Where I Was: Week of January 25

First off: I have no photos of the Belleville Philomathean Library to show you. I'd intended to take some, especially since they've moved some things around to make better use of their limited space. The impetus behind this switch-it-change-it-rearrange-it was the decision to automate.

So, a word on that.

Only 49 of the 65 libraries in our system are using our automated circulation system as of the moment I am typing this blog post. Two are in the middle of the process, and one (Belleville) has progressed to the point where books are ready to be barcoded and item records added to the aforementioned computer system. At this stage, a member of the NCLS technical services department travels to the library and walks staff and volunteers through the process. Since I have never seen a library go through the automation process (the places I've worked were part of systems that were already 100% automated), I asked to tag along so I could learn something or answer the odd question.

Which I did, on both counts. It was a good visit, and I'm really pleased with the progress being made. And the library looks great! The old workstation was blocking the flow of foot traffic, so it was moved to another part of the room, and the doorway into the back half of the building is now clear. The collection was thoroughly weeded prior to barcoding (because why would you want to spend time processing materials you're not sure you even want to keep?) so everything was relatively shiny. And what's more, the library had displays on winter-themed or snow-related books and had just put up some heart-shaped decorations for Valentine's Day.

Unfortunately, the only photos I have from my visit are the ones I took of the damage done to my car when a very large chunk of ice flew off of another vehicle and hit the front end of mine with some force.* Very grateful it didn't hit the windshield - because I suspect I would no longer have one - but still.

This is why nobody** wants to go anywhere in January.  

*And while the insurance company will want to see them, you probably don't. 

**And by 'nobody' I mean 'me.'  I don't want to go anywhere in January.