Kitchen Use policy, updated the website, placed a book order, met with IT, approved meeting room use, worked on the Annual Report, paid bills, and reviewed timecards for payroll. She met or corresponded with Trustees on various issues, including the Library walkabout, Capital Campaign, and general check in. We launched a Niche Academy training program for Library staff that begins with The Librarian’s Guide to Homelessness, which is about treating all patrons with dignity and respect while enforcing library policy.
Beth attended the construction team meeting – the gate at the bottom of the stairs has a lock! Millwork continued on the counter and sink remediation. She met with Mary, William and Mark Sullivan to review the final grant report for the MPLCP grant. We still need a permanent certificate of occupancy, which is the next benchmark to get our fourth grant disbursement.
Eileen maintained the collection of periodicals, took care of incoming mail, and prepared bills. Debby compiled the Weekly Report, worked on upcoming social media posts, and completed payroll and scheduling tasks. She attended and took notes for the Board of Library Trustees meeting on Wednesday evening.
Borrower Services
Staff managed service desks, delivery, museum passes, the lobby, room reservations and Automatic Materials Handling equipment. They assisted patrons, placed holds, performed readers’ advisory, and supervised volunteers.
Kara created an adult programming ideas sheet to track staff suggestions, watched the MMA webinar on First Amendment Audits, watched webinars from ALA’s GNCRT on “Preparing for Challenges” and “Using Comics to Support Teen Mental Health,” reviewed industry newsletters to add upcoming titles to purchase lists, completed a requested review form for a Borrower Services volunteer, checked the CW MARS top ten lists against the collection, and selected materials and created graphics for the February endcap display.
Jane posted the New York Times Best Seller List for print and audio fiction and recommended titles for purchase, corrected patron records with the wrong home library, worked on an endcap display for February (“Meet the Presidents” featuring biographies of recent presidents), continued to post the Snow Joke of the Week, and watched the Niche Academy webinar about library displays. Ranjita posted the New York Times Best Seller List for print and audio nonfiction and recommended titles for purchase, processed ComCat requests, performed a routine check of the Library of Things, processed pending library card applications, watched the Niche Academy webinar about library displays and the first part of the webinar on mental illness. Sandhya managed out of network requests for materials, worked on interlibrary loans, cleared expired holds from the hold shelf and followed up with patrons, processed pending library card applications, watched the Niche Academy webinar about library displays and dealing with disruptive patrons, research March programming ideas for adults, and worked on the home delivery service, including ordering items, making calls, and coordinating volunteers. Allie performed readers advisory, processed new fiction and large prints, arranged new books on display, ran the 2022 StaffConnect report for front and lobby gates (we have 1,872 instances of the gate catching material not checked out!), and watched two webinars including “Level Up Your Book Displays” and “The Librarian’s Guide to Homelessness.” She finalized the newsletter adding Spotlight on Fiction, events graphics, deleting unused library graphics, proofreading, adding “for screen readers” alt-text descriptions for the blind and communicated via email with our Bibliotheca rep about books entering wrong bin.
Children’s Services
Sarah watched the First Amendment Audits Webinar Recording + Evaluation, began the Librarian’s Guide to Homelessness Core Training, ran four outreach sessions at SGES, three outreach sessions at NGES, two sessions of Toddler Time, and one session of Preschool Storytime She met with Beth, communicated with staff regarding an onsite injury and future time off, met with Kristin, and met with Cyndi. Jen updated the CR newsletter, wrote PR for the upcoming “Cradles to Crayons” PJ fundraiser, ran a session of library babies, updated EventKeeper, began the Librarian’s Guide to Homelessness Core Training, and assisted patrons. Cyndi met with Sarah, watched the First Amendment Audits Webinar Recording + Evaluation, completed the Librarian’s Guide to Homelessness Core Training, planned for upcoming programming, and assisted patrons. Stacie planned for upcoming programs, made a supply request list, created book displays, and planned upcoming CR passive programming. Kristin delivered C.A.R.E.S. books for NGES & SGES, and communicated with local schools regarding library field trips and Grafton History Day. Mare assisted patrons, communicated with volunteers, watched the First Amendment Audits Webinar Recording + Evaluation, began the Librarian’s Guide to Homelessness Core Training, and kept in touch with staff during the snow closures.
Teen Services
The Teen Room has been getting some updates this week with the computer counter being lowered to meet ADA standards and allow for use of existing rolling chairs as well as the furniture and carpet in the gaming space getting a deep clean by Paul. Allison, Sarah S., Sarah L. and Beth covered the Teen Room. Allison took the Niche Academy webinar The Librarian’s Guide to Homelessness, met with Beth and Sarah B., and worked on creating new badges for upcoming Beanstack challenges. Sarah reviewed webinars and updated the monthly manga release spreadsheet covering titles through the end of August.
Reference Services
Heidi and Eric assisted with tech and reference questions as well as circulation. Heidi hosted the Inspirational Book Group and Guided Meditation discussion of The Self-Care Solution: A Year of Becoming Happier, Healthier, and Fitter — One Month at a Time by Jennifer Ashton. She also worked on program planning and collection development. Eric prepped for the February nonfiction book displays; met with Paul Jin, CEO of Filmocracy; started a new online professional development training series offered by the library and attended an “Access to Justice” information session which talked about public libraries partnering with MA court services to give pro se litigants digital access to resources and courtrooms.
Technical Services
This week Cynthia watched the First Amendment Audit webinar by MMA and the Librarians Guide to Homelessness, worked on creating records for Library of Things items, and cataloged a portable sewing machine to add to the Children’s Room’s Library of Things collection. She cataloged new adult fiction, nonfiction, and young adult fiction, trained a volunteer, and worked on ordering documentation from Baker & Taylor.