Monday, February 27, 2017

Library Day in the Life

Recently, I got a text from my daughter at college. "How many books a day do you check out?" Well, on average, about 220. "How many on the first day of school when it's really busy?" Um, 400?

She was having a discussion with a friend about what I do all day. Apparently, college life is dull!

I offered to send her my spiffy infographic, but remembered that years ago there was a Day in the Life blogging movement. I sent her the link... from six years ago. I thought it was time to try another one of those, so I picked a quiet day (I'd had all of the 8th grade language arts classes visit on Thursday instead of one teacher coming Friday), clutched a paper in my hand, and dutifully recorded MOST of what I did on Friday, February 17th.

Here goes:
4:30 a.m.: Test coffee pot for Doughnuts with Dad. (Still dead.)
Put together work for volunteer (Processing donated books.)
Unjam copier, retrieve paper, fill
Move boxes of weeded books to back aisle
Paperwork for lost book deposit
Assemble LCD projector on cart for elementary movie night
Gather books to be repaired and triage pile for volunteer
Clean up Maker Space (drama club was using)
5:30 a.m.: Write recommendation for high school student
Check e mail (announcement about computer use, DC trip details, overdue books, future projects with teachers, ordering class novels, interview with Gordon Korman for SLJ (!!!))
Download audiobooks for students with IEPs, put on their Google drive
Work orders for five Chrome Books
Relocate lost Chrome Book
Make decaf, pour into broken pot, start regular coffee
Drink some tea, get out bowls and trays
6:15: Helping with Doughnuts for Dads
7:45: Relationship advice to 7th grade girls (Be kind but firm that you can only "be friends". No, really, It's a code. Everyone needs to learn it. If he gets annoying, let me know!)
Collect Boxtops for Education
Deliver books from public library to science teacher.
8:00: School starts.
All day: Check books in and out, get study hall students books to read, help students with Black History Month research projects, various other assistance, like high school scheduling advice
In spare moments: weeding while standing (pulled 15 books); PowerPoint for Waiver Day while sitting (got ten slides done).
1,2,6 periods- 6th grade biography research and Noodletools instruction
Every period: Directing student helpers to label books for Kiwanis book bonanza
9:00: Directing volunteer to clean up from Doughnuts with Dad
Substitute has trouble with Chrome cart, go to room to help
A&T students working on writing project, assist with ideas
Overseeing online language arts students (4)
Help students reserve books from public library for various reasons
Helping 7th grader who came in from lunch for LGBTQ book; she really wanted to talk about family problems.
Lunch: Library statistics for week
Phone calls to vendors about late orders
Taking ARC to 8th grader at lunch. He was waiting for it!
Tying tie for 8th grader who had gym and THEN a presentation.
Finding out that snorting Pixie Stix dust lines can cause nasal maggots (Don't ask!)
12:00: Supervising math make up tests
Recollecting Black History Month resources that had been shelved
Trying to get e book from public library on 8th graders phone (took 20 minutes-- no luck)
Helping students get pictures from iPad to Google account
Changing book displays for Monday
Helping students write poems for project
Prepare Library Lesson for next week
Laughing hysterically when 8th grade helper showed me YouTube video of the Argentinean national sport, Pato. (It started as a project for Spanish, but how can you not take a moment to enjoy something like this? Much conversation ensued.)
Art students in library taking pictures "from different angles"
Help student understand "impact" of historical event, help with project (repeat throughout day; five minutes each time)
Check Boxtop Letter for retirement facilities with principal
Instructed student how to Soft Scrub marker off blond wood library tables
Set up LCD in cafeteria for elementary movie night
Help aide for student on autism spectrum turn in bibliography and start trifold presentation
Conferring with study hall aide about students
Check and lock up Chrome Books
Put away books and encyclopedias from 6th grade research
Get circulation desk ready for Monday morning

And no, I'm not making any of this up! But we did only check out 168 books!

Ms. Yingling

5 comments:

  1. You start at 4:30! Wow! I hope you get to walk out at the end of the day. My 'extra' time was always after school. Sounds as if you had some fun with students which is always nice. Take some R & R sometimes, Karen!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I had to repost this so our local TL groups could read it. I laughed and laughed and kind of missed work after reading it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. They made us stop calling it "Donuts with Dads" because of kids whose dads were absent or dead. "Donuts with Dudes" replaced it. I don't know what happened to "Muffins with Moms".

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a full and fabulous day! The snorting pixie dust and relationship advice made me literally laugh out loud.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Loving this day in the life of Ms Yingling - and wow - 430 am - I am still sleeping soundly at that time.

    ReplyDelete