Roller Derby Experience

Several of us WW staffers attended the Kansas City Roller Warriors Roller Derby last night in North Kansas City. The contest last night had a Halloween theme to it, good versus evil--and to be more precise, a team representing Heaven versus a team from Hell. Many of the lady rollers donned costumes accordingly. The roller derby has a nice family atmosphere to it and, in celebrating Halloween, candy was given out and prizes were given to children with the best Halloween costume. The roller derby itself was played in the same manner as the old roller derbies broadcast on weekend television. This meant jammers trying to score points without having the defenders trying to knock them to the ground or chopping their heads off. In traditional roller derby fashion, a couple of fights broke out in the game but were quickly stopped. The only disappointment was that the crowd was so large that the WW staffers could not really sit together as a group. We were dispersed throughout the roller rink.

Firewood and soccer

It's been a busy Saturday so far...well, at least I've been active. I spent this morning cutting up tree branches in preparing them for transport to my sister's house in Lawrence. There, C&A will use the wood for their outdoor fireplace which they use frequently in the autumn months. When I arrived at their house, the entire family was about to leave for N's soccer game. N has been playing soccer for three years now. Anyway, I decided to join them. It's kind of fun watching six years old trying to get the hang of the sport. After the game, we returned to their house to unload the firewood. Tonight: my first exposure to Lady's Roller Derby.

Roller Derby

I decided to spend my Saturday night by attending a Roller Derby. One of our staffers is a member of a roller derby team in her spare time. As a matter of fact, it appears she takes on the financial and marketing responsibility for the team which includes business cards and selling tickets. A few of the WestWy staffers went to some games last season and had a good time, so I figured I'd give it a try.

Oh that wacky librarian on our staff......

Tonight our library will host trick-or-treaters giving out candy from each department. To get in the spirit, one of our librarians put in contacts into his eyes that look like lizard eyes. Very Spooky (and spontaneous) JS.
Library staff will get to dress up for Halloween on Monday.

Virtual Reference situation

We received word through our virtual reference listserv email that EH, the director of Kansas Virtual Reference, is changing the way our names appear on the VR user's screen. Instead of the librarian's first name, the word "operator" will now appear. I won't go into detail as to why EH is doing this. Instead, I'll make this generalized statement: We have discovered through the lifetime of our VR service that there have been some people who have abused the service including verbal assaults on the operator-on-duty, especially when the user believes the librarian does not provide a satisfactory response to a question. As administrator, EH has the power to block the deemed-VR-abusers from chatting. But is it enough in today's society?

Bold Move, AG

Last week I received word that AG, a friend through MS/PS has accepted a job with Halliburton. AG will train for a couple of weeks in Houston, TX and then go to Iraq to perform his job. The new job pays well and if AG completes his assignment in Iraq, there will be no federal taxes withdrawn from his salary. Still, to go to an area as volatile and dangerous as Iraq is a very, very bold move. Not to mention the emotional toll this decision will take on AG's wife DG who will remain in Kansas.

Perfect timing to watch football

I had to work this weekend. I consider myself lucky that the Chiefs game was bumped up to Friday because of Hurricane Wilma fears. I managed to watch the entire game, go to sleep happy with the result, and work the weekend knowing I didn't have to worry about the Chiefs.

My RSS fervor

During spare time at work, I have been playing around with a couple of new aggregators (readers, if you will). Both of them are web-based (bloglines.com and Google Reader) and are relatively easy to use. I've enjoyed this so much, I am thinking about designing an advance Internet class where I can teach about blogs and RSS.
One note: I am concerned that the powers-that-be from our library system have not embraced these social Internet technologies. Granted, maybe a little community analysis might be in order; but, then again, blogging and RSS would make wonderful Reader's Advisory tools for our patrons.

