stress

People deal with the stress from our upheaval in many different ways. I, not being a professional, take my cues from those professionals whom I work with, and they are many. I have experienced some of others' stress firsthand, and have graciously walked away from a conversation when needed. Sometimes this works best. I have counseled with EAP in the past for personal problems and strongly recommend anyone who is having difficulty either at work or at home in dealing with what we're experiencing now to seek out the EAP staff. You'll be glad you did.

Many staff now never experienced the crowded conditions that we worked under at the old building, the Art Museum to most of you. We were cramped, but we were very close. We actually socialized outside of work, had picnics, parties. It was a great time for the library, we all looked forward to our new building, but were content with the conditions we had then until something better came along. When we moved to the "new building" we were separated so much that groups formed, and did not co-exist and share as they once did. These groups still exist today, and the comaraderie was gone. There were many of us who missed this, but it was all part of progress and the new building. New people came, and the past was forgotten.

Now, we're once again in crowded conditions that may take a while to resolve. Let's impress our co-workers like they have impressed the other departments in the city with their professionalism. Some of us need you to set examples for us to follow. Let's show these new people how well we can cope with the changes set before us this time around for a "new building".

Don't let the past be forgotten. Sometimes it's helpful in redirecting the future.

Join us at Becketts

Its time to let our hair down a little and get togther somewhere and celebrate our progresses and celebrate our selves. What better opportunity than Beckett's anniverary celebration which will also benefit the Foundation. We are planning to meet there about 7 on Friday. Lets go and be happy together for a while.

Where to from here?

As you all know, I have maintained from the first that the heart and soul of the library was not lost in the flood. The heart and soul is us, the staff. From the managers to the shelvers, I firmly believe that it will take all of us to put the library back together, bigger and better than ever before. Unfortunately the bulk of that burden has been falling on our management team. I know that they have worked endless hours, had to make spur of the moment decisions and have shed at least as many tears as I have. And I thank them from the bottom of heart for being there to take control and take charge. Unfortunately, the rest of the staff seems to be at the entire opposite end of the scale. Many of us feel like we are in an information void, we have control over nothing, and our ability to contribute is limited. I know that there is no "small" contribution and that everything we've been doing is part of putting it all back together. But we have many skills that could help contribute to the bigger picture. We have detail oriented people that could check schedules before they are posted. While the management team has had their hands full with taking care of the here and now, we have staff members chaffing to start looking a little further out. What about catloging--if we are going to change the cutters, now is the perfect time to talk about that. This is not intended as a criticism of our over-worked, over-extended management team. It is a plea. Please share information, good or bad. Please use us. Please let us be a part of the rebuilding. While our most valuable asset, the staff, was not lost to the flood, I worry that it may be destroyed in the aftermath.

RSVP deadline extended

Hello,

Just a quick message that you can STILL RSVP by Wednesday, July 9, by 5:00 p.m. Hopefully our Master Scheduler will have the next week's schedule out by then so you know if you have that Sunday open or not. Please contact me by email (Kleng96@aol.com) or phone (319)393-2049. Thanks!!

Kristine

High school blog mentions CRPL

The librarian at my high school, Frances Jacobsen Harris, has written about our library on her blog. Check it out:

http://www.uni.uiuc.edu/library/blog/index.html

Fun fact: Harris is the author of "I Found it on the Internet : Coming of Age Online"

Party is Still ON!!

Hi All,

Just duplicating what I sent out in an email not all that long ago, just in case it hit some spam blockers. I am hopeful many of you can come because it will be a chance to hang out and have a happy occasion to celebrate and to take our minds off of our troubles for a short time, which I'm sure many of us could use right now. Again, I do apologize for not getting this out a lot sooner. Too many things going on in the community that proved to be too distracting. The food is being catered by BBQ This, a swell place that serves up some pretty mean BBQ. I highly recommend the place. Anyway, just let me know if you are coming so we have enough grub for y'all!!

What: It’s a Party!!

Why: Someone finally managed to lasso Mike (namely Kristine) and we are celebrating (mourning).

When: July 13, 2008 from 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Where: Prairie Oak Lodge, Squaw Creek Park (on Hwy 100)

BBQ will be served, so just bring yourself.

See you there.

Mr. And Mrs. Olsen

Note: There are 2 lodges in Squaw Creek Park, so follow the signs to the Prairie Oak Lodge

Please RSVP by July 4th by phone (319-393-2049 please leave a message!) or e-mail (Kleng96@aol.com). Thanks.

Help from some Minnesota libraries

I thought I'd mention something nice that happened. A friend's daughter, who is a librarian with a library consortium in Rochestor, Minnesota, collected one to two hundred new adult fiction books from libraries in that area and brought them to her folks' home in Mt. Vernon, where they will remain until we have the time and space to handle them. Gerry