Our library is fully automated. This means that all the time consuming and picky jobs of checking in and out, of record keeping at the end of the day, of ordering and cataloging books is either done by computers or is aided by them.
The result is that the staff at the library is mostly free to do the things, which trained and creative individuals can do. Many of us only see staff or volunteers at the front desk, but most of what makes the library tick goes on behind the scenes.
Our director works with staff, the board and the public to ensure that the library's collection, programs, and facilities reflect the needs of our ever-growing community.
She oversees purchasing, reading groups, visiting authors and other guests, and services such as the children's programs and the website.
Groups such as Friends of the Library and other volunteers have their efforts co-ordinated through the director. Additionally, she liaises with community groups to help promote literacy and library services.
The deputy director is our reference librarian who helps patrons with reference questions, purchases books for the reference collection and manages the online databases.
Our children's librarian develops, coordinates and delivers programs for tots through to teens. She also plans for and supports summer reading programs, usually delivered by students.
A staff member orders interlibrary loans and returns materials as well as reciprocating with lending other libraries our materials. One of the most pleasant behind the scenes job must be the readying of new materials for circulation; stamping and bar coding them then entering them into the database.
One of the most demanding, and certainly my least favourite job when I plied a library cart, is the reshelving of returned materials. It's like housework - never done.
Themed and seasonal displays throughout the library are created by staff, Friends of the Library and volunteers.
But it's those faces at the front desk, and the voices answering phones that most of us remember - always pleasant, unfailingly polite, ever ready to help search for an item or an author.
