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.

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.