6/13/09 Nancy and Jo

Slow day. There was some checkout and computer activity before the storm.  There has been no activity since the first downpour. Nancy straightened shelves and did some inputting.  Jo also did some inputting and worked some on Facebook entries and future storytimes.

06/12/09 Rob & Jo

Pretty slow this morning but had a problem right away with the 4 catalog computers. They will not connect to the internet. Tried restarting them a couple times and checked the cords. I coudn’t find anything wrong. I put in a ticket via voicemail and e-mail to the RCAS help desk. For now we will just have to do the catalog searches for patrons. Picked up a little at lunch time, had a four or five pople in checking out books and using internet.

Susan brought up prizes for family adventure scavenger hunt. They are in a pop flat on the back room desk. Ask how many members of the family and give individual food prizes to each member of the family. Keep scavenger hunt sheet and put in green folder located in the cardboard carton on desk in back room. We need to keep the sheets to determine how many families participated. Answers to the family advenure scavenger hunt are located in the same flat as the food coupons.

Steady traffic all afternoon. Issued one library card and gave out two summer reading packets.

Talked to Dave, School Network services.  Rob reported earlier today that catalog computers were not connecting to the internet. When I looked to see if all cables were tight, I noticed that network cable was missing. Dave will bring replacement network cable and will bring four mice to replace the damaged ones on Monday. He suggested to “super glue” opening on mouse to prevent insides from being stolen. Vandalized equipment needs to be reported to the principal. Another option for the school would be to get those laser mice. Please report back to this blog when the mice get replaced. slb

6-11-09 Amylee, Toni, and Roxann

Took almost a full half hour to get all the public computers up and running today. There was a note in the blog about the Internet Explorer icon being fixed on the 30 minute computer that is in the corner, but it wasn’t there when I tested it this morning.

The web catalog computers are not accessing the internet today. I called the school’s Tech Support and reported it. I also reported the computers shutting down automatically after we have turned them on for the first time.

I pulled a bunch of DVDs from the adult fiction section that didn’t have yellow stickers. Three of them just needed the sticker replaced, but the rest should have been taken back to RCPLdowntown. Two of them were titles that we had multiple copies of so I changed them to stay at RCPLnorth. — Amylee

Wes was here this afternoon and was able to get the internet icon loaded on the 2nd 30 minute machine and it appears to be working wonderfully.  Thanks Wes!!

People have been on the computers since I arrived at 1 pm.  Several people have also checked items out.  Has stayed steady all afternoon.

I had a patron ask about the wireless and after some great help from Stephanie B. we figured it out so I’m going to put it here as a reminder.  Click the start icon on the bottom left of the screen, then connect to to see what networks are available.  then choose the account that isn’t password connected. Thanks for adding this to the blog. Good for everyone to know.

I would like to thank Jean, Leanna and Maryanne for their great reference help finding a dragon series for a couple of girls that came in.  THANKS!! — Toni What was the name of the series? slb

It was active here, a few questions and check outs,  I attempted to open the copier and could not accomplish it.

I sent another email to help@rcas.org about the missing mice/miceballs and it did not bounce back so we shall see.  RS Thank you for sending in the second request. slb

06-11-09 Summer Reading toys/library bulletin board

I put a box of the toys we will be offering as a choice at the 50 day mark of summer reading in the library’s office area on the desk. Readers at the 50 day mark will have a choice of a toy or a book. I thought it might be helpful if kids ask about it you could either tell them or show them the box of goodies. It might add some incentive to keep going.

There are also Family Adventure coupons to give to families who finish the log. They are in a labeled box on the desk as well.

Also,  I could use some suggestions on where to put the books they can choose from. Is there an extra cart with shelves we can keep near the desk to use for this purpose or do we need to bring something over from downtown? I would appreciate some feedback on this so I don’t grab a cart to use that is for some other purpose.  

If you add new posters to the bulletin board in the library, please use the push pins that are available on the board instead of staples. It will preserve the board and also be easier to change out. Thank you.

A couple people told me kids are taking the push pins so if someone would pull the extra ones on the board and put them in a drawer I would appreciate that. I put around 20 extra ones on there for future use and those are the ones that can be pulled. I would still like to try posting them up there but if it doesn’t work we can go back to staples.

Susan

Reading logs, bags and bookmarks

I left quite a few summer reading bags at the General Beadle library when I was there on Saturday. In the bag is a reading log, a library bookmark and a Get Creative@yourlibrary bookmark. When we run out of bags let me know and if we have any left I can take some over to the library.

