Happy Halloween from the craft club!

Spooky light craft, 10-30-12

Craft club, 10-30-12

The library follows the Allenstown school district’s closing decisions due to inclement weather.  Therefore, we will be closed tomorrow due to the approaching hurricane.

The next Library Trustee’s meeting will be Friday, October 26, 2012 at 5:30pm.

Be on the lookout-all Allenstown households should receive a library survey in the mail (it’s thick bright orange paper, you can’t miss it!)

Your survey answers will be used to help plan future library programming and hours.

PLUS, if you return your survey in person (during library hours) or answer it online, you can enter to win a Kindle e-reader.

The Allenstown Public Library has an opening for a part-time library assistant who can work Tuesdays, 2:30pm-8pm and Fridays, 1pm-8pm, though some flexibility on Friday start time is possible.  $10/hr.

Duties:

• Routine library functions including circulation, basic reference, and building maintenance
• Assisting the library director with library programs
• Reshelving, shelf-reading, and weeding
• Assist patrons using public computers
• Uphold library policies
• Ability to work unsupervised
• Other assigned duties

Required qualities:

• Ability to multi-task
• Ability to work with a variety of patrons
• Friendly, welcoming attitude
• Ability to go up and downstairs
• Basic computer literacy
• Dependable
• Ability to lift 25lbs.

High School degree required, Bachelor’s degree desired.  Please send resume and cover letter by October 22, 2012 to :

Amber Cushing
Library Director
Allenstown Public Library
allenstownlib@comcast.net

Are you a small business, that would like some advice on how to better manage your computer files?

Would you like to preserve your family photos using your computer, but don’t know where to start?

Do you need help using the internet to find a job?

Would you like to learn how to search the internet like an expert?

Do you need help making a website?

I can help you with all of these tasks!  Information consulting is a new, free service provided by your library.  Simply call or email the library to make an appointment with the library director.  Appointments are scheduled in 30 minute time slots on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays during library hours.  I look forward to hearing from you!  Please see more information under the “Our services” link above.

• Monday, September 24, 2012: 1pm-8pm
• Tuesday, September 25, 2012: 10am-5pm
• Thursday, September 27, 2012: 10am-5pm
• Friday, September 28, 2012: 12pm-7pm

• Friday, September 28, 2012, 5:30pm at the library

To answer this question, I wanted to share a little bit about library theory and policy.

STILL READING?  Good, that means I haven’t lost you.    I rely on various types of data when I decide what books to buy: I look at how often similar books are checked out (circulation statistics), Reviews by other librarians (in a publication such as Booklist), or patron requests, which is where you come in.  If there’s a book you’d like to buy so you can check it out of the library, let me know!  I want to buy material that people will read.

Next, I make sure a book meets our collection development policy.  This is like a manual that the library has adopted to guide our selections based on the population of the town, and size and budget of the library.  I make sure the books meet the guidelines of the policy.   For example: since Allenstown is in New Hampshire, I’m likely to buy books about wildlife native to New Hampshire.  However, I may not be so likely to buy books about snakes in California (I’ll leave that up to the library in California).

So in short, yes, I might buy a book for you.  Just let me know what it is and I can let you know if it fits the policy.  Or you can check out the policy and make me an argument.  Come on in and give me your request in person, email me at allenstownlib@comcast.net or call me at 485-7651.  Or leave a comment below…

Due to staffing issues, the library will have limited hours on Tuesdays and Fridays until further notice.

New temporary hours:

Tuesdays, 10am-6pm (closing 2 hours early)

Fridays, 12pm-7pm (closing an hour early)