Ethiopian Cuisine

As I was driving home from work Tuesday night, my cell phone's voicemail notification signal went crazy. At work, my cell phone receives a weak signal. The concrete walls in the library serves as a sufficient barricade to any cell phone signal. But once I'm outside, it's communications as usual.
AN left a couple of messages on voicemail informing me that she was in town with a colleague from her work. They were attending a training seminar teaching how to deal with physically violent clients. When I got home, I phoned her at the hotel and she extended an invitation for dinner at an Ethiopian restaurant near the KU Med-Center. So Wednesday after work, I drove directly to the restaurant where I met AN and B, the colleague from work.
I must say this was the first time I had Ethiopian food but I really enjoyed the experience. The food is served on a singular platter and diners simple use a spongy bread (I don't know exactly what kind of bread it is) to eat the various meats and veggie. Some of it was spicy but, for the most part, it was a delicious meal.
After dinner, we went to a local pub for coffee and tried to lay out plans for the rest of the evening. AN wanted to take B out to a place for Jazz. Since I live in the Northland and since I don't regularly read The Pitch (KC's local social paper), I was unable to recommend a place in the downtown area or the Plaza.
Eventually, we went to Touche in Overland Park. This was the same place that we went to about a year ago. (Surprise Thursday Night Phone Call) We stayed for about two hours dancing and drinking and then made a night of it because of work or training the next morning. I made my home at about 11:45PM and hit the sack at 1AM after surfing the net.

Public Radio Pledge

After many years of being a freeloader, I decided to become a member and supporter of Kansas City's Public Radio station, KCUR. I must admit that Morning Edition has become a major part of my morning routine and I felt kind of guilty listening to Car Talk and Prairie Home Companion for five years and not paying a dime.

Garage Sale--Second Day

I got up early Saturday morning and loaded the two bookshelves that I didn't want into my car. After a stop for coffee and banana nut cake at Starbucks, I proceeded to Lawrence. The garage sale ran from 8AM to Noon and it appeared that it was not going to be busy at all. We cleared ten dollars total after three hours. But just as were getting ready to pack things up and get them ready for C's church rummage sale, two different customers came and bought stuff at discounted prices. I managed to sell my bookcases for a total of $3 combined and C sold both of her twin beds that she had since she was a little girl.
Afterwards, we went out to eat at the 75th Street Brewery where I had a Reuben sandwich plus cole slaw. My total take from the garage sale was $30 but I was happy to get rid of some of my stuff that no longer served a functional purpose in my house.

Thought and Prayers for MS and PS

My thoughts go out to MS/PS. They had to make a critical decision and move DrB into a full care nursing home this past week.

Vandalism in the library-part 2

LL told me that she too had problems with the men's bathroom being vandalized during her Thursday night shift. What are we going to do?---A bathroom key for a library card?

Garage Sale--First Day

I called C on the drive home and she said the turnout for the garage sale Friday morning was okay. I guess the biggest item that sold this morning was one of C's twin beds. C informed me that some of my videos sold and that I made 19 bucks so far. Yipee! I am planning to get up early Saturday morning and travel to Lawrence to help with the sale.

Feel-good librarian blog

I explored one of the blogs from the Library Journal discussion about blogging...and quite honestly I laughed very hard. Check out this link and see if this librarian's sense of humor tickles your funny bone.
http://feelgoodlibrarian.typepad.com/

Libraries and Blogging

The October 1 edition of Library Journal has a round table discussion about libraries and blogging. It's interesting what other librarians have to say about the blogging phenomenon.

Growing computer lab numbers

Our system statistics for the past two months have shown the phenomenal growth that's going on with my branch's computer lab. For the second month in the row, the WW computer lab was tops in patron usage. I would say that this is great news except the higher volume of computer usage is putting a strain on the three part-time lab associates as well as our Adult Service staff member who has helped out whenever the lab gets into a pinch. My colleagues have noticed this strain that has been put on MP and they have agreed with the notion that it may be time to hire on either a fourth part-time associate or another full-time associate who could work part of the time in the lab. Add to the mix that the middle school kids have really cornered the market on being spoiled, misbehaving bastards and the lab has become a stressful place to work.
Perhaps Computer Services can throw us a friggin' bone and get the ball rolling on both wireless Internet as well as the promised VendPrint system, a software program that will keep patrons responsible for their printing.

Garage sale in Lawrence

My sister C is planning a garage sale at her home this coming Friday and Saturday. I have already taken a carload of stuff that I no longer want including a couple of very old dining room chairs and some videos. I am planning to help C with the sale Saturday morning.

