My days at Brewer Porch have become routine. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy my time here immensely. However, there has been so little new events going on in the library that I find it hard to write here about it.
Recently my time has been consumed with organizing books, taking away the books that are not appropriate for the age range here and taking them to goodwill, and removing multiple copies of books that are not often checked out in an effort to make more room for the books that are here.
I am eagerly anticipating a round of brand new books to be donated by SLIS, but that will have to wait a couple more weeks, I'm afraid, because the professor who is going to donate them needs to go through the books and sort out the different donated books. Though I won't be here to see them being checked out, I am hopeful that students will use the new books!
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Day 15, 75 hours
I brought another box of books into the library today. They were donated from a friend who is about my age, and they are in excellent condition. The only problem I see with them is that they are very dated and look like they are from the 80s, which they are. This is only a problem because kids tend to judge books initially by their covers, so I'm concerned that they won't like them. However, the reading level of the books is right up their alley, so that will be a big benefit.
Today I may remove the Babysitter's Club books because they haven't been checked out since I arrived 2 months ago, and that makes me think that the kids just aren't interested in them. With limited space it is better to remove books they don't like, I believe.
I also discovered today that the program I've been using, ResourceMate, to update the collection, seems to have expired. I can still use it, but searching to import all the information of a book is no longer an option. This is slightly frustrating, but I will continue to update the collection by just putting in a book's title and author, since that is the most important part anyway.
Today I may remove the Babysitter's Club books because they haven't been checked out since I arrived 2 months ago, and that makes me think that the kids just aren't interested in them. With limited space it is better to remove books they don't like, I believe.
I also discovered today that the program I've been using, ResourceMate, to update the collection, seems to have expired. I can still use it, but searching to import all the information of a book is no longer an option. This is slightly frustrating, but I will continue to update the collection by just putting in a book's title and author, since that is the most important part anyway.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Day 14, 70 hours
I missed a week working at BPCC because I was away, but this past week was one of my most productive since the first week I started!
Before I left I posted on freecycle.org and the SLIS listserve asking for book donations. I had hoped to get some books that are a little more recent than the ones in the library currently because I don't feel that the library has a good selection that the students are interested in.
I got several boxes and bags of books including two world record books (from 2000 and 2001) that the kids seemed interested in. I also received the first 6 Harry Potter books in paperback and all the Twilight books. I now have 2 copies of Twilight, 2 copies of Eclipse and one of the other two. Currently all but Breaking Dawn and New Moon are checked out. They went quickly!
Another project I have been working on is covering the paperback books with clear contact paper. This has been my favorite project so far because it makes me feel like I'm really doing something that will benefit the library in the long run. The books need it because some of them are really falling apart, and others aren't, but I don't want them to be eventually. Even after getting checked out once some of the books are showing wear. This will really help the library in the future, I think. So far I've covered all the books that were donated and several of the most often checked out books. Hopefully I will be able to get a good chunk of books covered before I'm done for the semester.
Finally, the last project I've been working on is cleaning up the library. Because it's in such a small space, it's vital that all the space available be used. I separated the board books from the regular picture books and also the "I can read" books. Both of those are on separate shelves, which I hope will be more helpful to the teachers when looking for a certain type of picture book for a student. There are also several boxes of books that are not appropriate for the library. For example, Finances for Dummies, and East of Eden. These books were donated but will never get checked out by a student and are only taking up precious space. Therefore, every time I leave the library I take a box of books we won't need and bring them to goodwill. This will definitely make the library seem less cluttered, and the books will hopefully be used by someone who wants to read them.
Before I left I posted on freecycle.org and the SLIS listserve asking for book donations. I had hoped to get some books that are a little more recent than the ones in the library currently because I don't feel that the library has a good selection that the students are interested in.
I got several boxes and bags of books including two world record books (from 2000 and 2001) that the kids seemed interested in. I also received the first 6 Harry Potter books in paperback and all the Twilight books. I now have 2 copies of Twilight, 2 copies of Eclipse and one of the other two. Currently all but Breaking Dawn and New Moon are checked out. They went quickly!
Another project I have been working on is covering the paperback books with clear contact paper. This has been my favorite project so far because it makes me feel like I'm really doing something that will benefit the library in the long run. The books need it because some of them are really falling apart, and others aren't, but I don't want them to be eventually. Even after getting checked out once some of the books are showing wear. This will really help the library in the future, I think. So far I've covered all the books that were donated and several of the most often checked out books. Hopefully I will be able to get a good chunk of books covered before I'm done for the semester.
Finally, the last project I've been working on is cleaning up the library. Because it's in such a small space, it's vital that all the space available be used. I separated the board books from the regular picture books and also the "I can read" books. Both of those are on separate shelves, which I hope will be more helpful to the teachers when looking for a certain type of picture book for a student. There are also several boxes of books that are not appropriate for the library. For example, Finances for Dummies, and East of Eden. These books were donated but will never get checked out by a student and are only taking up precious space. Therefore, every time I leave the library I take a box of books we won't need and bring them to goodwill. This will definitely make the library seem less cluttered, and the books will hopefully be used by someone who wants to read them.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Day 11, 5 hours
I have a total of 55 hours so far here at Brewer-Porch Children's Center. By the time I have the required 150, it'll be the week of graduation, so I am happy that I will be able to finish on time.
