What+people+keep+on+their+Circ+desks

  My original post: Hello everyone! Cheri's post about a seek and find bottle, tornado in a bottle etc. reminded me that I need to change what I keep at the circ desk, $200 afghanistan bank notes that a friend sent while he was stationed there. Gets them talking every time. And a former aide of mine had a scorpion paperweight the students loved on her desk....but it'd be nice to get other ideas.

Susie in NY Oh, I am so boring, I don't have anything right now. Last year I had a Cat in the Hat puppet thing...you push the button on the bottom and he goes limp. We made him dance and say funny things. Also popular was the Ant Farm my daughter got for Christmas. Of course, some yayhoo let some ants escape, but that was in a High School. These are VERY cool but you have to clean out the dead ants or it gets really gross in there. http://fascinations.com/unique-toys-gifts/antworks.htm

Also, I know a gal who has a fake guinea pig in a cage, complete with a container of food and the occasional nibbled on carrot. It is SOOOO realistic, and she moves him around a bit. Many many people have come in and tried to talk to the thing with no response...everyone assumes it is just shy. She gets a lot of mileage out of that guy!

Christine in TX: I have a variety of small magnetic toys on my desk that I switch out periodically. The magnets are contained within these toys that either spin or seem to float so they are not a hazard around the computer monitors. The children find them fascinating and needless to say my books on magnets/magnetism are constantly checked out. Another item that I am starting to carry is a small letter tray that has about 30 copies or so of various logic problems. The problems range from simple to hard and students can select one to take with their book mark. The kids seem to like these and some bring them back when finished. Liz in TX: I have one of my Storyteller figures at my desk at the moment, as well as a small (4" dia) globe that spins not only east/west but also north/south. The kids love the unexpectedness of being able to spins the world crazily in any direction! I have also had a gyroscope, a rock collection, balsawood dinosaurs, a Robert Sabuda pop-up card & book (I don't check those out --- they'd get destroyed by younger sibs). Whenever a class does dioramas or other visual projects, they will often be displayed in the library as well. Sara in MA:  I try to have bookmarks, of course. And I usually have a copy of the current title that is up for book discussion that month. I'd like to hear what others do. Brand in NJ:  I have a " Where's Waldo " wand. It is filled with sparkles and on one of them is a teeny-tiny Waldo. That seems to be most popular but my Nancy Pearl action figure got so much handling that she broke, so I keep my deluxe Nancy Pearl in its box (because it was a present from my sister). I also have the beany baby collection that my son outgrew and rotate the beanies. And there are a few puzzles that appeal to some. Roberta and Elizabeth both from NY: Both have Librarian from the Black Lagoon bobbleheads And Elizabeth in NY also has a schoolhouse block that holds pictures....mine has pictures of my husband and our dogs dressed up in Hawaiian garb and pictures of three of our cats....(no, THEY are not dressed up!) Mary from CT: Right now at my circ desk is: The Spring Chicken! He's stuffed with a sign around his neck that identifies him as such. The kids don't get it but all the teachers smile when they see him! He is our harbinger of the season... Shannon in VT: On our circ desk right now is a large opened geode, plus 2 librarian figures- one a Nancy Pearl action figure and the other a stylin' librarian figure from the 60s or 70s (hip clothes, but a bun, glasses and finger poised to shush... too precious to throw away when we tossed the out-of-date "careers" kit!) Martha from TX: origami animals etc. --makes everyone go back to look at the art & craft book selection. Of course now I have had to purchase more orgami books. MaBell has: Since our school was the Eagles, I had an eagle puppet. We also had seasonal and holiday items, including those obnoxious stuffed toys that play a song when jostled. We turned them on when appropriate and kids loved them. If i were still in a school library, Nancy Pearl Action Figure would be out. She is on my desk in my office. Cheers!—mabell Nancy in TN: I have a storeroom full of donations for the AR store, and there are always spiders hanging out in there. One day I found a perfect example of a spider's exoskeleton in a party hat. I have it on the shelf behind the desk, and everyone who sees it gets a horrified look on his face and tries to warn me there's a spider behind me. We've all learned how spiders molt when they're growing! Frederick said: I have a sand collection. sounds weird... but whenever a kid goes away to somewhere, I ask him/her to bring me back some sand. The sand I have from the farthest place is from Greece. I used to have a blob thing that you turned over and it drained through a little hole to the next level. the kids LOVED it... its started leaking though. I also have a digital clock/message thing that works with a stick swinging back and forth with blinking lights to for the words/numbers as it moves. They stand and stare at it. Deborah from Germany: Office Max has an ad where people press a "that was easy" button. The store sells individual "that was easy" buttons, aboutt 5 inches in diameter, battery operated. Students push and it says "That was easy". My high schoolers have fun with it and it really doesn't get annoying.

