Job Well Done: Jonathan Sandbach

Pam McClellan nominated Jonathan Sandbach for a Job Well Done Award and presented the award, April 20, 2017. Pam said, "His preparation and submission of an ALA Great Stories Club grant application (GSC) is a reading and discussion grant program sponsored by ALA and funded by various organizations over the years including Oprah Winfrey’s Book Club.  JPL Youth Services has applied and successfully won a number of GSC awards, most recently a 2016 grant that partnered JPL’s teen staff under the leadership of Raelyn Wiirre with The Bridge of Northeast Florida. 

"For 2017, Jonathan took on a difficult theme:  'Nature v. Nurture:  Origin of Teen Violence and Suicide' and developed a comprehensive, detailed reading and discussion program to share with at-risk teen girls at PACE Center for Girls in Jacksonville.  Their Spirited Girls! Class will participate in an 8-session program beginning in May 2017 and culminating with a visit to the Main Library in August.  With a very tight deadline and holidays looming, Jonathan wrote an impressive narrative for the proposed program back in December, which garnered a 'great application!' comment from Director Gubbin during the editing and review process.  It was not until after the application had been approved and submitted to the grantor, ALA, did I learn this was his FIRST grant application attempt!

"For his team spirit in meeting the tight deadline with complete information; willingness to pursue a grant-funded program; keeping his commitments to provide needed deliverables (resumes, letters of support, etc.); and innovative fresh ideas for working with youth at PACE, Jonathan Sandbach deserves the Job Well Done Award."

Jonathan told Pam this week, "The first Great Stories session takes place June 14th. I was at PACE this morning checking out the space I'll be using and I met the teacher I'll be working with throughout the program. I'm very excited about everything coming up!"

Hasssan Hamid Retires

Hasssan Hamid, AR Library Clerk, will officially retire April 28, 2017; however, Hamid, as he has preferred to be called during his 27 years at JPL, is on vacation presently enjoying coconut trees and tropical sunsets. 

During Hammid's long JPL career he has served at  SST, Southeast Branch, Main and twice at Regency Square Branch.

AR Manager Greg Pierce said, "To know Hamid is to love Hamid and we will miss him.  Please join us in wishing him well as he retires from JPL." 

And all of us certainly do wish Hamid the very best always. 

Exceeding "Getting To Yes"

Mrs. Cathy Santiago, an appreciative KR customer, wrote SST''s E-Services Librarian III Eric Soriano a note of thanks for the computer class she completed at KR recently. She agreed to meet with Eric and KR's Manager Mark Hohnadel, April 26, 2017, to receive her MS Office 2010 Tech Classes Certificate of Completion and have this picture taken.  

Below is another picture of a happy customer. UPK Manager Tamera Branam said, "Summer Parker (center) is a regular UPK tech class customer  and was awarded a certificate of completion for finishing the MS Office 2010 Basics track. Eric Soriano and I presented the certificate on April 26.   She is the first 'UPK graduate' so we are very excited!" 

JPL Awards Committee Update

The JPL Awards Committee welcomes two new members, Pertoria “Tori” Kennedy of SST & Sabrina Whitfield of DU. Both provided an explanation of why they wanted to join the JPL Awards Committee:

The committee gives recognition to employees who do great work and that appealed to me.  Also, this gives me an opportunity to meet more of my JPL peers, and I look forward to seeing everyone. – Tori Kennedy

I'm honored to join the Awards Committee. I believe in award systems. Employees respond well when their hard work is noticed. It confirms they and their work are valued, which in turn is great for morale, motivates staff to improve and raises productivity. – Sabrina Whitfield

Additionally, the JPL Awards Committee has chosen a new person to sit as the committee Chair, Anthony Baltiero of Main. He supersedes Alisha LeVasseur who served previously as committee Chair.

Friends of JPL Book Sale, April 28 - 30

The Friends of the Jacksonville Public Library's BIG BAG SALE

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friday, APRIL 28: 4 - 8 pm
MEMBERS  ONLY

Buy 1 bag of books for $15 and get a second bag FREE.

Members get a 25% discount so the $15 bag costs you only $11.25.
YES! You read that right - just $11.25 to get 2 bags of books.
7% tax will be added to the purchase price.

Not a member? Not a problem - join at the door.
    $10 membership - Valid from then to December 31, 2017
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saturday, April, 29: 9 am - 4 pm
                And
Sunday, April 30: Noon  5 pm
BIG BAG SALE - BOTH DAYS

Bags are just $15 (plus $1.05 tax) each. If you buy 2 bags (total $32.10 - includes tax),
you get a 3rd bag FREE!

