Farewell, Ethan!

On Friday morning we say goodbye to someone who is one of everybody's favorites, whether you have known him for a long time or short one: Ethan, or the Professor, as some of us affectionately think of him. Many of us have had the pleasure of seeing this normally quiet soul light up whenever the conversation intersects with any of his varied interests (especially history!), and we have been invariably rewarded with wide ranging discussions that are as fun as they are illuminating. His assertion that he was very worried about nationalism when he was nine managed to be simultaneously hilarious, slyly ironic, and completely serious: quintessential Ethan. But we will let the man speak for himself:

"I will always appreciate having had the opportunity to work with all of you (and many others) over the seven semesters. While I could, obviously, wax nostalgic regarding the well-known pleasures of checking rooms and scanning keys, I think it's more important to say that I will miss being part of a happy and supportive community like the one we have here at the library. During my first few months of college, my shifts here were one of the few times when I felt as if people knew my name and cared about my everyday life. I'll always be grateful for that and -- absorption in my homework notwithstanding -- I have generally tried to be similarly, supportive, friendly and open while working with others ever since. Have I always been that way? Probably not. But, if I had any advice, it would be (and, I am aware this echoes a long-standing refrain among graduating PSAs) to take the time to talk and laugh with your coworkers; I think it does a tremendous amount of good. In the immediate future, I plan on taking my commitment to academic rigor and passable friendliness to the next level by becoming a high school teacher."

Ethan will soon begin serving as a student teacher in order to complete his degree and embark on a career teaching history to high schoolers. He has been with us for a while, and it will be hard to say goodbye, but we can take comfort in the knowledge that there are generations of high school students to come who will be lucky enough to have Mr. Worthington as their teacher. Best of luck Ethan!

Spring Scheduling

I've placed spring scheduling forms on the table in our break space.  Please pick one up and fill it out once you have your class schedule determined.  Then put it in Danielle's mailbox, or give it to Matt or Danielle.


The schedule won't be finalized until December, by which time everyone should be registered. 

Customer Service 1.3

Good job to everyone who emailed me!  You all had some great suggestions of how she could change her body language and/or expression to seem more inviting to patrons, including:

• Looking up from her work
• Smiling
• Making eye contact with the patron
• Being more open, rather than hunched over her work
• Clearing as much of the things on the desk out of her way as possible, to remove barriers between her and the patron

Customer Service 1.2

Take a look at this picture.  She’s working at a library desk just like you.  Does she seem approachable?  Send me an email (dmgunkel@indiana.edu) to tell me what she could do to be more inviting to patrons. 

Birthday Treats

Happy October Birthday to Jeff (1) and Marsha (19)!  We'll have treats on Thursday, 10/26 to celebrate. 

Customer Service 1.1

In Japanese, the word for customer is “o-kyaku-san,” which means “a visitor in your home.”  When at the desk, it’s easy to forget about all of these visitors, especially when most of them will never come talk to us.  But we still need to treat them like guests, and there are two simple ways to do this.

First, appear welcoming and approachable. 

Second, remain aware of your surroundings and be ready to give a guest your full attention.  During your shifts think about how your actions, body language, and expressions convey this.    

Fall Break

IU's Fall Break is next week, and the BSIC will have different hours that may impact your shifts:

October 5	Thursday	7:30am - 5:00pm
October 6	Friday	CLOSED
October 7	Saturday	CLOSED
October 8	Sunday	5:00pm - 12:00am 

September Birthdays

Happy Birthday to Carlos this month (15)!  We'll celebrate with treats on Thursday, September 28.

Core Values

The Core Values of the BSIC are:

Service: positive, friendly, respectful interactions

Integrity: honest and conscientious in what we do

People Focused: dedicated to personal, staff, and community needs

Teamwork: having fun and working together for the good of the library and community

Knowledge: committed to learning more and being better

Take a moment this week to really think about how you apply each of these core values in the work you do.  Then go sign the new core values poster, sitting below the new Staff Directory. (Not sure where?  Just ask!)

Quiz Answers

Great job everyone on the quiz!  Be sure to read the answers below to see how you did.

1. A reservation that was less than 2 hours can be extended anytime to be the full two hours.  A reservation that is 2 hours can be extended up to 15 minutes before its end time, for up to another 2 hours.  Reservations can only be extended if the room is available.  If the room is not available, you can make another reservation for the student in another available room, but be sure to add this to LibCal.

