Open Discussion Notes 7-29-15

11:15-11:45, Break Room
In Attendance: Albert, Jose, Doug, Nina, Alice, Leona, Alisa, Lauren, Kathrine, Evin, Trish, Temeka, Pam, Shanti.

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Nina: We need to be swiping every bill other than $1 with the counterfeit pen.  Houston has been getting a lot of counterfeit bills.  This needs to be done before you finish any transaction, and if the bill is bad you must ask for another form of payment.

Jose: Is there a system rule about waiving fines?  Is there a maximum amount that can be waived?  Alisa added that Fred Schumacher approved a 10% waive in the condition of a hospital stay or a death.  Temeka suggested otherwise the customer must be directed to Circ Admin at x31330

Temeka:  We need to be charging for print cards, computer cards, and copies.  $1 is the fee for getting a replacement computer card.  We can make exceptions one time for lost cards and we can give them their card number (we must then make the reservation for the customer), but after that they must be charged for a new card.  Make a note in their account if you give them the exception.  Trish added that it is also good practice to ask for ID if a person needs a password for their computer card.  We want to make sure we are not allowing a customer to use someone else’s card.

Pam:  Please do not send  patrons up to the stacks by themselves to do shelf checks.  We either need to do the shelf check ourselves (after making sure desks are covered), or we need to call up to the staff desk and have staff do the shelf check on the correct floor.  Volunteers will be leaving after this week, and she will be throwing a party!

Temeka: Shelve holds carefully.  Make sure you are putting items in the correct, alphabetical order.  Pam added that if we know a volunteer is making a mistake, bring it to her attention immediately.  Albert added that we can also gently remind the volunteer of the correct procedure.

Leona:  This is the last week of SRP!  Kids don’t go back to school until 8/24, so we will still be hosting programs and we will still be busy.  We are out of CMH coupons and won’t be getting any more, so we can award one program prize instead.  For teens, we can give them the MFAH ticket if they want.  Booklets are due by 8/10, but we will still be giving prizes if we have them.

Temeka: In delivery we need to be scanning everything in.  Do not leave Flip Kits on the cart for exceptions.  Take the new holds wrapper off the material after it is turned in.

Albert:  We need to be sending money bags in delivery every day.

Shanti: If you get a patron returning a disc without the case, make notes on the item and on the patron account so we know what is happening.  Include the date, your initials, and details about the situation and put the material on Trish’s desk or her cart.  Make sure she knows what is happening.

Trish:  Check any A/V item for completeness before checking the material in and before they are checked out to another patron.  We need to be doing our part to catch missing material.

Alisa:  Do not print the old hold wrapper when you scan in a hold with a new wrapper.  Cancel the printing and leave the new holds wrapper on for the patron to pick up.  We also need to be clearing holds by running the Clear Holds report.  The date on the new holds wrapper is not the expiration date.  Please call IT if you need to get a username and password for the clear holds report.

Staff Meeting Notes 7-15-15

11:15 – 11:45 AM, Breakroom

1. Sign up for FY16 Open Discussion Meetings: moderator or recorder  (Karen)
2. Updates from 6/19 CE Managers Meeting (Lauren)
3. Security Review: COH Badges and Other COH Employees in Building (Karen). Handouts: City of Houston Employee Guidebook, page 21; Executive Order 1-37 Security on City Premises

Quick Notes

• Happy New HEAR Year!  Karen and Lauren will be meeting with all staff in July and early August to prepare your FY16 HEAR plans.  We’ll be discussing what to keep, what to change, and what to add, so think about your plan from last year’s plan and what you would like to see for this year.
• Weeding and Collection HQ Training: There are opportunities for weeding training at ROB on Friday, July 17, and Collection HQ training at COL on Friday, July 31. Check with Karen first, then register at the Training Portal.    
• Texting and Music in Public Service Areas:  
• Texting and listening to music in public service areas distracts you from paying attention to customers’ needs and doing your job effectively.  
• Texting or listening to music when customers are around tells them you’re not available and not interested in helping them.  
• Texting and listening to music should be done in non-public areas or during non-public hours with the volume turned down low enough so you can hear someone speaking to you.  

