Open Discussion Notes 5-20-15

Workroom, 11:15-11:55AM Recorder: Trish    Moderator: Alice

1. Cleaning the Breakroom (Karen):
1. GSD janitors not here to clean up after us.
2. Dirty dishes in sink:  Please wash your dishes or put them in the dishwasher.  Dishes in the dishwasher will be washed; dishes in the sink will just sit there.
3. Clean refrigerator:  We should take turns cleaning out the refrigerator.  She will set up a quarterly cleaning schedule to empty and clean the refrigerator.
2. Applications (Albert):
1. Use only blue or black ink and no other colors (forms are microfilmed and must be legible).  TDL or TID should always be on the application and in the customer’s record.
2. Please put new address in the account when customers renew.
3. Double-check to make sure no duplicate accounts in the system by checking both name and Alt ID.  When you find a duplicate account with fines on the old account, block the new one (and add a note) and let the customer know he/she has a balance; make sure the customer pays the old balance before unblocking the new card.
3. Books between the cracks (Doug):
1. Thanks to everyone for helping him learn things around the HPL system.
2. He found 5 juvenile fiction books stuck in the gap between the shelving units, incluing one missing item and one dropped from the catalog.  Please check behind the lower shelf when shelf reading for any items stuck in this gap.
4. Sorting Room (Temeka):
1. Items being sorted onto wrong carts:
1. Juvenile items going to Adult floor
2. Adult classic paperbacks going to the juvenile floor
3. Cataloged paperbacks shelved with uncataloged paperbacks.
2. Please read the labels on the wall above the carts and bins if you’re not sure which one to use.
5. Tagging (Karen):
1. Please check all DVDs, CDs, audiobooks, and kits when returned and when checking out to make sure all disks are there.  If we consistently check, then customers will not need to say the disk was missing when they checked out the item.
2. TechLogic is going to lend us a RFID wand to use to scan items on the shelves but it only will read tagged items.  We need to make sure all items being shelved are tagged.  Set untagged returns in the bin under the Lobby desk (to be tagged during slow periods), float to LMS, or discard (if the item is worn).  
6. Orphan/County Items (Karen):
1. Please log returns that don’t belong to us using the Orphan/County Items Received from on the Customer Service page of the blog.  Fill out a form for each item..  
2. Send each item and send to ILL at CEN to be returned to the owning library.  
3. The log makes it easier to help customers who are looking for books from other libraries they may have returned to us.
7. Self-Check and Key Tag cards (Alice):
1. The key tag cards don’t scan very well at the self-check stations.
2. Alisa suggested holding the card flat before running it under the scanner.
8. Customer coming behind the desk (Karen):
1. How should we handle customers who come behind the service desks to get something, especially on the 2nd and 3rd floor?
1. Offer to help customers find what they’re looking for.
2. Ask them not to come behind the desk for their safety (carts, cords, and other trip hazards).
3. Use tact and be helpful.
9. Study Rooms on 2nd Floor:
1. Reserve rooms only for 2 hours at a time, to give everyone a chance.
2. Advance reservations are convenience for customers planning ahead and will be held for 15 minutes before we release them for other customers who are waiting.
10. Adults on the 3rd Floor:
1. Greet everyone when they come on the 3rd floor because:
1. it makes everyone feel welcome.
2. we ask let adults without children to cooperate with us in providing a safe environment for children by accompanying a child or looking for children’s materials on this floor.
3. it lets everyone know we are paying attention and keeping an eye on what’s happening.
2. Once an adult without a child is comfortably settled on the 3rd floor, it’s very difficult to make them leave.  Just let them know that we ask customers’ cooperation etc., so the next time they come they’ll be aware of our goal.

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.