The Power of ME

Ok, so I admit that I am SLIGHTLY... um... silly... bizzare... creative... ORNERY. Yep, that's the word! I give lots of kids tours at the library, and I always find it important to let kids know people's names and practice what we should say when we need help and and blah blah blah.

Sometimes we even tour the bookmobile. After all, who doesn't think a traveling library is just... like...the coolest? We also practice saying HI to Mr. Eric our bookmobile driver. hehehe No, I'm serious. We smile big, do a half circle wave and say HI MR. ERIC in a bubbly voice. After all, Mr. Eric doesn't get to give tours, but we need to show our love.... Right?

So a few weeks ago, I gave a tour to a fairly large group of homeschoolers... and for some reason, they kept giggling... the whole tour. I did check and there was no broccoli stuck in my teeth. Several parents told me later that their kids think it's HILARIOUS that I say "friends" and "silly geese." Hey, we've all got our quirks.

ANYWAY, a mom came up last week and said that her kids practiced ALL DAY and giggled through dinner one night at just the thought of going on the bookmobile and saying "HI MR. ERIC!!!!" And do you know what? They did it!

Eric's response

Chriss put you up to this, didn't she?

 ** snicker**


Well, we couldn't just leave it right there, could we? Nope. They've been given a new mission for the next bookmobile excursion. I think I happened to mention his love of dancing....

 

Oh, and today.... I was told that Angela is my minion.

Oh, the Power of Me!

After the Lights Go Out...

PA SYSTEM: May I have your attention please. The library will be closing in 5 minutes. Please take any books and other materials to the checkout desk now. Again, the library will close in 5 minutes.

YOUNG CHILD: Whaaaaaaahhhhhh! I don't wanna go!

MOM: But honey, the library is closing. And if you don't leave, the library monsters will eat you.

OK, so I've never head a mom tell their two year old that a library monster will eat them, but parents do tell their kids some weird stuff to get them to leave.... Like the mom that said we would lock the kids in and not let them leave until morning... which actually made the child want to stay even longer.

So.... What really happens when libraries close for the night?

Unfortunately, childrens and teen librarians at 
Oshawa Public Libraries let out secrets slip.  Evil Canadian librarians!

Book Nerd Paradise

I SOOOOOO want to be this guy when I grow up....

And BTW, yet ANOTHER person bragging that they got to go to ALA and I DID NOT. **humph** I think we should boycott libraries worldwide until TPTB decide to send me, too! I mean, who wouldn't want me there?!?!? I'm beginning to think it's a conspiracy to keep me away from my Mo....

My favorite quote of it all.... "This conference is kinda like the highlight of the young adult literature social calendar." And again, it mentions how superheroes are in libraries... even if they aren't wearing capes and superhero masks... like me.

Maybe I need to again petition for my superhero action figure...

Plus, he got to meet another of my favorite authors David Levithan. 

Oh, and BTW, whomever goes to ALA next year... without me AGAIN..., I soooo want that gavel swag.

The Insulting Librarian

We've all had those patrons at whom we've wanted to scream "WTH?!?!?!" Come on. You can admit it. I won't tell anyone. PROMISE.


Some of us even have little homemade voodoo dolls... and an extra stash of stick pins at our desks.... Not that we've ever used them or anything... but.... Well... ok... may once... or twice....


Anyway, we've all met the patrons who have had enough, but what do you think happens when it's the librarian who has no constructive release of bad energy? like my voodoo doll....

Idea : How to Get Teens Into the Library

Known Fact: Libraries struggle to get teens into the library. I have tried my best to bring in the masses with Summer Reading Dances, pet rock training schools, and good old fashioned bribery, but it's just too hard to compete the the average teen's busy life style....

Or it WAS....

I found the solution. No need to thank me. Ok, if you REALLY want to, do so by nominating ME for the I LOVE MY LIBRARIAN AWARD. No pressure.... Have you started the application process yet? **sigh**


 Oh yeah..... Solution. Wait for it.... 