Upcoming Staff Events

• Friday, July 17: Last day of Pay Period
• Tuesday, July 21: SW Managers Team Meeting at ROB (Karen)
• Wednesday, July 22: Program Planning Meeting (Karen, Alice, Jasmine, Jose, Leona, NIna, Pam, Shanti)
• Friday, July 24: Pay Day
• Friday, July 24: CE Managers Meeting (Karen, Lauren)
• Wednesday, July 29: Open Discussion Meeting
• Friday, July 31: Last day of Pay Period
• Wednesday, August 5: Staff Meeting
• Friday, August 7: Pay Day

FY16 Staff Meetings (meetings occur every 4 weeks, except holidays)

1. Open Discussion (everyone), 11:15-11:45, Break Room: 2015--7/29, 8/26, 9/23. 10/21, 11/18, 12/16; 2016--1/13. 2/10, 3/9, 4/6, 5/4, 6/1, 6/29.
2. All Staff Meeting (everyone), 11:15-11:45, Break Room: 2015--7/15, 8/5, 9/2, 9/30, 10//28, 12/2 (rescheduled for Thanksgiving), 12/30 (rescheduled for Christmas); 2016--1/20, 2/17, 3/16, 4/13, 5/11, 6/8.
3. Program Planning (Karen, Alice, Jasmine, Jose, Leona, Nina, Pam, and Shanti), 11:15-12:15, Break Room:: 2015--7/22, 8/19, 9/16, 10/14, 11/4 (rescheduled for Veterans Day), 12/9; 2016-1/06, 2/03, 3/02, 3/30, 4/27, 5/25, 6/22.
4. Staff Training (everyone): to be determined.

Smart Money--Notes from the Training

Dimitri and her staff included a lot of information and background in addition to the information in the training handout.  Here’s a few key points I added to my handout:

1.       Key in the right amount!  This is especially important--all the time.

2.       Refunds: 

a.       Refund Found on Shelf items the full amount (cost of item plus processing fee), because we lost the item.  Refund Lost items the cost of the item only, because the customer lost the item (and later found it).

b.      Allow 2-3 weeks to process a refund check.

c.       Submit with the Revenue Refund Memo (on the Intranet) the customer’s receipt or a screen shot of the Fines Paid screen in Sirsi.

3.       Voids or Waives: No voids or waives in Smart Money once a transaction has been rung up.  Managers only can void a credit card  transaction before the sale is completed.

4.       Credit Cards: 

a.       No American Express cards

b.      No charges less than $1

c.       No charges more than $200.

d.      The customer must sign the original receipt and it must be put in the change drawer.  It is the customer’s authorization for the charge.

5.       Spare Change: can ring in as Misc or Booksale (like when a customer says, “Keep the change”).

6.       Non-Resident Cards:  for non-Texas residents, $20 for 6-month card, $40 for 1-year card.

7.       Deposits:

a.       Book Sale envelope includes book sale, earphone, and flash drive sales.  The funds are deposited at Wells Fargo.

b.      Fines envelope includes fines, replacement cards, bags and miscellaneous.  The funds are deposited in the city’s account at Chase.

c.       Credit card payments going to different accounts (such as book sale and bag combos), must be rung up separately so we have credit card receipts for each account. 

d.      Don’t staple envelopes together—they get separated when counted into private and city funds.

e.      Don’t highlight the Merc Cat sheet—the Financial Services staff marks the sheet as they count the deposit.

f.        If there’s not enough cash to complete separate envelopes for Fines and Book Sale, combine the deposits in one envelope with the  two Merc Cat sheets.

g.       If we don’t have enough deposit bags, we can combine separate days in one bag.  BUT we should be sending a deposit with each Delivery.

8.       Password or technical problems with Smart Money:  email Jeff Robin or call the IT Help Desk (ext. 31570).

Are there notes you made on your handout that I haven’t included?  If so, please share them with the rest of the team. 

Better understanding of Smart Money and our payment process will  improve our customer service!

Karen