Day in the Life of a Librarian: Weekend Edition

It's been interesting to watch the "Day in the Life" meme floating around. This is from Saturday.

Prework: Starbucks--I was doing a riverside watch until 3 a.m. for Kiwanis to ensure no one hopped into the Mississippi last night so caffeine was really necessary. Saw my favorite barista who wished me "good luck" along with my iced latte.

8:30Turning on the children's internet computers, pre-loaded game computers, self-check, catalog computers, youth reference desk computer. Pile up stuff to work on today at desk, remind circulation staff I'm completely on my own in dept until noon (no aide), grab full book/DVD carts to sort for aide before she comes in.

8:50-9:02 Discuss with B the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer. B had gone to pick up book at midnight. Debate whether or not male lead is controlling/unhealthy relationship/role model and if it's good/bad for girls to read that kind of relationship.

9:02 First DVD returned from patron who brought case back, but not DVD. We get a lot of those. Sorting book cart. Check email and pull up RSS feeds to start through news, library world, and knitting community.

9:40 Chat with mom about making sure kids keep reading after summer reading program. Incentives are good but we both hope they'll keep reading. Considering stack of books being checked out, I have faith. First parent/child disagreement over whether or not it's time to get off the computer--high cause of whining in kids dept.

10:22 Add Beacon Street Girls and Ann Martin's Main Street series to list of "Girl Protagonist" books for display hopefully going up tomorrow. Start list of "Boy Protangonist" books that will go up after that.

10:30 Noting, yet again, it's send dad and kids to the library morning. Used to be like this at Gymboree too. Power dads who worked all week would come in for classes on Saturday with their little ones. Me and the stock brokers, financial dealers, lawyers, etc....and a parachute.

10:34 Listening to very enthusiastic Patron Age 8 reading aloud to self from a picture book. Quite the performance as patron sits on the floor: hands on hips, etc.

10:53 Book cart sorted and easy readers shelved (can do in view of desk), starting in on DVDs. We have to do verification (did the disc come back?) and create missing pieces pile. Also remove label/change status for ones coming off of "new" shelf in August.

11:10 First gamer arrives, fifty minutes before afternoon gaming session.

11:25 Patron Age 16 upset because can't check out a laptop--has fines in excess of what our system will allow for computer usage ($10). Refuses list of things that are overdue so items could be located.

11:35 Peace sign greeting from one of the gamers. Small herd of them around internet computers but they've been pretty quiet so far. Just some sounds of spacebars being annihilated. Gaming Assistant checks in with me and hands off the sign in clip board.

12:08 Hooray for aide! She's happy that carts are pre-sorted for her, will mean she doesn't end up way way behind.

12:17 No, you can't use internet session someone else walked away from and you can't sign into two computers with one child's card. Yes, the circulation desk will tell you the same thing.

12:35 Waves magic wand--yes we have very very beginning learning French materials (book with cd kit)

1:24 Locate Allosaur movie with Kenneth Branagh for Patron Age 6 --sorting/casing teen dvds, juvenile done ready to shelve

1:40 Marking new audiobooks with orange tape--visual cue for aides, hopefully patrons. Hopefully they like new titles I've ordered.

2:00 Spelling out Gaming Assistant for 15 minutes. Crochet hook and rest of my iced coffee. Ears open to make sure decibel stay at a decent level and language stays within bounds.

2:50 Putting in a massive rush order for Tiara Club books. Have had many requests for these from small princesses. Three copies of the first 18 books. Next up after that (probably tomorrow/Monday) Flower Fairy Friends.

3:42 Self check is not always the best way, trust me on this one.

3:55 Figure out how to unstick stuck music cd security case with one of our ladies of circulation

4:05 Check book drop for final time today (we have to make sure it re-sets after empty probably--otherwise big headache)

4:14 Realize I'm finally ready to start on pile of things I'd planned to work on today.

4:53 Decide Flower Fairies Friends series is a convoluted mess of publishing. Need to order about 15 titles plus make decision if we're getting the not-chapter books. Should wait til Tuesday when I'm not on desk to debate this fully.

4:55 off to help aide tidy up.

Throughout the day I was answering reference questions, placing holds, directing to the bathroom, etc but felt it better not to include all the details of those.