Wait for it....

Library Flash Mob Dance Parties!  **wild applause**

Did I hear skepticism in your applause? You don't quite believe it will bring teens in en mass?  **sigh** Skeptics. Just check out what happened at the Seattle Public Library earlier this summer.....
  


Told ya so!

Oh, Melissaaaaaaaa!!!!

PROTEST: Library Commercial SANS Moi

I am OFFICIALLY jealous! 




I am DENIED my inalienable right to star in a silly library commercial... and then they put a serious one up on YouTube.  **sigh**   I'm feeling a little unloved here people. A little unloved.

Does anyone else have flashbacks of Pigeon upon seeing Hilary behind the wheel???

My ONLY consolation.... At the time of this posting, MY library YouTube video has more viewings than Jr. Now I'm SURE that if a certain library director would have asked me to do the Banana Chant while wearing a pink boa in the Jr. video, it would have gone viral by now.  **grumbles**  

Maybe next time, they'll learn. 

Dolly: Summer Reading Super Star

Summer reading began June 8^th, and we've already signed up over 2,400 kids and 230 teens!!! Dolly saw what fun the kids were having (and saw little kids got a free book if they finished) and DEMANDED to sign up, too. No worries, Pam. I made her ask nicely. I know she was excited, but that's no reason to be rude.Dolly signed her name and age on a yellow ducky.

 

Miss Angela explained the program to her. She's supposed to put a sticker on the calendar every day that someone reads to her. When she uses up all 30 stickers, it means she read for 30 days and can come back and pick out a free book to keep forever and ever.

 

Dolly was so happy that she wanted to shake Miss Angela's hand.

 

Dolly wanted to get started on her reading right away. She picked out Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems (one of my FAVORITE books). She wanted to give Pigeon the keys. Unfortunately the Bus Driver came back early. Mean Bus Driver!

Dolly hung out with the story time puppets while I worked during the afternoon... or so I thought. When I couldn't find her, a thorough search began.... Anyone want to guess where we found her???

That's right.  She was trying to steal the new children's bookmobile. Apparently Eric left the keys in the ignition.

Before leaving for the day, Dolly found her ducky on the wall of other summer reading rock stars.

Summer Reading Silly Library Commercial

Cincinnati claims to have the busiest public library in the whole nation.  True, they are in a fairly large town, but I chose to believe it is because they rock their silly library commercials.  
  

Silly library commercials=more patrons through the door.  

Just another reason why my great and darling director should make full use of my talents.  **hint, hint, hint**

 

Facebook : Not My Favorite

Facebook is only good for one thing... trying to beat Heather's husband Ira (who does not wear a red clown nose and did not used to work at CPL) at Hatchlings.  I have tried many atimes at trouncing him.  Unfortunately, he has a faster Internet connection... and more ways to plot my Hatchlings demise.  BUT one of these days, that boy is going down.  Mwah ha ha!

As for libraries on social media sites.... It totally depends on how they use the space....

Good Ways For Libraries to Use Facebook

• Create a fan page for their favorite story time lady.  **cough cough**
• Getting more people to nominate me for the I Love My Librarian Award.  I KNOW that all of you have already nominated me, but others may not know how to do this... and we don't want them to feel bad just because they did not know.... 
• Inviting people to bring their favorite library workers bribes... um... tributes... like cookies.

Unfortunately, with as many good ways to use social media, there are many bad ways.  I've seen a Shelfari account by a teen services library tell readers tell teens who read chick lit that such books are stupid and worthless....  Aren't we supposed to be non-judgmental???

IMHO there are much better social media outlets than
Facebook... like Twitter.  Twitter is always good to let the fans know about special programs and such... (like my awesome tea party).  One of our favorite story time dads even uses it to post pics and videos of us rocking it out.  (Doesn't Liz look cute at our Valentine's Day Tea Party???)

Truth be told though, I really wish the library would disable Facebook, Myspace, and such sites out at the desks.  More times than I can count, I've seen status updates from Periodicals or Tel Ref or seen coworkers ignore patrons just so as that they could read up on friends' latest dramas.