Today, I also sent over a pile of reading logs and bookmarks that are not in a bag so those will be available when the bags run out or if someone just wants them without a bag. They were placed in the GB cart that transports items back and forth.

If you get to a point where you run out of anything please fill out the publications request form because that is the easiest way to keep track of what we need.

Thanks everyone for making the first few days such a success! Susan

6-10-09 Marti, Rob, and…

Whoever is here for the last GB shift, don’t forget to add your name to the subject line!

Morning: Marti

Opening went relatively smoothly.  The host computers shut off the first time I turned them on, but they stayed on the second time so I could log them in.  One of the piggybacks wouldn’t log in at all, but rather than restart the whole station to try and fix whatever the problem was, I stuck a sign on it.  Out of all 26, only 6 are down (due to no mice, etc.).  Only one person logged in this morning without a card (a little boy).  Word seems to be spreading! Yay!

VPN says it is connected, but it keeps making me log-in when I try to open the S: drive.  Finally got in using the Circ login. Do personal log-ins don’t work? I see a lot of names on that drop-down menu.

The brown cart is crazy full.  I’m working on reshelving one side of it.

Afternoon: Rob Lots of books to reshelve. I’ll try to finish one side at least. Only 5 people at 1pm. Pretty quite all day about 5 to 10 people off and on. Checked out some books but mostly computer users.

Evening: Nancy  Quiet night.  I finished up most of the shelving. Was the reshelving leftover from the weekend? Was it from the bookdrop? Thanks for doing the team thing and getting it done. slb

Monday 6-9-09 Leanna and Jean

Most of the computers were busy when I arrived at 5. However, one of the guest computers did not have the IE icon so patrons couldn’t access the Internet. Sean arrived to work on the guest computer counter and also fixed the icon issue. A patron, about 16,  tried to check out some movies on a card that had been blocked and belonged to a 10-yr old. The computers continued to be busy until about 6:15 then it tapered off.

Do we need to change the signage regarding times the library is open?

Elizabeth is working on updating the signage in the library and in the glass case in the hallway. Susan 6-12-09

Has the issue of fines on GB books been resolved?

The school doesn’t charge fines on their books. If someone checks out a General Beadle book on a Rapid City Public Library there is a fine. If this doesn’t answer the question, please post additional information. Thanks. Susan

School Tech Support Email — Amylee

I tried to submit a ticket to the school’s tech support email about the computers shutting down when we first turn them on. I did this twice, and both times they bounced back to me. I used my own work email to do this. Has anyone else had any problems like this? Thanks!

Monday 06-08-09 Jo and Jason

Some computers will not access the monthly computer statistics. I tried three and finally got one to operate properly. You may have to try several to get stats. Called Sean and he will troubleshoot.

Four computers have disabled mice. Julie was informed by school tech services that they will not replace mice that have been damaged during public library time. Have we received notification that this is true? Past blogs indicate trouble tickets have been sent to school tech service on this issue. Greg Russ confirmed last week that the school is responsible for the replacement of the mice. I forwarded this on to Jason W. slb

Students are asking for reading logs.  Can some be sent up here? Reading logs are in the plastic Get Creative bags. I put a box of them on top of the staff cubby above the desk. slb

I have a question about items checked out through Destiny.  The school I believe is working on trying to clean up materials that are outstanding and has sent out letters to patrons about returning those materials.  I was given 4 returned pieces of mail to update in Destiny with new addresses and some without. Is there any info for blocking cards in Destiny with invalid addresses and should we block that patrons account in Aleph as well. ? JZ Good question, but I do not know the answer. I am conferring with Sean and Morgan and will post an update later. slb 6/11 Follow-up: Please go ahead and put a block in the patron’s record in Aleph. I emailed Julie M. to see if it was possible to do this in Destiny and if she wanted staff to do this. Have not heard back yet. slb

Sunday 6-7-09 Kim and Lisha (again)

Not much worth typing about.  Computers fairly busy.  A few kids looking at books while the adults are on the computers. A few adults looking at books while the kids are on computers.

Yesterday the print on the receipts was quite large… today it is quite small.  I swear I did not do anything to the font?…

I printed out new card application forms as the ones we had here were the old ones with the request for a mailed newsletter on them.  I also deleted the shortcut off of the desktop for same.

If  someone could throw a couple of boxes of “tissue” into the GB box that would be lovely.  I cannot seem to locate any unopened boxes up here and I am rapidly depleting the one on the desk.

All in all, Sunday has been a very quiet day here at General Beadle.