 2. Yes, the woman from a nearby town, who is not affiliated with IU, can get a guest account to access an ebook in our collection.  See a fulltime staff member for help creating this account.

3. To look-up a Reserve book that you can't find on the shelf, go to iucat.iu.edu, click "Reserves" to only look for Reserve items, look up the item (by course number, professor name, title), and check the location on the returned results.

 4. A LibCal booking record should be updated to show that the user showed up only after checking-out the key in Workflows and handing it to the patron. 

BSIC Quiz Time

Library pong at the All-Staff Meeting was great fun, but we didn't have time to get to all of the questions.  So it's time for part one of a "take-home" quiz to not only test your BSIC knowledge, but to also see who is reading this. 


Send me (dmgunkel@iu.edu) an email with your answers to all four questions below by next Thursday, September 14.


1. When can a room reservation be extended?   


2. A woman from a nearby town, who is not affiliated with IU, wants to access an ebook from our collection.  Is she allowed to do this?


3. You can't find a reserve book on the shelf.  What are the steps you would take to see if it's checked out?


4. When should a LibCal booking record be updated to show that the user showed up?

Pictures

I'll be coming around this week to get pictures for our staff directory.  This is only required for all of our new staff, but if anyone would like a new photo for the directory let me (Danielle) know. 

Labor Day

Just a reminder...we will be closed on Monday, September 4th for the Labor Day holiday. 


We will be open Saturday and Sunday, however, so make sure you're here for your shifts or have emailed to request a sub if you'll be gone. 

August Birthdays!

Here at the BSIC we celebrate any birthday's during a month, on the last week of that month.  Fortunately Gary has a birthday in August (17), so we'll have cupcakes to celebrate this Thursday.  Remember we're open until midnight, so be sure to stop in for a cupcake even if you're not working Thursday.


Happy birthday, Gary!

Where's the scanner?

Take a walk back to the computers and you may notice something missing...the scanner. 


While we investigate if and when a scanner will return to the BSIC, please direct anyone in need of a scanner to the copier/printer/scanner just outside of the BSIC by the stairs. 

All-Staff Meeting

The Fall semester All-Staff Meeting is schedule for Friday, September 1 at 6:00PM.
 

This meeting will give you a chance to test your memory about the work in the BSIC and maybe even learn something new.  We’ll also have pizza, introductions to everyone, and hopefully some fun!  You should be free to go no later than 7:30PM. 

This is a mandatory meeting.  If you cannot attend, you must clear your absence with Danielle (dmgunkel@iu.edu).   

 

Welcome to a New School Year

We're so happy to have many returning BSIC veterans, and to welcome several new faces, too! 

And with an eclipse on the first day of classes, I think it's going to be a pretty great school year!

Our Graduates: Kate Bruni

Kate will be graduating as an English major with a minor in folklore. Shortly thereafter she will be leaving our fair city for an apartment complex in Chicago that has a pool and a concierge. And also lots of dogs. It would seem that all her dreams have come true.

Kate came to us as a sassy, sweet, funny freshman who quickly made herself a staff favorite. Aside from simply being a great worker, which made her an obvious choice for student supervisor, she is someone who is equally at home discussing literature and philosophy, as well as why Oreo cookies are her frenemy. Her gift is language, though, and rarely have we had someone so quotable working for us, where seemingly mundane things become hilarious. A few of my favorites:

“My family gives meat as presents.”

“After three ‘whats’ you can’t say ‘what’ anymore.”

“It was like Noah blew his nose and all the people came out of the library”

Here is Kate’s farewell in her own words: “I have dreams of owning my own dog village, so maybe that can happen one day. Until then, the boyfriend and I are moving to Chicago where we will eat our way across the city and try not to get fat from the smell of the chocolate factory that is right next to our apartment building. I plan on sitting by the pool and binge-watching Parks and Rec for the foreseeable future.

I know whatever job I get will never live up to my time at the library, but working here did teach me what I care about in a job:

• Having comfy chairs to sit in for hours
• Having bosses you can speak freely with about how much your roommates suck
• Having birthday Wednesdays (or some other day I guess) where I can get free cookies and cupcakes
• Making sure that ice-breakers are not just ice-breakers (alpacas are good in these situations)
• Having a super cool bunch of people to work with, who you can count on to always look up what the Ninja Turtle actors like look like now.