Our FOJPL Book Sales benefit JPL. Talking it up to customers, friends and family is a big favor to all of us. Why not check out their abundant supply and get your favorite materials? 

Making A Garden, Flower By Flower

Main Children’s area is sprouting springtime fun. Thanks to a new team member, Anthony Baltiero, they have a new interactive: Search out the seven big flowers hidden around the department and write the word that is listed on each one on the score card provided. Together, the first letters of all these words spell “FLOWER”. Then, each child colors his/her own bloom and adds it to the Children's garden! (Thanks to Marcie O'Dell for input.)

Getting Ready For 2017 SLP

The school year is winding down and that can only mean summer is almost here!  In Main Children's department, the signs are piling up, literally, as we prepare for our Build a Better World Summer Learning Program theme.

Pictured here is just one corner of readiness complete with posters, bags, bookmarks and stickers. Even the smaller kids' building blocks (bottom right) have been refreshed. Ready or not, here it comes!  (Thanks to Marcie O'Dell for the blurb and pic.)

Job Well Done: Anne Sawyer

Anne Sawyer, part-time Library Associate at AR, received a Job Well Done Award from her nominator/supervisor, Guy Adkins, April 20, 2017.  Anne is lauded for "creating, arranging, marketing and shepherding an adult music program. Through Anne's contacts, she arranged for North Florida Folk Network to use a community room for an Acoustic Jam Series.  Attendees can sing along and the program has been so popular, they were scheduled from March - June.  She has acted as hostess and provided refreshments and was careful to see that programs did not violate BMI or ASCAP."

Aditionally, Guy said, "Anne created a 3D undersea scene for the door window to AR's Children's workroom, a woodland design for the adult workroom door window and decorated the Children's area." 

GB Celebrates National Poetry Month

In honor of National Poetry Month, Graham Branch's Open Mic Night was presented, April 12, 2017, and hosted by Library Associate Tia Samuels.  Branch Manager Susan Arthur said, "It was a success with participants ranging in age from16 to 40 years old.  There were writers, poets, rappers and comedians showing off their talents with original material, as well as readings of poems written by greats Maya Angelou and Charles Bukowski.  Participants and listeners enjoyed refreshments and shared a lot of laughs.

One of our teen volunteers, Raymond Johnson, was in attendance helping the participants present their talents.

SOM Staff Recognize Friends of SOM

SOM had 45 participants in a special Friends of the South Mandarin Library Reception and Storytime recently. Joanna Nigrelli, YS Librarian II, said, "We had an enthusiastic group of storytime regulars and Friends of SOM participate in our Friends and Friendship themed storytime. 

"Recently, our Friends raised funds through their Book Sale to purchase interactive panels for our children’s area. Today’s celebration was in appreciation of their dedication to supporting the children and children’s programming at SOM."

Kudos From Customers

Eastside, Main, and SST:  I would like to thank Shawn Norton, Lynn Jacobson, Kathleen Krizek and Tracy Pigott for the time they spent helping me with the Overdrive download on my kindle Fire. What a fantastic group of people.

Pablo Creek Branch:  I just want to let you know that the Storytime and Crafts at the Pablo Creek Library (Tristan Denmark's program Story and Art for Early Literacy) is by far the best Children's program that we have ever attended! We have lived in many different cities and attended their library programs but haven't seen or experienced any that provide as much learning and educational enrichment as this one. It is evident that you put a lot of time and effort into planning the Children's programs. Thank you! Lisa

Highlands Branch:  Dearest Library Personnel, Miss Pat (Morrison) I just wanted to thank you all for the services you help provide to the people of city of Jax. The library has always been a research place for me. I was in high school in later 60's and graduated in 1971. The library personnel at Highlands Branch are very knowledgeable, and always kind and helpful. I bring my grandkids there some ER (early release) Wed. It is a blessing for me, and mine to continue to have the wonderful services the library offers.

SST at Mandarin Branch:  I attended the Cloud Computing class presented by Donna Peretzman at the Mandarin Branch location. I am a 1st time attendee to the computer technology class series and benefited greatly from today's session. I'm sure that I will attend future sessions. What a fabulous community resource!

