Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Open Discussion Notes 10-19-16

Break Room, 11:15-11:50AM
Moderator: Trish
Recorder: Leona
Present: Alice, Alisa, Chris, Iffat, Jasmine, Karen, Kathrine, Leona, Melinda, Nina, Pam, Trish, Valentin.

  1. Pumpkin Carving Contest at CMC Fall Festival at CEN on Friday, Oct. 28.  $5 entry fee, ideas welcomed.  We have two pumpkins--one ugly one, one beautiful one--plus assorted smaller pumpkins to attach/decorate and other supplies.  The carving should be ready by Thursday evening so Karen can deliver it when she goes to the CE Managers Meeting Friday morning.
  2. Staff Development Day was a win according to the KEN staff.  Esp. popular--gift cards and other prizes, presentation from HEB, info about lending hotspots, location at JIB, seeing colleagues from other locations.
  3. Work at giving great customer service, as talked about in the HEB session at SDD, esp. the element of surprise and random acts of surprise.
  4. Remember all books with yellow labels are not to be discarded.  Please p ut them in the float bins.  These are leased items and need to be returned when we don't need them or they're in poor condition.
  5. Classics that are cataloged can be put on the the shelves with other cataloged items.  Non-cataloged classics still go on the designated shelves by the restrooms.
  6. Please log all "orphan" items (those belonging to non-HPL libraries).  Do not put them in the Lost & Found bin.
  7. When pulling items to float, please discharge them first to make sure there are no holds and they're off the customers' accounts.  Check the condition too--items in poor condition should be discarded, not floated.
  8. When the picture book bin on the sorter fills up, the overflow will go into Bin 9.  If you can scan the book on the RFID pad, it doesn't need a new label. Karen is going to see if we can get Bin 9 changed to an overflow bin for picture books.
  9. Pam asks us to save all small empty water bottles for her New  Year's Eve kids party--she's using them to make noisemakers.  She'll put a bag in the break room for collection.

Saturday, September 24, 2016

Open Discussion Notes 9-21-16

Breakroom, 11:15-11:50
Moderator & Recorder: Melinda Campbell
  • Volunteers: Please welcome our volunteers who are a great help to the Library. One volunteer loves to help with the children’s programs and likes to help with the craft projects for the children, so please direct her in this direction.
  • Damaged/ Incomplete items: Please apply a note to the customer’s record if item is still on their account, with details of what is missing, when and how contacted. Check each item before checking in so we can catch items before taking item off account. Place incomplete items in basket in workroom. Through our diligence we can reduce the loss of items for HPL.
  • Question: Do the volunteers go through a background check? [Yes, that's part of the application process. KL]
  • Outreach: Middle School Outreach next Thursday 9/27 5:30-7:30P with two staff members attending.
  • Supplies: Please place your supply needs on the sheet provided on the back of the supply cupboard to be ordered.
  • Promotion: Janalyn will start in her new full-time position on Saturday!
  • Collection: Picture book shelves are looking great! Please take done unfinished shelving carts to 1st floor when unable to complete task in allotted time.
  • Pre-School Storytime:  Any volunteers to help while Shanti is away.

Friday, September 9, 2016

Staff Meeting Notes 9-7-16

11:15 – 11:45 AM, Break Room

  1. Updates (Karen):
    1. Welcome Melinda!
    2. ROB holds/ ALI reopening
    3. Bin 9 exceptions
    4. Floating
  1. Training: (Karen): New Learning Link with HISD; handout.

Quick Notes

  1. Tag all incoming items:  Be a good team member and tag all incoming items without tags (except ILL).  This includes items from Central and other locations and it will save everyone a lot of time since we’ll handle them again when they’re checked out and when they’re returned.
  2. Don’t erase room reservations (accidentally) by scanning a barcode into the spreadsheet.  If you do, click on the Undo arrow to restore the previous version.
  3. Sorting ADU DVDs:  Non-Fiction DVDs on cart, Fiction DVDs in orange bin (to be scanned and loaded in AllCirc). Put JUV DVDs on the Juvenile cart, not the Adult cart.
  4. Donation Slips: Put them in the manila envelope marked “Donation Slips 2016“ on the Time & Attendance desk.  Don’t leave them downstairs.
  5. Deposit Slips:  Don’t save the data you entered in the Excel deposit slips when you’re finished.  We want to start each day with a clean slip.
  6. Clear Outgoing Holds and Bin 9 Exceptions each day: Outgoing holds are waiting for labels and need to go into Delivery ASAP--someone is waiting!  Bin 9 Exceptions need to be checked in first, then tagged/retagged  While these items are waiting to be tagged, the catalog shows them as “Check Shelf”--ready to check out.  Let’s get them on the shelves as soon as possible.  .