Staff Meeting Notes 2-17-16

11:15 – 11:45 AM, 3rd floor conference room

1. News from Jan CE Managers Meeting and SW Managers Team Meeting
1. From SW Managers Team Meeting:
1. Self-check Percentages: target number is 85%; need to use expensive technology/equipment; express check is the new normal; will not cost us our jobs.
2. Sirsi override: Everyone should be using individual Sirsi password for overrides; do not use “s****”
3. Do not keep change in the drawer: if over, send extra money with deposit; if under, send deposit less shortage and provide an explanation; do not keep loose change in the drawer under any circumstances.
4. RFID Tags staggered: tags should be placed along the book spine at the top, middle, and bottom in a random fashion so the inventory scanners are not reading them all in the same place.
5. PIN numbers for Library Cards: let customers choose their own PINs; the 5-digit number is hard to remember; they’ll need a PIN to check out with Express Check; the more customers with random 5-digit PINs, the more who will forget it and the more times we’ll need to reset for them.
2. From CE Managers Meeting:
1. With new year comes new goals.  Mayor Turner has called for all City depts to participate in shared sacrifice facing budget shortfall coming in FY17.  He’s asked for slow-down in hiring but not a freeze; critical positions will be filled.  The mayor and Michele want transparency and will communicate any developments as they are confirmed.  View the City budget at www.houstontx.gov/budget.
2. HelpDesk phone calls are being recorded for quality management.  Extra customer service training will be provided for staff when needed.
3. Remember to slow down when using Telecheck and Smart Money.  Dimitri is seeing errors especially with staff putting transactions in Smart Money but not running the check or credit card through Telecheck.  This means the library doesn’t get the money but the fines or fees are cleared from the customer’s account.
2. Training: 2016 COH Summer Jobs Program and Application Process (Karen)
1. handout (memo from Ophelia Cespedes and copy of Summer Jobs Program flyer)
2. PowerPoint presentation: The 2016 Summer Jobs Application

Quick Notes

• Cleaning and GSD: See email from Pedro, below.
• Closing & Pick-Up--What does this  mean?: At the end of the day we want to reset the public spaces (and the workroom) back to their original setup--to move furniture back to its original position, open the blinds, and clear the service desks of clutter--so we’re ready to start the next day with a clean work space.  When you are assigned a closing duty, work with the other staff on the floor to make sure everything is neat and ready for tomorrow.  If you finish early, go see if your colleagues need help on the other floors.
• Lynda.com Training: Must be completed by Mar. 4.  When you complete the training, add your name and the date completed to the sign-in sheet on Karen’s door.
• Study Rooms and Multiple Reservations: At the top of each reservation page: “ONE reservation per customer at a time; finish one before booking the next”.  The change in meeting room policy does not apply to the individual study rooms, because our practice is specific to Kendall, not official HPL policy.
• Answering the Phone & Teamwork:  Everyone needs to make the effort to answer the public line during open hours, and the private line at all times.  Don’t expect someone else to do it.  If  you are trying to call in or are waiting for an important call, you would want someone to answer the phone.
• Dr. Lawson at the White House: See memo from Dr. Lawson about the ConnectED Library Challenge (handout).

Upcoming Staff Events

• Friday, February 19: Pay Day!
• Friday, February 26: CE Managers Meeting at CEN (Karen, Lauren)
• Friday, February 26: Last Day of Pay Period
• Tuesday, March 1: SE Managers Team Meeting (Karen)
• Wednesday, March 2: Programming Meeting
• Friday, March 4: Staff Training Meeting (Blue Group)
• Friday, March 4: Pay Day!
• Friday, March 4: Lynda.com Training deadline
• Wednesday, March 9: Open Discussion Meeting
• Friday, March 11:  Youth Services Meeting (Jasmine, Leona, Nina, Shanti)
• Friday, March 11: Last Day of Pay Period
• Wednesday, March 16: Staff Meeting
• Friday, February 26: CE Managers Meeting at CEN (Karen, Lauren)
• Friday, March 18: Pay Day!

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Email from Pedro 4-22-15

Please communicate with staff about cleaning up after themselves.  If there is an arts and craft that we provide, we need to clean up after ourselves.  GSD does not need to clean up after something that we did.  If there is a paint project and kids need to go clean up, the staff is responsible for making sure the kids are not making a mess and the staff should clean up if they do, since it is a craft they are doing.  Make sure tables are clean and if glitter is used, try and pick up as much as possible.

GSD is also not responsible for cleaning the microwaves, refrigerators, washing someone else’s dishes or wiping down our staff/public computers. If they do, then that is them being nice and providing that service on their own.  I suggest  you work a weekly or biweekly rotation among staff into your schedule to clean the refrigerator, microwave and wipe down the computers if you yourself do not want to be the only one responsible for it.  You are able to order air cans from Supplies to spray keyboards if need be.

Staff Meeting Notes 5-14-14

11:15 – 11:45 AM, Breakroom

1. Updates from NL Managers Meeting  (Karen)
2. Training: Sprocket Work Orders (Meg & Karen)

Quick Notes

• Use the HPL 3-part greeting when answering all phone calls.  The greeting is “Thank you for calling the Houston Public Library system.  This is the Kendall Neighborhood Library.  How may I help you?”
• Don’t forget to stay on the line when you’re transferring a call to to make sure the call goes through.
• When you’re filling a bunch of holds at the same time, be very careful to wrap the item with the correct customer’s name.  We had 10 items last week wrapped with the wrong name and it’s almost impossible to fix.
• If a customer is checking out and the account is expiring within 3 weeks, please renew the account so the customer can enjoy the full checkout period.
• When a customer signs up online, use “Modify User” to add the card number and update the the temporary account.  Use “  “ to delete multiple online registrations for the same person.  Remember, 1 person = 1 library card account.
• Please do not turn off the 3M pad.  We tend to forget that we turned the pad off.  The RFID tags are more effective when the tag readers are turned on.
• When processing holds, use TRAP HOLDS to fill the request.  A patron arrived at the Drive-up window to pick up her 3 available holds and was surprised to discover she actually had 9 ready (but 6 had not been checked in correctly).     
• Please rinse dishes and food scraps into the right sink, where the garbage disposal is located.  Rinsing food scraps in the left sink will clog the drain.

Upcoming Staff Events

• Friday, May 16:  Last day for “Give ‘Em the Pickle” training
• Saturday, May 17:   Children’s Book Celebration, Central (LH)
• Thursday, May 22: NL Managers Meeting, Central (KL)
• Friday, May 23: Last day of pay period; timecards approved at close of business.
• Monday, May 26: Memorial Day, Library Closed
• Wednesday, May 28: Staff Meeting
• Friday, May 30: Payday
• Monday, June 2: First day of Summer Reading Program
• Monday, June 30: Deadline for completing Executive Order 1-50: Workplace Discrimination and Harassment Annual Training.