Meeting Notes 8-22-12

August 22, 2012   11:15 – 11:45 AM
3rd Floor Conference Room

1. Updates:
1. End of Summer--Horray! (with cake)
2. SRP final results (Leona): record registration and completion; 8 weekly drawing winners and one grand prize winner (kids entered in drawings after logging 10 books); kids can use SRP books for HISD Millionaires' Club.
3. Circulating Periodicals (Alisa): don't check-out magazines without "c" on cover--we want to keep current issues on display so everyone has a chance to read them. Current issues checked out to branch for six weeks, don't override. Past issues with "c" can be checked out. Issues older than six months automatically deleted from Millennium; don't create an "on the fly" record to check out to customer; just scan as if checked out (magazine will be discarded/recycled when returned).
4. Annual Report (Karen): FY12 annual report highlights statistical trends, accomplishments and challgenges; Kendall was #1 branch in circulation for 11 months of fiscal year (#2 in April by less than 600 items after Stella Link). See below.

5. Other Updates
1. Nina: Smart Money incident--ran credit card twice after first swipe failed (said "try again"), customer charged twice, Business Office has to refund charges. After first failure, take customer to self-check to use eCommerce option. If transaction fails in Smart Money, make note in customer account and waive charges paid.
2. Nina: Bins in sorting room--please place items in bins neatly to make better use of space, doesn't damage items (Juli).
3. Albert: Desk in lobby looks junky, items scattered can't tell if books checked in or not. Space is limited--keep neat. Bring up for discussion at upcoming Open Discussion meeting (Karen).
4. Pam: Volunteer party was a success Staff applause. Thanks for contributions (Nina).

2. Calling in and Kronos (Karen)
1. When you call in an absence, please indicate whether you are using sick leave or emergency vacation.
2. When you call in a tardiness, please indicate the reason (see list below).
3. This information will be used to properly code your timecard.  Tardiness without a reason will be marked “unexcused”.
4. Please call 832-393-1887 within 30 minutes of your scheduled start time.  If you call early, please don’t leave a voice mail message; if no one answers, call back.

3. Open Discussions (Karen)
1. Starting September 5, we alternate informational/training staff meetings with open discussion meetings oriented toward addressing and solving branch problems.
2. One staff member will moderate and one will take notes, to be rotated among staff members. Nina volunteered to moderate and Alice volunteered to take notes at the upcoming meeting.
3. Bring issues and several possible solutions to the meeting.  The issues will be listed and one selected to be addressed in the meeting.
4. The goal is to end the meeting with a mutually-agreeable solution for the chosen issue.  Tabled issues will be carried over for discussion at the next meeting.

Adjourned at 11:50 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Houston Public Library

Kendall Neighborhood Library

Annual Report FY 2012

Usage Trends

In the second full year of operation, Kendall experienced an overall reduction in service numbers--11% in visitors and service contacts, 13% in hours, and 14% in computer users—indicative of the transient, highly mobile quality of life in Houston.  Alief, which ranked 3^rd in visitors in FY11 (behind Stella Link and Kendall), moved to first place in FY12, followed by Kendall and Stella Link.  Kendall ranked first among branches in service contacts in FY11 and FY12, although this year the number dropped below 1 million to 975,857; overall HPL saw a 9% reduction in service contacts.  Kendall’s total circulation of 619,027, topped all branches for 11 months (the exception being April) and matched Central’s 7% overall reduction.  Kendall circulated more Juvenile items than any other HPL location—367,493, an average of 30,625 items per month—because many parents check out up to their circulation limit every two weeks. 

Significant Accomplishments

In October the Kendall Book Club celebrated its twentieth anniversary.  Several of the original members are still active in the group, which meets monthly September through May and reads widely from classic literature and bestselling fiction to history, biography and current issues.  In January we were able to expand our computer class schedule from two to six weekly classes when a part-time trainer (hired with BTOP funds) joined the staff.  The addition of a second trainer in March relieved a staff member who had been teaching many of the classes. The first week of the Summer Reading Program we were surprised by the over-capacity crowds for Toddler Storytime and the featured SRP event, leading to gridlock in the parking lot.  We quickly created a plan to manage the situation, deploying staff outside to direct traffic and assist customers. We posted “Parking Alerts” to notify customers about capacity times and made signs to direct traffic efficiently.  The branch has become a popular location for recycling in the community.  We have three bins on site (8-ton and 4-ton general recycling bins and a 4-ton paper recycling bin) which regularly fill to capacity within days.

