… a School Librarian.
A fairly quiet day at that, in terms of library use. Tuesday is usually one of the busiest days.
8:25am Arrive.
Pupil Librarians (PL) arrive about 1 minute later.
Switch on desk PC and login. Pupils sort out the other PCs.
Spend 10 minutes shelving books and watering plants. PLs shelve books too.
8:40am Library opens to the rest. 20 pupils using computers, finishing homework or chatting. They go to registration at 8:50.
Finish proof reading a report.
Log an Inter Library Loan request.
8:57am Period 1 starts
Non-fiction shelf tidying… have allocated a lot of time this week to shelf tidying as not done a proper one for some time. Not too many class bookings yet, so can concentrate on checking the shelves and stock and also withdrawing any old tatty or out-dated items. Also highlighting new or ‘interesting’ books by putting them on the display shelves.
Not got to the cars or sport section yet, but beuy, are they messy!
Whilst tidying shelves, thinking about up-dating the notemaking lesson… keep popping back to the desk to make notes.
Pupils drifting in from English class to use computers and a last minute request for 4 computers… which I could accommodate.
Back to shelves.
Back to desk… guillotine slips promoting the library blog and website ready for distribution to folk.
Back to shelves.
Back to desk… issue some books
A couple of S4 on computers, supposed to be revising… will check! Yep… Physics revision for the prelim this afternoon.
9:25am I feel a coffee requirement coming on already!
Auxiliary arrived to help in the library. She is tidying the Reference Section whilst I get on with non-fiction.
Quite a few hardback NF books need re-covered – the plastic sleeves have disintegrated… must be the light from the window. Wrote a note to myself on the ‘to do’ list. Yeah… as if I’ll get to that any time soon!
Still not got my coffee!
Question – “Am I any good at physics?” I am asked… “Um! I did Higher but that was a long time ago. Doubt I will be able to help!” I replied. Yipee… I could help!
9:55am Period 2 starts
S2 English class has arrived for their library period. ‘Herd of Elephants’ comes to mind. They all want the sofa, soft seats and bean bag. The teacher is good at getting them settled though.
Book returns…
I will carry on with the shelves until they need books issued… uh oh! Was that books being dropped? Need to remind them about keeping my nice fiction shelves immaculately tidy! Some giggling! A quick check of the Reading Zone. Teacher has it under control.
Upstairs to shush the S6! Blimey it is hot up there… heating on full blast. Am I ever going to get back to the shelves (or get a coffee)?
Shelves…
Back upstairs to warn S6… last warning! They were then okay.
10:15 S2 returning to class. Grrrrr! 2 books on the floor and muddy footprints! S4 Pupil Librarian studying in here took initiative (I love it when they feel confident to do that) and issued some books whilst I was preoccupied.
10:20 Now the library is quiet I get a coffee and catch up on emails and sln before tackling the cars and farming section.
Replied to an sln (School Librarian’s Network) post. Looked at World Book Day website. Got sidetracked into moderating a blog post and replying to a comment, and speaking to a PL about the sort of things they could contribute to the blog.
10:50 Interval
Cold coffee to finish. Beginner PL came to library although not officially open. He is now putting date labels into new fiction books. (PLs usually come to the library on Monday interval to receive training or do their tasks.)
11:05 Period 3
4th year out on study leave so no English Library periods.
3rd year Soc & Voc class pupils using computers to write work experience letters. They are quite self-sufficient so won’t need much help unless the PCs decide to play up.
Headteacher in for brief chat.
Teacher in to find a quiet space… Got a wee table at a window with plenty of light, suggested she sit there as it is a really nice space and the sun is shining… not that we see much of that in here in the winter.
10:20 Back to the shelf tidying. Gregorian Chant playing gently in the background. Keeps everyone calm, not that there are many in here. A very quiet morning so far.
Arrgh! Car and plane books look like they were trying to race each other off the shelves and, the cat and dog books… well, they definitely look like they had been fighting! The farm livestock had all decided to make a bid for freedom too. Not only that, I had to replace a broken shelf which meant taking all the books off the shelf, then banging and crashing whilst releasing it from its supports. Got another shelf… from the small stack of spares squeezed under the fiction shelves. Put it in place. It was warped! Looked for another – broken… ah! that’s why they are not in use! Found a serviceable one, along with a few maltesers (I hope), an eraser and some litter and dust.
11:55 Still got half the NF shelves to go.
