Summer Reading Program

Well the summer reading program has been over for a couple of weeks. I think it was largely a success, although there are definitely some things that need to be improved upon. Firstly, I can't honestly decide if time or number of books is a better way to gauge reading, but I do know that it doesn't make sense to use them both. When I was a kid, we just did the number of books that we read, and the Hurst Public Library still does it that way.

Also we need a better strategy to get people to return their sheets. Only 30 to 40% of the children returned to get their prizes. Either the prizes weren't attractive enough, they didn't know about them, or there were just too many books to read. Carrollton has a system where the children decide their own goals and then got circus tickets out of it. I need to drum up support for the library from local businesses for next year. The only problem is that there are really not that many businesses in Haslet proper. The Jim's pizza might be able to help, but can you imagine what the feed store would donate for a prize? (They actually had a snow cone stand out this year, and I attached coupons to the certificates of completion).

...of six months on the job

In January I scored to professional positions, both on a part-time basis. One is for the City of Carrollton. I am a temp for when other librarians are out. I worked quite a bit in March, but only nabbed two Sundays in May. There are three other temp librarians, all with more experience. We temp on a "first answered-first get" system, and the others must have their email on 24 hours a day.

My other position is for the City of Haslet. I am the "head librarian", although in reality, I am the only one who has a paid position. My director is actually a school librarian that volunteers her time for $1 a year. Since the library is so new, and the town so small, I have been able to, basically, create the position from the ground up.