Hopefully I can find at least a few of these things!”

I am sure you will do great wherever you end up. We wish Kate, and her boyfriend Davis (who is so well liked he is almost an honorary Business/SPEA employee) the very best. You are irreplaceable, and you will be missed! 

Our Graduates: Nell Wentling

Nell, who is from Chicago, will be graduating with a business degree in Marketing, Professional Sales, and Sustainable Business. Which sounds like a lot, but Nell has a lot of energy, and she channels that energy into a very active life that includes basketball whenever she can get a team together.

Nell fuels this active life in part by the myriad snacks she brings in during her shifts. The snacks are always interesting and healthy, and occasionally something I can't identify. I believe her energy also comes from the judicious application of naps – Nell has mastered the art of napping at the break table.

Most of all, though, I think Nell's energy comes from being a genuinely positive person. Never one to get too rattled by anything, Nell always has a smile on her face. It's as if, in Nell's world, there can only be so much time allotted for freaking out when a problem comes along, and then it's down to the business of either fixing what's wrong, or dealing with it as best you can.

Here is a little of that positivity, in her own words: "I've worked at the library since my sophomore year and couldn't be more grateful! From the spirited discussions to the numerous naps, it has been the perfect work environment."

Nell has landed a job with Anheuser Busch and will be shipping out to St. Louis in July to begin training in the sales development program. She will be with us until then, however, which is fortunate, because we will miss her. We are all proud of you Nell – congratulations!

Our Graduates: Clayton Hobbs

Clayton has been a familiar face around here for a while now, having started with us as a freshman, back in the long ago. His is not just a familiar face, but an unfailingly friendly one. Clayton is very well liked by everyone here at Business/SPEA, and has gone above and beyond for our patrons more than once. It's always especially difficult to say goodbye to the people who have been with us so long, which is the bitter part -- but we also love seeing them off into the next phase of their lives, like Clayton going to work for Hershey, which is, of course, the sweet.

Here are Clayton's own words about his time here:

"As graduation is approaching quickly, it is a great time to reflect on the times and lessons from the past four years. Coming to college has thought me so much inside and outside of the classroom. Studying Marketing and Management at the Kelley School of Business has been a privilege that has provided me with amazing opportunities, amazing people, and an amazing education. Kelley taught me the importance of creating meaningful relationships. The education and soft skills I learned through Kelley helped me land a sales job working for the Hershey Company (Yes the chocolate company!). I will be commuting to Columbus Indiana from Bloomington for training this summer so if you are in Bloomington I will be around!

Working at the library has been a staple of my college career and I could not have asked for better job during my four years here! The library showed me how important it is to listen carefully and understand. My bosses were excellent listeners whether I was talking about ways to better library, or just talking about what I did over the weekend. Their listening helped me feel more at home, empowered me as a worker, and inspired me to do the same for our patrons.

My piece of advice for anyone that has time left at IU is take advantage of opportunities outside of the classroom. College is a one-time experience and getting out of the house makes you take advantage of all that IU has to offer. Getting out of your comfort zone socially can teach you valuable life lessons as well as give you some great memories.

It has truly been a pleasure working with all of you! I hope everyone enjoys their time at IU and everything that comes after!"

Best of luck, Clayton! It's been great having you with us.

Our Graduates: Jacob Lucas

Jacob, who hails from the near east-side of Indy, will be graduating with a major in History and minors in both Economics and Mathematics. He plans to jump right back into academia by going to graduate school, and is considering his options as to where to go and what to study. Jacob will continue to work here and in the Wells library over the summer as he plans his next move.

Jacob came to us late in the game, and will have been with us for only a year by the time he graduates. Not that he was new to the library game – Jacob had spent the three previous years working for the Swain library. When that library closed, we happily welcomed him to the Business/SPEA fold (as we did tall Matt and Natalie Wozniak). Even in the short time he’s been here, Jacob has been able to make his mark, having coined a term that will be a permanent part of the Business/SPEA lexicon --

KeyTSD (noun): a condition in which the sufferer is especially attuned to the sound of jingling keys, even to the point of imagining the sound when it isn’t occurring

Here is what Jacob had to say about working here: “Having been at Swain Hall Library for 3 years, I wasn't sure what to expect here at the BSIC. I was glad to learn that everyone was incredibly helpful and kind in helping me get the lay of the land, and I can genuinely say that I felt welcome as soon as I stepped through the doors. It was a great senior year, and a pleasure to meet and work with everyone here!”

