Ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes in the Children’s Room? Supervisor Melinda is here to share all the details of her day!
8am: I arrive at work and, together with my fellow Children’s Librarian Hillary Dillon, get right to work on our morning routine. There’s a lot to be done each morning before we open our doors to the public. We pull the daily “pick list” (a list of all of the items our patrons have put on hold since yesterday), check in items that were returned in the bookdrop, get the computers up and running, refill book displays, and just generally tidy up the Children’s Department.
9am: We’re open! I read and respond to emails. Then while Hillary takes care of the first patrons of the day, I head to the upstairs meeting room to get ready for storytime. I get my music cued up, set out comfy cushions, and make sure the crowd-pleaser – my bubble machine – is in working order. One time it stopped working on me mid-session and the toddlers basically rioted.
10am: Time for storytime. I’ve got a big group with a lot of energy today, so it’s a fun one. After we’re done, I clean up and head downstairs to help with the post-storytime rush of checkouts and questions.
11am: Back to emails. I send out reminders for some upcoming programs and coordinate an outreach visit.
12am: I head to lunch, which – as usual – consists of way more errand-running than it does eating.
1pm: I’ve got one of my favorite programs coming up tomorrow: kids’ book club! I spend some time going over my plans for tomorrow’s meeting, pulling materials together, and preparing a game we’re going to play.
2pm: I attend a meeting of staff and Board members who are helping to choose furniture for our new library building. It’s a little overwhelming, as there is so much to consider, but I’m grateful for the opportunity to have a voice in the process.
3pm: My two teenagers just finished school, so I head out on my afternoon break to drive across town and give them a ride home. I complain about the haul, but the truth is that I always have fun checking in with my favorite people in the middle of the day.
3:20pm: I put in some work on a shared Children’s Department project: inventory. It’s a detail-oriented and sometimes tedious task, but it’s an important part of ensuring our collection is maintained.
4pm: I finish my day with book ordering. I read reviews, go through patron requests, and choose a bunch of new picture books and chapter books I think our families with love.
5pm: I greet my evening shelvers and head for home.