We're well underway into a new year, and what an interesting one it has been. Getting the semester off late due to more snow than I've ever seen in NC was just the beginning. The month was a rush, and I can't believe we've hit February already. Well per my normal MO, I am late starting the reinvention of this blog yet again. I'm back to random posts about the day in the life of a librarian who does a little bit of everything.
This past month was a perfect example of jsut that. I worked with another library to begin implementing the circulation of iPads here at the library. We're starting with a pilot project of 5 iPads. Our desk is already so busy I worry how much this will affect workload and morale. It often seems that circulation is the default place to start new projects, and while I like to explore new ways of serving our patrons, I also want to balance it with the needs of already overworked staff.
Wore my HR hat far too often in January, but that was to be expected with having to do new contracts for some of our assistants. There always seems to be a problem with one or two at the very beginning of the semester, but things have all smoothed out now. The online time reporting and fingerprint time clock have made it a lot easier to do time reporting for assistants, but it is still a big job and now done far more frequently.
I also have been working a lot on our virtual services - both in Facebook and Second Life. Have practiced my FBML and added some custom tabs to the Library's Facebook page, but I still want to work on customizing the look of the page via FBML. The newest tab I've added is a WorldCat search widget. I really wanted it to be a local catalog search widget, but that is going to take some serious studying of programming. I also began preparations for our African American History Book Club series for Second Life. Getting a lot more interest on this one than the one we did in November, which is encouraging. I hope for a decent turn out. I'm marketing it everywhere I can - Facebook, internal and external lists, print flyers, and within Second Life itself.
Another big project I had this month was working with my reserves staff member to finally get all the Mass Communication equipment records entered into Millennium in order to bring them into the system. I presented at the end of the month at SIUG (www.siug.org) on bringing campus departmental collections into a shared ILS system. This is our third department we've added to III - preceded by Music and Education. I can't blame them for wanting a satisfactory way of tracking such expensive equipment, but boy are we glad to have the hard part behind us. The loan rules are up and running, and they should be in operation sometime this semester.
Aside from my regular campus committee meetings (Faculty Development and Welfare and SPARC - Strategic Planning) I worked closely with my student group SAGA (Sexuality and Gender Alliance) in planning our event for February. Our Hands Over Hearts Gala will be held to bring awareness in the community about AIDS/HIV and other STDs. Working with the Robeson County Health Department, I feel this is one of the most worthwhile projects I tackled this month. I have high hopes for the event, and am glad for the chance to show that SAGA can tackle the serious topics as well as be fun.
In my "spare" time (lol) away from reference and access services duties, I managed to squeeze out two articles (late of course) for my editor for The Journal of Access Services and my last two submissions came out in publication. Time to start working on the next issue.
I did treat myself to an evening out seeing the Color Purple on campus - it was absolutely fabulous. Have been singing it ever since - especially "Hell No" - for which I also have the tshirt. =) There are some days that shirt will come in really handy.
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