12:00-12:30pm Lunchtime for me and I intend to take it! Will read or browse the internet or prepare the Dungeons & Dragons adventure for after school activities whilst listening to louder energising music (still Gregorian Chant based but electronica fusion dance type).
The library is closed during the time I have my lunch but already by 12:10 the door handle has been rattle 3 times. No wonder it is falling off!
12:30 – 1:10 First lunch
Going to be busy… currently playing Munchkin with the regulars whilst keeping half an eye to the rest of the library (multi-tasking is great). This role-play card game has taken over from Magic the Gathering and Warhammer.
Quietly amassing levels in this current game :-> First to level 10 wins!
As pupils go back to class or to get a bite to eat others will take over their hand. “Kill the monsters, steal the treasure, stab your buddy,” Is the tagline for this deliciously ‘evil’ game where one minute you can be allies with a player and the next minute backstab them to gain levels or treasure. It is a really big hit at the moment, except they are all out to get me! :-<
A member of staff commented on the fabulous atmosphere in here at lunchtime with pupils doing a variety of activities. It is nice to get comments like that as so often, as a school librarian, you feel on your own and are sometimes oblivious to how well things are actually going.
15 or so pupils in rising to nearly 25 by the bell at 12:55. (Max seating is 36 @ tables plus another 15 or thereabouts computers / soft seating)
12:55-1:10 All school on lunch. Busiest time for the library. Loads more have arrived. One learning a song, others on computers, others watching us play Munchkin. About 30 in the library.
12:55 – 1:35pm Second (or Late) lunch
Gone much quieter now. No more than a dozen pupils. All calm and relaxed.
Keep looking at the books I have to cover. Not my favourite job. Might schedule that for tomorrow.
Back to the shelves! Or not! Got sidetracked and talking to a member of staff.
Fixed a chair! Support strap for cushion had come loose.
Thought of an idea… partly as a result of an sln post… will get PLs to do a page for the blog on the popular lunchtime computer games. Discussed this with a PL who thought it was a good idea. Must write it down or I will forget.
1:35pm Period 5
Displaced pupil has arrived to read quietly.
SfL assistant and pupil in quietly working away as LS base in use.
2 Teachers in to use a computer as their classrooms are in use.
Teacher querying after a colleague.
Another idea… member of staff picked up Blog and website business card thingy (she liked it) (Thank you A. on sln who gave me the idea). Going to get similar thing printed off as book marks so that they can be given to P7s when they visit in June and to be generally available.
Expecting an S1 class for their library period.
Shelf tidy; 1 pupil in for a book; Shelves; Issue a book; Shelves
1:45 Wow… class came in really quietly. A bit chatty now… will go and settle them.
O-Oh! Fiction shelves not so tidy now – think that might have happened at lunchtime.
Return a book; Shelves; 15 minutes without interruption but got sidetracked getting hungry at the cookery books and looking at the illustration books.
Inquiry – Diary of Anne Frank: Bother! It is missing. Will note to order new copy.
2:05 S1 class brilliant. Still reading very quietly. Others in working quietly. A little light chatter / whispering. Gentle calming background music obviously works.
It’s brilliant!
Back to shelves…
Restlessness settling in… nearly end of period. Back at desk to issue books. Got a cheery “Bye Miss,” as they class left the library. Got 2 more cheery “byes”. Makes me smile and feel proud of that rather excellent small class.
Back to the music books. Ummmmm! Don’t like them. Most are thin and don’t like standing up on the shelves despite extra rests or file boxes!
2:25pm Period 6
No other classes scheduled in today but could always get a last minute rush
Sigh! S5 Block, supervised study class in Upper library. Noisy to start but supervising member of staff will get them settled soon enough.
Some on computers… need to remind them to sign the log book, oh, and keep quiet! Quick chat to supervising teacher upstairs, then back to shelves for half hour.
2:55 Already! Where has the time gone?
Music done, sport shelves and the rest can wait till another day.
Set up for after school activities.
Pupil asked for a hanky. A common request.
Issued a fiction book… to a senior pupil. Now that is a rarity in the run up to the prelims.
3:15 The bell goes.
End of the school day, but I have after school activities. 10 pupils in the library until 4:30pm. 2 go on the computers and the rest play Dungeons & Dragons game that I am DMing (Dungeon Mastering). Never ceases to amaze me the amount of energy these guys have at the end of the school day. DnD is great for team working, communication skills, leadership, socialising skills, patience and basic maths.
Tired and drained after a very lively session. Home time at 4:30pm.
