The Bitter With the Sweet - Children's Librarian

 

2-9-2024

I have bittersweet news this week. We have posted the Children’s Librarian opening.

The bitter. Nobody can replace Miss Nancy. We continue working diligently creating her memorials. The bronze bench purchased with a large portion of the community’s donations has been tucked away in our meeting room for months waiting for fine weather to be installed under the flag pole. Children’s books have been moved from that locked meeting room into the storytime area of the lower level. Memorial plaques have been ordered and paint colors to refresh the look have been selected. While the Lower Level will be even more inviting when all is done, it won’t be the same.

The sweet. Our staff will once again be large enough to allow for illness and vacation time without spreading us too thin. There will be another friendly face to greet and assist patrons. That will be a consistent face for our youngest visitors.

For months I’ve been saying my dream candidate would be a former elementary school teacher, whether a retiree or someone who wants to work part time. Either way, one who doesn’t want to lose that connection to children. For that reason, the posting states that candidates with significant early childhood experience rather than a library background will be considered. The posting with a link to the required Village of East Troy application is available from the ETLPL and Village websites. Our link is actually a link to the Village.

Feel free to pass the word. Children’s programming is the position’s primary responsibility with the possibility of cataloging being an additional task. The cataloging can be taught. In all likelihood even an experienced cataloger will go through some training on our system. There are several places related to libraries I was able to post. Getting the word to candidates with an education background is a little more difficult.

The new librarian will be taking over preschool storytime and out new Tuesday morning play group. Early Childhood Education students from the high school have been helping out, but their class and February end together. So far, the students haven’t needed their planned activities as the little ones enjoy exploring the toys. Free play also works as a better ice breaker. That said, everyone seems to enjoy the time. The high school students are here 10:00-10:45. Once they leave, we serve a snack and welcome families to stay until 12:00.