New Reality

Lots of places are holding public discussions these days. There is less money and they want to know what's important to their users. Patrons. Customers. Constituents. Students. Pick one.

My work place, it seems, is one of them. It will be interesting to see what comes of it.

Everyone has a favorite. Books. Storytimes. On Fridays. Computers. Online services. DVDs. So, it may depend on who comes. What their agenda is. Because why would they take the time to attend a discussion unless there was something they really wanted.

And it will depend on the questions. What's asked. How they are phrased. Do we know what we want and will we try to skew questions? Unintentionally. Intentionally.

As I've been thinking about this, mostly today, I have a new way of looking at it. What do people expect from us just from the fact the the doors are open? What would I expect?

Think of it this way. What would you expect from a grocery store? A post office? Why do you go into the buildings or online to use their services? It might be fun to find some surprise services and conveniences, but what basic things are implied by the name of the company, organization, institution? Do I need my post office to sponsor a cycling team? (OK, that's done, but making a point.)

What would I expect from a library? What did I expect before I started working in one and found we had so many layers of things that we think are important. What level of service from the people inside? What kind of wait time? What kind of knowledge? What bells and whistles can I do without? How fancy or complete does the catalog have to be for me? How do I use it? What's required and what's the fun extras? At what cost? When do I need them to be open?

I hate waiting too long for help. Or to check out in stores. If I hear lines are long because they can't afford the staff, I think that because their main job is to sell me groceries, they are devoting all they can to make that happen. How do I feel if they have diverted thousands of dollars to an in store dietitian and I can take classes if I want? How many people take advantage of them? How much faster would the lines go if they hired 3 17-year old clerks instead? What does having a dietitian do for their image that really impacts me?

In the olden days, grocery stores didn't have dietitians. Maybe that's why I would rather have check out people. I don't care. I don't use them. I wouldn't miss them. Maybe someone would. But still, it's a grocery store first.

So are you getting my point here? What are we first? What needs to stay to keep our basic brand alive? What can go? What's self-serving and what serves the customer?

Why did I not see this coming?

The Book

Fabric Embellishing: The Basics and Beyond

Because I am still thinking ahead to the project.

And I checked the current status for my local store and it still said 'Likely in Store', but I don't remember seeing another one. It's probably in a tub somewhere.

Have decided to do some touch up painting myself and that will take some time. Maybe the weekends in February. Maybe starting this weekend. I'm telling myself it will take a long time because I always tend to underestimate how long it takes to do home improvement stuff. Need to get some brushes.

And still have lots of work stuff to do in Feb. Have to go in every weekend for something - regular work, program coverage, etc. My goal today is to make lists. Lists are always helpful.

OK, so this is really tacky

Sometimes we think we need to be like bookstores and their online presence. I was just on Borders.com looking for a title and noticed their shelf designations were:
1. Out of Stock
2. Likely in store

So, since it is often difficult for us to find a title because it could be on display, on a cart, in a patrons hand, in a tub, or just plain mysteriously missing, how about a location of Likely On Shelf?

BTW - my book is 'likely in store' so since I have a coupon and the store is less than a mile away, I may just make the trip.

Today was Scary

I know today wasn't typical. Had some staff out. Day after we were closed for a holiday. School was out. Storytimes.

But, then, again, with staff at meetings, vacations, programs, maybe not that atypical.

What I did do: set-up storytime, pulled sent item, performed storytime, staffed the YS desk, and while on the desk, did more pulling and trapping send item list which took until 4:30, looked at email. And there were 2 of us on the YS desk and 2 more at IS almost all day.

What I didn't do: committee work (look at web catalogs, summer blurb, organize notes for a meeting Wed) call author coming next month who isn't responding to email, talk to Mgr about Festival. And that's not counting the display upkeep, bulletin board, and other little things that always need doing.

Read about how new changes would give me off-desk time. Hmmmm. . . .

If I had an hour, would I have been able to get the professional parts of my job done? No. But a start. And I wouldn't have even an hour everyday. And all times on the desk would be like today - just managing the patrons with trapping a hold or two in between. But with only one desk person. Lines. It usually takes 2 at the YS desk to get the send item done by noon. Starting when we get there at 8.

So, I'm scared.

Maybe it will work.