Also, when I go to conferences, often vendors will take picture with a celebrity or in a special frame. I like to bring those back and post, one favorite is me with The Cat in the Hat.

I have had my "library action figure" but have retired her for awhile.

One last item, while I teach in Germany I am originally from Wyoming. Someone gave me a Wyoming license plate made into a clock. That usually elicits comments. Traci in TN: I have a perpetual calendar that the kids LOVE. They try to figure out how it works! Pat said: I have a big wrap-around counter and on the long arm, that is the other end, away from the checkout computer, I have a tank with two water frogs, African Clawed Frogs, Xenopus Laevius. Katy from TX: At our High School Library circulation desk, I have an inspirational/success quote of the day calendar, word of the day calendar (our SAT words, the regulars call it), a perpetual calendar of nature quotes, a 4-sided Buddha head (the 4 aspects of the Buddha ), 2 different kaleidoscopes, a betta fish (in a big jar with screen lid), seasonal rubber duckies (we are the Buckeyes, hard to find mascot stuff, so we are "just ducky" in the Library), a big box of tissues and the best electric pencil sharpener on our end of the campus next to a bear wearing my college t-shirt (easy locator landmark), my Nancy Pearl doll (mint condition-in the box), an African Violet, today's newspaper, etc.

It's a big roundish desk, at regular desk level right by the checkout, then with an upper level most of the way around on both sides for lots of display space.

The fun things are good talk-starters. I add seasonal things, too - you should see the candy corn vanish on Halloween ! Occasionally, I will give out small lollipops if your record is clear "for today and today only" usually with Halloween or Easter clearance candy. There are always lots of fun bookmarks, and even the high school kids like stickers!!

We previously had a magic eight ball (I'd say "not for legal, financial or relationship advice - for entertainment only" which always got a laugh) and a multi-sided ball that flipped its panels when tossed in the air, but they were stolen...my regulars were really ticked off! Patsy said: About 4 years ago, my son bought me an electronic clock that "streams" the time, date & a message in the open space between two posts (hard to describe). I kept it at home for a couple of years, but could never find just the right place for it in my house.

One August, I decided to take it to school to see how my students would like it. It's a hit with students and adults alike. At least once a month, I get asked where I got it. I love telling them that my son bought it for me as a Christmas gift (his gifts have improved with his career -- this year I got an Amazon Kindle ! I won't be sharing that one at school, however.). I look forward to a hit on this one. Tom said: I'm in a high school and we keep all sorts of things at the circ desk. One regular item is a calendar book (one of those with a picture for every day of the year--I try to replace it annually with one I've found on sale after the new year). We also keep lots of puzzles (e.g. metal puzzles which you have to take apart and put back together) which we rotate and magic 8 balls including one that speaks! The kids love a little device full of liquid which pushes a gorilla over a bar. I also have had a magnetic poetry set on a metal wall nearby and a magnetic checker set. My library specialist keeps family pictures on the counter since the circ desk is her work station. She's the one who's supplied a lot of the games and puzzles from her own kids' (who are long grown) toy collection. As long as it's kept (somewhat--) under control I think it's great to keep these kinds of conversation starters right were the kids are most likely to play with them. Shawnea’ said: small globe of the Moon Jody from MA: I have a pen encased in a wooden stick - on the stick is carved a face, and the face's mouth appears to be mouthing the letter "O". It sits in a little wooden stump. I kept it on the circulation desk as no one would dare walk off with it - it was too recognizable - so I was assured that I always had a writing implement there. One student suggested that it was my "Overdue" pen - as I used it to hand write (yes, we did that pre-automation) the weekly overdues. When I retired, I brought it home with me and it sits by our phone - and never strays from there, either! Serena in Utah: I am always trying to encourage my kids to read. I ran across some old slides in my mother's picture box a couple of years ago. I scanned them into my computer and printed them out and framed them. They are pics of me about 2 1/2 years old sitting with my father and one with my mother and they are reading to me. One is in black and white (mid fifties) and one color. Kids, parents, visitors always comment on them and they are a great way to spark conversation about the importance of reading to children. Naomi in TX: A magic eight ball and a cattle brand with an "N" on it (for Northwest or Naomi, or something interesting when I can think of it!) And of course, new galleys I'm reading : ) Valerie said:  I keep the 2 page spread from // The Bark // magazine at my circ desk. It features "smiling" dogs. It has generated many conversations, laughs and lots of sharing stories with students.  Diana in NJ:  I'm a real fan of Japanese knick-knacks. I have a daruma doll, a ceramic mouse (my sign), and a number of battery operated toys - like the flip flap from Tomy - it's a solar powered plant toy. Here's a link to a youtube about them and others [|http://youtube.com/watch?v=rX19_hrM1aA&feature=related .] I'm lucky enough to live nearby a Japanese store, but there's a great online store called [|JList.com] that sells a lot of these things. The kids especially like the toys that are motion sensitive, like a little robin that chirps. They have really great tschokes in general. Carolyn in PA: I have an assortment of inexpensive kaleidoscopes, Sly Fox cards, and an old plastic peanut butter jar filled with bird seed and an assortment of items (a penny, toothpick, button, etc.). There is a poem taped to the top listing each item to try to find. When the kids are waiting to check out a book or lined up ready to leave they love to look at these things. I've used them at the elementary and middle school level with great success. I even have had teachers take a peek. From Marsha in MI: Any time I encounter an item that I think might arouse interest in students, I get it and put it on the filing cabinet near my desk. Right now I have a jumbo stainless steel "hall pass," a gyroscope, some pictures, and a ball that changes color when you throw it up in the air. Behind the circulation desk I have the deluxe Librarian Action Figure and over my desk I have a hand-hewn wooden mallet that says "Attitude Adjustor." Jacquie from NY: I have:

The Amazing Librarian Action figure and the DELUXE Librarian Action Figure - complete with circ desk, computer, rolling cart and tiny books. (the kids love to pose the pair of them, create Librarian Wars etc.) Mr. Peabody (stuffed dog) Mr. Potato Head - Darth Tater version - complete with light sword, cape and helmet. A walking-oinking toy pig A flying pig suspended over the desk, ready to fly at the touch of a button A small collection of crystal pigs A Super Librarian Sign. A sign that says on one side: Help provided; Questions Answered; but on the flip side says: Help provided; Questions Answered; Evil Schemes Planned. (the sign was made by a work-study student 2 years ago. He returns to flip it over to the evil side whenever he can)

My assistant has:

A collection of ceramic fish (her last name is Marlin) Numerous "pooping" animals. That collection got started with her "Porky Pooper" who "poops" chocolate jelly beans (or would do if she were silly enough to remove him from his packaging) Judy from OH: have a tangram calendar at the high school circ desk. Originally I purchased one from those calendar displays in malls at Christmas as a gift for my father to keep his mind sharp. When he passed I brought the calendar to school. It's become an addiction for some students and the first thing they touch when coming into the library. A few even make special stops to see what the day's puzzle is.

The same 7 puzzle pieces are used to fill in a different design for each day. The kids are sometimes stumped and are certain there's NO WAY it can be done. Then another student gets involved and they usually manage to figure it out. I try to undo the solution between classes, but there are a few determined kids who guard it until the bell rings to insure I don't "mess it up." Tony in GA: ….some things I keep at our circulation desk routinely are books that do not circulate (one is a dinosaur picture book that has these large three-dimensional eyeballs that are imbedded in the book) and pictures from various things in the library through the years. I also have a large clear-glass milk churn that belonged to my father. It's about 2 1/2 feet high and a foot and a half wide. I generally put seasonal items in it for display or guessing contests. I've had Easter eggs of various sizes, Seuss-related-memorabilia, Christmas ornaments, stuffed animals, etc. Steven in NY: A small toy box on the counter with:

Yoyo (1) Rubik's cubes (2) Wooden snakes (5) _ [|http://storeforknowledge.com/Small-Wooden-Snake-P2684C220.aspx_ ( [|http://storeforknowledge.com/Small-Wooden-Snake-P2684C220.aspx )] Cast iron disentanglement puzzles (3) Juggling balls (several) Nerf balls (several) Hand grip exercisers (2) Toy cars (3) Minature spinning top (1) Slinkys (4)

and a bunch of miscellany that has made its way to the bottom of the box.

However, this year probably the most interesting thing at the circulation desk is my teaching assistant, a senior who is with me for 3-4 periods a day. He keeps everybody entertained and runs the library like a well-oiled machine...with the occasional monkey wrench thrown in. Debbie in AL: Our most interesting thing is Tigger, our library cat. He sleeps mainly on the countertop near the circulation desk. Being 13 years old now he doesn't roam the library very much--but he does create quite a stir when he does. He has been around since 1998. The students and most faculty love him. He has a mailbox and receives and responds to Tigger mail--I serve as his secretary. Visit [|www.ironfrog.com] < [|http://www.ironfrog.com] > to see him and other library cats. Guusje in TX: I have "things to fiddle with" on my circulation desk. Right now it's 3 egg timers (the kids love to race them), 3 fossil shark teeth compliments of Freecycle, a perpetual calendar that's sort of like an abacus (Goodwill), and a wooden sign that says NO WHINING which I once stuck in my daughters Christmas stocking. I also have a Lighting Ball (garage sale). My computer area has 10 Lava Lamps (also compliments of garage sales).

