TFML Staff Exchange

Everyone,

We had our buiest summer at the reference desk (though I know it was at times slow) ever. Here are the August statistics:

Walk-Ins 461

Telephone 237

Instruction 59

Other help 332

Virtual reference 9
Instant message reference 29
Email reference 26

Total adult reference 1153

Internet use in Reference area in August: 993

The 1153 beats 993 in August 2004.
1031 in July beat 940 in July 2004.
1109 in June beat 1059 in June 2004.

February and March this year were behind the same months last year, but we have nearly caught up to last years totals. We are 70 questions behind. That is one really big day or two moderately slow days.

FYI
This month's Chicago Magazine came with a advertising supplement with information on addresses, phone numbers and seating charts for the the theaters in our area. It has been put in the reference file drawer under Chicago Theater Seating.

Here is the address of a web site with lots of survivor web sites.

http://goneworleans.about.com/od/famouslandmarks/a/findsurvivors.htm

We are having some serious space issues in the YS section. Please note that the Bio section is now split between two shelves. A-Ck are now at the end of non-ficton and the rest continue as normal. I weeded a large amount of the lengthy older bios to leave the shorter informational ones that kids really want. Signs will be posted at the top of the shelves to direct patrons and staff to the new layout.

We are also at 0% growth for our general paperbacks. I will only be able to add a select few and will have to weed one to add one.

Our big news will be the addition of graphic novels to our collection. Materials are arriving and the collection should be ready in about two weeks. We will be using J Comics as our call as to not confuse our patrons with the "graphic" call in YA. I am dusting off the old spinner racks in order to accomodate the new collection.

Neato ones like Superman and traditional heroes will be featured---but also look for Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, Kid's Comic History and more to really add a spark to our collection. Jack is the resident expert on graphics---feel free to ask him questions as desired. Shan

After years of having almost the same lineup at Zone 1 reference librarians' meetings, we actually had two new attendees: Toby from Westmont and Tatiana from Lisle. Both came after reorganizations in their libraries put them in charge of reference. So we talked about how libraries are organized and lines of authority. Every library in the zone seems to have a different approach.

Our main discussion topic was databases for public libraries, their prices, and usage statistics. The most complaints were about Reference USA to which most of the other libraries subscribe, as much as $12,000 per year; there does not seem to be any consistency in pricing; everyone feels they are paying too much. Hinsdale, Woodridge, Indian Prairie, and Downers Grove showed their usage statistics of databases. Indian Prairie seems to have gotten the most public response, lowering the transaction to cost ratio to less than $2.00 for all their databases; they may be marketing the databases more than anyone else. All these libraries are getting much of the use from remote patrons.

Susan from Woodridge showed the online reference books she has purchased from Thomson Gale. She spent $3000 and has put them up on the Woodridge website. They require Woodridge Library card to use. She is going to monitor usage to see if they were worth purchasing. They look nice and have a lot more authority that many web pages.

We also talked about metasearching. No one seemed to be terribly interested, worrying that having bringing together many types of results into a single search will confuse the average public library user. Debbie of Indian Prairie said that she though metasearching went against the trend of people wanting fewer choices.

The next meeting is a tour of the National Archives in Chicago on November 3.

September 14th
Riverside Public Library
TFML Representative: Aaron Schmidt

This meeting was well attended. One participant that was very welcome was David Seleb from the MLS. Though it was a Zone 1-4 meeting, he led the discussion for the majority of the time, and it seems that MLS members were happy to discuss things with him.

The first topic discussed was III Millennium and Reference staff’s adoption of using it over the character-based interface. David asked who used what, and if a user guide for Reference staff would be helpful. MLS would like for all of us to be using Millennium because a) there are no new features being added for character-based b) more input can be given to them to improve the product if more people are using it. III has the right to make character-based go away at any time. Many people found this to be scary, citing how much faster it is to use than clicking around with a mouse. III might come to MLS to showcase other modules it has available that we don’t currently have. In the future, it might be the case that individual libraries could purchase these on their own. Did you know that we could get touch screens to use with Millennium? I didn’t know that before.

The second topic was the revision of Reference Standards and Core List. David was curious is people thought it would be a valuable pursuit, even though there is no present mechanism for enforcement. While my reporting may be bland, the discussion wasn’t uneventful. One librarian even dropped the “F-Bomb” in her description of some other libraries. I was surprised.

Additional items:

-The Brookfield Zoo will contribute to distribute reusable free passes to libraries. They are given mainly to libraries with a lower socioeconomic level.

-Late this Fall or early next year, there will be a Zone 1-4 meeting about planning for our 2006 Summer Reading Programs. Idea will be shared.

-SWAN will not, for now, get any additional item reviews or item pictures in the OPAC. Bonnie from Downers asks, “How do we change SWAN” to which David replies, “Good question!”

The next meeting will be at Cicero PL on December 14th.

