Staff Training Notes 11/19/14

Kendall Staff Training

Topic:   Obituaries                         November 19, 2014

Presented by Alice

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Overview: There are a number of databases, Houston Chronicle, Houston Chronicle (Digital Image Edition), Historical Newspapers, Access Newspaper Archive, and ProQuest Obituaries that available to help you or a customer search for an obituary.  Today, I will demonstrate how to search for an obituary within those databases.

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How to find:   African American Obituaries.  There are two resource categories, African American Studies and or Historical Newspapers.

      

1. From the home page click on Research then Resources by Category
2. Under Resources by Category click on Newspapers
3. Scroll down until you see Historical Newspapers, click

• In the search field type in the name Rosa Cobb
• Then scroll down until you see Documentary Type
• In the box to your right scroll down until you see Obituary
• Click on Obituary
• Click on Search

How to find:  Cities/Towns/Rural Communities Obituaries, using Access Newspaper Archive

1. From the Resource by Category list, click on Newspapers
2. Click on,  Access Newspaper Archive (in library use only)

• Scroll down the page until you see a map of the United States.
• Click on the state, Kansas.
• You can search all newspapers in Kansas or narrow your search by choosing a city/town/rural community.

How to find:  Obituaries in the Houston Chronicle 1985 to present

1. From the Resource by Category list, click on Newspapers
2. Scroll down until you see, Houston Chronicle (Article Search)

• In the space next to the word Search, type in a name, Lucille Pasini obituary
• Now you have the date in which her obituary appeared in the Chronicle.  To read the actual obituary, the customer will need to:

• Go to the Central Library, and request the microfilm that covers the date they are looking for or,
• Email a request for a copy.

How to Find:  Houston Chronicle (Digital Image Edition) latest 45 days available

1. From the Resource by Category list, click on Newspapers
2. Scroll down until you see, Houston Chronicle (Digital Image Edition) click

• Click on the arrow next to the word Search at the top of your screen.
• Drop down menu click on “In Houston Chronicle”
• Type a name in the search field
• Under Date click on arrow and choose your date
• Then click search

Note:  As of November 14, 2014, the Houston Chronicle has changed the name of the section for Obituaries to Life Tributes.

How to Find:  ProQuest Obituaries

1. From the Resource by Category list, click on Newspapers
2. Scroll down until you see ProQuest Obituaries click
3. Below are the newspapers that you or a customer can search for an obituary.

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Practice/Assignment (due in two weeks):

1. Pick a state.  Count how many newspapers you can search in that state.  Then email  me the name of the state and the number
2. For fun type the name Smith in one of the databases pick an obit and email it to yourself and then forward it to me.  
3. Look in the database ProQuest Obituaries and list the newspapers that you can search and email me your answer.

Alice's Complete Handout

Staff Meeting Notes 11/12/14

11:15 – 11:45 AM, Breakroom

1. Farewell Party for Meg

Quick Notes

• Newspapers: Please check in newspapers everyday using Serials Control in Workflows because 1) we need to know if the paper had arrived; 2) Inventory Control needs to claim items we paid for but didn’t receive; and 3) your colleague doesn’t have to check in a whole bunch of paper later.  If you don’t know how to do this, see the Customer Service page on the blog, under WorkFlows How To…, or ask Alisa.
• Holds at the Service Desk: Items should only be held at the service desks for 24 hours or less.  If a customer is not coming within a day to pick up the item, hold it on their account and put the item on the hold shelf in the Lobby.  Why this is important: when items are sitting at the desk and not placed on hold, the catalog still shows they’re available for other customers but we won’t be able to find them because they’re not on the shelf (and we waste a lot of time running around looking for them).  And, when the customer comes to pick up the item, there’s no record in the account help us locate the hold.  Do yourself and the customer a favor and put the item on hold.
• Out of Order Signs: Every time you put up an out of order sign, please enter the date, time, nature of problem and your initials, so your colleagues can explain to customers what the problem is.  Redirecting customers to an alternate source (like the copier on the other floor) is not a bad idea either.  No information = confusion and makes us look bad.

Upcoming Staff Events

• Wednesday, November 12: Adult Pre-Selection (Alice); farewell party for Meg
• Friday, November 14: Payday
• Wednesday, November 19: Staff Training Meeting: I. Obituaries (Alice); II.  Catalog Tips & Tricks (Karen)
• Wednesday, November 19: staff holiday potluck lunch
• Friday, November 21: Last day of Pay Period; Meg’s last day
• Wednesday, November 26: Open Discussion Meeting  (Leona, moderator; Katherine, recorder)
• Thursday, November 27: Thanksgiving Day, Library closed
• Friday, November 28: Thanksgiving holiday, Library closed (payday on 11/26)
• Monday, December 1: Program Planning Meeting
• Wednesday, December 3: Management Team Meeting
• Friday, December 5: Statistics & Monthly Branch Narrative due
• Sunday, December 7: Facility Checklist due

Open Discussion Notes 10/29/14

11:15-11:45, Breakroom
Moderator/Recorder: Meg

General Discussion:

• CMC now ends on November 7th. Please ask Meg if you have any questions.
• We are currently out of the League of Women Voters Guides in English. Please refer customers to their website for information. (http://lwvhouston.org/)
• Additionally, information about voter ID requirements have been posted on our blog here. 
• Let's keep the fridge and microwave clean!
• Requests for vacation during the holidays will be approved on a first come, first served basis, with consideration of the overall schedule.
• Emergency exit doors must be armed. Please check that the doors on each floor are armed as part of closing procedure.

Circulation/Collection:

• Keep some bins to the side for use in the sorting room.
• Use your scheduled time on Fridays to shelf read -- check the Collection page on the blog if you've forgotten your assigned shelf-reading section. 
• Conditional weeding should be ongoing. 
• Please be mindful when shelving the music CDs. Pay attention to the labels. 
• For foreign languages not at this location, please return via delivery to the owning location (with a note).

Customer Service:

• Shelving and Shelf Reading: Please shelve when assigned to do so and start on time, especially in the mornings before opening. If there's nothing to shelve when assigned to shelve, please use that time to shelf read.
• Plumbing and electrical issues: Albert is working with Shammi to get these Sprocket requests expedited. 
• Meeting Rooms: 
• Let customers know that they are required to fill out the meeting room request form in order to use a meeting room. Until they have completed the form, there reservation is tentative (TENT). 
• If a HOA is meeting in a one of the rooms, please list the name of that HOA/Subdivision on the Room Reservation sheet. This is so when can direct people correctly.
• On the Room Reservation sheet -- Lavender (Light Purple) is a non-library program and Green is a library program. Please no other random colors.