Week 10

This past week was really great, it was my last week at the library. It was sad, because I have become friends with all the ladies there, they are great people. On Monday, I worked at the front desk and shelving the DVD's. On Tuesday, I worked at the front desk again, but I helped shelve a few books on that day as well. On Wednesday, my last day, the girls gave me a sweet card and a little stuffed lamb! It was so sweet! That was a busy day, we were swamped from the morning until the afternoon. I helped people with computer problems, I helped someone type up a resume, and someone else type up a flyer for their new business. I also helped someone else set up a new facebook page. It makes me feel good to help people. I will really miss my new friends at the library. (This picture was taken from the Marion County Public Libraries' facebook page.)

This week was so much fun! I had a blast! On Monday we were really busy. I had to work at the front desk, so the most that I got done was shelving a few movies. On Tuesday, I shelved some books with another girl that works at the library. I also got to help with the childrens' story time. It was so fun, the little kids are always so excited to be there. For the story time, the childrens' librarian read them stories with a green theme, for example, there were two stories about frogs. After the story time, the kids have a craft time. For the crafts (they got to do two!) they made a little shamrock headband and they got to plant a flower in a cup. They were so cute in their little headbands! (I think that I would like to be a children's librarian or a school librarian.) On Wednesday, it was St. Patrick's Day so the girls and I put on green wigs and one put on a green hat and we wore those all day! It was so funny. Most of the people just laughed when they saw us. I worked at the front desk that day because they needed me there, but I shelved some more books and movies as well. It was a fun week, I can't wait to see what happens next week! (This picture was taken from the South Mississippi Regional Library facebook page.)

This week, I worked at the front desk for a while. I also shelved some books, quite a few books actually. I also helped the childrens' librarian get things together for story time on Tuesday. That was what I did on Monday. On Tuesday, I helped with story time. I thought I was going to have to do it by myself. The childrens' librarian had to work at one of the other libraries' that day so I was going to help. Well one of the other librarians had a doctors appointment that morning and that's why I thought I might have to do it alone, but she got back just in time to read to the children. I did help though and the children had a great time listening and doing a craft after the stories were read. Tuesday was a fun day. On Wednesday, I worked at the front desk and I shelved movies for the first part of the day. That afternoon, one of the other librarians and I went to read to the elderly people at the nursing home in Columbia. It was fun, those ladies and gentlemen are so nice and they have fun listening to us read to them. I hope it brightens their day, it does mine. Well, that's what I did this week, I can't wait to see what happens this next week! (This picture was acquired from the librarys facebook page.)

This week was a fun week. On Monday, I shelved books, quite a few books if I do say so myself. I shelved a bunch of fiction books and some non-fiction books. I liked that, it was at my own pace and I didn't have to interupt my shelving flow. It was pretty nice and quiet that day as well. On Tuesday, I worked at the front dest for a short while but at about two until six I helped the children's librarian for the Read Across America for Dr. Seuss' birthday. It was really fun. The kids read any book of their choosing for ten minutes. After they were done with their ten minutes worth of reading, they could get a red ribbon that said #1 Reader, a bookmark, a free book, make their own wacky hat and refreshments were offered for the children as well. It was a really good day. The little kids did an awesome job of reading for the ten minutes. Their hats were also very cute. I enjoy interacting with the kids, they get very involved in those books. On Wednesday, two of the librarians had to run errands and be at the Prentiss and Bassfield libraries so they were gone for the morning and most of the afternoon so I had to fill in at the desk. It's not bad working at the front desk, but I do enjoy working in other parts of the library. All in all this was a fun week! I can't wait until next week! (This picture was obtained from the South Mississippi Regional Library's facebook page.)

Week 6

This week at the library, I worked at the front desk. I definitely have it down pat now. It's so much easier and I am getting pretty smart :). It was a busy week this past week. The library ladies and I were running around like chickens with our heads cut off, ha ha. The library allows local school kids to come and receive tutoring after school. There are always people needing to use our computers. We also do a lot of business in copying and faxing. We do have an ongoing book sale to raise money for the library. It does really well, we have people that come in and browse through and at least two (it's normally way more) buy hardbacks and paperback books. I really like being in the library it's peaceful and I get to help nice people. It's a little hectic at times, but I do like it. I helped some people with minor computer problems. Christi and I familiarized ourselves with the reference section this week so that we would know what we had in that section. We had a pretty good bit of stuff that would have come in handy for the students who were doing reports. We also found some pamphlets and papers that would also be useful for students' needing to do research. Next week I think I will be doing something besides the front desk, because I need to get a feel for the rest of the library. I can't wait until next week! (This photo is from www.facebook.com/smrl.)

