Congratulations to the following March 2022 Employee of the Quarter winners:
Hamilton:
Alex Scales – 3 nominations
Alex sends the best emails. He asks for help and makes you laugh while doing it. He is also so encouraging and readily hands out compliments.
Alex always goes above and beyond for every patron interaction. We are lucky to have him!
I appreciate Alex’s calm efficiency at the reference desk at Hamilton and his care-taking of our Barron’s subscription.
Oxford:
Harry Davis – OXB
Harry keeps the Oxford Branch running. No matter how hard the task, Harry is willing to tackle it. Harry takes care of the red cream soda trails left by a leaky patron. He is there when the woman’s restroom smells like an electrical fire. He makes sure we are able to focus on the patrons knowing that he has taken care of the building for us.
Fairfield:
Mary Carroll
Mary is always so patient and kind to her co-workers and our patrons. We <3 Mary!
LAC/BKM/Tech Center:
Connie Yeager – LAC – 3 nominations
Connie has a multitude of responsibilities and she gets all of them done in a timely manner. She always keeps a smile on her face and stays patient during all of these tasks. Most recently, she taught certain staff at each location how to process the new B&T items. Thanks, Connie, for always going above and beyond!
Connie has done a great job going to the branches to train staff how to process the new leased books. She also created a manual for them to use as future reference and has helped them work out problems they have encountered.
Connie has been incredibly helpful with the transition from McNaughton leasing to Baker & Taylor. Mike and I have had several questions throughout the process, and Connie has been a great guide throughout.
Congratulations to this quarter’s winners! Each winner will receive their choice of 4 hours of vacation or a $50 gift card.
Congratulations to the following nominees:
Hamilton:
Erika Schultz
Erika is the newest shelver and is always cheerful and willing to help in any way. Her positive attitude and work ethic make every day better.
Michaela Perkins
With the switch from MCN to B&T, Michaela quickly learned the processing procedure for B&Ts and efficiently adapts to the little quirks we find as we get use to the process.
Camille Dainton – 4 nominations
Camille is such an asset to the library. She orders things we don’t even know we need that makes our lives better around here, along with keeping up with our normal orders. She is also someone I know I could ask for help at anytime about any patron problem. She’s an excellent co-worker and team mate!
Camille made a good suggestion about the catalog that should result in less patron confusion. It was the kind of critical suggestion we could use more of at The Lane.
Camille Dainton does not stop… ever. We have just started our Sustainable Shelves program at Hamilton and Camille quickly and efficiently went through all of our weeded material. I don’t know how she doesn’t get a headache looking between the green and pink labels (iykyk)
Camille has been working tirelessly on getting a HUGE LOAD of our donated items, along with other items, sent to Baker and Taylor’s Sustainable Shelf Program. This has not been a simple task, yet Camille makes it look seamless and easy. Thank you, Camille, for your continued hard work! You take care of so many behind the scenes tasks that we don’t often even realize! You are a STAR!
Emily Mays – 2 nominations
Emily is so amazing, she just got a promotion!! She is just someone I love being at the desk with. She is so good with patrons, they adore her! Anytime I need help or assistance, I know I can ask her and she will help me with a smile on her face. Emily is just so great to have around the library, I’m so glad we have her!
With the switch from MCN to B&T, Emily quickly learned the processing procedure for B&Ts and efficiently adapted to the little quirks we find as we get used to the process.
Kelly McEwin – won December 2021
I never get to see Kelly around because of our different work schedules, but we work on Cummins room things together. Kelly is such an asset to the Cummins team. She blows through requests while working the desk. She is a total rock star.
Jennifer Albinus
Has been picking up some extra shifts to help in our time of need; is so positive, interesting and fun as a co-worker, and does a great job assisting with Seed Library needs. Very thankful for her!
Kristen Howard
With the switch from MCN to B&T, Kristen quickly learned the processing procedure for B&Ts and efficiently adapts to the little quirks we find as we get use to the process.
Oxford/Smith:
Alice Ahrens-Radlinski – OXB – 4 nominations
Alice is the consummate professional. She is committed to providing excellent service. She is our “go-to” person when we are stumped.
Alice is simply the best in all ways. She definitely deserves recognition for the daily effort she puts into be an excellent worker and exceptional human!
Alice is always ready to step in and help a coworker or patron. She is incredibly competent, but also very warm and nurturing to those needing her help.
Wow, wow, wow Alice bucket of salt in one hand and shovel in the other! Thank you for shoveling and salting the sidewalks and parking lot to keep everyone safe on snowy days.
Kevin Sequeira – OXB
Kevin’s willingness to pick up shifts has saved us! You will often find Kevin covering the reference desk on his weekends off. Without Kevin’s commitment to the Oxford branch, we would be left short-staffed. Thanks, Kevin!
Caroline Williams – OXB
Caroline deserves Employee of the Quarter for her great efforts in circulation. If you are fortunate enough to go through the drive-through when Caroline is at the window, you will be treated to holds, craft kits, bingo sheets, covid test kits and a dog treat (if you remembered to bring your dog). She is a delight to work with and an expert if you have any cat questions.
Sue Brooks – OXB
Sue Brooks is a very enthusiastic member of the CIrculation Department. She is always in a good mood and this comes through when helping patrons. She never hesitates to help out patrons and co-workers and will take on an extra project with no questions asked. Sue is a pleasure to be around.
Noah Mackinnon – OXB
We cannot thank Noah enough for showing a great flexibility with the schedule. Noah worked for about two months without a set schedule to help with covering various shifts.
Janelle Rainey – OXB
Janelle is always pleasant to work with. She understands the needs of others and is ready to lend a helping hand. Janelle had saved the days by picking up extra shifts even on a very short notice. Janelle is well liked by Patrons and staff. Fortunate to have Janelle on our Oxford Team.
