My most useful filing idea was to line up six magazine boxes (the kind that
stand upright for filing magazines on the shelf) and put current files in
them. From left to right, they are: Book Orders (books and A/V material that
I think I want to add to my next order or am sure of); Current Projects (in
it right now is the summer reading plan I'm working on for next summer and
the library automation information I'm going to need as soon as our our IT
guy figures out how to get through our firewall to access our Alliance Plus
subscription); Tracking/Pending (orders I'm waiting for, lost/damaged book
paperwork waiting to be paid by student or parent, peple that are calling me
back, etc. - anything where the next move is someone else's); To Read
(library magazines and newsletters and so on, to read while I'm on hold or
waiting for the computer to boot up or download something); To File
(obvious); As Time Allows (projects with no deadline or that haven't gotten
beyond the brainstorming and pre-planning stage - newsletter bits go in
here, too, as well as a folder of things to go to the office to be copied
marked with post-its, a list of things to be laminated, and a list of
on-going projects that my aides are helping me with, like organizing my
posters, sorting out old catalogues, alphabetizing master froms, and so on).
Everything else: catalogues, masters, blank forms, reading promotion ideas,
book club information, lessons, etc go in a two drawer file cabinet near my
elbow. In two more two-drawer cabinets are all my processing & repair
supplies, cleaning supplies, and some inventory (extra rolls of tape, glue,
and so on) Across these three cabinets is a long laminate countertop that
acts as my work table, which we got from the dent-and-scratch area of the
local lumberyard for practically nothing, because it had a few spots of
indelible paint on it.
For long-term storage of previous year's records nad so on, I have a
four-drawer cabinet in the corner of my office in a sort of out-of-the-way
spot. (There's a file drawer in my desk, too, but it's too shallow to put
hanging files in - some genius designed it, apparently, without checking
actual dimensions of things - so I store my personal odds and ends in
there.)
Now, the only piles (usually) on my desk or worktable are catalogues to be
filed when I'm on the phone, a bin of just-arrived magazines to be
processed, and a small stack of today's mail to be sorted, magazines that I
need to look through for something, and other things that need to be done
today. I also have a clipboard on which I keep today's to-do list, bills
that need paid, phone calls that need to be made - anything like that I need
to do today. A list of supplies I will need to order soon hangs on a hook
near my desk, where my aides can add to it as needed. I have in/out trays
and a hot file rack, too, but currently am not using them, since I switched
to the bin idea. I'll probably get rid of them.
I'll tell you, it feels so good to be able to put my hand right on whatever
it is I need now, instead of sifting through fourteen piles of papers and
magazines and other detritus. Now, to get that organized at home this
summer.....
Betty Winslow, Media Center Director
BGCA
Bowling Green, OH
bgcalib@wcnet.org
--------------------------------------------------------------------
All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law.
To change your LM_NET status, e-mail to: listserv@listserv.syr.edu
In the message write EITHER: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL
3) SET LM_NET MAIL 4) SET LM_NET DIGEST * Allow for confirmation.
LM_NET Help & Information: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/
Archive: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/archive/
EL-Announce with LM_NET Select: http://elann.biglist.com/sub/
LM_NET Supporters: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ven.html
--------------------------------------------------------------------
LM_NET
Mailing List Home