Week 5

This week was a good week. The library was closed on Monday, so Tuesday was a very busy day. The library was packed on Tuesday, everybody came in to check out books and get on the computers. One of the classes of the local high schools is requiring their students to do a book report on someone famous, so the students have to have three books about that person. So we were very busy helping students and their parents find books. It was pretty quiet on Wednesday compared to the craziness of the day before. On Thursday, I worked at the front desk for a little while and then the director asked me to help out by covering books in the workroom. It is a very time consuming task, not hard, but you have to have things just so for the book to look right when you are done. I had to use three different kinds of tape! That was pretty funny to me, I thought all tape was created equal, but no, there are three different kinds to be used on the books when they are being covered. All in all, it was a very good week. The book I have pictured is one of the new books that was donated to the library. (It is a very good book if I do say so myself!) I can't wait to see what happens this upcoming week! (The picture was acquired from www.bookdaily.com.)

Week 4

Week four was a good week. I worked at the front desk some more. It is getting much easier since I am getting the hang of it. This week I also got to help with the book signing that was held at the library. It turned out nicely even though there was a somewhat smaller crowd than I expected. It was very interesting. (This is just one of the pictures that I took of the posters that were arranged around the library.) I didn't get a chance to buy the books from the authors but I will have to order some from them later. They each made a speech and then there were refreshments that were provided by the library staff. That was a good day. The next day was supposed to be my short day, but I decided that I would go read at one of the local nursing homes in Marion County. I went with one of the library workers and it turned out well. It was a small crowd but they were very friendly and they seemed to enjoy our taking time out of the day to come and visit with them. The people were so friendly and they enjoyed the books we brought to read to them. This week was a blast, I can't wait to see what happens next week! (This photo was taken by me.)

Week 3

This week, I helped at the front desk. It's never a dull moment up there! It is usually pretty busy with patrons needing help, making faxes and copies, answering phone calls and checking books and movies in and out. I really enjoy it though. It's a very nice atmosphere. On Tuesday, the children's librarian was feeling better so I helped her with story time. That was so much fun! I enjoyed watching the little kids jump around and get excited about the books. The children's librarian likes to incorporate an educational theme into the story time if she can. The theme for Tuesday was circles. Every book had a circle in it. (One of the books she read was If You Give A Mouse A Cookie.) She likes to read about five books and let the children put felt cut-outs that match the story onto a felt sheet on the wall. She also likes to let them do a craft that they take home and then they get to dance around to a goodbye song before they leave. It was so much fun! The kids are so cute! That was what I did this week, I can't wait until next week! (This picture was obtained from www.weread.com.)

2nd Week

This week I worked at the front desk. I was supposed to work with the children's librarian, but she was sick and had to stay at home, so this is why I worked at the front desk. I learned how to check in and check out books and movies. I learned how to make library cards for people. I helped people with computer problems and small research requests. I cleaned D.V.D.'s and shelved them. I answered the phones and placed calls to patrons to let them know that a book was on hold for them to come and pick up at their convenience. I worked on posters to make patrons aware about our upcoming book signings. I took book donations from patrons. It was a very interesting week, and I can't wait until next time! This picture was acquired from www.smrl.lib.ms.us.

Marion County Library

My name is Kendra Smith. I am a Library and Information Science student at the University of Southern Mississippi. I have started my practicum this semester at the Marion County Library. Tuesday was my first day of working at the library. I started with cataloging on the first day. It was strange at first but I got the hang of it pretty quickly. On Wednesday, I covered books and put the labels on the spines and on the insides of the books. That was fairly easyto put the labels and stamps in the right places. On Thursday, I got the chance to work at the front desk. Now, that was hectic. I had to check in and check out materials. I had to help patrons with computer questions and other types of questions. I had to put movies in their respective places. I answered the phones and sent faxes for people. I also made black and white and color copies for patrons. All in all, my first week was very interesting and helpful. I can't wait until Monday to see what I will do next! I obtained this picture from www.smrl.lib.ms.us/.