8:45a - I arrive at work, start setting up our program room for this morning's storytime.
9:00a - I go upstairs to mail some things. Chat with my staff on the way back.
9:25a - I finish setting up the room (although, as I discovered when doing the program, I forgot several things, so I didn't do a very good job...)
9:40a - Check and answer emails.
10:00a - Time for Mother Goose on the Loose! This is our weekly storytime for the under-2 crowd.
10:45a - MGOL is over, and I go out to the reference desk to help out because it is CRAZY!!!
11:00a - We have Connor the Clown at the library today, plus it's raining, which is why the library is so very busy. I stay out to help on the reference desk and help patrons find nursery rhyme books, materials on teaching babies sign language, and Star Wars books.
11:15a - I sit in briefly on the Connor the Clown program to make sure everything's going okay (it is) and then I'm back in the department to cover staff breaks and find the books on the holds request list.
11:50a - Lunch time!
12:30p - I'm back from lunch and I clean up the program room from the morning's storytime.
12:45p - We have another session of Connor the Clown starting at one (and it's still raining), so the department is still crazy busy! I go around the department to see if anyone needs help.
1:05p - Circulation manager lets me know that some of the paperback books are coming up as not being in the system. My staff and I start scanning all of the paperback readers to pull out the ones that are messed up.
- HOLY CATS IT IS FREAKIN' BUSY! -
I'm still in the department, helping people. We have some rambunctious kids running around and I police them in between signing up kids for the Summer Reading Club.
2:00p - I take a short break back in the office to recover my sanity. Anyone who thinks that libraries are always quiet? I invite you to my department on a rainy day during the time before or after a program. Boy howdy.
2:15p - I go back on the desk to give my staff breaks.
2:45p - Things have calmed down quite a bit, so I head back to the office to work on stuff for tomorrow's Titanic program. I'm compiling trivia questions and making name tags.
3:45p - I chat with two of my staff members about the end-of-summer party that'll be happening at the end of July. They're coming up with plans and wanted my input since I was at the summer kickoff party. We're always taking notes on programs to see what worked and what didn't.
4:15p - Back to work on the Titanic program. I put together a book list of Titanic-related fiction and other adventure books that might appeal to kids who are interested in the Titanic. I find some activity sheets on the web that I make into take-home packets for them.
5:30p - I go out into the department to make copies and end up answering some reference questions. I help kids find mystery books, books on Greek mythology, and books on creating gadgets. I also sign some more kids up for the Summer Reading Club.
5:45p - I staple packets together for tomorrow's program and chat with our computer guy about some changes happening to the website.
6:10p - I finish up the packets and tell T that I'm going home.
6:15p - I get a cart and organize everything for the program on it. I have decorations for the room, activity packets, books for a Titanic book display, and all the materials I need to do the program. I also test out the music I'm going to use to make sure the CD is working properly.
6:35p - I finally head home!
Days in the life of a children's librarian are mighty hectic during the summer!