Grafton Public Library: Weekly Report Jan 31-Feb 5

Press release from Grafton Public Library:

2022-02-05

The Library had 543 visitors, issued 12 new library cards, circulated 2,217 items, added 41 new books and other items, sent 486 items in delivery and received 445 items, placed 408 hold requests and fulfilled 248 holds – the most requested item was Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty. We closed due to inclement weather all day Friday and due to icy and hazardous conditions on and around the Library property on Saturday.

We began collecting pajamas for the Boston Bruins Cradles to Crayons Pajama Drive, and launched our #LibraryLove campaign and Blind Date/Mystery Playdate with a Book program.

Beth revised the FY23 budget request of $1,123,725 at the direction of the Town Administrator’s, who requested a Library budget not to exceed more than $100,000 over last year’s request. The revised request of $983,735 eliminates the program budget (we will fund through the UniBank grant and other revenue sources), does not restore last year’s cuts to Dues & Memberships, Conference & Seminars, Mileage, Marketing, or Professional and Technical lines, and cuts requests for additional staff to cover all service desks and paging (shelvers) for youth services. We will draw on State Aid, gift account, grants and trusts to make up the balance. The reduction leaves a service gap of around 100 hours a week, plus 1,800+ hours of leave time for benefit staff, which means managers will be covering service desks and not getting to programs, outreach and off-desk work, or departments will work short or close if we cannot meet the minimum staffing policy. We are now locking the Teen Room door when there is not a staff member to cover that desk.

Beth corresponded with CTA about the staff door, which is heavy to open and does not swing shut; about the HVAC system, which has at least 3 access doors with either panels too small for filters to move through for cleaning and replacement, or access panels too far from the filter to access the filter; and regarding bubbling paint in the Historical Reading Room. She was unable to attend this week’s construction meeting.

Beth scheduled interviews for the reference and teen vacancies, completed and sent the February Newsletter, ordered graphic novels and nonfiction, tested ukulele tuners and ordered replacements, ordered an RCA to HDMI converter for our WiiU after a patron complained it was not compatible with their flatscreen television, met with the Town Accountant to review the Library’s chart of accounts, MPLCP final financial report, State Aid, and grants and trusts. She reviewed the Materials Selection Policy with staff, and took a webinar on Troublemaker Training: Book Ban Edition.
Borrower Services staff managed all the usual circulation functions. Allie made graphics for our displays, and created a social media video for Sandhya’s “Red” Any Good Books Lately? display. Sandhya also created a Black History Month display, revised the system for museum pass renewals and processed ILLs. Jane assembled a batch of books on backyard birding for her monthly display, and also worked on transit lists, and edited the list of romance audio books. Ranjita put together a beautiful Blind Date with a Book display, and worked on NYT Best Seller lists. Susan organized the Home Delivery patron’s material request lists and delivered eight items to four patrons. She prepared the monthly Crescent Manor BookWagon, compiled monthly statistics, and worked on getting support from Bibliotheca for some long-standing issues, and with MarketSpark to fix our fax again. Bibliotheca sent a technician to work on gates and install the barcode scanners for the automated intake – this will show patrons on the display that materials from non-RFID libraries are off their accounts and returned, and save staff from having to check in non-RFID items a second time by hand. Susan also updated the list of holds not able to be filled and oversaw a volunteer’s romance sticker project.

Heidi hosted the “Reads Well with Others” Book Group Monday evening. They discussed The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow. She also answered reference questions, created library cards for people, worked on statistics, and set up the tax forms display, with printed copies of the forms. (We are still waiting on the DOR and IRS to send the pre-printed forms!) As in previous years, we will offer one complimentary copy of tax forms – additional copies and instructions cost $.20 for black & white, $.50 for color.

Kate put together a new display called “Need a Laugh?” It includes a mix of non-fiction, fiction, and biographies, and is located by the historical materials room and Administrative Office on the upper level. She also developed a video tutorial for how to book a meeting room (debuting soon!).

Allison worked with Sarah to brainstorm and plan the summer program, and scheduled the Animal Adventures program for July 2022. This program is supported in part by a grant from the Grafton Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

Allison added some new book displays in the teen room: Blind Date with a Book, books with hearts on the cover, Black History Month, and Black authors. She also received the displays to use for passive reader’s advisory in the manga collection and is working on putting a collection of graphics together so that they can be used and updated regularly.

This press release was produced by Grafton Public Library. The views expressed here are the author’s own.