Significant Challenges

Last summer’s drought claimed several trees on the property, both existing and newly-planted ones. The prairie grass and flowers planted during the previous year went dormant until we received some rain last winter but when they finally sprouted and bloomed, the sight was glorious with bright green grass and colorful wildflowers covering the ground along the fence. Staffing continued to hover at minimal levels.  One long-time staff member retired at the end of December, the assistant manager was transferred to a new position in February and one full-time staff member requested a change to part-time status in March.  The branch received a part-time Customer Service Clerk in December, as well as a full-time CSC and a new assistant manager in March.  We were helped by the temporary deployment of staff from other locations; they quickly learned how to use our specific equipment and adapted to the challenges of functioning in a three-level building.  Adequate seating on the 2^nd (Adult) floor continues to be in heavy demand.  In addition to computers users, lots of customers use the branch’s wireless connection and fill every available seat in addition to the two study rooms and the conference room, which is open for seating whenever no computer class is scheduled. 

Submitted by Karen Luik, Kendall Branch Manager, 8/17/12

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kronos Standard Comments (to document any change or alteration to the employee’s schedule)

Meeting Notes, 8-8-12

1. New Staff:  Welcome
1. Jane Hensley, LA Sup, Collier, who will be here 6 months while Collier is renovated.
2. Angie Cruz, GSD, who will be here full-time providing janitorial services to the Library and Community Center.  Angie has 16 years of experience with the Cy-Fair school district.  Monday was her first day working for the City of Houston.

2. Updates:
1. Gaming Equipment:
1. Check that gaming equipment is locked up at the close of business and return the keys to the workroom.  Monday morning the DSI games were under the printer, the gaming cabinet was unlocked and the keys were in the desk drawer.  See Staff Meeting notes, 6/13/12
2. After changing a Wii game, make sure the wall cabinet is securely locked.  Last Thursday, a customer took the screen remote from the cabinet and changed the channel to a television station so he could watch TV.  
2. Lost Cards:  Remember to
1. block lost cards in the patron’s record
2. add a note (including date and your initials) stating what was done with the card
3. put a post-it note on the card with the customer’s last name and what should be done with the card (hold thru m/d, etc.)
4. See Email-Lost Library Cards, 6/9/11 (attached)
3. Smoking:  
1. City of Houston Ordinance 2006-1054 prohibits smoking within 25 feet outside entrances, exits, or wheelchair ramps serving any entrance or exit to ensure smoke does not enter those areas (Section 21-241).  See Staff Meeting Notes, 4/11/12.
2. Ordinance: http://www.houstontx.gov/health/Environmental/2007smoking.pdf
3. A copy of the ordinance is posted on the bulletin board in the workroom.

3. Houston Housing Authority: Online applications for the HHA housing vouchers waiting list will be accepted from August 20-26.  Please help customers get online to fill out applications, get a computer-use card, extend their time if they need it to fill out an application.  See FAQ sheet (attached).

4. Holds Stats: Change to Stats workbook in FY13: Holds recorded as “pulled” (outgoing) and “processed” (incoming).  Pedro is revising weekly stats collection sheet to reflect changes.

5. Discussion/Questions
1. Repair shelf--how to find missing cases not at Kendall.  If disk returned without case, check repair shelf and floor.  If case not found:
1. request new cover from Collection Development department to insert in new case (polyvinyl cases from Midwest Tapes)
2. discard (polystyrene cases with labels on outside)
2. If case returned without disk, do not check in item.
1. add note to customer record and call customer to request return of disk.
2. put case on Repair Shelf with note that customer has been called.
3. Customer Use of Desk Phone
1. If an adult customer asks to use desk phone to make a call, tell them we allow children to call home for a ride.  
2. If the customer has an emergency, dial the number for the customer.
3. If the customer is taking a long time or is discussing non-emergency matters, ask the customer to wrap up the call because the phone is needed for library business.
4. If child asks to use the phone, verify that it’s to get a ride and dial the number.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

EMAIL - LOST LIBRARY CARDS

Sent:         Thursday, June 09, 2011 2:10 PM

Subject:    Lost Library Cards

Dear Kendall Staff:

I want to stress the importance of every staff member correctly blocking lost library cards.

