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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: Nov 03 2011 at 8:40am | IP Logged
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Okay, so reading Mary's devastating news has me thinking that I really need to rediscover my library.
We used to live around the corner from the library. An easy-peasy city walk, and super convenient for my husband to drop by on his way in or out of work to pick up requests or drop of returns. I'd been using library elf with great success to manage.
But, just as we were trying to sell our house, our library changed their software system, presumably to make it better??? But I find it cumbersome and less intuitive to use, and I just didn't have the energy to learn. Then, we moved, and I had a baby, and I have two different library flanking me, but neither is convenient to just stop by. Both are in locations where coming back to my house require some convoluted method of maneuvering through heavy traffic and long lights (turning right to go wait at a long light to make a u-turn, blah blah blah).
And, so, I've been a library drop out.
I need a new system. How do you finagle making library requests, coordinating the pick-ups, etc... I don't think I could go more than once a week, and I'd rather only go every 2-3, but I don't know how to manage that with making requests since you can't know if it will take 2 days or 2 weeks for it to be ready for pick up.
Thoughts?
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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JennGM
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| Posted: Nov 03 2011 at 9:14am | IP Logged
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We schedule a weekly visit. Sometimes it's a run in and out -- drop off and pick up books.
But if you're doing 2-3 weeks, schedule it on your calendar. Make a post-it or draft in your email folder of any book you might want to reserve. I have a habit of any book I see discussed I go straight to my library catalog to see if they have it. You could take it step further...if they have it, write it down.
Then closer to your visit, reserve the books. Our library holds them for 10 days, I think.
We get email reminders for the holds, for books coming due, and I check the accounts to make sure we're under control. We have a big plastic bin with our library books, and I try to keep them around that area. If you're not reading the book, put it back in the bin. Having this one place also is nice for the boys. They rummage through to find new books they haven't seen.
It's not the neatest system at times, because the bin is overflowing, but it works for us.
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to  & ds1  '03 & ds2  '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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Mimip
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Lindsay,
You have stumbled onto my passion.  I LOVE the library and have learned so much in the last few years that has helped us to educated our kids using the library.
1. The first thing you need to do is learn about YOUR particular library procedures. For example, what are the check out policies, how long, ect. We have different check out lengths for different things. Our movies and videos are only 7 days, while our books, cd's and audio books are 28 days.
2. Find out how the request a book procedure works. How long do they hold a book once it is in your library? Is there a library that while not being closer facilitates you getting in and out quicker with just the books you requested? We have a computer system that I could not live without. On one of your planning times or days spend a few hours learning to navigate it WITH A LIBRARIAN!!!!! Go into your library at the information desk they should be able to help you. Explain what you want to do and they just might give you a tutorial!
3. We have a system where you sign in to your account and it tells you what you have out in the order it is due, next due first and so on. I have 3 library cards going at all times. We have a 100 item max on each card but I have heard of some homeschooling families getting extensions. You could always ask????
Organization is KEY!!!
1. We have two shelves in our school room and two library bags. The shelves are labeled LIBRARY RESOURCES!!! and are only for Library books. On one shelf I have the science and history books that I have out and on the other shelf are the Alphabet week and reader books.
2. I check out all science and history books on my card along with any videos because those have a smaller rental time. All readers and alphabet books get sorted into my youngest daughter's card and all the rest go onto my oldest daughter's card. I also reserve using ONLY my card, its just easier to check out that way.
3. All receipts from the library get stapled into a spiral notebook as soon as we come home. This just keeps a running record of what we have out. I rely on the computer for due dates.
4. At this time I also empty the library bags (which have wheels) onto the shelves. The library bags remain empty and when we are done with an item they go directly back into the bag. This took some time to learn but now the kids have learned.
5. We go to the library every Tuesday. Right now we are doing a library tour! We are having so much fun and while learning about the library are also learning about our city. I'll start another thread if anyone is interested  Every Monday I log on to all 3 cards on our computer and renew or print out lists of what is due the following day. Tuesday Morning we read during Morning Basket any books that are really important that need to be returned and then head to the library in the afternoon.
WOW! That was really long but I hoped it helped! Just how we do it down here 
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In Christ,
Mimi
Wife of 16 years to Tom, Mom of DD'00, DD'02, '04(in heaven) DS'05, DS'08 and DS '12
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JennGM
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| Posted: Nov 03 2011 at 9:17am | IP Logged
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Mimip wrote:
| 4. At this time I also empty the library bags (which have wheels) onto the shelves. The library bags remain empty and when we are done with an item they go directly back into the bag. This took some time to learn but now the kids have learned. |
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We try to do this, too.
I need some bags with wheels, I think. Yesterday a local mom had one...and I was lugging one up the hill for nature study.
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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JennGM
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| Posted: Nov 03 2011 at 9:33am | IP Logged
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CrunchyMom wrote:
and I'd rather only go every 2-3, but I don't know how to manage that with making requests since you can't know if it will take 2 days or 2 weeks for it to be ready for pick up.
Thoughts? |
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To touch on that for a bit. I think it takes about 2-5 days for my libraries if it's in the system. I can see where books are located. If they are in the branch I'm picking up, it's a 1-2 day turnaround. Further away, then I'm looking longer.
If everything is checked out, then reserving means I don't know when I'll get it...it's whenever the book is returned. That's my problem right now, as I finally received books that I have been waiting for, but have to read them all at once or get in line again, as other people are waiting.
