Training Day, Help4TN

October 16

Amy is planning a staff training day for Monday, October 16. Main and Avoca will be closed to the public so that the staff can all get together for the day.  This should give everyone 8 hours of Continuing Education.

Help4TN Legal Website

This is a very good, 30 minute or so tour of the Help4TN website which deals with legal information for Tennessee.  It has some forms, pamphlets, and sources of help.  It also explains some things that we can say and what we can't or else be guilty of offering legal advice, which we cannot do.
Help4TN

Happy (Belated) Birthday

Don  July 24

Food, GED Classes, Job Club, Legal Webinar

Food on Wednesday!

Clancy is going to bring in pulled pork, Ambrea will supply baked beans, and Brenda G. is making peanut butter fudge! Slaw and croissants will be available. Please feel free to bring whatever food or drink you'd like to share.

GED and ESL Classes

Mt. Rogers is on summer schedule, so classes are not meeting as regularly as they have been.  The full schedule should resume in the fall. If there are questions, patrons should contact Mount Rogers for more information. The main number is 1800-322-7748.

Job Club

The Job Club will be meeting Tuesdays at 2 pm in the Jones Creativity Center. This is hosted by Occupational Enterprises and offers assistance with resumes, job searches, online applications, and more.  It's free of charge.  For more information, call or text Tanya: 276-254-3165.

Legal Webinar

It's never too soon to start working on the 2017/18 Continuing Education Hours! On July 18 at 9:30 CST (10:30 EST) there will be a legal webinar about about the difference between offering advice and offering information.  It's an important distinction  and useful for staff to know.   The webinar will be archived for later viewing if this date and time is not convenient. We are advised that Internet Explorer or Edge works well with the software. Pre-registration is not required. Here is the link:   http://stateoftennessee.adobeconnect.com/rhghb7fxrpiy/

Updated link for the archived webinar:  http://tsla.libguides.com/archweb.  Select the Help4TN Webinar, which can be found on the right below the TSLA Archived Webinars.  You can also Google "Help4TN webinar" and it should lead you to the same website.  If you need any additional help, Ambrea has found the website on her computer and she can send you a link.

Insurance cards, Peanut, New Fiscal Year, Canvas Class

 Insurance Cards

From Trish Henderson:

"Everyone,

Only those employees transitioning from KA250 to KA500 health insurance plans may have received incorrect insurance cards in the mail over the weekend. 

Anthem is currently correcting this problem and those with KA500 should be getting new cards very soon.  Any employee that currently has a doctor appointment or needs to use the health insurance card immediately, may use their e-services with www.anthem.com/tlc to obtain a pdf of their member ID card.  If problems occur please contact HR at (276) 642-2325 for assistance."

Happy New (Fiscal) Year!

July 1 has seen some changes at Bristol Public Library!  For one thing, the Lending and Information Services Department has been split into Circulation and Reference, returning them to their original states.   We will still work closely together.

Almost everyone is seeing a new job description to better suit the job they actually perform.  Evaluations are ongoing. Some staff members have seen a change in job title and duties.

• Brenda G. is now Assistant Director for Technical Services and Statistics
• Rebecca Dunn is now Circulation Supervisor
• Ambrea is now Assistant Director for Programming and Promotions

Congratulations! There will be an adjust period for all concerned but we have a terrific staff, all of whom want to make the library the best it can be.

Staff Canvas Class

 
Due to popular demand, Ambrea is going to have a Staff Canvas class on  Friday, August 11, starting at 5 pm! Take a wild guess as to which painting Jeanne plans to do....

Peanut Report

Peanut is still at the vet's but may get to come home by the weekend.  He lost his left hind leg, but is on the mend.  Thanks to all who have contributed to the Make Peanut Better jar!  We'll leave it in the Staff Lounge for awhile yet.

Eclipse Sunglasses, Continuing Ed, Peanut, Happy Fourth!

