Staff News, Universal Class

Condolences

As some of you may know, Selena's mother passed away this week.  Please keep Selena and her family in your thoughts and prayers this week. 

Here is a link to the obituary: Mary Alice Honaker Artrip

Universal Class

If you have checked out the library's homepage in the past couple of weeks, you may have come across an exciting new offering: Universal Class, which offers over 500 different courses, all for free.  Some of the courses will qualify for Continuing Education, providing that the course pertains to your job here. 

And if you haven't checked out FindItVirginia for awhile, you will be surprised at all the new items they have to offer!

Belated Happy Birthday!

Garry (JCC)      October 2

                    

Staff Training Day, Canvas Class, Happy Birthday!

Staff Training Day

The library will close on Friday, November 2, for a Staff Training Day.  This will count toward your Continuing Education hours, so it's a good way to get a number of them in! If you are not scheduled to work that day, you will be given comp time for attending. 

Canvas Class

Ambrea says that the October 17 Canvas Class is already full.  Please take the name and number of anyone interested and Ambrea can contact them in the event of a cancellation.

Happy Birthday

Lisa  October 6

Flu Shot, R&R, Happy Anniversary!

Last Call For R&R!

Remember, if you are going to work Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, you  should  sign the sheet by the time clock.  We will try to reserve spaces for those coming in to work, so we need a count.

Flu Shots

Yes, it's that time again! If you wish to take advantage, make arrangements with your supervisor as to what time and day. 

Details, per City Hall:

As part of the City’s wellness awareness, the seasonal flu clinic for employees again this year will be administered by Mount Rogers Health District.  As always, receiving a flu shot is voluntary.  Only active employees and their spouses are being offered a vaccination.  At-Work employees are ineligible. 

All participants must have a copy of their current insurance card (front and back) attached to the completed flu encounter form before they get the vaccine.  If you are unable to meet the schedule requirements as set forth below, then you may present your insurance card and get a vaccination from any participating pharmacy with The Local Choice/Anthem BC/BS or your physician at no cost.   See attached list of pharmacies or visit www.anthem.com/tlc.

The vaccines will be administered in City Hall near the Council Chambers and the schedule is as follows:

            Thursday, October 4, 2018                          1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

            Monday, October 22, 2018                           9:30 am – 11:30 am

All participants will be required to sign a consent form at time of vaccination releasing the City of Bristol Virginia and Mount Rogers Health District staff from any liability which may arise as a result of taking the vaccine.    

No appointment necessary.  Please contact HR with any questions

Brenda G. & Gary:  Fifty years together! Congratulations!

Welcome, Jaden! R&R, birthdays, & good wishes

Welcome, Jaden!

We are so pleased to have Jaden join the BPL staff as the new Teen Librarian!  Jaden's previous job was with the Washington County, Tennessee library system in Youth Services.  If you haven't had a chance to meet her yet, stop by and introduce yourself!

Rhythm and Roots

The annual music festival is almost upon us!  If you plan to work Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, please add your name to the list beside the time clock.  If you do not plan to work on one of your scheduled days, you will need to fill out a leave slip and use vacation or comp time.

September Birthdays

Patrick September 8

Nicki September 12

Laura September 14

A Message for Ambrea & Justin:

 (Also congratulations and best wishes!)

Computer Shut Downs, Kudos, & Congrats!

Leave the Computers ON!

From Holston IT: Please leave your computers on at all times.  When you leave, save everything and logoff, but do NOT turn the computers off.  They need time afterhours to run updates and backups.  This is easier if the computers are already on.  

Kudos to Brenda G. & Kristin!

This dynamic duo presented research on local artist Rhea Wells at a meeting of the Heritage Alliance.  Check out the article here!

Congratulations, Ambrea & Justin!

Joyce's hats were a definite hit with the happy couple!

Best wishes to you both!

Vote, Happy Birthday

Vote For Bristol's Promise Twin City Reads!

 If you are able, please sign up and vote for a project near and dear to our hearts. You may see some familiar faces in the video, too!

Register and VOTE for Bristol's Promise Twin City Reads video with First TN Bank Foundation Video Competition.

https://25yearsofgiving.submittable.com/gallery/c5b1cf78-1e44-4e41-a56f-49080b1efd25/10838015/

 Please Vote Daily!!!  Top 30 videos move on for the change to win up to $25,000 for their projects!

PLEASE share with everyone for voting!  And keep sharing!  

Twin City Reads is the organizing force for Grade- Level Reading that uses a collective impact model to focus on reading across our community with the shared goal of reading on grade level by the third grade.  

Data will be collected and shared between community partners working on reading throughout Bristol TN/VA.  This group shares the ideals and goals of a network called “The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading” (CGRL).

The current steering committee for Twin City Reads consists of representatives from the United Way of Bristol TN/VA, Bristol Public Library, Bristol’s Promise: Youth Networking Alliance, Reading Buddies TN/VA and business community representatives.   This larger effort is designed to be a collective impact approach with foundations, nonprofit partners, business leaders, faith groups, community service organizations, schools and government agencies across our community to ensure that children succeed in school and graduate prepared for college, a career, and active citizenship.

The effort focuses on an important predictor of school success and high school graduation, which is grade-level reading by the end of third grade. 

Margaret Feierabend

Bristol's Promise

 

Happy Birthday

Brenda D. August 15

Justin  August 16

Kristin August 21

T.J.  August 24

BPL in the News, TEL, and a Sad Farewell

Hooray for Michelle!

Michelle's stellar children's program got the BPL a mention at CNN!  Read the article here. Also, here is the article from the Bristol Herald Courier's story about the Summer Reading Program:  Bristol Public Library Summer Reading Program

Which brings us to another favorable piece from the Herald Courier:
Take a New Look At the Bristol Public Library 

 Bristol in the Washington Post

We did print off a copy of the recent Washington Post article about Bristol and have a copy available at the Reference Desk if anyone wants to read it off line.

Thanks for the Yums!

Many thanks to all of those who made our staff lunch memorable!  So much good food! Everything was delicious.  The Kitchen Witch was impressed with the clean-up help as well as the good folks who help day in and day out to keep the kitchen in shape. She has some small treats in the kitchen for Judy, Christy H, Brenda G, Candess, Ambrea, and Joyce.  If she missed rewarding someone, it was because she was too dazzled by the sumptuous feast to keep proper track.  Leave her a note with the name of the overlooked, and she will rectify the situation.

And Speaking of the Kitchen Witch. . . 

 She left Jeanne a Pusheen! Totally undeserved but very much appreciated! Thank you, KW!! 

Tennessee Electronic Library

TEL has a new look and some new offerings!  Take a few minutes to check out what's new.
Tennessee Electronic Library

Continuing to Learn...

Here is an interesting article from Entrepreneur magazine with the headline "The most successful people on the planet are also the people likeliest to devote an hour a day to reading and learning."

The Five Hour Rule

We'll Miss You, Amber!

Sad but true:  Amber will be leaving us this month.  She's been a wonderful co-worker and Teen Librarian as well as a bright and shining light for BPL.  We wish you the best of luck moving forward, and hope you will keep in touch.

  
Happy Birthday

Don  July 24

Janice H  August 8

Joe (Main Volunteer) August 9

Pam Neal August 9