I know that all of the institutions are different, as each location has a different superintendent and they tend to run things based on the population that is housed in the institution.  Monroe was definitely a change for me as it was the first time I experienced call-outs for the library.  They way it works for the Reformatory is that there is a sign up sheet in each unit with 7 slots for each hour the library is open.  All the units get to mingle and the first seven in each unit that sign up the night before get to go to the library.  This actually is not a bad system, although like any sign up system it has its issues.  Mainly that the same people can sign up everyday and some people don’t really get a chance to get in, but I don’t think that is an issue at the Reformatory.
The main difference I noticed while I was there was that I had to pick up the mail.  At Stafford Creek Corrections Center I have gotten spoiled with the mail being delivered to the library every day.  It is nice that I know it will show up everyday around 2:30 pm.  Not so at the Reformatory.  There the mail is left in the staff administration building near the staff lockers.  As the mail is delivered in the afternoon you could easily be bringing mail in on Monday that was delivered Friday afternoon or even more days if you were not there on Friday.  So it would have been nice to have the mail delivered, but as it doesn’t quite work that way. I trekked out each afternoon and picked up the mail.
Even though there were some things hard to get used to working at the Reformatory (the institution itself) working in the library was pretty easy.  We have standardized a lot of things that we do at each library, so it was just a matter of memorizing the passwords and everything else was pretty much the same.  The library was also set up in away that was interesting, but I still think some things could change to make it easier to work there, well at least for me.  We all have our own working styles and what we like and don’t like, so whoever works there (and it may be me) will make changes to the setup to suit them.  Overall the week was good and I am glad that I went and got a chance to check it out.