Ashley – Page 3 – RPL Staff Intranet

Wildfire Smoke – Resources to read and share

A few helpful resources to read and share regarding wildfires, smoke, air quality, and health impacts:

Stay Current:

AirNow.gov – U.S. Air Quality Index (AQI) – Monitor current air quality in your area
- Fire and Smoke Map
Town of Reading Public Health Department
Sign up for Town of Reading Community Alerts (CodeRed App) about emergencies and other important town-wide notices.

Understanding Health Impacts:

How Wildfire Smoke Can Affect Your Body – CDC.gov
Climate Fact Sheet: Wildfire Smoke Events – Mass HHS
Measuring Air Quality Index for Children and Youth and outdoor activities – WA State Dept of Health – (check AirNow.gov first to get the AQI)

Managing and minimizing risk:

Smoke Ready Toolbox – get risk factors, tips on protecting yourself, others, pets indoors. Includes links to several resources and helpful videos – US EPA
Create Cleaner Air at Home to Reduce Wildfire Smoke Indoors – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Understand Wildfire Risk in Your Community and How to Reduce It and Prepare – US Dept of Agriculture and US Forest Service

COMPLIMENT

Patron was very complimentary for our restrooms. She liked all the items pertaining to women, phone number to call and the posting for “don’t flush” sign on paper towel holder. She rated us above a ten – and also said she would expect nothing less from this library!!

MA Libraries on The Chronicle Tuesday 6/18 @ 7:30

Channel 5 reporter Ted Reinstein reached out to Michelle and I for some background information on MA Libraries. The show will air tomorrow! “Public Libraries Today” is on Tuesday evening (6/18). It will air live on WCVB at 7:30 and will also stream live on the WCVB site, and be archived shortly afterward on our YouTube channel, both links here: https://www.wcvb.com/chronicle
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChrhpjHMvCoJQtXPs17BAQA
Enjoy!

Tween Space vs. Teen Room

The Tween Space in the Children’s Room has tween books that are picked by us based on what the Tweens want. It is a very small curated collection that will rotate, and does not contain every tween book we own. Right now it’s adventure, realistic fiction, fantasy, and graphic novels.

The Teen Space is still the same with books for kids in grades 6-12, including all middle school required reading. The Children’s Room has no required reading for any age level.

Rising sixth and seventh graders have the choice to hang out in the Tween Space or in the Teen Room. The Tween Space is for kids who are not yet ready for the Teen Room.

Thank you! – Animal Fest

THANK YOU, fellow colleagues, for all you did to help make our Animal Extravaganza event a success on Saturday, May 11!

From preparing materials to staffing the event, providing promotional prowess, fielding questions, coordinating organizations, managing patron traffic and more, it took a whole crew to pull it off, and I am grateful for your time and talents. Fun photos to come 🙂

Converting Online Cards

In case you didn’t already know, patrons who sign up for ecards through our website are not able to check out physical materials with that card number (which starts with a 5). To check out physical materials, they will need to come in and get a physical card (one that starts with a 2).
If you help a patron with this process, please make sure you change their patron type from Online to Public Patron. Let me know if you have any questions.

Eyeglass Donation Box located in the Health Nook

The Reading Lions Club gratefully accepts used eyeglasses (no eyeglass cases). Donation boxes are located at the Town Hall, Reading Public Library (Health Nook), The Pleasant Street Center, IDeal Eye Care on Main St. and Reading Eye Assoc. on Haven St. Most schools in Reading have a collection box also. Glasses may also be dropped off at 172 Summer Ave, either in the front mail slot or on back porch.

Eclipse Glasses

If any patrons call or come in and ask if we are giving out eclipse glasses, the answer is YES! The eclipse this Saturday is likely to garner less interest than the one in April, so we don’t anticipate a lot of interest just yet.

Introducing the Health Nook

What is the Health Nook?
Drop by and find out what we’ve transformed the turret next to the Research & Reader Services Desk into! This new space is full of health and wellness information including dedicated databases, Healing Kits, Graphic Medicine books, and informational brochures.
Ask Susan for a personal tour.

Admiration

This patron comment came in through the ‘contact us’ email on the website. A great reminder of the sterling reputation RPL has for quality public service:
“Just a note to say how wonderful the staff is at Reading Public Library, especially the public facing positions in Adult Reference, Circulation, Teen Room and Children’s area. Best wishes and gratitude for your excellent work and dedication. ?
Kudos to the fast turnaround whenever I reserve a book or make an ILL request.
Excellent programming, too”.