Thank you to everyone that responded! You all are AWESOME!
You're on the right track: inventory; cleaning; survey your a-v =
equipment and discard out-of-date items; order (or get orders ready, =
depending on budget) supplies for next year; order books for fall; order =
any posters, etc., as you consider your bulletin boards and other decor. =
These are the main things. some years I do more at the end of the =
year, a couple of times I've waited till fall. But now is best.=20
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Use your reports to tell you what you need to beef up for next year. As =
you inventory, look for outdated sections, or sections that are sorely =
lacking, or are just plain bad looking.
Check over your equipment, looking for bulbs that need replacing, =
cleaning tape heads, etc. As you do that, see what needs to be =
replaced.
Look over the room itself. Is it as inviting as it could be? Is it as =
functional as it should be? Can you see all of the computer screens from =
where you usually are?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Some schools do a complete inventory, some just partial.
This year I will do a partial: Reference and 900's as those two areas =
got
a lot of activity. Next year I will probably do a complete inventory as =
I
didn't do a complete one last year. I call in all equipment from the
teachers and clean them: overheads, cassette players, TVs on carts. I =
send
my VCRs to a company that picks them up, cleans them and does repair if
under a certain amount and then brings them back later in the summer. I
check my supplies (lamps, cards, spine labels, etc) and order what I =
need. I
clear all bulletin boards, display cases, dust and clean all tables, =
chairs,
counters, carts. I use canned air to blow out all computers. I put the
paperbacks that are usually on carousals on carts so the carpet =
cleaners
don't have to worry about them.
I do my final report. I also print out reports: circulation, fines, new
items, weeded or discarded items. Do two full backups - one I take home
with me. Then I delete all those students who will not be back and set =
up
the calendar for next year.
If you are going to be open for summer school, I would do all the above,
then treat summer school as you would the opening of a school year.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
As part of inventory we take all the books off the shelves (a shelf at a =
time), thoroughly dust the shelves and each book before putting them =
back in order.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
First of all, give your self two full weeks to get books back from =
students. (Depending on size of school, grade level, if reports due, =
etc.) You will need this time to send overdue notices, bills, etc. ( You =
can make exceptions for research. The teachers are due the following =
week.
Read the shelves--put all the books in order...makes doing an inventory =
easier.=20
As you read the shelves (we have volunteers help too), you can =
weed....Kind of serves a dual purpose
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
It is a good time to weed if you have the time
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
My advice to you is if you want to do an inventory close the library =
about 3 weeks before the end of school (by close I mean that the =
students have to have all of their books turned into the library) I =
have found that it generally takes the kids 2 weeks to get the books all =
back. My second year I thought that I would be doing the kids a favor =
and keep the library open until the last week of school, it was =
horrible!! I am doing an inventory this year and I am closing three =
weeks early to be able to get everything done. I do inventory every =
other year, don't feel that you have to do one every year. I also send =
letters home with students who have not gotten their books back to the =
library, because they do not get their report card if they have not =
settled their library depts. I hope that this little piece of advice =
helps. =20
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The things i do at the end of the year include:
preparing and boxing discards for pickup
preparing and boxing rebinds for pickup
magazine renewals
newspaper renewals
reference orders
collecting and cleaning equipment
ordering replacement and new equipment
send broken equipment out for repair
inventory/weeding
order 1/3-1/2 of school year 2003-1004 budget
order supplies
planning for next year
basic organizing and cleaning
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I complete an annual report that summarizes everything I accomplished=20
throughout the year.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The biggest part of my job is getting everything back from staff and
students. We do not give report cards until materials are returned or =
paid
for. It's a headache sending out notices, letters to parents, =
collecting
money. Some teachers are worse than the kids about getting things back.
Some think that just because they are going to be spending a week =
cleaning
their room after school is out, that I can wait for my library material
until then. I try to be proactive and send out notices to teachers =
weekly
the last month of school and the last two weeks a little more often. =
That
helps.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Patricia Hamilton
C. Hunter Ritchie Elem
New Baltimore, VA
phamilton@fcps1.org=20
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