Open Discussion Notes, 1-22-14

Breakroom, 11:15-11:45

General Reminders

·         Remember to un-forward the phone on 2^nd floor in the morning. (AEB)

·         Tax Help starts on February 1 – Saturdays 10-2; Wednesdays 12-4 (MH)

·         When assigned to the book drop, please help the sorter clear the bins before leaving the first floor. (NO)

·         Report to Bookdrop and Sort at the top of the hour. If you’re the sorter, let the Lobby/DU team know if you’re taking a break. (NO)

·         If possible, as a courtesy, call and let the person you are relieving know if you are caught on another desk. (TD)

·         When checking in delivery, use TRAP HOLDS. Many DRV-UP items are still not being made available properly. (AEB)

·         Check the schedule often because changes are sometimes made throughout the day. Meg will make an effort to communicate these changes as well. (AB/MH)

·         Via Juli and Jose, we have Spanish/English translation for instructions for logging onto the computers, as well for general information to use at our reference desks. See Juli if you would like something added to the list. (JK)

Circulation reminders

·         Remember to check for existing accounts. Pay attention to middle names and DOBs. Search by both Alt ID and Name! (NO)

·         Please use the Lost Card wizard to mark a card lost and issue a new card. See Nina if you need additional help with this. (NO)

·         ALWAYS put a note in the customer’s account, and remember to READ notes that are already in accounts. (NO)

·         When you are assigned to clear holds, clear the Hold Shelf completely. This means clear the D/U carts and the A/V cart, too. (AEB)

·         When noting a lost card, please put the date AND time the report was made (or new card was issued). (AD)

Children’s updates and reminders (LH):

·         Please make sure FLIP kit surveys are filled out completely before giving out the CMH pass.

·         There are additional FLIP kits inside the yellow dog house. Replenish as necessary.

·         SRP scheduling will be soon – if you have any performer suggestion or would like to assist with a particular event, let Leona know.

·         A copy of the Name That Book list for K-2 will be placed downstairs in the sort room so we can try to catch a few of those holds.

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.

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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.