 

Bibliocommons : Social Media for Libraries

I'm all about social media.  How else would the world over know about my facinating lifestyle here in the children's library??? 

• Without my blog, how would my friend Diane in NY know about my crazy (and rythmicly challenged) co-workers???  
• Twitter reassures me that the roads are safe & Pigeon has not found a way to steal a bus (yet). 
• Without social media, it would never have made it all over the library yesterday that I had somehow stabbed myself through my leg and was knocking at Death's Door.  (Rumor mills are funny.  Throw in social media, and it can be worse than those old telephone party lines.)  I'm fine BTW.

I digress.  Point being, social media has played a major function in the lives of nearly everyone in the US. 

I have been a long time fan of LibraryThing and have expiremented with similar programs on Facebook.  The new Bibliocommons tends to be a cross between several of them.  Always good when libraries step into the main stream.  =0)

So.... my FAVORITE things about the new catalog....

• You can hit the back button without messing up your searches.  Really.  The best thing EVER!!!
• Making lists. Anyone who knows me can attest to my love of lists.  If you find something DBRL doesn't own & another one does, you can add it as well as websites.  Now if they will only let me add photos....
• Being able to keep track of my collection. 
• Adding notes, comments,....  I get to be a critic.  Twilight got 1/2 out of 5 stars.  Mwah ha ha.

Things I wish it had, but doesn't....

• Avatars.  Esme is my avatar for almost everything, and this would be another great way for people all over Mid-MO (and the world) to learn just how cute she is.
• Profiles.  Ok, I admit, I like to read people's profiles.  Even if it is only a line or two.  It lets you know what the person is all about, what the like to read, etc. Me for instance.  My Blogger profile reads: I'm silly, and I like to randomly break out into song and dance. That's all you need to know. **grin**  I'm sure most of you will agree that just about sums me up.

PS... Don't forget to do the Scavenger Hunt.  A drawing will be held for all those who participate, and a few lucky winners will get restaurant gift certificates.  Who doesn't love food?

We ROCK

Apparently we ROCK!  An anonymous patron left the following message on the white board in Study Room 2....

... and I didn't even have to bribe them.  =0)

Hmmmm.... Wonder if they, too, will nominate me for the coveted award....

I LOVE MY LIBRARIAN Award

So the American Library Association, Carnegy Corporation, and New York Times ran a contest called I LOVE MY LIBRARIAN. Patrons wrote in and told exactly WHY they loved their librarian.  Each of the 10 winners won $5,000 cash, a $5,000 travel stipend for the winners' awards banquet, a plaque and a plaque for their library. 


So let's add a new New Year's Resolution to the list... to win the 2010 I LOVE MY LIBRARIAN AWARD.  (An MLS is required to win, but really, if let's say 100 patrons nominate me, SURELY they would overlook that little blip on my resume.  After all, degreed librarians are already rich.)  Rules state that a PATRON must nominate me you.  Hmmm.  This blog might just have to turn from the "Get Melissa To Let Me Star in a Silly Library Commercial" blog to the "Nominate Me for the Next I Love My Librarian Award" blog....  Then again, I'm good.  I think I can handle both campaigns at once. 


TO DO

• Campaign Posters.
• Buttons.
• More library patrons following me on Twitter. 

Um, Sarah, can I announce my candidacy in Story Time?

NOTE: They do NOT get an action figure made of them, too, so we can't kill two resolutions with one proverbial stone.

See the interview with the 2009 winners below.  Anyone else get that one of the libraries doesn't even have Harry Potter?!?!?!  How do they function?

Librarian on the Edge

"The Dewey Decimal System is a truly practical and efficient system... like Google for smart people."