We feel the same way! We have been very glad to have you here, and we wish you well on your next endeavor!

Matt Caught in the Act!

In our lost and found there lives a creature made of wires and cables and cords. This creature begins every semester in an embryonic state, gestating in the drawer third from the top -- just a laptop charger or two, and maybe some headphones. Then the creature begins to grow, slowly at first, but quickly gaining momentum as if every newly added item becomes two overnight. In short order the thing in the drawer becomes a monster born anew, a messy morass that inspires dread in all who hear the words: “I lost my charger.”

This corded quagmire has beaten down the will of many who have tried to tame it, some of whom have declared the war unwinnable. Enter (tall) Matt, who took it upon himself to wrestle this rough beast into submission. Mostly with rubber bands and a knack for organization. So, thank you to (tall) Matt, who was Caught in the Act of slaying the Cord Monster, or least dividing it up into many neatly wrapped pieces. 

Our Graduates: Suzy Fritz

When I asked for a few words from our graduates about their time here, Suzy was kind enough to write this lovely response, which I encourage everyone to read. Thank you so much for everything Suzy. We will miss you, but we are also looking forward to you conquering the Big Apple!

"Graduating is very intimidating, but I feel ready to move on and am excited for the changes to come. I studied marketing and professional sales in Kelley over the last 4 years, and my favorite class was my Advertising class, taught by Ann Bastianelli; non-Kelley majors can take this class and everyone should!! I also enjoyed my Compass classes and any classes that taught me about the concept of self-awareness and the psychology behind marketing. I am a nerd about understanding people and why they do the things they do. 

Creative marketing is where my strengths lie, and I am excited to begin working full-time with Macy's in June as a participant in their NYC Executive Development Program. After my initial program, I will be placed into one of the hundreds of Macy's product categories and most likely be in charge of the web design, layout, merchandising, and sales for that particular category. Many exciting initiatives are happening at Macy's and I am intrigued by the opportunity to creatively problem solve while there. I am most likely moving to the lower east side in Manhattan, but I will not know my exact location until just a few weeks before I start because that's how crazy the NYC housing market is! 

I am definitely graduating as a different person than I was when I moved into Foster Jenkinson 4 years ago. Attending Kelley taught me that being different is much more interesting than trying to be like others- people (and employers) notice your authenticity and confidence. Going abroad taught me that at the end of the day you cannot be happy in life unless you are happy and proud of who you are; having an experience that makes you realize your potential and independence is life changing. Being in a sorority taught me that everyone has a story and we are all stronger together. Being a member of the IUDM morale committee taught me that using positivity, craziness, and energy to uplift others is an underestimated strength. Everyone has the power to do something they never thought they could- whether you are a small child, a world-class surgeon, or a passionate college student.

Lastly, working at the BUSP library for the last four years taught me that real leadership is uplifting others- not lecturing them. I've had the best bosses I have ever had here and feel welcomed and valued every time I walk in the door. I work with a diverse group of students who love meeting others and making people smile. The spea lib is my home base on campus: whether I need to decompress in the back room, heat up some lunch, get some of Matt's cookies, or laugh at the quote board, I have always had a space to go on campus that feels like home. I hope that in my future job, I can love what I do and spread positivity to the extent that our management does here. 

My advice is to get involved on campus, try out a leadership position, push yourself to take risks, use your campus resources, and do not believe someone who says you cannot do something. 

Also (and possibly more importantly), Rod Tuffcurls at the Bluebird is always a good idea, Roy's cover sucks but nothing beats the patio on a sunny Friday After Class, Esan has the best pad thai in town, and Yogi's bingo night is a necessity. 

Everyone better say hi before I leave and please please know if you ever have questions you can always reach out!!

With love from a nostalgic senior,

Suzy Fritz"

Kayla Caught in the Act!

We are fortunate in that there is a great custodial staff who come in every night to pick this place up and put it back together for the next day. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t help out, and sometimes the library gets really, REALLY, messy. There was just such a night recently and Kayla decided to pitch in and pick up some of the remaining trash before closing. As Sydney said: “Kayla rocks and is always willing to help out and get her work done efficiently.” So here’s to Kayla, Caught in the Act of rocking, and of being generally helpful and considerate.