Eclipse Glasses

We have been getting questions about sunglasses for the eclipse since a local TV station ran a story telling people they could pick up such glasses at their local libraries.  We have applied to get glasses but at this point we don't know when or if we will receive them.  The sponsoring institution has already given out their original allotment of 2.5 million but are hoping to get more.  In our area, the libraries that received glasses include Sullivan County, Tennessee; Johnson City, Tennessee; Elizabethton, Tennessee; Russell County, Virginia; and Buchanan County, Virginia.  There is a map you can check to see who in the region has them:

http://spacescience.org/software/libraries/map.php

Continuing Education

Don has set up a new site for staff to record Continuing Education hours.  He will put a link on the various desktops so it can be accessed from multiple computers.  You will be able to see your hours as well as everyone else's, so it will be easier to track your progress and perhaps to find out about various interesting online educational opportunities.

Congratulations to all those who achieved their hours for 2016/17!

Peanut Update

Peanut is still at the vet's as he was injured more severely than was first thought.  The good news is that he is on the mend.  He's improving slowly but he IS improving.  We still have the Make Peanut Better jar in the Staff Lounge.  Thanks to all who have donated!

Staff Building Contest, Job Descriptions, Food, Birthdays

Building Contest!

Brenda and Rebecca contemplate some creations.

We have some intrepid souls who have been flexing their creative muscles in honor of this year's Summer Reading Program!  Blocks are in the Staff Lounge as is a sign up sheet for others who want to participate.  Constructions will be on display at the Circulation Desk starting July 5.  Build whatever you want:   a bridge, a robot, a better mousetrap, it's up to you.

Job Descriptions

Amy will be discussing individual job descriptions with staff over the next few days.  This is preparation for evaluations to come.  This will become an annual event.

July 12:  Food!

Clancy will be bringing pulled pork, Ambrea will bring baked beans and peanut butter cookies, and other folks are welcome to bring what they like for a staff lunch.  Many thanks to these wonderful folks!

Happy Birthday!

Rebecca  June 29

Bill (Avoca)  July 6

Contest! Food! Birthdays! More!

 Building Competition for Staff!

To generate more interest for Summer Programs, Michelle has proposed the staff host their very own building competition!  This week, we’ll create our teams and, next week, Michelle will be putting out some building materials (blocks and such) in the staff lounge to kick off our building competition.  Then July 3 through July 14, our staff creations will be displayed at the Circulation Desk for everyone to see!  You can sign up for teams in the staff lounge, so keep an eye out for the sign-up sheets and get ready to help Build a Better World!

Food!

Ambrea will be bringing peanut butter cookies, pulled pork, and baked beans in on Wednesday,  July 12! Brenda G. will be bringing peanut butter fudge, and Jeanne will bring coleslaw made by someone other than herself.  If you'd like to bring something, feel free!

And Speaking of Peanuts...

While Laura K. and daughter Jennifer were in Kingsport, Jennifer's kitty Peanut was hit by a car.  He lost a leg and gained a lot of vet bills.  If you would like to help "Make Peanut Better," we have a little jar in the staff lounge.  Thanks!

In Memory of Doris

 Thanks to a donation from the 1931 Woman's History Club, we were able to buy 34 books in memory and honor of Doris Stickley. We chose books Doris herself would have wanted to read.  The challenge with the display is to keep books out there, as they are checked out a lot-- which is just what Doris would have wanted.

    

Candess  June 17

Rebecca June 29

Summer Events, Lunch, Birthdays, and More!

An Eventful Summer

The Children's Summer Reading program has started registration as has the Tween and Teen.  This year Ambrea is launching an adult program with BPL Bingo and a plethora of presentations.  Some of the latter are suitable to earn Continuing Education hours, if anyone is still short. And yes, staff may participate in BPL Bingo!

Lunch!

Ambrea is bringing crock pot chicken & pasta plus s'mores cookies on Wednesday!  If anyone else wants to contribute a dish or snack, please feel free.

LIS Meeting

We will be having a meeting of the LIS department on Wednesday after the aforementioned lunch.  Ambrea will be doing the schedule as usual.

Kitchen Witch Awards

The KW has been a bit behind lately, but she does want to acknowledge Christy H., Candess, and Ambrea for help in keeping our kitchen clean! A small reward awaits each of you.  See Jeanne, your local Kitchen Witch representative, for your gift.

Happy Birthday

Michelle June 4

Susie  June 7