These days it takes more than putting your hair up in a bun and waving your shushing finger at anyone who dares squeak their shoes in your proximity to work in a library. The old stereotype is as good as dead. Our library has
more than a handful of male employees, we've hosted
rock bands in our lobby, we show popular, new
movies on our big screen (and along the same lines, we let
teens play video games on said big screen), and on and on.
It takes lots and lots of different people to keep this library functioning.
The Board - These are our real bosses. They meet monthly and look at statistics, approve the budget, and generally shape the policy of what happens at the library. We're lucky to have a fantastic board!
The Friends - The friends are everyday people who support the library and make it possible to provide many of the events we put on here at the library. They sponser Senior Outreach, our copy machines, traveling exhibits and even buy the staff food on occasion. We couldn't do it without our friends!
The Foundation - The Foundation is like the Friends on steroids. They deal with the big money contributions and use that to help us fund events, upgrades and other things we need.
Administration - These are the day-to-day head honchos. They submit a budget to the board (lots and lots of work), and work with the board of trustees to shape policy and look at the direction of the library. They deal with scheduling, staffing and making sure the policy is carried out here at the library.
Reference - This is the go-to source for information. Want to look at newspaper archives from the 60's? Want to find information on Celtic designs? Need to know the difference between a gerbil and a hamster? Already read everything Stephen King has written, and want to find something similar? These are the people to ask.
Young Adult Librarians - If you're a teen, you already know this group. They organize teen events, pick out the best teen books, help you out on the computer in the YA room, and let you play Rock Band on the big screen. They are the cool, hip librarians who keep the staff feeling young.
Children's Librarians - This bunch is busy. They organize storytime for the youngsters, give tours to the 5th graders (EVERY 5th grader in Missoula comes through the library at least once, that's a lot of 5th graders!), give parents suggestions on books for their kids, help the kids play games on the kids computers, and organize the insanely poplular Summer reading program every year. They give the best first impression to the library we could hope for!
Circulation - These are the people who check your books in and out. They are the soldiers on the front line. They are constantly busy and always hard at work. This is the real lifeblood of the library. When you can't find a hold, they track it down. They register all of our new patrons. Their day is stressful and hectic, but they still do it with a smile.
Tech Services - This is where the books come from. And not just books, CDs, DVDs, Books on CD, everything. They order the books, process them, catalog them, and get them ready for you to check them out. Without them, we couldn't have a computerized catalog, or get the newest movies on the day they come out. They're down in the basement tirelessly working away to keep up with the demands of the public.
Interlibrary Loan - Interlibrary Loan gets you books from far, far away. If it isn't in our partnership, Mary and her team track it down and get it to you. Reference helps place the request, but all the dirty work is done in the ILL office. They also are the go-to crew for mailing and troubleshooting our mailing machine. If your friends in Boston need a book that only we have, they're the ones putting it in transit and making it available.
Pages - The pages get the books from the circulation department to the shelves. They're a quiet bunch, until you get them behind closed doors. Because they are knee deep in books all day long they are some of the most knowledgeable members of the staff. They keep the shelves in line, and keep the turnaround quick so the books that come in on Monday are out by Tuesday at the latest.
Volunteers - We have the best volunteers around. They mend our books, help the pages with shelving, and do anything else we ask them to do. Our volunteers repair broken spines, fix ripped pages, re-sleeve our DVDs, and do countless other tasks that we just don't have time for. Thank you all so much!
Our staff is just the best. If you stop in today, be sure to tell them thanks for the work they do all year long!
These days it takes more than putting your hair up in a bun and waving your shushing finger at anyone who dares squeak their shoes in your proximity to work in a library. The old stereotype is as good as dead. Our library has more than a handful of male employees, we've hosted rock bands in our lobby, we show popular, new movies on our big screen (and along the same lines, we let teens play video games on said big screen), and on and on.
After
So come to the library to celebrate National Library Week and get some free stuff.
Welcome to National Library week! It officially started yesterday, but since we were closed we're starting it today!
Yes, I know that National Library Week (NLW) is long over, but I have not yet shared the pictures of this fun event with you.
Mayor Engen stopped by the Missoula Public Library Tuesday night in honor of National Library Week. We're always glad to have local notables stop by, and we were lucky enough to get the mayor. He read a proclamation and then it was off to tour the library.
20 or so members of the public got a chance to poke around the library. Our own library assistant Laura Cote guided the tour and was assisted by Karen and Kathy in the Kid's Department and Tech Services respectively. Tech Services was a new experience for most, someone even asked Kathy, "You really have a full time job down here? I didn't even know this part of the library existed." It does, and we have 6 full time employees there and 2 part time. It takes a lot of people to order, process, catalog, and get your materials upstairs. Plus they all take turns covering shifts at the check-out desk.
On Saturday (April 14), Diann from the 
We began National Library Week with a performance by Peggy and Rollie Meinholtz. They sang and danced and played music as well as reciting poetry by Vachel Lindsay and Peggy’s original poetry. Very entertaining! It’s also national Poetry Month. We heard several poems including her cowboy poem Coyote’s Tail Peggy also premiered her newest poem, Pate Foie gras. (French for minced fat liver)