Vandalism in the library

I might have mentioned this before in previous entries, but my library is located next to a middle school. As such, a lot of the kids come to the library after school. Wednesdays are a particular problem because the schools in KCK let out at one o'clock so that teachers can participate in training sessions or work on other things. We are having a problem with the teenagers being unruly and trying stunts when our security guard is off duty. Last night, we had two teenage boys trash one of the men's bathrooms and also throw trash around one of our OPAC computers. Security camera shots showed that these boys were in the area of the scenes of the crime. Unfortunately, even though every staff member knows these boys did indeed trash the bathroom and computer areas, our evidence is only cirmcumstantial.
Today at work, I printed off the pictures of the scenes of the crime and submitted them to both the security as well as the library branch manager. My mind is swimming with ideas on how we can deal with these teenagers but unfortunately these ideas would only put a minor dent into the problem.

LC and JS Reader's Advisory project

Yesterday, a few of us library personnel volunteered to participate in LC and JS' Reader's Advisory project. It was a video project with parodies of Joan Crawford, karate movies, The Lord of the Rings, and the musical Hair. I participated in the Hair song and dance number and I also dressed up in our library mascot outfit and delivered some lines like a news anchor.
Last night, we celebrated the completion of the shoot with dinner and drinks down at McCoy's Brewery down at the Westport Bar area. A day well spent.

RSS Testing

I've been experimenting with RSS. This is relatively a new concept for me and I've been seeing what RSS can do for the world of public libraries. My first step was to set up a personal web account at Bloglines.com.

If anyone has any input on what RSS will mean to libraries, please respond.

Reading other blogs

Lately, during the morning at work, I've been browsing through other technology blogs and reading entries about the evolution of libraries and technology. Here's one from the LITA blog:

http://litablog.org/?p=141

Discussing RSS

Here's another LITA blog entry outline the attributes of real simple syndication or RSS, for short:

http://litablog.org/?p=138

Random Thoughts

TF started in the computer lab yesterday. He's a quick learner and I think he will do well. He's working on his college degree at KU. Once he graduates, it'll be interesting how long the library can keep him.

It's nice to know my supervisor supports decisions I make as they apply to library patrons. We had a patron today lose his flash memory stick. He asked me if we would ask each patron if they had a flash stick in their possession we they ask to use a computer. I thought that was a little bit silly not to mention an invasion of patron privacy. I did tell him however that I would post a sign in the lab for ten days that should any patron find said flash stick to report it to the monitor's desk. LL, my supervisor, agreed with this course of action and went one step further: she called the patron to tell him that my actions were correct. Based on his tone of voice and his insinuations, this patron seemed ready to bend or break all the rules to get his precious flash stick back.

DF, our computer tech guy, has been transferred to the Main library for 12 weeks for some apparent training. The library is not the same without him.

Some of us library staffers will be working Saturday to help Lisa with her Reader's Advisory video project. I will participate to a song and dance number with a song whose tune is from the musical "Hair."

I will be working Sunday so that one of my Lab Associates can celebrate his birthday.

Finally, tonight I took advantage of a sale at JCPenny's and the Jones Store to buy more shirts for work.

Accident on Lake George

Lake George is about twenty miles southeast of Brant Lake, my Great Grandpa's place. As I indicated in my vacation posts, I was in the Adirondack area early July. Lake George is not that much different from Lake Brant. I think I can visualize the capsizing of the tour boat. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family members of the victims.

Yet Another Barbecue Restaurant

Due to the death of a her friend's father, PS has been spending the week in Columbia, MO. As such, MS has been pretty much a bachelor for the past week. So last night, MS and I attempted to go to the American Royal and get some barbecue. We arrived too late because all the barbecue tents were shut down and there were no smells of barbecue sauce or meats smoking.
So we drove down to Fairway, KS (near the plaza and the KU Med Center) and ate dinner at Oklahoma Joe's Barbecue. This is a combination restaurant and gas station. MS and I split a slab of ribs and had cole slaw and beans on the side. Throughout the night, MS and I carried on a good conversation about life and the challenges that are presented.