Sunday, January 29, 2012

School Library Humor 101Revision

Tomorrow is Day 2 of the new gig, albeit just a short-term one. On Friday (Day 1) I re-learned a valuable lesson that I had, admittedly, forgotten. Do not, under any circumstances, joke with classroom teachers about any overdue books they may (or may not) have from the preceding scholastic year. Teachers do not consider this an appropriate topic for frivolity. I had forgotten that.

But otherwise things are going pretty well. I'm rostered onto Staff Morning Tea with some faculty colleagues on Wednesday; I'm reliably informed that biscuits (cookies for our American Cousins) will be welcomed. A few things for my To Do list for tomorrow include speaking with the new Year 7's on their very first assembly at High School (I'd mention that I'd been trying to do that for four years at my previous gig, but then what's the point of reliving the past?); also the printing of booking sheets for teachers with classes, together with other forms for unsupervised seniors using the library during lesson time.

Generating 'the calendar' for the library software system so that borrowing can commence with meaningful master date dues; setting up the paperwork for (student) overdue notices; clearing mail backlog accumulated during the holiday period; many other Bits and Pieces; and maybe the most challenging task of the day - get familiar, like really quickly, with the collection so that the newest enrolments can come to the library and receive something that at least approximates useful Reader Guidance.

You've gotta get 'em young (or in this case, new) to hook them for regular recreational readers. Geez, I didn't even get a chance to boot up the OPACs on Friday, let alone browse the shelves.

And then just to put the cherry on top of the day, there's a staff meeting - or possibly two, I'm not sure on that one - at the end of the day. Hmmm ... that might be an even bigger challenge, given that during the holidays I fell into that wonderful - although ultimately counterproductive - habit of a Nanny Nap after lunch.

I will admit that at another gig, many years back, I fell asleep during an after-school meeting, but (apparently) also snored. Must have been someone else, surely?