Sen. Aaron Bean Reads 3 Stories at Mandarin Branch

Mandarin Branch Manager Lynne Baldwin and her employees enthusiastically hosted State Senator Aaron Bean on June 20, 2013.  Sen. Bean was the guest reader for their 11:00 a.m. Stories for Young Children Program at KR.

Sen. Bean read Lola at the Library, by Anna McQuinn and Rosalind Beardshaw, in which children learn that Lola’s is a family of readers.  He followed with Reading Makes You Feel Good, by Todd Parr, a story that reminds us that we can read anywhere.  Sen. Bean concluded his readings with Lola Reads to Leo, in which Lola has grown up more and now she reads to her brother.  Sen. Bean encouraged audience participation and families echoed his statement, “Reading makes you feel good because… and you can read anywhere!”. Sen. Bean held a quiz before the arts and crafts portion of the program. His emphasis was on reading comprehension questions based on the books that he read.  Families were rewarded with snacks that the senator had brought for this event.

Branch Manager Baldwin said, "Senator Bean remained with us as we made our own books, and he happily posed with one of our students so that mom could get a photo. We had 53 in attendance."  The KR staffs and Region Manager Michael Sullivan were happy to have their photo made with Sen. Bean, too.

CW's TumbleBooks Program Kicks Off

CW Region Manager Marshelle Berry is proud of Charles Webb Library Associate Christie Rogers, who shares the joy of reading using TumbleBooks, the animated e-books database for kids. She created this special pilot program, which was held June 19, as part of the Summer Reading events. Kids and parents enjoyed learning to use the database. Christie plans to do more e-book programs for kids in the fall using the new Electronic Classroom at Webb.

Congratulations, Christie, on a red hot idea!

DU Kicks Off SRP With Teen Cookout

Highlands Branch Library held a "Teen Cookout Kickoff", June 13, as their first Summer Reading Program.  Hosted by DU staffs, Beverly Mason, Cheron Williams, and Dana Curry, they and two parents saw 20 teens enjoy games such as Wii, Xbox, and board games, including Sorry and Connect Four, complemented with plenty of food: chicken wings, fries, nachos, fruit, and lil Debbie snacks.  One teen also received the first prize for their summer teen trivia questions.

Preceding treats, games, and door prizes teens received a summary of the Teen Summer Reading Program, including how to sign up and the need to log in the books that are read each week so the tPens can be entered into various drawings.

Kudos from Customers

Murray Hill Branch: The staffs at the Murray Hill Library (Raymond Neal, Chiquita Powell, Douglas Fair, Margaret Esposito, Mary Fletcher and Cheyla Scantling) are exceptional. They are very helpful and always willing to help.

South Mandarin, Webb Wesconnett; West Regional: Re: Spanish computer classes: I love to see the teachers, Luis Terron (volunteers at several branches), Angela Richman (SOM), Aracelis Diaz (WST) and Jessica Serrano (CW). I would like to compliment the services they have offered me.

Southeast Branch: Audience Program Evaluation - Intro to MS Excel May 21, 2013: What did you like best about the program? The instructor (Donna Peretzman) – Super.

Willowbranch Branch: I left a death certificate on the copier and Troy Eittreim contacted me and kept it safe until I could return for it. He has helped me previously when the printer was temperamental and took quite a while to print a long document, but he helped throughout with several jams, working right up until closing time to make sure I got what I had paid for.

Honoring The Life Of Vondera Brown

Kind, loyal, dedicated--just a few adjectives that describe Vondera Brown.  Her presence will be missed by her family and many coworkers and friends. 

Hard Work Reaps An Award

Northwest Branch's Gloria Buenavista is proud to share her family's recent celebration of her son, Jay-Jay, being honored as a Middle School Scholar for maintaining a 3.5 GPA throughout his middle school years at Darnell-Cookman Middle/High School of the Medical Arts.  He was presented the Eighth Grade Scholar Award at First Coast High School, May 21, 2013.  Jay-Jay is the handsome guy pictured next to his award.

Gloria reports that Jay-Jay is also volunteering at Highlands Branch this summer.

KR Kicks-Off SRP Joyfully!

The Mandarin Branch Library celebrated Summer Reading 2013 with a Kick-Off Party on Tuesday, June 11, 2:00 -3:00 pm.  In one hour, 72 children registered for the Summer Reading Program with 99 customers enjoying the festivities. (Pictured L/R:  David Foster,Frances Wickes, and Hongying Song.)

