The Nerve Center of the Children's Department

The Children's Desk is where I spend a good amount of my time. I have an office but it is mostly used for storage. My computer is at this desk. I work with Nancy at this desk. This is a busy place. Lots of planning takes place here and lots of doing as well. It is fun to work here.

Below is my computer where I do research, order books, check out books for my programs and for my pleasure reading. I look up titles of books for patrons and reserve books for them. This is where I click to print our reserve list, but the printer is in the Circulation office. I repair a lot of books here and place all book orders here. I have numerous notes hanging from the edge of the counter to remind me of all sorts of important things. The old computer on the right is very important is contains hundred of files of book lists that I print out to give to children or parents or caregivers or students when they need books on a particular theme. These files are labeled FRB or Frequently Requested Books. I am in the process of moving these lists from the old computer to the new and all new lists are typed on the new computer. This is the only printer in the Children's Department and there is no Internet connection on the old computer.
Yes this is a typewriter and there are times when I need to type labels for the spines of books or fill out an important form or type up the cover sheet for a fax (the fax machine is in the circulation office). A few books are waiting on the left side to have new labels typed.
Thank goodness there is an answering feature on this phone because sometimes I can not make it to the phone from the far end of the children's department before it stops ringing.

My Rolodex is full of contact info that I have accumulated over the years. It sure comes in handy when I am planning a Summer Reading program or a HUH program. This phone stays pretty busy during the day.

Nancy and I share the phone and try to guess if an incoming call is for her or for me.

This wonderful Ellison Machine is a creative tool which has made a lovely impact on the Children's Department. Nancy and I keep the Ellison Machine and the paper cutter busy. The Friends of the Library bought this machine and the dies for us and are really good about getting what we need each year before Summer Reading. The complete letter set is great for making words and titles for bulletin boards, posters, signs and flannel board too. I used this machine a lot during Summer Reading and this Fall have used it to cut apples

for my Johnny Appleseed program.

I do an awful lot of work at home as well so my home is the Remote Nerve Center. I work on Flannel board stories, cut out bookmarks, fill out certificates for groups during Summer Reading, fill out order forms for books, read chapter books so that I can tell children what the books are about. All of my blogs are typed from home on my computer.