Good grief, six weeks

Writing my weekly resource center update this morning, crafting news and information for student workers and GA's, I noticed only six weeks remain of the Spring 2008 academic school year. How did that happen? Looking at the calendar, and gleefully counting Friday's, the last day of class is five weeks from Friday (and then finals). I am never quite sure which is more appropriate, excitment or fright knowing another term is coming to a close. I should have known it was soon, resource center signs were all there; an increase in activity books to shelve, requests for curriculum library space for textbook evaluations, filling the printer drawers several times a day, and constantly replacing the laminating machine rolls because file folder games and fraction bars are due.

With that in mind, it is no surprise I needed to rescue both the laminator and a student project after lunch this afternoon. Last term I puchased a new rolltop laminator for the resource center; a heavy-duty GBC HeatSeal Ultima 65 laminator, to be specific. It works a bit differently than our previous dinosaur with various safety precautions (though truthfully some are a bit annoying) in place. I do not have all the specifics, I was called in to trouble shoot the sad result, but today a student had her project stuck in the laminator. Trying to remove her games from the mouth of the beast, she and the GA determined their best course of action was to reverse the machine. Not always the best choice with a project that is being heat sealed, the resulting catasrophe saved her folder - but caused the film to roll around and around and around and around the heating element. A nightmare. While maintaining a constant heat to the machine (I love working with a hot machine), I did not want the film to cool on the roll, I was slowly able to work the laminated gift-wrap off the elements. Both the project and laminator were saved ... and I successfully talked the student down off of the ledge regarding the feasibility of her project being saved and sent through the laminator again (at no charge, I'm a nice librarian). I loaded new film on the still warm machine (ouch, ouch, ouch), sent through numerous test laminating sheets, and laminated the file folder games for the student myself.

Everyone left happy, but I managed to lose an hour and a half of time dedicated to completing my performance review. It's due tomorrow at 5:00 pm. My review conference is scheduled for 8 am (that's evil, who is awake enough for thinking then?) on Wednesday. At least I am first.

It's time for Dancing with the Stars!