Ninth Week

During my ninth week at the library, I helped at the circulation desk, found on-shelf holds, trapped holds, helped in the work room, faxed, shelved, read shelves, helped in the computer lab, and helped with reference questions.  I learned how to run the on shelf holds report and how to run the e-holds report.  One of the reference questions that I helped with was that a patron was looking for a picture of a man that was the editor from about 1909-1915 of what is now the Hattiesburg American newspaper.  I looked in the microfilm for the beginning of 1909 to see when he had taken over the paper, but I did not find anything.  I also, looked in July 1914 because we had found that he wrote an editorial piece and checked to see if a picture was released with it.  There was none.  Despite this loss of not finding any picture, we have found out much more about him to help our research along. 

Eighth Week

     For my eighth week at the library, I found a book online for a home bound patron, discarded multiples of books, shelved books, did spine label changes for books to switch them from reference to nonfiction, worked at the circulation desk, and worked in the computer lab.  For the book I found for the home bound patron, the patron wanted a book about tropical plants and had given a description of what the book looked like.  He had said that he had seen in in our collection before, but when we went to look for it, we could not find it.  So I went on Amazon.com.  I searched for books on tropical plants that met the descriptions, bright green with a picture of a statue on it.  After a good while searching through amazon I found a book matching the description and one that we are supposed to have in our catalog, but could not find it.  This is a good experience for me because it lets me fine tune my reference skills. 

Seventh Week

To start my seventh week at the library, I checked books that were ready to be discarded, I made sure that they were marked as discarded in the computer system and were labeled as discarded on the physical book.  I put new magazines into the computer system, I discarded old magazines, I switched out the magazines on display and switched the old displays in the computer system so that they can be checked out, I shelved books, worked the circulation desk, worked in the work room, found on shelf holds, faxed, put holds on books, answered telephones, worked the computer lab, and looked for books that were supposedly discharged.  The new thing for me this week was working in the computer lab.  I was taught how to look up patrons card numbers if they did not have the library card on them, how to sign a patron up for an internet card, how to print off pages for the patrons, and how to reserve rooms.  This was a great experience for me because it gives me another look at the library's many resources. 

Fifth Week and Spring Break

 For my fifth week at the library, I shelved books, read shelves, did spine label changes on books to switch from new to the regular collection location, put new magazines into the system, switched last issue of magazine to old magazine in the computer system, discarded old magazines, worked the circulation desk, and worked in the work room.  Working in the work room was a new experience for me.  I checked books in to the system by scanning using a wand and the apex scanner.  Also, I answered the telephone and helped the callers; either by answering the questions about how late we are opened till to renewing their books that are already checked.  Another thing that I did was trapping the holds.  I trapped them in the system, wrote down whom the item was going to, and placed it on the cart so that the patron can be notified of the hold being fulfilled.  Also, I called some patrons that had books on hold. 

Then the following week was Spring Break.  Because the dorms were closed and I had no place to stay, I was not at the library. 

Fourth Week

For my fourth week at the library, I helped out at the circulation desk, shelved books, DVDs, and magazines, found on-shelf holds, put new magazines into the computer system, discarded old magazines, and read shelves.  This week I helped at the circulation desk more.  I checked out books for patrons, I discharged books, I put books on hold for patrons, I searched for books for them, and I helped them find items.  This was a great experience for me because I have not spent a lot of time at the circulation desk.  It helped me learn how to search creatively, hone in on my customer service skills, and let me get experience at the desk. 

Third Week

This week at Hattiesburg Public Library, I used the microfiche machine, trapped holds, shelved books and magazines, found e-holds, turned on computer lab computers, helped a patron use PowerPoint, discarded paperback books, worked the circulation desk, read shelves, weeded the paperback book collection, discharged books, put the new magazines into the computer system, and discarded old magazines.  During this past week, I got to experience the circulation desk more.  I was taught how to help patrons apply for a library card, how to find out if they are eligible for a card, how to check out books, to see if they fines, to see if they had items on hold, discharged the books the patrons returned, and renewed items that the patrons already had on loan. 

Second Week

This week I learned how to add magazines to the computer system, to change the magazine designation, and how to discard them in the computer system.  Also, for the new magazines that the library received I was taught how to set them up to be put on the shelf.  I had to put stickers on them and stick them in plastic covers.  This is good to learn for my future career in case I need to know how to do things like this in my career.

I read shelves again this week.  I feel that by reading the shelves not only helps with keeping them straight and in order, but it helps me to learn the different sections of the library.  I am in the middle of reading the 900's section (nonfiction).  This section is all about places, wars, travel, countries, etc.  By continuing to read shelves it will help me learn where the different types book are located.  This will help me when a patron asks me where a book is or where a type of book is located so that I can point them in the right direction.