LM_NET 11/20/98: No Subject

Our circ keyboard is on one of those slide-away keyboard shelves, our
monitor sits on top of the circ counter - and has for almost 4 years.
We've never had a problem with "prying hands" (even though this _is_
middle school where they can't keep their hands off anything!). I was
concerned to begin with, but we prevented the problem in a fairly unique way.

When we automated we no longer needed all those wooden trays that were in
the old circ counter. You know the ones that hold the book cards of
checked out books. Plus we used to use the Gaylord Model C bookcharger so
we had more of the same trays that held the patron cards. All total we had
around a dozen I think. My aide (I'm decorating challenged) went to a
local store that sells silk flowers and greenery, bought some pretty
greenery, and used several of the old trays to make really nice decorative
arrangements. We placed them around the library to add some nature to all
those beige walls. And we put one on the circ counter directly behind the
monitor. The kids have never messed with either the arrangement or the
monitor!

We couldn't use real flowers for 2 reasons: (1) the bottom of the trays
have an open slot, making watering _very_ difficult; and (2) I have a
very withered brown thumb and have managed to kill every real plant we've
ever had in the library!


> The book drop should be outside the library, if possible, and if not, in
> the circulation counter, as close to the entrance as possible.  However,

We have one of each. The one on the counter is not a problem but the one
in the hall wall is. It is situated just beside the shelves where our
students have to put their book bags. There is no room (nor was there
provision for) any sort of cart/cabinet for the books to drop into. [_I_
wanted one of those outside kind like public libraries use for
at-the-curb book return - but I got a slot in the wall.] So if a bookbag
happens to be on the floor under the slot the book often falls into it.
The student thinks he/she returned it - but we didn't get it, someone
else did. Our solution to this is to tell our students not to use the
wall return when the library is open. Besides, a returning book makes an
incredible amount of noise dropping thru that slot - you can hear it
quite well from everywhere in the library.

        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
        Melissa Davis                   Librarian
        Splendora Middle School         Splendora I.S.D.
        P O Box 168                     Splendora, TX 77372
        Internet: mbdavis@tenet.edu     PHONE: (713)689-2853
        CompuServe: 75146,771           FAX: (713)689-8702
        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: "Stanley D. Taylor" <sdtayl@DMCI.NET>
Subject: Media Center Renovation/new

Fellow netters, We were fortunate enough to have out bond vote pass and now
I am knterested in avoiding mistakes in the making of a gym/multipurpose
room into the media center for an elementary school of about 600+. If I
could ask you that have done this; What is the one thing that you would NOT
do again or do differently if you could? The second question is what is the
one thing that you are really glad you did the way you did? I really
appreciate all the suggestions and help I know that you people always come
forward with. TIA Helen Taylor

Helen Taylor
Vandercook Lake Schools
McDevitt Elementary
Townsend Elementary
1005 Floyd
Jackson, MI 49203