Webb Wesconnett Branch: Add to Life is a community based facility. Our goals are to aid the Jacksonville community with their family members; be an alternative for institutional care and maintain a quality lifestyle. We were contacted by Noah (Thomas) from Wesconnett public library regarding a monthly activity time for our individuals. Noah brings topics of interest for all ages. She comes up with a theme for each visit with corresponding books to read. Each visit we listen to music, exercise, dance and make a craft. From her first visit Noah has made a big impression on our individuals with her fun spirit and hands on approach. She is very interactive with our clients. …

Job Well Done: Lisa Buggs

Lisa Buggs, Coordinator of Lifelong Learning and Community Engagement, has been an excellent mentor and advisor to Shawana Brooks throughout the planning and development of the “Kesha: A Black Female Experience of Identity and Race”. For this deed, Region Manager Michael Sullivan. said, "She deserves a Job Well Done award.  Ms. Brooks, new to JPL, was able to organize and develop the 'Kesha' exhibit under Ms. Buggs’ mentorship. Ms. Buggs guided Ms. Brooks through JPL’s labyrinth of procedures, paper work and departmental mazes that need to be traversed to pull off a major exhibit and program.  'Kesha' has been an overwhelming success, for which Ms. Brooks deserves credit.  However, Ms. Buggs’ role in enabling Ms. Brooks to act and succeed cannot be overemphasized.  Lisa Buggs is truly worthy of the Job Well Done award."

P.S.  If you have had the pleasure of attending any of the programs Lisa has arranged, you know JPL is always put in the best spotlight and everyone involved benefits--customers educated and entertained and staff challenged and reaping the benefits of a job well done.  THANK YOU, LISA!

Job Well Done: Kate Zakharov

Kate Zakharov (R), SE Teen Associate, received a Job Well Done Award, April 19, 2017, for recently providing an early literacy and a school age program on a Saturday when SE was unexpectedly short staffed in the children's department. Kristin Davis (L), who nominated Kate, said, "Both programs were well received and we were able to provide library customers with uninterrupted library services and programs, thanks to Kate."

Jobs Well Done: Alexis Carter, Clara James & Benjamin Smith

Tamera Brannon nominated four staff members for a Job Well Done for the DCPS Art Reception held in the UPK lobby, March 24, 2017. The program came together in a couple days’ time thanks to teamwork, innovation and excellence. The displayed art consisted of two panels– which disappeared in our large lobby space. We had promoted it heavily and expected school board member Cheryl Grymes to attend, so we had to do something special to fill the space and occupy our special guests and their families. With less than a week to plan, and a large amount of space to fill, Alexis Carter spearheaded organizing the event and worked the room the day of the event.  Clara James and Alexis came up with several tables of interactive activities, including connect the dots, learn to draw, coloring pages, and a reception table filled with beautiful frameable fliers of the schools displaying art.  Kimberly Hamilton had participants in her Thursday’s story time sign a "Welcome Student Art Reception" sign for the lobby.  Kimberly and Benjamin Smith helped generate ideas for activities and printed extra copies of things throughout the session as we ran out of activity sheets. The end result of their hard work was a fun reception for all ages, which allowed participants to view the art and participate in family activities. Over 50 people attended the reception, including Ms. Grymes and Ms. Giltrop. Many of the attendants complimented the staff on the reception.  They followed through on their commitment to provide a high quality reception on short notice--an astounding feat, employing all of JPL's Core Values.

Special Recognition For JPL Volunteers

April 13, 2017 was one of the most important celebrations JPL has each year: the day we honor our volunteers. This year, after the Board meeting at SE Library, Board Chair Ronnie King and other board members, Director Barbara Gubbin, and Deputy Director Jennifer Giltrop recognized our 238 volunteers and their varied and valuable talents. See some of the memorable moments in the link below where CR&M shares the album, JPL Volunteer Recognition 2017, with you (taken from the Flickr app). 

https://flickr.com/photos/37876374@N04/sets/72157682742835905 

Special honorees included "Outstanding Teen Volunteer" Bre' Aisha Stallworth, who completed 88.5 volunteer hours last year, fulfilling her requirements for graduation and for the Florida Bright Futures program.  She volunteers in Main's Teen area and sorts, shelves, shifts and weeds collections. 

"Outstanding Computer Instruction Volunteer" Gary Tomeny offers high quality computer classes and is in his third year of teaching high quality classes in Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Windows 10, File Management, etc. Mr. Tomeny is a member of the Friends of SOM.

"Outstanding ESOL Volunteer" Instructor Noreen Stephenson has taught Level 4 ESOL students for a year and a half in Main's CAL department. Ms. Stephenson follows CAL's guidelines and prepares well planned presentations to ensure student advancement.

"Outstanding Friends of the Library Volunteer" Wendy Warner is Secretary of the Friends of JB and has logged some of the highest number of volunteer hours. She is always helping with library events, such as the Flamingo Book Club, sees that craft supplies are ready for JB activities and has donated many props to JB's Comic Con.