The Golden Girl

Have you ever met a techie whiz with a bubbly personality, who can’t help helping others and sees a brick wall as a monumental opportunity to overcome and succeed in life? If you have, you know Ayshea Golden, who will make another upward move this summer after she leaves JPL on June 30.  Before she leaves JPL, we wanted to share a little about a real Golden Girl.  (Ayshea is pictured with her five boys in front of the White House in a recent visit to D. C. Their favorite spot: the Lincoln Memorial.)

Ayshea began as a Library Assistant at Southeast Branch, November 2004, in the children’s department. She moved to Pablo Creek’s children’s department during SE’s renovation in 2005 and later that year helped with the original setup of South Mandarin Branch in preparation for their grand opening. She promoted to Clerical Support Specialist in July 2006 and began working in JPL’s Human Resource department located in the Main Library, reporting to Diane Moser. In October 2007, in conjunction with the city’s reorganization, Ayshea served as the point of contact for JPL until June 2011 when she transferred to the city’s examining team. Ayshea reports she was officially laid off from her civil service position effective September 30, 2012, just shy of eight years with COJ. Shortly thereafter, Ayshea began working temporarily assisting JPL Deputy Director Carolyn Williams.

In August 2013, Ayshea will be a full-time student at FSCJ and will complete her general credits there and plans to transfer them to UNF’s Computer Science program. Ayshea said, “I am unsure where that degree will lead me but I am willing to come back to COJ, if the right opportunity presents itself in a more feasible environment.”

To see Ayshea Golden only behind a desk, you would observe her creativity and bright mind but you might miss the better part of her world. Wayne and Ayshea ‘s family remind you that good discipline, equally mixed with TLC and healthy leisure, still make a well-balanced, happy home. You have to see it to believe how well it works--but there they are: Twins, Anthony and Matthew, 16; William, 15, Dante 13 and Christopher, aged 7. Their handsome, well-educated, well-mannered sons are living proof of what great parents can do. And Ayshea would say, “Who said it couldn’t be done?”

Anyone who can do that can aspire to great heights in a business career and attain it. We’re cheering you on, Ayshea.

YEA! THEY'RE ONTO "DIG INTO READING " AT WEBB WESCONNETT!

Marshelle Berry, Webb Wesconnett Region Manager, is happy to report this great start at Webb Wesconnett Branch's Summer Reading Program.  What's the response at your branch? Send in your good news!

Staff Profile

Keli Likins recently became the new Librarian Senior/Branch Manager at South Mandarin Library after managing the Main Library's Teen Department.  Apart from working hard, Keli knows how to round out her life with family and fun things like enjoying a Jaguars game.  Remember that beautiful shot of her with her newborn son, Benny, in August 2011?  Since Benny is now a year and ten months old, we asked for a recent picture of their son and it is on the "gadget side" of the blog. 

After managing Main’s Teen Department for six years, you recently became South Mandarin’s Branch Manager. What strategies were useful to you transitioning from managing the Main Library’s Teen Department to being a branch manager?

I think having experience at the Main Library is beneficial to all employees. You become very familiar with all possible scenarios with the customers, policies and procedures. It was also a great opportunity to get to know those staff members in the behind the scenes departments like CR&M and Facilities. I became very familiar with not only Teen, but youth services in general, which I think has come in handy as a Branch Manager now that services to youth is one of the library system’s top priorities. I also gained valuable experience supervising staff and delegating work.

What services do you see as the most important to SOM customers?

Many of our customers have e-reading devices so it’s important that we all have the knowledge of how to download e-books and can assist them.  Customers also enjoy the services of our E-Specialist, Donna Peretzman, and greatly value our Children’s collection and programming. Story times are well attended and customers always have high praise for them and the Children’s Department staff. There are a lot of high school and college students in the area, who are grateful for our research services and resources, so I think continuing to raise awareness about them and working with the local schools is important. We also have a large retired population here that, I think, generally just enjoy the free books for pleasure reading.

What is your goal for further improvement of SOM’s services?

I think SOM’s services can be improved through creating new, and expanding on current, community partnerships. Other improvements that come to mind are related to technology, so of course, we will have to wait for the proper funding so that the whole library system can get up to speed. The staff here at SOM are fantastic and already provide great costumer service.

What are the leadership and management skills necessary to manage a library?

I always try to keep my staff happy and motivate them. One way to do that is to give them as much creative control and decision making as possible. I am a huge proponent of initiative and exceptional customer service. I am learning more about becoming an effective leader in this year’s Sunshine State Leadership Institute. One thing we have been learning about is leaning into discomfort, which is when you feel like you are out of your depth because you are learning something new. For me, that is learning all the ins and outs of the money. You also have to have a certain level of resiliency, which I believe I have.

Who are a couple of the leaders/managers in history that you think are/were most important and why?

