Library Directorship 101

Thinking Library!
Carole Stanger
February 20, 2010

New Books Upstairs @ the library!
Aunt Dimity Down Under by Nancy Atherton
Matthew’s Story by Tim LaHaye
Save Big by Elisabeth Leamy
Split Image by Robert Parker
Daring Young Men by Richard Reeves
Fantasy in Death by J. D. Robb
Hacking Harvard by Robin Wasserman

Coming Events @ the Library!
Library Hours!
Monday – Friday 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Wednesday 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Sundays—closed.

Preschool Story Times are for all 3,4, & 5 year olds and invited to either Wednesday or Thursday session from 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. No registration is necessary. Care givers are welcome to attend and are required to participate!
Feb. 24/25: “Red, White, & Blue!”
Mar. 3/4: “Hop Into Spring!”
Mar. 10/11: “It’s Raining, It’s Pouring!”
Mar. 17/18: “How Does Your Garden Grow?!”
Mar. 24/25: “Make a Splash!”
Bad Weather? Library Children’s programs will be cancelled if school is cancelled as well, If school is delayed, the library programs will be held as scheduled.


Did You Know… that the Atlantic Public Library does have some of the federal tax forms for you to use. Others can be found on the irs.gov website.

Behind My Desk… I could really use some fans of the library page on Facebook. There is a direct link on the library webpage at www.atlantic.lib.ia.us. This is a way to stay informed about programs and special things going on at the Atlantic Public Library.

Right now at the library Janie has set up a display of books on cooking—fiction and non-fiction entitled “Let’s Get Cookin’!” When you check on of those on display, you should find a bookmark in the form of a recipe card! It’s yours to keep!


I should have done this years ago, but I’m just getting around to it now. I’m making a list of the things I’ve learned as a public library director that I had no idea was included in the job description. Here is a start:
1. What to do if the ceiling starts leaking.
2. Who to call if you find a bat, snake, ugly insect or spider in the library. (therein lies a tale or two…)
3. Landscaping issues (this can include tree and bush trimming, to parking lot spaces, to sidewalk replacement, to planting bulbs).
4. When to close the library for inclement weather.
5. Lobbying for legislative issues.
6. Scheduling meeting room space
7. Keeping patrons and staff happy when computers do dumb things.
8. What to do for a library board meeting.
9. How to negotiate with city government about budget issues.
10. What to do when you have kids making “crank” phone calls to the library.
I’ll stop for now with ten and most of these I’ve had to do in the last couple weeks! There are a lot of issues that come with the job and need spur of the moment decisions and judgments. Sometimes I do well; and sometimes at least I try! Life is never dull at the library. It changes from day to day. I try to have an agenda for the day when I go to work, but quite often that agenda has to go away so I can cope with something else. I’m sure that sounds familiar to lots of people!
I want to make a special welcome to Dee Bebensee who is our newest library board member and Cathy Somers who is our City Council/Library liaison! We are glad to have you with us!
Have a good couple weeks…and Keep On Thinking Libraries!

Conditions of Used Books

• Thinking Library!
  Carole Stanger
  February 6, 2010
  
  New Books Upstairs @ the library!
  Breaking the Rules by Barbara Taylor Bradford
  Wolf at the Door by Jack Higgins
  Kisser by Stuart Woods
  Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah
  Financial Planning for your First Job
  Island Intrigue by Marty Ambrose
  Italian Vintage by Lynn M. Turner
  
  Coming Events @ the Library!
  Library Hours!
  Monday – Friday 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  Wednesday 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
  Sundays—closed.
  
  Preschool Story Times are for all 3,4, & 5 year olds and invited to either Wednesday or Thursday session from 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. No registration is necessary. Care givers are welcome to attend and are required to participate!
  Feb. 10/11: “Be My Valentine!”
  Feb. 17/18: “Upside Down, Silly Day!”
  Feb. 24/25: “Red, White, & Blue!”
  Wednesday, Feb. 12, Hospice Program “Jungle Journey” 1:30-2:30 p.m. K-5th Graders are invited.
  Monday, Feb. 15, Movie Day for 2-3:30 p.m. Preschool- 1stgraders are invited.
  Bad Weather? Library Children’s programs will be cancelled if school is cancelled as well, If school is delayed, the library programs will be held as scheduled.
  
  
  Did You Know… you need to show some sort of identification with current address to receive a new Atlantic Public Library card?
  
  Behind My Desk… Well, I know what some of you have been doing on these snowy, icy, cold winter days! You’ve been cleaning house! That’s wonderful, but just boxing or bagging up your discarded books and magazines and leaving them anywhere at the library is not such a wonderful idea. Just as you don’t have the space to store those unwanted items, neither does the library in January and February! Please, at least take the time to inform a library staff member your intentions of leaving discarded books at the library.
  I decided to look up the definitions of conditions of books for booksellers. This is what wikipedia uses:
• As New is self-explanatory. It means that the book is in the state that it should have been in when it left the publisher. This is the equivalent of “Mint condition” in numismatics.
• Fine (F or FN) is As New but allowing for the normal effects of time on an unused book that has been protected. A fine book shows no damage.
• Very Good (VG) describes a book that is worn but untorn. For many collectors this is the minimum acceptable condition for all but the rarest items.
• Good (G) is (as an old bookselling joke has it) not very good. It is used to describe the condition of an average used worn book that is complete.
• Fair shows wear and tear but all the text pages and illustrations or maps are present. It may lack endpapers, half-title, and even the title page.
  
• Poor describes a book that has the complete text but is so damaged that it is only of interest to a buyer who seeks a reading copy. If the damage renders the text illegible then the book is not even poor.

The library and the Friends of the Library would much prefer the first three conditions as compared to the last three.

Now, I’ll add a couple more ideas, and, yes, we have indeed received some books in these conditions, too! Moldy or the smell of urine…that would be a “No, thank you.” Water-damaged or the home for “little critters’?…again (after the screaming stops) that would be another no, thank you. Do everyone a favor and simply put them in the trash.

Now, everyone, start thinking Spring …and Keep On Thinking Libraries!