Of course, special recognition and many thanks were given and continually go to: 

      Friends of the Jacksonville Public Library
      Friends of the Beaches Branch Library
      Friends of the Olga L. Bradham and Etta L. Brooks 
             Branch Library
      Friends of the Murray Hill Library
      Friends of the Willowbranch Library
      Friends of the Dallas Graham Branch Library
      Friends of the South Mandarin Library
      Friends of the Maxville Library

Doing It Michelangelo’s Way

Librarian IV, YS Manager-Urban Core, Stephanie Miller, YS Admin, Rebekah Mitchell and KR Library Assistant, David Foster participate in SE Library Assistant, Paul Schaffner’s Teen Program “Paint Your Story,”  part of the Youth Services training exchange at the Main Library. 

David Foster (foreground and two others creating their own “masterpieces” inspired, they say, by Michelangelo’s painting in the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

THANK YOU, FOJPL, FOR ALL THE COOKIES!

JPL employees had a smile on their faces this week, thanks  to the appreciation the Friends of the Jacksonville Public Library.  Mrs. Margaret Smith personally brought boxes of cookies in honor of National Library Workers Day--and each one of us--which has been an annual  event for FOJPL now for several years. We can't thank you enough--each and every one of Y - O - U!

Friends Of JB Book Sale

You are invited to help promote the Friends of the Beaches Branch Library Book Sale, April 19 (members only but you can join at the door), 20, 21, 22, 2017.  It will be held in the Community Room at JB:

Wednesday, April 19, 4 pm - 7 pm - 
           Members only - can join at the door

Thursday, April 20, and
Friday, April 21, 10 am - 5 pm 

Saturday, April 22, 10 am - 5 pm - Bag Day

                             YA'LL COME!

Two Thank You's To DCPS

Dr. Nikolai Vitti, Superintendent for DCPS, received some cookies at his office, April 11, 2017. Dr. Vitti is pictured in front of our JPL banner with a jar of cookies from former BOLT Chair Erin Skinner in appreciation for his cooperation during Mrs. Skinner's time as Board Chair. Ashley Smith Juarez, DCPS Board Chair during Erin’s tenure, also received a jar of cookies and a big thank you for her cooperation with BOLT.  (Kudos to Executive Assistant Andrew Herron and CR&M's Shennah Thrasher-Zamora for input & pic.) 

WBK's Balloon Science Program

WBK's Chiquita Powell shares, "WBK had a special presenter, April 5, 2017, when balloon artist Linda Brunson, visited lour library to present her Balloon Science program.  Twenty two kids had fun learning balloon science basics and they had the opportunity to twist balloons into hats and swords. As you can see, the kids had a great time taking pride in their creations."

Baltiero Gets Seat On ALSC Committee

Main's YS Library Associate Anthony Baltiero was recently asked by the president of the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a subsidiary of the American Library Association (ALA), to sit on the School-Age Programs and Service Committee. The appointment, effective July 1, 2017, is for two years. Anthony said, "This is exciting news; there are only eight seats on the committee and JPL will now have some direct representation for at least two years."  

The mission of the committee is: “To identify and disseminate information on effective, cooperative or innovative programming for school age children to libraries, schools, and community agencies serving youth. To develop training workshops on school age programs and services and present them at conferences, institutes and for other institutions serving youth. To cooperate appropriately with other ALSC committees and other associations working with the school age child to initiate activates and projects.”

SS Hosts DCPS Art Exhibit

San Marco Branch hosted 67 attendees at their art reception March 30, 2017. Larry Roziers, Ex-Officio member of BOLT and DCPS Executive Director, had the pleasure of assisting the art teachers award  the certificates to deserving students. Everyone, including Julie McNeil, enjoyed thie special treat--meeting teachers, kids and viewing their art work.

Dr. Seuss Time At JB - Thanks to Friends of JB

The Friends of the Beaches Branch Library held their annual Seuss-tastic, March 25^th.  The Cat in the Hat was on hand to welcome over 90 Seuss fans of all ages. Children enjoyed activities that included stories, crafts, games, a costume parade, trivia contest, face painting, snacks and prizes. Teen librarian and Seuss fan, Julie Rekow, made time to read to the children from one of her favorite Dr. Seuss books, The Foot Book (And all feet get raised below.) 

The girls pictured above were volunteers who helped out at the event and came dressed as Dr. Seuss characters, Things 1, 2 and 3--all sisters.

Nicole Saville spoke for all JB staff, "Many heartfelt thanks to the Friends of the Beaches Library for another wonderful event."  (Thanks to Nicole for the blurb and pics.)