Yesterday Fred Schumacher waived $1,255.86 ($905.86 item costs + $350.00 processing fees) for 37 items checked out to a card which had been reported lost at Kendall but not blocked in Millennium.  In our current budget situation, losing over $1,000 is not something to be taken lightly.  

Right now we also have lots of kids misplacing their cards, which may be found by staff or other customers.  These cards (and any HPL cards lying around the reference and circ desks) must be blocked immediately and stored properly following the directions outlined below.

Please review carefully the procedures outlined below—you are responsible for knowing this information.  If you don’t understand something or have any questions, please let me know.

I will schedule MilCirc refresher training as soon as we can fit it into the schedule.

Karen


LIBRARY CARDS

CUSTOMER REPORTS CARD LOST
1.   In the card holder’s account, select Edit, then click on the MBLock field and select l Lost card.  Click on Save/Close to exit. This prevents anyone from using the card—do this first!
2.   In the Edit mode, enter a note in the customer’s record.  The note must include:

a.  Date: 6/8/11

b.  The following text: CARD RPTD LOST BY CUSTOMER

c.   Your initials and location: KL/KEN

d.  Click on Save/Close to exit.

3.   Label the card with a Post-it note: last name and first initial at top, followed by date found. Keep the card with the completed applications until the close of business, then bring it down to the lobby circ desk and file in the blue lost cards file (alphabetical order by last name).

LOST CARD FOUND BY STAFF OR ANOTHER CUSTOMER:
1.   In the card holder’s account, select Edit, then click on the MBLock field and select l Lost card.  Click on Save/Close to exit. This prevents anyone from using the card—do this first!
2.   In the Edit mode, enter a note in the customer’s record.  The note must include:

a.  Date: 6/8/11

b.  The following text: LOST CARD FND AT KEN; AVAIL AT LOBBY DESK

c.   Your initials and location: KL/KEN

d.  Click on Save/Close to exit.

3.   Label the card with a Post-it note: last name and first initial at top, followed by date found. Keep the card with the completed applications until the close of business, then bring it down to the lobby circ desk and file in the blue lost cards file (alphabetical order by last name).

CUSTOMER USING PICTURE ID INSTEAD OF LIBRARY CARD:
1.   Look up account using name on identification.
2.   Verify that ID Number on card matches number in account
3.   Ask customer if they have lost their library card

a.   If they say yes, issue a replacement card (see procedure below).

b.  If they say no (they forgot it, never carry it), tell them if they don’t fine it, notify us immediately.

c.  If they’re not sure (it might be at home, in the car), offer to issue a replacement card (which deletes the old card number) or notify us immediately if they can’t find it and we’ll block the card.  Add note to record that customer is unsure if card is lost.

TO ISSUE A REPLACEMENT CARD:
1.   Have the customer fill out an application and verify the address with appropriate identification
2.   Change the old barcode field to X to deactivate the old number. After the number note: date, CARD RPTD LOST BY CUSTOMER, your initials, your location.
3.   In the customer’s account, select Edit, then click on Insert and select b P Barcode.  Scan the barcode of the new card.  Click on Save/Close to exit.
4.   Click on Save/Close to exit.

COMPUTER CARDS
Because customers cannot check out items with this card:
1.   Mark the card lost in the MBlock field
2.   Add a note--LOST CARD FND AT KEN; DESTROYED—with the date, your initials and location.
3.   Cut up the card and throw it out.
4.   Customers must provide a picture ID and pay $1 to get a replacement card.
5.   As a one-time courtesy, we will look up a computer card number with the customer’s id.

a.   Tell the customer this is a one-time courtesy; in the future identification and $1 for a replacement card will be needed.

b.  Note in the record the date, that the customer was told the lookup was a one-time courtesy and in the future $1 and id will be needed for a replacement card, plus your initials and location.

THINGS WE DO NOT DO
1.   Add a note to customers’ records requiring them to produce identification when checking out.  [Correct Procedure: Lost cards must be blocked.  Replacement cards are issued with proper identification.]
2.   Forget to add notes to records so our colleagues are left without any information about what you did.
3.   Forget to block a card reported lost by the customer or a card found in the library without a customer.