Student Employee Appreciation Day

This is National Student Employment Week, and Wednesday is Student Employee Appreciation Day! You what that means? Food. We have food for you. Come in to the break room any time today and there will be assorted bagels and snacky things.

You are the face of the library, and we couldn't run this place without you. We see the good work you do everyday and we want you to know just how much we appreciate it. So, from Christina, Jeri, Gary, and Matt, a very heartfelt THANK YOU!

Spring Break Hours

While most of you may already know this, I thought it would be good to remind all of you that, even though we will be open for much of spring break, you will not be responsible for any shifts between 5pm on Friday, March 10^th and 5pm on Sunday, March 19^th. Sunday the 19^th is the day that a lot of people are making their way back from wherever they escaped to for the break, so if you are scheduled at 5pm or later that day don’t forget to either come in to work or get your shift covered. As an extra incentive, if you cover someone’s shift that day you get a full hour added to your time bank for every hour you cover, instead of the usual half hour for every hour covered.

I hope you all have a wonderful time whatever you are doing for spring break, and remember: if you can’t be good, be careful.

There Will Be Cookies

With Brooke’s graduation last semester, we no longer have any February birthdays. However, since I don’t want everyone to have to wait two whole months between birthday goodies, I have decided we will have a Birthday Wednesday anyway. You can have the cookies (and some bite sized brownies) on behalf of whatever theme, person, reason, you wish! Although in honor of Black History Month, I would ask that everybody take a look at this link and scroll down to February, which is kind of an incredible month. I was amazed by how many truly outstanding people, indispensable cultural and historical figures, were born in the month of February. So, in honor of them, and anyone else you may know and love who has a birthday this month, There Will Be Cookies.

Head on a Swivel

If you aren’t at the Captain’s Chair, it’s easy to get so focused on what’s in front of you – homework, research, stupid stuff your friends are saying online – that you completely miss people who are waiting to be helped. We’ve all been there. But it has come to my attention that this has happened several times recently, where a line has formed without the First Mate pitching in. For whatever reason, patrons rarely think to go anywhere but the Captain’s Chair, and that means it’s up to the rest of us to remind them that they can get help at both stations. Nobody should be sitting idly by as long as people are waiting to be helped.

So this is a gentle reminder to be like this:

And don’t be like this:

Bias Incident Reporting

You may have seen these cards at the circulation desk and wondered what they were about. The Division of Student Affairs has created a platform to record incidents of bias and discrimination that occur on the IU campus.

From the Division of Student Affairs website:

“What is a Bias-based Incident?

Any act of discrimination or harassment based on:

• Race
• Ethnicity
• Religion
• Gender
• Gender Identity
• Sexual Orientation
• Disability

What is the Purpose of Reporting Bias Incidents?

1. To document bias-based incidents on campus in order to better understand the reality of discrimination in the IU community.
2. To assist and help provide resolution to bias-based incidents for those who request a response.”

You can report these incidents through the following means:

Online: biasincident.indiana.edu

Email: incident@indiana.edu

Mobile app: IU Mobile App (m.iu.edu)

Phone: (812) 855-8188

Noah Caught in the Act

Noah was Caught in the Act of being a good Samaritan. To me. I was preparing to work on the new book display when Noah came up to me and, without any prompting, asked if he could help. New books is one of my favorite little side tasks, and usually I comb through the books currently on the shelves to decide which ones should be switched out in favor of the most recent arrivals. In this case, however, it was time to pull ALL of the current books off the shelves and replace them with the (new) new books. Seeing as I had many other things to attend to, I happily accepted Noah’s kind offer. Thank you Noah, for making my job a little easier!

Sara Caught in the Act

Sara has been Caught in the Act of having a great attitude even when running the desk by herself. Early Friday afternoons are a busy time around here and there is a gap between 1pm and 1:30PM where Sara has to be the Captain and the First Mate. According to Kate:

She’s such a champ, working Fridays at 1pm (which gets uber busy). She’s spending a quarter of her Fridays by herself at work and is always happy!

So, thank you Sara, for being such a pro, and being part of why this is a great place to work!

Clayton Caught in the Act

Clayton was Caught in the Act of going above and beyond to help a patron. A SPEA faculty member had twenty-seven books to check out and not only did Clayton help him put all those books in library bags, but he also offered to assist in carrying the books upstairs. I can’t really say I’m surprised, Clayton, but you continue to help us set a high bar for customer service – thank you!