Fairfield:
Emma Darby
Emma is a wonderful human. She is so kind and welcoming! She creates a wonderful atmosphere around her that always makes people happy! She’s super fun to work with and is a superb employee!
Danielle White
Danielle has gone out of her way to make and create Valentine grams for staff. Her creative talents come in to play often as a member of the Fresh committee. FFB is lucky to have Dani!
Missy Thompson
Missy is always dedicated, detail oriented and just plain awesome to work with!
Laura Barnette
Laura is patient and dedicated to each patron encounter and making their visit positive.
Jen Bonnlander
Jen is a powerhouse. She is one of the most proactive workers I have ever had the pleasure of working with. I am also pretty sure she is a mind reader because before I can even ask her to do something (shifting a large collection, pulling old leased materials), she has already started to work on it. We are very fortunate to have her on the Fairfield team!
Kerri Doll
Kerri is….well, amazing. She can find even the most lost thing with ease, whether it is something from a paging list or a claims returned item. She is organized and detail-oriented, and always willing to step in and help with deliveries without even being asked. She has quickly picked up on processing the new leased materials too, which has made the switchover from McNaughtons to B&T that much easier.
Melissa Thompson
Missy is always very helpful with patron questions and makes sure that every patron she works with leaves satisfied with their visit to the library. Missy is also fantastic with going through older McNaughtons and determining what we need for permanent copies, and checking to see what is needed for book clubs or summer reading. Considering the number of McNaughtons we see at Fairfield, it takes a lot of time but she still manages to get it done along with all of her time on desk. I especially appreciate how she is always asking questions and trying to find the best way to do things that will be of benefit to our patrons and internal processes.
Tammy Brooks
Tammy not only plans the most engaging Children’s programs, but she is stellar at keeping the Children’s room in tip-top shape. Any time I go to her with an issue of spacing, she gets right on it and before I know it, things are adjusted and we are good to shelve again. You can tell that she loves what she does and any patron she works with definitely benefits from that. And now we all get to benefit from her great ideas as she serves on our FFB Fresh committee!
LAC/BKM/Tech Center:
Lucy Hayes – LAC – 2 nominations
Lucy has quickly mastered her new job as receiving clerk. She is never shy about taking on a new task either. She also stays on top of the zero viable holds list which helps me out tremendously. Lucy is a joy to work with!
Lucy has taken on lots of extra projects here and it’s getting them done! She has a great organizational system and is able to manage her time to get that these things done and her normal receiving duties. She’s a great asset here at Lac!
Cathy Johnson – LAC – won June 2021
Cathy could be nominated every quarter and it still wouldn’t be enough. Cathy always goes above and beyond. She takes on extra tasks all of the time and gets so much accomplished in a 5 hour period. She also cheers for her co-workers and cares about how we’re doing. She is a real asset to Lane.
Virginia Phelps – LAC – 2 nominations
Virginia is smart, efficient, and lovely to work with. She is always so organized and quick to take care of any needs that arise. She does an amazing job no matter the task. Specifically, she handled the onslaught of COVID tests coming in, being ordered, etc., with grace and like a pro. Virginia is so easy and pleasant to work with. She’s a valuable member of the Lane staff!
We are so lucky to have Virginia! Any time I have a question or request for something, she is right on top of it and always is happy to help. She has been fantastic at coordinating the test kit distribution and we can’t express how much we appreciate her organization and positive attitude. She’s simply wonderful!
John Taggart – LAC – 2 nominations
John brings the warm fuzzies along with the deliveries. If you are having a rough day, John will help bring you back to the light. Whether it is a funny story or a snarky joke, he will help you feel better before he moves on.
We actually look forward to our deliveries each day, just to get a breath of fresh air known as John Taggart. He is consistently positive, with a great sense of humor and he makes moving materials from location to location look so easy, even though it takes loads of coordinating. To so seamlessly interact with each location and keep us all happy is a testament to how wonderful he is. If you ever need an example of excellent internal customer service, just look at John!
Chip Kruthoffer – LAC – SHOUT OUT!
I know that staff members in supervisory roles are not allowed to be nominated, but I think Chip deserves a shout out for going above and beyond during the big ice storm. When I returned to work that Saturday, it was clear that the ramp, sidewalk, and parking lots near the Tech Center had not seen a speck of salt. The walkways were extremely hazardous. Chip came and dug us out. He shoveled and put down salt over the worst of the mess, making the area considerably safer for patrons and staff alike. I really appreciated his willingness to come out on an icy Saturday and make things safer for everyone. Thanks so much, Chip!
Amanda Bull Chafin – Tech Center
Amanda Chafin was a HUGE help when I was on vacation at the beginning of Feb. I was out of the state, and had very limited ability in what I could accomplish while I was gone, so ABC really stepped up and made sure the schedule was adjusted, and that staff were aware of any icy conditions in the lot and the ramp. I am incredibly grateful for her help in this instance, and every other day.
Savannah Bryant – Tech Center
The TC had a surprise pop-up Mini Make Faire on President’s Day, and Savannah deserves high praise for jumping in and helping patrons with all of the kits – sometimes hopping between tables. She was a huge help with running the heat press to get the perler bead crafts done, and multi-tasking to keep the desk staffed and showing patrons the different kits available.
Jacob Lee – Tech Center
The TC had a surprise pop-up Mini Maker Faire on President’s Day, and Jacob was a pro at helping teach some young patrons how to solder, and moving from table to table as needed. On top of the maker faire, we had some one-on-one tutoring sessions and walk in help sessions, which Jacob hopped up and helped with as much as possible, all while juggling the maker faire booths.