FYI
Back issues of all YA magazines will be kept with the back issues of the adult collection. Current issues of the YA magazines will be placed in the magazine rack in the YA area by the window.

The majority of general weekly YS programs are full at this point. Our specials are hitting high marks as well. If you hear a patron discussing attending a program, please encourage them to check on registration.

It's that time again! School visits will be happening on September 19, 27, and 29 all at 1:30. Please expect to see either Shan or Ginger leading a "train" of kids through the Library as we show them what a great place we are. We also show them the Circ and Ref desk---so please give a big 'ole "howdy." In our talks we try to convey that the Library is a friendly and approachable place when they need help (or lost a book or have a fine!). Shan

Here are a few belated notes from last week's department heads meeting:

Anne said she will be paying the bills earlier to try and reduce the number of late fees we are incurring. Get bills turned in by the 6th.

We have a jar for donations for the Louisiana Library Disaster Relief Fund at the checkout desk.

Trends affecting libraries is the topic for the October 28 inservice day. We may also have a fireman.

The period for items to be held for pickup at the checkout desk is now 5 days, a new SWAN universal agreement.

The shifting of videos, audio books, DVDs and mysteries will be September 15 – today. It is happening as I type. (Why isn't he helping? He's watching the reference desk.)

The next department heads meeting is October 13.

Programs for the Big Read Meeting at Indian Prairie Library
September 12, 2005

Representative from all eight libraries in the Big Read attended to divvy up the planned programs. In response to the great popularity of a lot of the programs last year, we have scheduled many of them more than once; smaller libraries can have programs without feeling bad at having limited seating because the programs will be offered at other libraries as well.

I volunteered Thomas Ford for three programs:

Sunday, February 12 at 2 pm – Denise Philpot will present a review of Seabiscuit ( a book talk, not a discussion).

Tuesday, February 21 at 7 pm – Jeff or Michelle Mishur will present a slide lecture Horses in Art and Sculpture.

Monday, March 27 at 7 pm – Thomas Ford will show the PBS American Experience documentary on Seabiscuit.

We will also have a book discussion; the date is not yet set.

I will ask Aaron to consider showing some tie-in movies (not Seabiscuit) during February and March. They could either be period movies or horse theme movies.

There will be a showing of Seabiscuit at the Tivoli in Downers Grove on Monday, April 3. There will be admission, though the price is not yet set.

The final event will be a presentation by the jockey Red Pollard’s daughter Norah at the Lisle Library on April 6.

The author Laura Hillenbrand will be unable to participate in the program. She will be sending a welcoming letter and autograph a few bookplates.

There are 28 programs so far with a couple still in negotiation, not counting book discussions.

Registration for all programs will start on January 18, 2006.

YS will be launching CD-ROMS this week in groups. They are in bright green bags in our AV area but unfortunately will be in bins until we can get a rounder. (Cross fingers for the Friends to help!) The call is J CD-ROM KIT Dewey #. Please note that there are other Green Kits on the actual rounder (J GREEN KIT) but this is a different shade of green and contains a different type of AV material. Until patrons get the swing of this we might need to point that out.

When we get a new rounder they will be hung in Dewey order, but filed by title in the Circ department. There is no charge for checkout, limit 2 per card and no renewals.

We are launching a fairly good amount for a new collection and hope it continues to grow. We will also be accepting donations from patrons as long as they meet our collection goals. Our focus will be on educational materials and some educational games. We will have a bib once all are circulating. Shan

The Western Springs Library Friends met and funded most of the requests brought to them tonight. A few were deferred because so much was requested at the very first meeting of the year.

The largest item to be approved was the disc cleaning machine for $1495. This will benefit the whole library and seemed a priority.

The Friends also approved children's programs, a display unit for children's CD-ROMs, nonfiction DVDs, large print books, The Prickly Pear cooking program, Big Read program support, and plastic library bags to promote the library and the friends.

The sale of Tigerhill photos has been particularly successful. The last accounting is $1557, but Bonnie says that she has sold some more photos since that total.

I went to the "Podcasting" tech summit at MLS yesterday and walked away totally inspired. There are so many applications for libraries that it will boggle the mind. I also discovered that there is an entire world out there of home-grown programs to listen to that one may find more entertaining than many main stream audio programs. The amazing thing about podcasting/webcasting is how EASY it is. I know there is another summit offered next month on Oct 18 and I would highly reccomend attending.

I will be in California for the next week, leaving on Wednesday and returning on Wednesday. In between I will atend the LITA Forum in San Jose and then see friends in Berkeley.

I will be watching my email and be posting photos to www.flickr.com/photos/ricklibrarian

Enjoy your week.

FYI
NADA Official Used Car Guide and NADA Official Older Used Car Guide are to be given to the magazine desk to check in. We only keep the latest issue and get rid of last month's issue. We need to be careful of which one we are getting rid of because they both look alike.

Thanks!