I usually don't pick such popular books.
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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MaryM
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| Posted: Nov 03 2011 at 10:46am | IP Logged
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I will get back to this with my thoughts.
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Mary M. in Denver
Our Domestic Church
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Erin
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| Posted: Nov 03 2011 at 11:12pm | IP Logged
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Wow Mimi, such enthusiasm  You could make me re-convert. 
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Erin
Faith Filled Days
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MaryM
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| Posted: Nov 04 2011 at 2:49am | IP Logged
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I had hoped to have more time to post our system again, but don't so am posting the link to the thread form last year. Several folks shared their trick and asystems they used.
keeping track of library books
Yes, I think Mimi is the library organization queen!!! 
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Mary M. in Denver
Our Domestic Church
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CrunchyMom
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Thanks, Mary. My big worry was the logistics of making it to the library, but after chatting with dh about it, I think that he can add a library courier stop in with his weekly routine rather painlessly if we use one of the branches that is further from our house but closer to one of his other weekly stops (raw milk pick up or adoration). I'm so glad he came up with that option since I was not thinking out of the box that way and was paralyzed at thinking I'd have to be navigating the weird and stressful traffic patterns of one of the closer branches to make it work.
After skimming that older thread, I think I will see if library elf is compatible with the new system. It seems it was a good fit for us, and incidentally, it was wonderful since we were using two different cards to check out things. You have to pay and annual fee to have more than one card, but it does consolidate multiple cards into one place for reminders, which could be useful for you now
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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MaryM
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| Posted: Nov 04 2011 at 10:30am | IP Logged
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Sorry. Lindasy - that was a 'duh" moment. When I read yesterday, I knew you wer organizing the holds & pickups but all I remembered last night was "organizing" so threw int eh old thread without rereading. . Oh well, it's a good thread to have in any library management topic .
Sooo....
They changed our library cataloging/user software this past spring also. It was a real pain to relearn. It really did just take the practice of actually doing it enough to get comfortable. There are a lot of things I don't like about it compared to the other, but some that are an improvement, so I've just had to learn to live with it.
Jenn's idea of writing down a running list of books you want is good - so you can reserve the closer to the time you would need them and they should be together. Our library has a "list" feature right in the program, so I can make my lists there as I do searches. That way I have them ready when I'm ready but don't' have to search again.
If I were to go to the library once per week (or 10 days) I would be able to have most of my holds be in. Everything that isn't on a long wait list generally gets there within 5 days and they will hold for 7 days, so if I wait it generally will all be there making it convenient for one trip. Have you checked to see if they will give you an extension of the time on the hold self to give you more time. Ours does if you call in and let them know you need more days.
And having a husband courier as you just discussed with your dh is a great idea. A friend of mine does that here. She lives up in the mountains and it's a trek to come in much. But her dh works down here and has a couple different libraries (different system/counties) on the route so does a lot of the drop off and pick up. It works well.
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Mary M. in Denver
Our Domestic Church
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SuzanneG
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Yes, the husband-thing is KEY! After all, I consider it my contribution to keeping all those muscles from atrophy! Since we don't get to take advantage of our property-taxes in the public schools, this is one of the ways he feels like our taxes are being used.....so I capitalize on that and hand him book bags and library cards every time he abandons me for the gym.....
.....ESP when I'm pregnant/sick. When I get pregnant....one of his first responses is..."Oh GREAT, I get to go to the library ALL the time now."
And, Lindsay, you are a mere couple of years away from getting your oldest trained to be able to "run in and pick up a couple holds." I introduced my oldest two to the librarians a couple years ago and explained our "situation"...so when there are books-maxed-out or they are trying to check something out under the wrong name, the librarians help them and realize we're working-the-system and are very helpful. My oldest knows the whole-shebang and can WHIP in and WHIP out with 30 books checked out on 3 different cards with no problem!
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Suzanne in ID
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Mom of 7 (Girls - 14, 12, 11, 9, 7 and Boys - 4, 1)
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MaryM
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SuzanneG wrote:
And, Lindsay, you are a mere couple of years away from getting your oldest trained to be able to "run in and pick up a couple holds." I introduced my oldest two to the librarians a couple years ago and explained our "situation"...so when there are books-maxed-out or they are trying to check something out under the wrong name, the librarians help them and realize we're working-the-system and are very helpful. My oldest knows the whole-shebang and can WHIP in and WHIP out with 30 books checked out on 3 different cards with no problem! |
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You are training them welll!! Can just picture it now - the little mini-Suzanne rushing in, grabbing books off the shelf, checking them out and dashing back....
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Mary M. in Denver
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Erin
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Oh Suzanne, you make me laugh
CrunchyMom wrote:
| My big worry was the logistics of making it to the library, but after chatting with dh about it, I think that he can add a library courier stop in with his weekly routine rather painlessly if we use one of the branches that is further from our house but closer to one of his other weekly stops (raw milk pick up or adoration). I'm so glad he came up with that option since I was not thinking out of the box that way and was paralyzed at thinking I'd have to be navigating the weird and stressful traffic patterns of one of the closer branches to make it work. |
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Lindsay,
So glad you came up with a solution. Isn't it funny how some things paralyze us sometimes. I was sharing yesterday with dh how we need to help a friend who is paralyzed over one item, manlike he really doesn't get that feeling. I get it 
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Erin
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4Real Forums : Planning and Ordering our Days
Topic: Library Management
