Meeting Notes 5/30/12

11:15-11:45 AM, Break Room

AGENDA

1.    Updates from NL Managers Meeting 5-24-12:

1.        Steve Hill, Communications Dept, Service Area Maps and Customer Survey:

·         During June, each NL location will have a map of Houston for customers to use a push pin to mark where they live (in order to update each NL’s service area).

·         Customers will also be asked to fill out a brief paper (or online) survey asking for their feedback about HPL services.  Encourage customers to use the online survey (easier to tabulate). 

·         Maps need to be in a monitored location so push pins don’t become a danger to children.  [suggest 2^nd and 3^rd floor desks—lobby too crowded. KL]

·         Maps, easel(s), and surveys will be delivered next week.

2.       Kindle Fire for Staff Training.  NL Admin has purchased 36 Kindle Fires with book sale funds, 1 for each location for staff training.

·         Item will have G# and barcode so it can be checked out to staff members for a 2-week period.

·         Dr. Lawson wants everybody on the staff to be familiar with ebooks and the new mobile app so we all can help customers with their questions.

·         Ebook training—2 at Kendall (May 25 and June 1), 3 hours (2 hours training, 1 hour hands-on practice). 

3.       Counterfeit Bills.  Mike demonstrated the difference between a counterfeit and an authentic $10 bill.  Financial Services has received several counterfeit bills under $20 and asked all staff to check every bill $5 and up.

4.       Jason Stephens, Planning & Facilities: brochure holders for Voter Registration Forms

·         All Texas libraries required by state law (Texas Election Code, Section 20.001) to make voter registration forms available to their customers and to mail them, if requested by the customer.  Each adult applying for a PowerCard should be offered a Voter Registration Form.

·         Staff is not expected to verify customer’s information or to help customers fill out forms.  To answer questions, go to the Harris County Tax Assessors Office, Voter Registration (http://www.hctax.net/voter/acquirevoterapp.aspx) or the Texas Secretary of State (http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/voter/reqvr.shtml).

·         If requested, staff can put completed forms (which are postage-paid) in the outgoing mail box for pick up.

·         At Kendall: in addition to the forms at the desks on each floor, additional forms (both English and Spanish) are in brochure holders in the 2^nd and 3^rd floor Print Centers.

5.       New Substitute Guidelines

·         Substitutes can only be requested when staffing levels fall below established minimum level [posted on Quick Links page

·         For vacation requests, staff must switch Staurdays with a co-worker.  Substitutes may only be requested to fill unexpected absences.

·         Substitutes must be requested only for hours the library is open to the public, minimum 4-hour shift.

·         See CSS section on Quick Links blog for revised guidelines and request form.

6.       NL Administration offices are moving from Marston to the 6^th floor of Central (old HALS suite) June 11.  Other moves from Marston:

·         Collection Development is moving in the Library Materials Services area by June 6

·         Financial Services is moving into the former Collection Development office on the Concourse level by June 6.

·         Communications department is moving to the former ILL space (already moved?).

·         Human Resources is moving to the former Program staff office on the 4^th floor of Central by June 11.

2.    eBook Training, May 25 & June 1

3.     SRP begins next week (see June/July Program Calendar).
4.  Ready 2 Open: Everyone has this on his or her schedule 15 minutes before we open to the public, meaning everyone is on the floor making sure everything is turned on, checked in, straightened up, and ready for customers.

Meeting Notes 5/16/12

1. Summer Volunteers (PO):
1. 25 volunteers max., scheduled in 2-hours shifts (see attached sample schedule).
2. Two volunteer orientations will be held: Wednesday, May 23, 5 pm plus one in early June tba.
3. have problems with volunteers or need help?  Email Pam directly.
4. will be able to help run book drop, retrieve paging list (but nothing involving customers’ names).
5. schedule will be added to blog when ready.
6. sign-in (on KEN blog) on 3rd floor desk computers; trying to add lap-top for sign-in (keep in gaming cabinet).
7. direct students/parents interested in volunteering to the application process on the HPL website (click on donate or volunteer in the upper left or lower right corners of the home page).  The applications will be screened first by Andrea Lawrence.
8. Potential volunteers must be at least 14 years old.

2. Checking timecards from Quick Kronos (PF)
1. Enter your user name and password, then click on Log On (instead of Record Time Stamp) to access your account (check timecard, request time off, view work & absence summary, access COH Employee Self-Serve page).