One on One Library Tours

Since Judy P. always teases me about giving soooo much info, I think this video would be PERFECT for me to star in when we do our library commercial. Of course, I would be required to wear a pink boa... and exchange the coffee for a Dr. Pepper... or maybe a strawberry smoothie from Café Mozaki.... Yum, I love their strawberry smoothies and plain glazed donuts.... Wait.... Sorry. Back to the library commercial. I will play the part of the tour guide. Any volunteers for the confused library patron???

Oh, and Esmé says she will play the part of the Reading to Rover dog. Then she demanded a new outfit for her starring role. Silly puppy.

Disability Etiquette

It took me a few minutes to recognize where this video on Disability Etiquette in the library was filmed. I knew it looked familiar, but for some reason, it just didn't sink in.

There are a few errors that I noticed in the Service Dog Etiquette section near the end. The handler states that service dogs will have a halter or vest and should be able to show you identification if asked. Missouri state law does not require this nor does the ADA. Many times, service dogs have no identification as there is no official paperwork required by the state to be carried by the dog or handler at all times. Any paperwork that someone might show you is not official and can be downloaded off of the web by anyone.

If you suspect that an animal is not a service dog, then you can ask if he is a service dog and if there is anything the dog can do for the person that the person can not do by themselves. (Emotional Support dogs are NOT the same as service dogs and do not qualify as such.) You may NOT ask what disability the person has. If you refuse service to someone who has a genuine need for a service animal, you can be sued and you will lose. Also, according to Columbia law, service animals are not required to be on a lead either though most will be for safety. (Esme has multiple canine friends who are service dogs.)

I know I have broken this cardinal rule about interacting with service animals when my friend comes in with her dog, but do not touch the dog, talk to him, or in any way try to distract him from his handler. Do not get between the two. Never offer the dog food, treats or water. If the dog appears thirsty, you CAN ask the handler if they would like water for the dog and then give it to the handler to give to the dog.

Dogs are not supposed to be petted when they are in "work" mode. If someone wantss to pet the service dog, the handler must take off their vest or other work gear and then give them a release command. This is a lot of work, so avoid doing it. If you see a young library patron trying to pet a service dog, stop them. More than once, I've stepped between a child and a dog in the library. You can then explain that the dog is at work and can't be distracted. I've yet to meet a handler that minds when we do this... and most prefer it.

Need more information on service animals? Service Dog Central

The Library Minute

Arizona State University's library has the library minute. It introduces library services in a fun (and silly) way. Note information on zombies, discouraging forklifts, Spam: everyone's favorite meat in a can, and their library goon squad.

How DBRL could put their own special spin on the Library Minute..... Esme is dressed up in a pink boa and librarian costume. (Yes, I had to throw in the pink boa.) Then we could call it "Library Minute with the Puppy Fashionista." Great idea. I know. I've got several more. Stay tuned.

When Patrons Aren't Quiet

I'm sure that we've all pulled a Nancy Pearl and SHHHHH!!!!! loud patrons. Apparently this guy didn't think that was enough....

DISCLAIMER: Do NOT be like Billy if you have rude or loud patrons. Just a guess, but I HIGHLY doubt Melissa would like it.

Fulton, Mental Illness, and YouTube

In case people haven't noticed, I like YouTube. While looking around the other day for something completely different, I saw this video starring our very own Jodi. It gives a lot of good information when working with patrons with mental illness. A few of the suggestions would violate our patron confidentiality policies but for the most part, I found it helpful and informative.

If you want more information about how to help patrons with mental or physical disabilities, check out Library411 from the Missouri Department of Mental Health, the Missouri State Library, and the Missouri Institute of Mental Health .

Do You Want to be a Librarian?

1947 occupational film. It's interesting to see how the profession has both changed and stayed the same in the past 62 years.

Who is not ecstatic that we now have electronic card catalogs???

When Patrons Go Home Disappointed

We've all heard Marilyn tell us how important it is to try our hardest to get patrons the information they need even if we have to go WAAAAYYYYYYY above and beyond.

A guy went to a library in Ohio and was disappointed with his library experience... so took the time to make an animation and post it on YouTube. Sometimes what we think are small things are significant to others....