I find if the kids have "Please touch" items on the desk they are much better behaved while waiting to check out their books. Roberta in VA: My students all know I like snakes, so I keep a rattlesnake ashtray I picked up in Arizona and a mug with a rattlesnake head in it (fake) right by checkout. I also have a water fountain and a stained glass lamp in the shape of a turtle in the circ area. From time to time other things appear: a railroad snow globe ( Christmas ), a collection of Curious George figures (when we do Curious George ), etc. The kids really enjoy seeing what will show up next! Carol in the Philippines: My niece sent me a great "blackboard" for Christmas that is in the shape of a penguin. Every day I have a question or Quote of the day or some statistic that I think the kids will be interested in. For instance, today's listed the NCAA final 4 since we are in a basketball crazy country here. It's amazing how quickly the kids have to come in to check which fact I have listed or try to win a piece of penny candy by answering the question. Cheryl said: We have a small display case built into the circ desk so I often fill it with books or objects and the kids can 'guess the theme' while waiting to sign in or check out. Generally it is just about genres or obscure historical events but this month it has books written by authors who have the same last name as teachers in the building. The teachers heard and came in to see what 'their' books are. One of the English teachers surprised us---the book with the same last name as his was written by his cousin! Marcia in WI: I just dragged a 5X microscope out of the storage closet and taught all 400+ students how to use -and share it (wince) -so that it'll last for the rest of the school year and beyond.

Actually it's not at the circ desk - I set up a table with a few interesting things to put on the platform. It may not survive 400 K-2nd graders but at least it won't die a lonely death. I know it hadn't been out of the storage room in the twelve years I've been here! Connie in TX: We have a Burger King literally right outside the library door. The students cannot go there for lunch but many adults do which means we almost always have some sort of kids’ meal toy at the desk at any given time. You would think that intermediate school students would be too cool to be interested in little toys but…they are very popular! (and if they walk away, who cares? ) Debbie in CT: I do not know how it started, but I have what is now a very large selection of rubber ducks of all sizes and styles. I think a child gave me one and the collection grew. They are arranged on a daily basis and they never disappear. I had bookmarks, but the disappear within a 2 week period and I can't keep up with them cost wise. Judith in MI: At our JH/HS circ desk, I have an assortment of lotions and hand sanitizers (because everybody seems to have a different favorite scent and the guys mostly don't want any scent), bookmarks in a 4-column display, and a word of the day calendar that usually has words that the students are not familiar with and lead to some interesting discussions. I'm not sure that these are interesting items (and definitely aren't unusual) but they work with our students to give them something to do while waiting at the desk for their turn. Sharon in TX: We have a heavy black and blue lamp that I inherited from my daughter's dorm room when she graduated in 2004. When it is turned on, the post lights up and gives the sensation of swirling blue water. It is very relaxing to watch it when the lights are dimmed Toni in OH: My library is a converted chapel and highly ornamented with stained glass windows, the original altar, decorated arches, a painted canvas ceiling of angels. Because of this I don't have a lot of space for other decorations. The circ desk is pretty bare because my assistant is there and she doesn't like stuff around. Besides, the boys always end up around my desk. On my desk I have: an African Violet sitting under my Ottlite, bamboo stems in a ceramic vase made by a former student in Art class (I need living things around me), a small easel that I use to display interesting quotes or cartoons about reading, libraries, character - currently "Do not footle lest you become a flaneur", a toy cardinal that chirps when pressed (our mascot), a Nancy Pearl action figure, a small statue of the Virgin Mary, an apple shaped stress ball, a ceramic bunny that will be replaced next week with a hen and rooster in spring outfits and in May with sports figures and other months with season appropriate figurines. Jennifer in TX: My desk is so boring after hearing about all of yours! However, i do have a sign behind my circ desk that reads, "The witch is in" The in can be flipped over to say out also. Of course the obvious comment has been made that perhaps witch should have another word that can be flipped over also ! :O Nancy in PA: have to add to the thread. I have plants, plush critters according to the theme - bunnies will soon give way to many ducks, several in rain slickers. But students' favorites are snow globes they can shake, and those magnetic free form puzzles - I have one of stars and moons, one of frogs. Kids (and adults) will rearrange them by the hour. Kathy in CA: We have an easy button from Staples Barbara in NY: always have fresh flowers or a living plant. For most of three seasons I have my own flowers to cut, but during the winter I buy potted mums or a quick grocery-store bouquet, or whatever will provide a little color. They complement the (many) green plants scattered around the room. I've had so many students comment about liking the "green stuff" over the years that I make a real effort. I also try to have some kind of toy for the kids to play with--yes, this is a high school!! Right now it's a duck puppet from Joann Fabrics that quacks three nursery songs!! Melissa in TX: We keep the newest WEBKINZ on our circ desk! :) Julie in TX:  I have a picture of me receiving my Master's in Library Science. My students are always amazed that I had to have two college degrees to be a librarian : ) Beth said: We have a revolving lamp that looks like fish swimming in an aquarium. The little ones want to know if the fish are real. We have 2 real aquariums elsewhere in the library and another revolving fish lamp (of a different type) at one of the computer stations. Dr. Allan in NY: Over the summer I dumped the circulaton desk. I thought it was serving as a barrier. So, I have a computer desk in its place - this desk would serve for a library aide - if I had one. I like the look of no circulation desk - wish I had dumped the official desk years ago.On the desk now are 2 Bibles (The Message and the NRVS); 1 small statue of Mary; a vase of flowers (fake), and the "gun" for the circulation system. I've gone minimalistic in my old age. Linda in IL: We keep a variety of interesting things on our charge desk. I am always on the look out for what I can "oil toys", those eye catching items made of two different weight oils, that can be reversed, so the oil moves in interesting ways, spins water wheels, rolls in droplets down a scaffold, etc. The kids love to play with these while they check out. We also have many "goober" toys, things with some kind of thick filler, that ooozes around when you move the toy, and drops in interesting patterns. We have had sand toys, that come in a frame, and that when upended forms interesting sand pictures, and "pin" toys, where you move your hand under pins, and by adjusting the heights you form interesting patterns. We have also had magnetic toys, bases with many loose magnetic pieces on them that can be formed into interesting shapes, although the pieces of these tend to get lost quickly. We find anything that can be fingered and shaped is irresistible! Lynn in DE: have lots of toys -- a couple of magnetic toys to make different shapes (nobody can keep their hands off those); a Nancy Pearl action figure; a miniature labyrinth and a "ladybug" battery-operated massager. Danville in VA: keep a digital photo frame on the circulation desk. High School students find it "cool". This way they see what happens in the library or outside the library when they are not around. Liz said: My favorite things at the desk this year are three turtles in a big aquarium--two red-eared sliders and a snapper-- and a Venus Fly trap that is growing like crazy.? The turtles are addictive and the plant is growing so fast that the library may soon become the little shop of horrors!? Amanda in AR: I have my Nancy Pearl action figure (the kids all she's Harry Potter in a skirt), a clear tape dispenser with sand in it that is a kid magnet and toy blocks that spell my name. I have to police the blocks often, 'cause the kids like to anagram my name into new words, some of which are of questionable taste. Eileen in NH: have pop-up books at the end of the circ desk. The Pop-Up book of Phobias might be the most viewed book in the library! Ed in NY: I have a literary map of New York State which I find continually fascinating. These maps came from a project sponsored by the NYS Council for the Arts. I don't know if the maps are available anymore, but you can learn about the project at this website: [|www.nyslittree.org]. I also have the following quote:

"Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wilderness is a necessity; and that mountain parks and reservations are useful not only as fountains of timber and irrigating rivers, but as fountains of life." Alisen from NJ: Wow - now I know I really belong. I get some strange comments about my desk. Right now I have a sand and water toy (2 sheets of glass with water and sand, and when you upend it it makes a different scene). I have a tornado in a jar, a wind-up toy from the Bee Movie, a bunch of rubber duckies, a pendulum clock, a feather wig, a giant Fred Flintstone necktie, some 5 1/4 " floppy disks, a lava lamp, pink desk lamp. I also have a stuffed animal we call Mr. Quackers, who is purple and emits a sound when hugged.

Kids who would never talk to me come over to see what I have, and we can strike up a conversation. It's a great ice-breaker! Nancy in TN: have a storeroom full of donations for the AR store, and there are always spiders hanging out in there. One day I found a perfect example of a spider's exoskeleton in a party hat. I have it on the shelf behind the desk, and everyone who sees it gets a horrified look on his face and tries to warn me there's a spider behind me. We've all learned how spiders molt when they're growing! Cathy from GA: I have a 3 foot long pencil that a pencil supply company gave me. It's propped in the window to my office and the kids always want to know if it really writes (it does) and is the eraser real (it is) and how do you sharpen it (I don't). I also have a magnetic poetry board beside the circulation desk that has been so popular that I ordered a second board. A group of skater boys is mad at me because maintenance hasn't come to put it up yet! Rebecca said: At first I didn't think I had anything interesting, but I realize I have a photocopy of Julius Erving 's (Dr. J.) actual hand (where did I get this?) stapled to the wall. Kids constantly put their hand on it and marvel at the hand span of the great ballplayer. I used to have Shaq's foot, but it got destroyed, of course. DaShannon from OH: Once students ask about the items and I say other students give them to me I am never without small handmade objects for the desk. I also like little conversation cards in a dish. The students will read them and usually answer them. It gives me a little insight to otherwise quiet students Gayle from CA: I have the "witchy finger." It's a long green plastic finger with a sharp, curved red nail that slips on over your own finger. If kids are talking with they shouldn't be (i.e. during silent reading time) I walk around and tap them on the shoulder with the witchy finger. For some reason it weirds them out despite its obvious fakeness. Patricia from RI: At our circ desk, we have our Librarian Action Figure, a yellow and green plastic dinosaur named Rufus, 2 plastic leis, a Johnny Bravo keychain, a small photo album with pictures of my children, and various "normal" things (tape, pencil cup, desk calendar, stapler) that you'd expect to find. We just added this year the bookworm giant plush microbe. Barbara from PA: This is a great thread! I have to say until yesterday my desk was fairly boring. Pencils, tissues, etc. I put my Nancy Pearl, a mini pop-up book I just got and some very cool colored stones gifted to me by two pretty terrific kids. I'm on the look out for more goodies and will be all year from now on. Thanks for making my library an even better place! Kay from MO: At Easter I always put out a kaleidoscope that I bought at a garage sale for 25 cents. The kids love it. Another popular item is a village of limoge type boxes for Halloween and one for Easter. The kids love to open each one to see what's inside.