3. Expanded Computer Class Schedule (PO)
1. Classes added in May: Wednesday at 12:30 and 5:45, Thursday at 3.
2. KEN now has 6 weekly classes.

4. EPE Plans for FY13 (KL).  From Ophelia Cespedes, 4/2/12: The current performance management process has been on hold pending review by an City- Wide EPE task force per the Meet and Confer Agreement between HOPE and the City administration. Recently, the task force forwarded a recommendation to the Mayor for consideration, however, a new EPE process will not be in place until 2013. For this reason, Employee Performance Evaluations (EPE) will not be required for the current 2012 EPE cycle. In preparation for the new performance management process, employees must receive an EPE plan by the end of May. For HPL employees, the EPE plan deadlines are as follows:
1. Supervisor EPE plans must be reviewed with the employee, signed and received in HR no later than, Friday, April 27th
2. Non-supervisor EPE plans must be reviewed with the employee, signed and received in HR no later than, Friday, May 25th.

5. Questions/Discussion
1. KL: press release from Mayor’s Office about new FY budget: no job or service cuts planned.  Mayor’s 5 Priorities also posted in building lobby for the month.
2. PF: Sorter set up to backdate until 1 pm (when we open at 10 am) or 2 pm (when we open at noon).  Please make sure to finish the first two book drops of the day (including exceptions) before this cutoff so all items returned before we open are properly back dated.
3. NO: Be sure to use the Smart Money workaround saved on the desktop of the 1st floor computers when doing the deposit to generate the correct merchandise report.

Meeting Notes 5/2/12

11:15-11:45 AM, Break Room

AGENDA

1. SRP Online Sign-up (Leona)
2. Customer Service Updates
1. Credit Card payments: please remember HPL only accepts Visa, Mastercard, and Discover.  We do not accept American Express (reason: their merchant fees are higher than the others). [Staff: AMEX accepted at self-check stations; notify Business Office.] [KL: payment info from website.]
2. Meeting Room reservations:  We had some confusion last Wednesday when the 3rd floor conference room seemed to be double booked; except the 2nd floor conference room was available (no computer class) and Spanish class was adults only, should have been on 2nd floor.  We found a alternate space for the Girl Scouts in the Community Center but because we weren’t talking to the leaders, they were not aware of the arrangement.  Please:
1. Review room reservation spreadsheet--reserve rooms for your programs and clear reservations you don’t need;
2. Adult groups should only be in the 2nd or 1st floor meeting rooms; the 3rd floor room is reserved for kids, parents, and teachers;
3. 30 minutes minimum between programs/events;
4. Changes can only be made by the individuals named on the reservation form; other people in the group may want to help, but we need to speak to the person responsible for the reservation;
5. Add the date and your initials to the spreadsheet when making a reservation, so we can see at a glance when it was made; reservations are tentative only until we have the signed meeting room reservation form.
3. Updates from Service Priority Workgroup meetings 4/26:
1. Pedro: Training & Technology
2. Karen: Workforce Development
4. Updates from Manager’s Meeting 4/26:
1. New training software--Telephone Doctor, rolling out in June for Neighborhood libraries (except extended hours locations initially--not enough $$ available for all to start); web-based, successfully complete at least 2 training modules per month (30 min + quiz); focus on customer service.
2. New virtual library services--mobile app ready in May; website being reworked; content management software shifting to Drupal; Sarah Borders wants to visit branches on Friday for input on website redesign; sent ebook questions to email reference.
3. Revising service area maps in June: to gather info about where our customer come from, asking customers put pins in city map indicating their home or work location; date collected in June, analyzed in July, ready to use in Aug, to help us better address service priorities.
4. Project for Public Spaces: national organization collecting input for plan to reorganize/revitalize Central Library plaza week of May 7; previously worked on Discovery Green and Market Square; using TIRZ (Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone) funds for renovations.
5. Children’s Book Celebration; Saturday, May 5; lunch w guest author for origami contest winners, followed by program and other events.  Leona worked on decorations, helping day of program.
6. BTOP (Broadband Technology Opportunity Program): still looking for bilingual trainers; will post job signs at branches asap; can work up to 29 hours/week, 50% of time teaching digital inclusion classes (computer basics, MS Office intro, digital technology); can also help with workforce development classes and open job labs.
5. Questions/ Discussion