Today I labeled the shelves with a label-maker, and I asked about getting contact paper to cover the books to protect them. The majority of the chapter books in the collection are paperback, and because they were old before they came here, the are taking a beating getting checked out and read over and over. Hopefully covering them in plastic will protect them a little better. It should be here later this week.
One thing that I find is frustrating here is the fact that there are still books missing. Often the children know where the books are that are checked out in their name (I had a discussion with an uncooperative girl today about Matilda) but they can't get to them. If the books are in a previous classroom (such as one from last year) they cannot get them back because of the strict schedule the students are kept on. They often do not talk to previous teachers.
Though I emailed Pam about this and gave her a list of books that are missing, the OCD part of me is frustrated that there are STILL books missing. I think I will make a list and print out several copies of it, and hang it around the school, asking for teachers and students both to look for the missing books.
Today I labeled the shelves with a label-maker, and I asked about getting contact paper to cover the books to protect them. The majority of the chapter books in the collection are paperback, and because they were old before they came here, the are taking a beating getting checked out and read over and over. Hopefully covering them in plastic will protect them a little better. It should be here later this week.
One thing that I find is frustrating here is the fact that there are still books missing. Often the children know where the books are that are checked out in their name (I had a discussion with an uncooperative girl today about Matilda) but they can't get to them. If the books are in a previous classroom (such as one from last year) they cannot get them back because of the strict schedule the students are kept on. They often do not talk to previous teachers.
Though I emailed Pam about this and gave her a list of books that are missing, the OCD part of me is frustrated that there are STILL books missing. I think I will make a list and print out several copies of it, and hang it around the school, asking for teachers and students both to look for the missing books.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Day 10, 5 hours
The other day Pam, the director of the school, came to me and asked if there was anything I needed. I asked for a label maker, because I've organized the books by genre and haven't been able to label the shelves properly. She also asked if there were any books I needed. Are there ever!! The kids are constantly asking for Artemis Fowl, Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Twilight, among other random books. I put together a short Amazon wishlist of the books that I would like to get for the library and sent it to her, but I haven't heard anything since. I am hoping that they will be able to buy at least a few of them because new books would be preferable, and especially books the kids are asking for.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Day 7, 5 hours
I think I've finally gotten into a routine here at the BPCC library. I have had several classes of varying ages come in to visit. Though the classes are small, I quickly discovered that book talking any books took too much time. The first day I tried to discuss several different types of books: fantasy, scary stories and general fiction. The students seemed to like the books I discussed and a few were selected as their books for the week, but it took too much time away from their browsing time.
I am trying to get a feel for what types of books the kids are interested in, but it's difficult. It's also difficult to recommend another book that they might like if we don't have one they do want. One of the problems I'm running into is that I don't know what books are in the library.
Another issue I'm noticing is that some of the students are interested in books like Hannah Montana, or High School Musical, or Babysitter's Club. While I would like to get them reading books that are a little better quality, I suppose I should settle with being glad that they are reading at all.
35 hours total.
I am trying to get a feel for what types of books the kids are interested in, but it's difficult. It's also difficult to recommend another book that they might like if we don't have one they do want. One of the problems I'm running into is that I don't know what books are in the library.
Another issue I'm noticing is that some of the students are interested in books like Hannah Montana, or High School Musical, or Babysitter's Club. While I would like to get them reading books that are a little better quality, I suppose I should settle with being glad that they are reading at all.
35 hours total.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Day 2, 5 hours
After today I really feel like the library is ready to be used! A group of kids came into the library for another regularly scheduled activity, and several of them are already asking for library cards and wondering when they can come in! I e-mailed the principal, P, and asked her to send the teachers an e-mail about the library that I composed. Hopefully we'll see some students next week!
Meanwhile, most of today was spent adding the donated books to the collection and organizing the last of the chapter books. I pulled out a large amount of books that aren't appropriate for most of the students here (books about high school and going to college, for example). At a loss with what to do with them, I just lined them up on top of the shelves alphabetically. I'll explain to the students that they should focus on the shelves below those, and the older young adult books can serve as a visual. I may need to expand to the other shelves on the other side of the room!
One of the issues I have, however, is that there are many duplicates and multiple copies of books. While this is not a problem, there isn't a lot of room for multiple copies. I'm not sure what to do with them at the moment, but I think I will end up stamping them and cataloging them after I go through the rest of the books and just filing them in the shelves that the students don't normally use, and keeping them as a spare.
Next week I will tackle the mess of picture books!
Total hours: 10
Meanwhile, most of today was spent adding the donated books to the collection and organizing the last of the chapter books. I pulled out a large amount of books that aren't appropriate for most of the students here (books about high school and going to college, for example). At a loss with what to do with them, I just lined them up on top of the shelves alphabetically. I'll explain to the students that they should focus on the shelves below those, and the older young adult books can serve as a visual. I may need to expand to the other shelves on the other side of the room!
One of the issues I have, however, is that there are many duplicates and multiple copies of books. While this is not a problem, there isn't a lot of room for multiple copies. I'm not sure what to do with them at the moment, but I think I will end up stamping them and cataloging them after I go through the rest of the books and just filing them in the shelves that the students don't normally use, and keeping them as a spare.
Next week I will tackle the mess of picture books!
Total hours: 10
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