This is the building that once contained the minimalist antique store. It looks like that shop (with its two lonely chairs) is finally gone, and the owners are doing some renovations. I'll be interested to see what goes in here.
We have parent conferences over the next two days at work. Well, the teachers do -- I don't have to meet with any parents, being a mere flunky in the library. But I'd like to get a word with the parents of one particular kid, who checked out a book in April and hasn't returned or paid for it. He was the one kid whose account was unresolved at the end of the last school year, and he hasn't been able to use the library at all since we reopened in August. My talks with him and my efforts to reach out to the parents via e-mail have been met with silence. I might try to track them down while they're in the building to see what's up.
Otherwise I think I'm going to be shifting books, which is a nightmare task. Basically, some parts of the library collection grow more quickly than others, and the books occasionally need to be redistributed on the shelves to even them out -- if that makes sense. Our nonfiction shelves are very tightly packed in places so that's going to be my focus. It'll be like going to the gym -- lots of lifting and deep-knee bending!
Yesterday I built our annual Halloween display, so at least we've got that going on:
Be careful tracking down the parents of the bad kid. The father (or mother) may be a martial arts expert and will crash you to the floor in a heartbeat saying, "My kid ain't never gonna bring you yer freakin' library book back you Floridian flunky! And stop sending us those goddam e-mails!"
ReplyDeleteI am not interested in Halloween. It wasn't a " thing" when my kids were small, and barely heard of when I was !! We once had a group of teenagers at the door saying trick or treat, not dressed up at all.......one of them at the back was making sure my husband could see he had a knife! Just before, they had pulled up a shrub in a neighbour's garden, and he followed them up our drive. When they saw him they rushed off. We phoned the police and the next morning one of the lads was brought to our door by his Dad to apologise ! P was taken by surprise and just said perhaps he should choose his friends more carefully!
ReplyDeleteIt must have been fun to pull together the books for that Halloween display.
ReplyDeleteI clicked for the bigger image of the books to see which ones you selected. Salem's Lot is one of the scariest books I have ever read.
ReplyDeleteI admire how persistent you are in getting books back.
ReplyDeleteIf I were a parent in the boy's class, I'd replace the book myself, as I rather doubt it's going to be returned. Silence from his parents after you emailed them is not a promising sign.
ReplyDeleteThat boy's parents are not demonstrating any responsibility which doesn't bode well for the way the kid is being raised. I love your book display. There are some interesting titles there. I'll skip the Stephen King. I used to be able to read his books but, as I age I've lost the desire to be frightened.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the boy's parents just are not showing any responsibility, so they probably don't teach it to their son. As for your book display, I love it! There's a book for everyone. You have a wonderful day, hugs, Edna B.
ReplyDeleteI used to have to shift files in the same way you're shifting books. Fun times! Hopefully you won't get as many paper cuts as I did :)
ReplyDeleteNot getting a response from the parents is in many ways enough information to let you know their interest in resolving this. Nice Halloween display you created there!
ReplyDeleteWork, work, work. Reading this made me feel like a nap is called for.
ReplyDeleteThe kids at your school are very lucky to have such a large selection of books to choose from it must be rewarding when you can instill the joy of reading in a classroom.
ReplyDeleteI've moved files the way you're moving books, and like The Bug said, paper cuts!! Have fun :)
ReplyDeleteWhen I stopped working in a library, after about a year I realized how much exercise I'd been getting (because I notied my arms & shoulders had become weaker...).
ReplyDeleteNow I shift books every day again at the thrift store--grateful for the "free" exercise. :)
I loved Stephen King in high school--
but gave him up when I started to have nightmares!
I think of the English as much more into ghost stories than Americans--do you see that, or is it an illusion?
(They certainly write great ones.)