Audited and Appraised

It's one of those weeks at work where it's all happening. Funerals, sickness, events, audits and appraisals. I don't get weeks like that very often I'm pleased to say!
Firstly our little event at Birch Hill was a great success. Chrissy and Sheila came up from Bracknell to make animal masks with the kids. They all seemed to have a really enjoyable time (especially Chrissy and Sheila!) and the masks looked fab. The library was really buzzing all afternoon and despite a few tuts from some of our older users, I think it was a really good afternoon. We did seem to be descended by more staff than you usually see in my little library though! Lisa was off sick, so Maggie had come up to help out on the counter for the afternoon, then of course Chrissy and Sheila arrived, followed by Philippa who was coming to see how to run the event as she's doing one on Friday afternoon. Then Richard popped in to use the loo and finally Doreen came along to... well, I'm not really sure what she was there for really!

The audit has been a bit odd really. As I've only been in the job a few months I found some of the questions a bit difficult to answer really, and I felt like I was being interrogated at times about why things happen. To be fair, many of the processes we use are somewhat antediluvian, and I think the auditor was taken by surprise that we're not even at late 20th century levels of money control... Hmm, well maybe her report will finally mean we get to have a till in each library. I hope so.

As for the appraisal, well, I was surprised at how lightly I got off. I suppose because it's still early days in this job for me, there's every chance I've got it a bit easy this year! I'm not complaining though, as with two libraries I've got enough to do every day as it is. So I have to set up a reading group in both libraries (which I'd been considering anyway), have fortnightly events of some kind (which we do anyway, but with reminiscence sessions coming to Great Hollands in the autumn we'll be more than fulfilling) change displays more often (which I can happily delegate to Lynn and Lisa) and boost the figures (which has already started)... so easy!
I was really pleased to get some feedback on how I'm doing as well. It seems I'm highly thought of and doing very well in both places. I'm considered a safe pair of hands and in general I'm doing a great job at brightening up both libraries and especially at turning Great Hollands around. It's a good start, isn't it?
I feel there are some things I have to work on to get myself up to speed on the job; there's still lots I need to learn how to do to and even though I'm better than I used to be, I need to make sure I'm really well organised- sometimes I really feel like I'm winging it (but apparently it doesn't show, which is good!) but I'm feeling very positive about it all at the moment. In the moments where Great Hollands is full of people and there's a happy buzz I feel like I'm winning. I think I might be cut out for this job after all!