I sometimes print off interesting articles for them to read such as the sale of J.K. Rowling 's hand made book for $4mil. Emily from KS: Man, this is a cool thread! I've gotten all sorts of neat gadgets to shop for this summer. One thing I've begun doing this year is cutting out the crosswords, sudoku, cryptoquote, and jumble from the previous day's papers and putting them in a basket on the desk. All sorts of kids for all sorts of reasons have been dropping in to pick up one of the puzzles. Sometimes they just do a couple of words on the crossword and leave it for others to finish. Susie from IN: Man, this is a cool thread! I've gotten all sorts of neat gadgets to shop for this summer. One thing I've begun doing this year is cutting out the crosswords, sudoku, cryptoquote, and jumble from the previous day's papers and putting them in a basket on the desk. All sorts of kids for all sorts of reasons have been dropping in to pick up one of the puzzles. Sometimes they just do a couple of words on the crossword and leave it for others to finish. Dawn said: I don't work circ, but I have a cross-stitched sign at my ref desk that says: Anger not the Librarian, for Thou Art Tasty & Good with Catsup. A also keep a dry erase board behind my desk with various sayings. Sometimes it's a line from a poem and when a kid can identify it, they get a mini candy bar. Or, sometimes, it is odd "advice," like: Never knock on Death's door. Ring the doorbell & run. He hates it when you do that. or Don't Feed the Librarian. On the wall, I have a metal sculpture my hubby bought me for Xmas a few years ago that says Shhhh. I have a bust of Benjamin Franklin, and my Tarot cards and some Harry Potter collectibles. Wendy in KY: I don't know how you guys have room for all this stuff on your circ desks! I have a desk calendar, a pile of catalogs I'm currently using, and a file box of library cards. However, all these things are apparently of GREAT interest, because the kids can't keep their hands off of them! In fact, the file box of library cards got dumped on the floor because of this...over 500 cards sorted by teacher.

Behind my desk, hanging from a hook in the wall is a wooden mouse, about 6 inches long, with floppy legs. It is suspended from a VERY springy spring, and gets pulled when the class is very good :-) Cindy from TX:  I have a sign that one of my good friends cross stiched for me that says: "I can only please one person per day. "Today is not your day. "Tomorrow isn't looking good either." I also have a Rugrat Treehouse - from Burger King, an origami calander, and a Dr. Seuss Cat in the Hat stuffed animal  Becky from NC:  We are the Gators. I have a stuffed Gund alligator that is about 24" long. When you squeeze his paw, he sings "See You Later, Alligator." His mouth is perfectly in synch with the words, and his tail wags to the rhythm.  Joy from CA:  My library techs are always coming up with mind puzzles or questions to answer and post them on the counter-- kids read it add their answers and seem to really enjoy it.  Betsy in TX:  >my celebrity duck Shakespeare   >my bowl of lost marbles (see poem below) > my Garfield with a head that turns to reveal one of two faces -- a happy one and an unhappy one Lost Marbles poem: Has it been one of "those days when your world is in a garble?  Your eyes have glazed; you're in a daze;  You're sure you've lost your marbles  Well have no fear, help is here;  I brought these just for you  These are the ones I used to have.  Don't worry; they're like new!  My thanks for this poem to the senior citizen who was selling the poem attached to a small bag of marbles at a craft fair.  Camille from VA:  I have a Mrs. Beamster bobble head behind me which the kids like to come up and play with. Last year, a student gave me a glass paperweight that looks like a diamond and the children love to pick it up and look at it. At my old school, I used to keep the library dragon on the desk.  Sadie in OR:  Not a lot of room at the circ desk, so I have taken to hanging things from the ceiling with fishing line. Nancy Pearl (with amazing shushing action!) hangs directly on top of the circ terminal, of course. I also hang gifts from students past, oddments from my own estate sale peregrinations, and various examples of technology past: 5 1/4 inch floppy disk b/w filmstrip 16mm film reel, etc. Lynn from FL: I have two Nancy Perl Super Librarian Action Figures (I with the whole kit and kaboodle and one that is just plain) My high schoolers play with her as they stand in line...some days she is in an earthquake some days she's on top of the desk...I never know.

