Category: Uncategorized

When talking with patrons about books, I try my best to keep the conversation to book characteristics (this book is engaging and fast paced) rather than whether or not I liked it. This post from Book Riot covers most of the “best practice guidelines for bookish interactions” that I follow here in the library:

Why Library Staff Don’t (or Shouldn’t) Comment on Your Library Checkouts

I don’t necessarily agree with everything, word for word, but I think that it’s an interesting piece, and worth a read!

A recent study has ranked eight small cities in Massachusetts among the best in the United States. (Including Reading, MA)

https://whdh.com/news/8-small-cities-in-mass-named-among-best-in-us/

Assuming that one of the major factors is the quality of the public library in each of these communities (OF COURSE!).

Environmental Justice and sustainability will only be achieved through collaboration and cooperation. On our own, the RPL can only do so much. We need to work with and learn from other libraries, municipal organizations, vendors, and individuals to make a collective and meaningful impact in the fight against climate change. NOBLE has established a Sustainability Committee to help direct and focus ideas and actions for the consortium.

This committee has scheduled a (virtual) NOBLE-wide sustainability discussion next week on Tuesday, October 19th at 10 a.m. This event will NOT be recorded, so we encourage as many interested library staff members as possible to log in and attend!

https://tools.noblenet.org/meetings/meeting.php?meeting=282

Take a look at what our Justice League Learning Community group is doing. We, Andrea H., Lauren G., Lisa R. and myself are creating an outdoor learning space on the west side of the building with the intention of beautify the grounds, teaching about wild pollinators and native plants and having a positive impact on the environment. Indeed, right now it’s just dry dirt, but we are enriching the soil by growing a winter cover crop of field peas, oilseed radishes, and oats.

Thank you to Ally for this terrific post on gender pronouns. She has packed a lot of information, context, and perspective into this piece and I encourage you all to take some time to read through and watch this post. I’ve included the first paragraph below speaks to why this is important and how we can make RPL a space for belonging, rather than a place to just fit in.

Gender Pronouns: Why They Matter

We at the Reading Public Library embrace diversity, foster an environment of inclusion, and hope to create a space where patrons feel celebrated and represented. It matters to us that we recognize one’s right to self-identify, and a small part of that is contributing to the understanding and learning of why pronouns matter.

Sandy K. called and left a very nice voicemail about how fabulous RPL staff is! “Fabulous” was used more than once. She appreciates how accommodating, helpful, and phenomenal you all are. She wanted to thank the RPL staff both now and during COVID for continuously demonstrating hard work and grace.

Just wanted to share this sweet moment. An elderly patron came walking in slowly with a cane. He went and got his holds, and came to me to check them out. There were three books: popular Irish songs, Irish folk songs and Irish pub songs. He said his wife has Alzheimer’s and she likes it when he sings to her, and, he admitted, he can’t always remember the words to her favorite songs. Just lovely — true devotion.

Are you ready for some shout-outs? If you’d like to submit a shout-out, fill out the form on the Forms page. We are running low on our shout outs and I know that you’ve seen your co-workers be amazing. Don’t be shy! Shout it out!

To the Summer Reading Team for going above and beyond and exemplary customer service: Shout-out to all staff involved with planning summer reading programs, developing web content, and thinking of such creative ideas to host this summer’s Tails & Tales Summer Reading Program. A special tail wave to Michelle for creating the SRP webpage on RPL’s website! Lots of time spent crafting a fun, inventive summer-long event! From anonymous.

Thank you to Eileen for solving a problem and being a break-in bag guinea pig and playing with locks! You’re one smart cookie! Thank you from Renee.

Thank you to Andrea Fiorillo for going above and beyond and keeping it positive. Andrea manages to wrangle the gridlocked, tetris-like R&R schedule, no matter how fast the changes and surprises keep coming! Thank you from Melissa.

Thank you to Cate, Olivia, Lisa, Ashley, Megan & Ally for going above and beyond, Exemplary customer service, Keeping it positive and coming up with a new idea. Shout all to the planners of the FairyTale Quest!! The decorations, graphics, and activities are epic!! These families had a fantastic time and for making Fairy Tale Castle Quest the social event of the season for the under 10 set. From anonymous and Andrea F. Whoohoo!!

Are you ready for some shout-outs? If you’d like to submit a shout-out, fill out the form on the Forms page.

Shout out to KathGS for keeping it positive and being the for being the Dr. Who wrangler. Thank you from anonymous.

Shout out to Desiree for creating a clever postcard campaign that will entice the public back to the library. Thank you from Michelle.

Shout out to Suzy for going above and beyond by showing exemplary customer service. A patron was here to pick up an audiobook on hold for him but the hold was still in transit. Suzy found an available copy in Wakefield and called to see if he could go over there to get it. They weren’t doing browsing at the time but they agreed to prep it for curbside. Our patron was very appreciative! Thank you from Lauren.

Shout out to Susan B. for going above and beyond and providing exemplary customer service. She spent a lot of time helping a patron who needed a LOT of computer help and was very chatty and personal. Susan was extremely helpful as always and the patron was very grateful. Thank you from Lauren.

Shout out to Neftali for helping a co-worker. Neftali did an incredible job weeding through storage required summer reading books! He was so kind to take on the extra project in addition to his other work. Thank you from Renee.

Shout out to Cate for exemplary customer service, Keeping it positive. Cate is a warm and welcoming presence for all the kiddos coming back into the building. Plus she stays calm and positive with just about anything we throw at her. I never feel like I’m bothering her when I have a question, and she’s always ready to help problem solve and brainstorm. Thanks Cate!! From Ashley.

The Communications Team put together a Google sheet of observances (ie: Women’s History Month, National Family Literacy Day) that we will use for creating social media posts, book displays, book lists, and more over the course of the year. The sheet is linked to here on the Intranet under Staff Tools: Calendars OR the Forms page.

All staff are encouraged to contribute if you’d like! You can add observances to the Google sheet, and also add your initials if you’d like to help out with a display, book list, etc. If you make any changes to the sheet or have any questions, please reach out to either Michelle or Desiree.