In the mean time, will be checking out catalogs at home. Because that's the professional part of my job. The reason I wanted this job. The stuff that makes me think and makes me feel like I'm, well, a Librarian. And if I talk about this, they will just say I'm over-extended and should give up something. But I don't want to just pull and trap holds all day.

I know. Getting people the information and books they want is my first priority.

And I should just be glad I have a job.

And stuff gets done. Eventually.

But not tomorrow. Send item, storytime, cover lunch for other YS person, my lunch and travel time, meeting from 1:30-3:30, back by 4:00ish.

Thursday - maybe. Before staffing a booth from 5:30- 8:00 pm.

Thawing Out

Had the last of the flooring started in December installed today. And learned that while the company I used because the did such a great job with our carpet 10 years ago is still good with carpet and vinyl. The guys installing today were great - through, neat, exact, and nice. One even owns a company that does energy audits and gave me some things I can do easily to help the temp. in the lower level.

Have always thought an energy audit would be a good idea. My brother works for a big utility company in the west and we had some conversations about the future of energy last summer. The relevant one here is that the only way we can manage is to use less. We won't really save money, the cost will still go up, but there will be energy to go around that way.

Back to the floors - However, the company doesn't seem to do wood floors well, at all.

The phone calls from the convenience stores in KY and TN didn't stop. The info I found online and in the databases wasn't current. I started to return calls to the individual stores to make them stop using my number as a fax number. For weeks, no one would give me the contact info for a supervisor. Finally, one did and I called him. He said he would get the word out. It's been about 4 days and no calls, so maybe?

Need to have some painting finished in the downstairs family/living room, move stuff back into place, and then can get on to the fun parts of redecorating again. Things do start to fall apart after 10-20 years so it's a good excuse.

First project should be to make some chair cushions. Have most of the stuff. Need to design a design to applique.

Just finished a book I couldn't put down - The Maze Runner by James Dashner

I've managed to find too many things to get involved in at work. But it's the fun stuff that makes my job interesting and let's me learn and think. That kind of thing tends to come in clumps so I guess you have to take advantage of the opportunities and go crazy while you can.

Resolution-ish

Last summer I saw the movie Julie & Juliaand loved it. It was fun. Everything anyone has heard about Meryl Streep is true. It's about food. But it's also about two women who needed something to do. There's a restlessness there. Or maybe I just saw that because that's what I'm feeling. I want something new. Unlike Julie, I like my job and it can be rewarding. But it's a job. (I have new thoughts about jobs after seeing anther movie recently, but that's another story.) Anyway, they both found a project. And the project involved learning something and trying something.

I like the idea of working through something, a book. But mine won't be cooking. As much as I love food. I want to do something along the lines of what I used to do. I used to be crafty. And I used to sew stuff. So I've been looking at books that have various fabric embellishing techniques. Dying. Felting. Printing. Then I want to play with them. Not necessarily make something yet - just play with them.

I had heard of the book, Julie & Julia, when it came out, but didn't find the time to read it until recently. It was interesting. Julie, the real one in the book, is not quite as nice as the one in the movie and even in the movie she had issues. I liked that about her, but I do wonder what most women my age will think if they decided to read the book after the movie. Of, course, Julie had a new book just released and if they read the press, they will be forewarned. She's blunt. She's had an affair. But that's not important. At least to me.

You learn things in the book. First off, simple isn't the same as easy. Simple can be delicious, but it takes time to peel and chop. Easy is not really fulfilling. There is a part to the Julia Child cooking that is for real people. You may not have access the the most perfect ingredients, but you can good and eat well. Although, access now to some of the ingredients in Julia's recipes is difficult. We just don't eat that stuff. Julie's food didn't always turn out and she didn't keep doing the same thing over and over until it did. She had a deadline and she moved on, taking what she learned to the next thing. She cooked late at night, in a messy kitchen, without all the perfect appliances.

I can do all that.

Eventually.

I do have to get my house put back together and do some major touch-ups on some paint and flooring issues. But in the meantime I can look for my book of techniques. Or stuff I want to try. Things without too many expensive special ingredients or large single use appliances.

One last thing. When I was working for the sewing machine dealer and teaching sewing, I realized sometimes it's a mistake to turn your hobby into a job. Your hobby and stress release becomes work and you need a new hobby. So I gave up the sewing stuff because it wasn't fun anymore. It's time to make it come back. Also, because reading is becoming work, I really need a new distraction.