At my other check out station I have one of those fake fish tanks where the fish move around (in water with a drop of dishwashing soap and a battery make them move)

I also have free book marks that I change out for each month. Barbara from TX: I have a few goofy items I rotate off and on to keep my middle-schoolers curious: A mini-shopping cart to display new books (it's about 10" tall-, about Bratz-doll-sized) A battery-powered Toucan bird that repeats--twice--everything you say Two dancing hamsters--one w/ Kung-Fu Fightin' and the other with "Respect" A mini-stop light that flashes yellow when it gets loud and flashes red with a siren when it gets way too loud A green head in a clear plastic globe that wobbles and groans--I like to turn it on when a kid has an overdue book And the //piece de resistance// ... a real (deer) heart in a mayonnaise jar of formalin, with a sign on top that says "HAD OVERDUE BOOK." Linda from GA:  I have a Clifford bobble head doll, a crown cling on the window ('cause I'm Queen of the Library), and bamboo in a glass jar of glass pebbles. Nestled in the bottom is an opalescent egg that I tell the kids is a dragon egg. It has developed its own mythology - when will it hatch? 7 years (the answer is always 7 years), is it a real egg? (of course!), how big will the dragon get? (the egg is about chicken sized, so we predict that the dragon will be small - hen-sized), where will it live when it grows up? (depends upon whether it is a sea dragon or a land dragon) The circulation desk is the first stop on the tour for new students! Susan in VA:  I keep a Magic 8 Ball on my desk. The kids never get tired of it!  Shannon in CO:  Happy Spring! This has been a fun discussion for me... I'm one who likes to look/play with things.... I've just had trouble with a lot of my things getting broke... and you wouldn't think this would happen so much at a middle/high school level... but it does... This however reminded me of a teddy bear I have on a shelf by my desk.... "A sign that says on one side: Help provided; Questions Answered; but on the flip side says: Help provided; Questions Answered; Evil Schemes Planned. (the sign was made by a work-study student 2 years ago. He returns to flip it over to the evil side whenever he can)" My bear holds a sign that says 'Free Bear Hugs' on one side... and 'Do Not Distrub' on the other.... I laugh every time it gets changed.... the 7th grade do it the most! Another fun thing I have is one of those 'nail beds'... where you can put your hand in it and it makes a cool design in the 'nails... mine is plastic though and several of the 'nails' have been broke.... Now I just have to look into some other 'fun' things... it's good to know though that I'm not the only one out there who has 'gadgets around my desk'! Vicki from MT: I love this thread. I have a Scream (Munch) giant blow up doll that gets a different outfit each month: St. Patrick's Hat, cheerleader for Sept., bunny ears for spring, Pilgrim hat and apron for Nov. etc. Also we have a toy for almost every month by the time clock where study hall students stamp in: gobbling turkeys, dancing flowers, singing snowman, twirling rabbit, etc. Minta from OK: I keep a talking stuffed animal that represents the season; i.e., a bunny for Easter, Santa for Christmas , etc. This year when I put the bunny out, one my pre-schoolers looked at it, put his hands on his hips and said, "Where do you get all this stuff--ebay." Judy from IL: Once a year (now) I have a 1000 piece puzzle the kids work on Now have the NCAA brackets for men and women up to follow the tournaments List of birthday book kids and letters to pick up ( keeps the interest) Tissue box in shape of 3 books NOB ( no overdue book) award (ugly former white elephant present I got) that goes to first class once a month that doesn't have any overdues!! Libby from IL: Besides the piles of stuff that I'm in the middle of (my desk is not neat and I'm the solo library staff and I love having quirky, but useful things nearby -- our reference area's signage is made from a King Kong  silouhette I rescued from a neighbor's trash, repainted and and hanged from the top of the reference shelving) I keep two  Calvin and Hobbes cartoons taped to the side of the computer -- in one Calvin excitedly asks his mother if the librarian will break his knees over a book that's two days late and in the other Calvin asks the reference librarian is she has anything on painting techniques for graffiti, especially dirty words and slogans, and wonders after her response just what it is that librarians do. I keep a vase with purple and gold (our school colors) artificial Gerber daisy flowers that are wrapped with floral tape to ballpoint pens. The flowers get a lot of comment and I can loan a pen easily and it's never taken, even by accident. My favorite thing -- besides photographs of my grandbabies -- is the green M&M character dressed for Easter  with bunny ears that I hang rubber bands on. I never have a convenient place for them. Rachel from IL: I have a glass tube with water, glitter, gels, small pieces of confetti and Waldo. You have to move it slowly back and forth to find a minuscule Waldo floating around in it. The kids love it. I even have an eighth grade boy who stops by on his way to P.E just to take a quick look. Malin from Sweden: Can't help but sharing the most unusual and most-talked-about item on my desk: a can of traditional recipe Haggis, given to me as a birthday gift by a Scottish colleague. It makes a great conversation piece, and I have kids come in and ask me repeatedly if I haven't eaten it yet (but with all the attention it is getting, I can't eat it!)