I look up to female leaders in politics such as Sandra Day O’Connor, Madeline Albright, and Margaret Thatcher. Not only did they do a great job but they inspire other women to be all that they can be, in whatever field or career they are interested in.

June Is Bustin' Out All Over For Tammy Crotts

Tamara (Tammy) Crotts' parents, Bill and Joanne Talbott, celebrated their 51st wedding anniversary with their family, June 2, 2013. 

Tammy  will celebrate her 50th birthday, June 16.

And she looks forward to our congratulating her on 20 years with JPL as a part-time temporary clerk on June 28.

What Is Gail Marion Doing Now?

We have an action packed update from retired JPL Librarian, Gail Marion.  For those who had the privilege of working with Gail, you know she is a straight shooter, who could see through thick walls of "smoke" with X-ray vision, never ran short on IQ and can jog through the swamps of life with a great sense of humor.

I understand Gail is a Mandarin Branch customer now.

"Hello Fellow JPL Retirees, Ole (not old) Friends & Current Staff:

"I retired from JPL in June 2005 as a Librarian at Bradham Brooks Northwest Branch Library. I retired on a Friday but was working full-time on Monday with a proprietary trade school. In that first year, I also worked part-time at Jones College and Florida Technical College as their Librarian. In November 2006, I started at Everest University - Orange Park Campus as their Librarian and I am still there in charge of their Library/Resource Center. Instead of being "an Army of One", I am a "Library of One Staff." I have now drummed up enough customer usage and business for the Library to get a full-time Library Assistant this July. I enjoy learning something new daily as we have associate & bachelor degree programs in criminal justice and business and several diploma programs in trades, allied health and office administration. I enjoy the wide range of research & reference work I get to do assisting the students. Our military & veteran student population is increasing so I created a Veteran's Resource Center in the Library. I work with my comrades-at-arms to get them to local resources and networking services available to them. I belong to and attend many local military/veterans associations and groups such as the Northeast Florida Veteran's Association and Jacksonville Military Veterans Coalition, etc. My volunteer work and community involvement is dedicated to their causes & concerns.

"I cannot report too much about my military career, as the cliché goes "if I tell you anymore, I will have to kill you." I served with a Signal Detachment in West Palm Beach, FL as the XO and then Commander. I was also the XO and Director of the Directorate of Information Management with a Garrison Unit in West Palm Beach, FL. Our mobilization site was at and out of Ft. Stewart, GA. Being a Signal Corps Officer, my assignments were all classified and Top Secret, in the field areas of communication intelligence and signal security. I was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) but did not hold the rank for a full year when my mandatory retirement date came so I retired as a Major on May 31, 2012. I was put on orders for the day to retire at Ft. Stewart, GA, with a very dignified and memorable retirement ceremony. I had a cannon salute, honor guard, and all the works. What was very touching, was I received many challenge coins from the brigade soldiers & cadre performing the ceremony. They even produced a DVD of my 30-yr career in photos and showed it; few attending were even born in 1970 and were awe struck that I had lasted through the changing & challenging times of the 1970's on active duty U.S. Army, Florida Army National Guard and the U.S. Army Reserve. Some soldiers needed a history lesson on Vietnam era veterans - did not know females served during that era ?! After 30-years of total service, retirement from the military is bitter sweet but that monthly pay check, health benefits, military discounts, etc. is nice.

"My military retirement day also happened on a birthday milestone, with me turning OH NO, 60! But, I was so honored and excited that day that I forgot all about that. I will take those "senior citizen" discounts too.

"I am currently working full-time so I don't have any exotic travel ventures to report. I am off every Friday at 2:00 p.m. and have every weekend off so it's like I am on vacation weekly after all those years of working Saturdays & Sundays for JPL. I am a Gemini so have many eclectic activities & interests to enjoy - reading (of course), photography, movies, historical & cultural events, concerts, symphony, NASCAR and car shows, art museums, etc. I recently went on a 2 1/2-hr cruise on the St. Johns River, from The Landing, on the retired Presidential yacht, Honey Fitz.

"My cat Reagan would like me to totally retire and become his maid but I am not sure when or if that will happen. I trust that all my fellow JPL retirees are in good health and enjoying themselves and best wishes to all current JPL staff. Anyone may "Friend Request" me on Facebook or email me at majgmarion@yahoo.com.

"Regards & Best Wishes,

MAJ Gail E. Marion, USA, Ret."

_____________________________________

Thank you for your letter, Gail, and your years of service to JPL.  Most of all, please accept our deep appreciation for your devoted years of service to our country.  Stay in touch and come see us when you can.