My frustration started with something that ought to have been very simple. As I mentioned in a previous post, I've agreed to take on webmaster responsibilities for SSJCPL and, to that end, I had an FTP client installed on my computer on Monday. Yesterday morning provided my first opportunity to update some information on our site (a local educational organization asked to be listed on the page that details the various community services in the region). Easy right? I opened the client and quickly found the appropriate document that I needed to edit. I downloaded it and opened it in notepad, made the necessary edits, viewed the document in a browser window to make sure everything looked right, and then hit the upload button. And hit the upload button again. And again. And...well, you get the picture. I just kept getting error messages. Either "client is locked by another user" or "HTTP/1.1 501 not implemented".
I talked to IT who directed me to a Microsoft Knowledge Base article concerning this error message and followed the suggested troubleshooting steps. No luck. I saw another IT guy walk past my office and flagged him down. He couldn't figure it out, either. So, after what felt like having wasted a bunch of time, I just gave up for the time being. Have to get this fixed soon, though!
That was the frustration. The excitement came later in the day when I headed over to LDA Partners (a great architectural firm) for a first meeting to discuss interior layout for a new branch library! SSJCPL has not opened a new library in a long time (I'm guessing 15 years) so this is really exciting. This new branch specifically will be built by the City of Lathrop just south of Stockton but we will continue to manage the library operations there (just as we do in the current Lathrop branch located in a tiny storefront facility). I and the supervising librarian that manages all of our County branches met with the LDA folks and had a really great conversation. They seem very willing to listen to our suggestions and very willing address our concerns.
The new branch is, at this very early stage of the game, scheduled to open sometime in the Fall of 2011. It should be a great facility for that community as the library will actually be inside a larger building that includes a teen recreation center and a computer lab (that I think the library will manage). All of this will be built in a new park that will have a skatepark, open space, and maybe an ampitheatre of some sort when all phases of development are complete.
The gratitude I mentioned earlier stemmed from my final appointment of the day: the monthly Stockton Friends of the Library meeting. This is just a fabulous group of library supporters; they are very productive in their fundraising, they are very generous in their appropriations to the library (how often does someone say, "I'll just write you a check for $30,000 right now, if you want"?) and they simply have a good time in their meetings, too. What's not to love, right?
4 comments:
"SSJCPL has not opened a new library in a long time (I'm guessing 15 years) so this is really exciting. "
Mountain House? Weston Ranch?
Thanks for the correction. I was still half-asleep when I wrote this.
Current Lathrop Branch?
Anonymous: I'd respect you a lot more if you didn't post anonymously. It's pretty easy to sit back and take shots a people when there is no accountability. I make mistakes; I have no problem admitting it. For an example, see my first response to you pointing out my error.
The reality is that this is a personal blog; I have the right to eliminate comments from people who I perceive as simply trying to make someone else look bad.
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