I also have an old Cinderella "peepshow book" with six diorama scenes of the story. It was a donation, but not in shape for circulation, but it looks great tied open displaying all the scenes on my desk. It also gets a lot of attention from the students. Brenda from SD: I have a clipboard which is labeled "Short Story of the Day". Each day I clip in a "55 fiction" story. The stories must be 55 words or less, and usually pack a punch at the end. They can be found in the books The World's Shortest Stories and The World's Shortest Stories of Love and Death, both edited by Steve Moss. They can also be found online by searching "55 fiction". Not all are school appropriate, and the quality of the ones online really varies, so I've had to accumulate an assortment that will work. I have many students who stop daily to check out the short story. Elizabeth from NY: I've been in the library here for 28 years, and I have to say that some of the most fun I've had has been this last week with this Button Maker that I borrowed from the school district's teacher center.? Initially, I bought it to promote this upcoming Cafe in the Commons, a night of poetry reading, acoustic music, etc.? Well, the gizmo has been sitting on my desk, and the creativity of the buttons that kids and adults have been thinking up has been absolutely tremendous.? We've had various quotations, Proust, John Lennon, Japanese writing, political cartoons, drawings, The Scream, Martin Luther King....Today's miracle is they are letting me have it for another week, and I am going over to pick up another hundred buttons.? Who would have thought that this antique old thing could be so very much fun? Best twenty dollars I ever spent. Jane in VA: The most interesting thing, by far, that we have on our circulation desk is the Librarian Action Figure. She has automatic 'shushing action'. If you are familiar with the official Library Action Figure you already know that when you push a button on her back, her shushing index finger flies up to her lips. She also comes with her very own stack of books. A student bought the Librarian Action Figure for me as a gift several years ago. The funniest part is that students use tissues from a nearby Kleenex box to dress her. Last week she had a tissue cape, and was dubbed Librarian Super Hero. This week, students have wrapped her in a tissue sari with one end draped over her head and one shoulder, making her Indian Librarian.... Who knows what is next? The students clamor to get a turn dressing our Librarian Action Figure and we get a lot of laughs! Sister Jean in ND: I think I will add to my desk: 1. a rattle from a snake my dad killed about 18 years ago on the farm; 2. a piece of petrified wood I have kept from the same farm; 3. a brick from the procession at the opening liturgy of WORLD YOUTH DAY in Cologne, Germany, where I volunteered for three weeks when 1 million Catholic youth from around the world gathered to hear Pope Benedict  speak to them, in August 2005 Marla from Manitoba, Canada: I'm new to LM-Net and have also been following this thread. I keep a magnetic story book called "Silly Story Laboratory". There are about 10 stories in it and lots of words on four different colors of magnets, green, blue, yellow and orange (similar to the poetry words, mentioned earlier). On the story pages are colored boxes that the kids have to match with the colored magnets. After they have finished the older students call me to their table and so they can read me the story they have created. It has led to lots of really amusing stories (and some serious dictionary-related exercises) including research on different topics. The kids really enjoy it and it has enabled me to incorporate writing, reference and research into the library in a non-threatening way in the older grades. For the younger kids, they just match the colors and I read them the stories they have created. This also leads to some great laughs and for the K-2 grades I've also noticed that my circulation numbers have increased as it introduces them to subjects that they now like to read about on their own. Diane from TN: Way back in April, 2001, I wrote a list of my desk stuff on LM_Net. I had forgotten it, so had to go search the archives to find it using the title "Cool things for the desk ." It's a great question to ask since I like to change my "stuff" frequently and I think I'll blog about it today, too. Robyn from AL: I don’t have anything on my circ desk of interest (but I may start putting the daily crossword and a tangram out). However, my kids love my modular origami hanging above my desk. They always point out which model is their favorite to their friends. They LOVE the bright colors—so much so that I bought origami paper just so the kids could use that instead of typing paper for folding. I have had many kids ask to come in on their elective to make pyramids, cubes, octahedrons, etc. I think they like origami because it is easy enough for everyone, but they also see the things I make take some skill.