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Something fun upcoming at the library!

We have our first performer, Barbara Wong, coming this Thursday for our teens. Her program is titled Hungry Ghosts. I really can't wait. It's possible I'm more excited than the teens, but I really hope that it draws more of them in to the library.

Our phone system is up and running again. Yay for that.

Perris Library News Update

Teen Programs
This will be a great year for our teens. We got our drawing classes started. They are going rather will, especially considering that neither me nor my coworker are teachers. Lyne was out sick this last Friday, so I taught the kids to draw chibi's.

At the beginning of this month, I attended a performer's workshop. It's basically where a bunch of people get together to showcase their acts and teachers and librarians come to find performers to schedule. I found 7 performers that I have scheduled for the year. On a month until August.

Our first performer is Barbara Wong, who will be showing us how to use knots to make bracelets, belts, and other accessories.

We will have storytellers, magicians, and artists.


Computers
We are installing fiber optics for faster web service and also putting in wireless. Right now our phones are all buggy cause we are getting new phones. So if you are trying to call us and can't, that's why.

Our computers are running really slowly for now, though. Can't do anything about it, though it is a bit irritating when I am trying to help a million people at once with the same issues because of the slow speed.


Other stuff
Well, I will not be working here past August 15th. It's quite possible I will be sending in my notice prior to that. I am going to be continuing my education at a university. Graphic Design is my major. It'll be fun.

A day off and our new anime club

As of Sunday, we have had strong winds down in this area of southern california. It was pretty bad. So yesterday (monday), we ended up closing our doors at the library all day, due to power failure. The winds were just so strong that it knocked out not only our primary power, but our secondary power system as well.

Well, it's all up and running again, so we will be open today.

Of course, I won't be there for most of the day seeing as I have to prepare some stuff for...

OUR NEW ANIME CLUB!!!!

Well, semi-new anyways. We've had 3 meetings so far, watching the first 3 episodes of Fullmetal Alchemist. Man, I love that series. This Friday, in honor of Halloween, we will be having a special cosplay meeting where we will be making Naruto headbands for ourselves and I will be showing the teens some of my own costumes that I have either pieced together, bought, or made by hand.

It'll also be a sort of party and so I have to go get the food, drinks, and material for the headbands today. My boss is taking me since I have no vehicle of my own.

So if anyone lives in the Perris/Moreno valley area and they would like to join the club, here are the requirements:

1) You must be between the ages of 13 to 18.

Yep, that's it. There's no sign up involved. So as long as you are a teenager, you can come. It's every Friday, barring holidays, at 4:30pm.

So come on down and join us. We'll be happy to see you.

Signs

We live in a world where the most basic of communication can be difficult for most people. With the onset of the Internet, blogging, chat, and e-mail, face to face contact becomes harder and harder. Even to the point of which signs are the preferred method of communicating rules and information to people.

The Riverside County Library System is trying to change that. We have been taking down most of the unimportant signage around here. We verbally communicate the rules and any information you need to know. We try to make sure that we make that person to person contact because it is important.

So what does it all mean?

Well, when we do put signs up, they are important. For example, we have an automated sign up for our Internet computers. If a certain computer is not working, it doesn't automatically disappear off of the sign-up listing. Since we can't catch every single person in the library to tell them which computers aren't working, we'll put a sign next to the sign-up computer.

Make sure you read the signs. They give important information and will save you from a lot of hassle.

A thought

I had an entry on a touchy subject up here. It upset a co-worker of mine. For that, I do apologize. Sincerely. My intention was not to upset, but to inform. I still believe everything I wrote on that entry, but I don't wish to cause more contention where I work.

However, if you want to read the article that was deleted, just post a comment here. Rest assured it contains nothing that could be considered slander, simply thoughts on making the workplace a better place for everyone.

Actual Conversation...

Patron: I was wondering if I could do community service here.
Me: I'm sorry but we don't accept community service here. However, if you want, you can...
Patron: Are you sure?
Me: ...yeeesss...
Patron: Cause I have a paper here that says you do.
Me: I'm sure. I've worked here for eight years and we have not accepted community service for a long time.


((my thoughts: Cause, you know, just because I work here doesn't mean I know what's going on here, right? Idiot.))

Just a welcome

I have been working for the library for 8 years. Was it a quiet existence? Not really. Considering the trash can being set on fire and the people who aren't house-trained, being a librarian is pretty amusing and interesting at times. And never quiet.

Well, I may not be the most witty librarian in the world, but I thought it was high time to share some of the adventures I've had. As for example, our nursing home field trip day, in which many elderly came into the library and had issues to complain about. One right after another.

(Not that I have anything against the elderly, mind. But when you owe a fine, you owe a fine. Stop complaining and pay it. Especially if it's only $3.50.)

And of course the children...

We have a family that comes in almost every single day. The son and daughter hit each other, annoy other patrons, and run around, while the mother messes around on the computer. When we ask her to take care of her children, (and mostly the son, since he's the real problem. The daughter is old enough to sit still at her own computer when she's on it) the mother says in a quiet voice, "Son. Come sit down. Son. You shouldn't do that." Like she doesn't even care.

So we've taken to kicking them all off the computers if they don't behave.

Well, yesterday, they returned a hard-cover childrens picture book BENT IN HALF. This was a new book. There was no note saying that it had already been damaged and it was perfectly fine on check out. And yet the mother claimed it was already like that, and then she told someone else the sun did it. No, that's not a typo. She meant the sun in the sky bent a hardcover book in half. Eh?! Yea, that was our reaction.

Then she asked our branch manager how it had gotten like that. As if our manager would know what had happened while the book was in this lady's possession.

Well, I hope to share more interesting stories with you as the days progress. Stick around and have fun.