Changes

We have all done it or experienced it. A rule, policy or procedure is created to solve problems at hand and it works great. Over time, the rule becomes ingrained in life and we no longer really think about it any more. It is just part of daily life, part of doing business, part of running the household. Unfortunately, too often the reasons that made the rule a great solution change or disappear over that same passage of time. What's left is a rule we continue to follow and enforce without any basis.

That's why it is vital to review the rules and traditions in our lives and see if they are still a good fit. We are doing just that at the Kelley Library - and we continue to find some that needed to be changed. I've been working the desk a lot recently - and I've had to enforce the rules. Being new, I wanted to know the reasons behind some of them and we all realized that the reasons were no longer valid.

For some years, there have been limits on the number of items that can be checked out - limits on music CDs, VHS, audiobooks of all kinds, DVDs. These limits made a lot of sense when they were created. These collections were small and slowly developing. To make sure there were enough for everyone, it was decided that a patron could only take out 4 of each. Well, these collections have grown, and in some cases, peaked in popularity and are now fading in interest. So, thanks to the service minded Board of Trustees, as of April 1, these limits are being lifted. Come on in and go crazy - we won't say no. And as a little added bonus, we dropped the fines on VHS - no more $1.00 per day. As of April 1, adult VHS will be $.10 per day and children's VHS will have no fines like the rest of the children's collection.

But we are keeping limits on the popular DVD collections - raised to 5 per card - but limits remain. Our new video game collection will also remain limited to 5 per card. Why? Because these collection are still too small to keep up with the demand. We are busy working to enlarge the collections, but for now, the limits - and the $1.00 fines - remain.

For now, but rest assured, we will revisit this rule regularly and when the time is right - changes will happen. In the meantime - we hope you enjoy what changes have been made.

Book: Strategies for successful career change: finding your very best next work life, by Martha E. Mangelsdorf
Music: Dance into the Daylight, by Phil Collins
Music: MTV Unplugged, by Bob Dylan

Survey says . . . part 2

Last month I talked about the Playaway audiobook collection purchased in response to the survey conducted recently about the Children's Room. By the way, the collection is now available - take a moment on you next visit to the Library to take a look. Programming for kids got a big response in the survey with a great deal of interest from kids and parents alike. We have been working on that too and I will keep you posted as we progress.

We have already kicked off programming for tweens and teens with a Teen Advisory Group. Cathy (Children's Department) and Andy (Assistant Director) are working with a group of kids to develop a teen page on the website. The first teen page meeting is scheduled for after school on March 26th and is cleverly called HTeenML. The kids are going to be responsible for the design, content and upkeep of the page. Not only will this offer a creative outlet for the kids and offer some experience in using web design software and languages, the library will benefit from the ideas, inventiveness and imagination of the kids. Talk about win win.

There is no limit to what will develop from the Teen Advisory Group - book discussions (Twilight?), Book Buddies mentoring younger readers, crafts (I would like to see 'trees' growing in the Children's Room - like this only more and bigger), video gaming - playing and creating - where ever their interests lead us. It will be a fascinating journey.

Create your own website, by Scott Mitchell
Creating web pages for dummies, by Bud E. Smith