50 SHADES OF LIBRARIES

May 2, 2013
  At the " 50 SHADES OF LIBRARIES"  2013 Spring , there were a couple of sessions that I found quite interesting.  One was called "DOES SIZE MATTER? ROVING REFERENCE"  The libraries involved, were all heavily weeding their Reference sections by at least 60%.  If the info is online, why have it on your shelf!  Also, phone books were eliminated except for the area and closer large cities.  Making space is key!  Instead of having at least 1 reference desk,  staff  took 15 minute shifts of doing "roving reference" with headsets and IPads-walking in the stalks and asking if the patrons were finding what they needed.  If they did not need the help at that time, the staffer would be at the desk shortly if they thought of something. Don't approach patron from back or whisper.  Even if you need to go around the shelving unit, try to approach them from the front or side and talk to them in a normal voice as not to scare them and make them angry.
  Another session was called "E-COMMERCE & VILLAGE POST OFFICE AT THE LIBRARY."  The Director of a small library told of her quest for using debit & credit cards at their library, book sales, or any other library function where money would need to be exchanged.  They tried different software and came up with their present system called INTUIT.  There is a $10 minimum use, plus a 2.75% transaction fee.  People really seemed to like this service.  Also, as their village post office hours diminished, the Director fought very hard with the village clerk's help, to have the library  be a limited service post office. The library is open longer hours that the Village PO. They only sell stamps and take in prepaid packages for pickup by a postal carrier (at this time). Their debit & credit card software also works for postage stamps. They get a monthly check from USPS for the stamp sales. This is based on a formula of the sale of postage stamps from the Village Post Office (approx. 2% (if I understand it correctly).  This service is not in any way implying that the Village PO is closing.  People were horrified until they got it through their heads that the library was an additional postal service through the PO.  Yet-the Director has a place all picked out in her library lobby in case the Village PO does close someday, for the PO Boxes.  Sandi

March 2013 Staff Meeting

Thank you, Susan, for providing notes from this meeting.

SHARE News

There may be a separation from Midwest in the next couple months.  Should this occur, it may affect/increase our ILL numbers.  (Denise is training with Cheryl on the ILL process.)  We will remain with Lakeshores (Racine and Walworth Counties) so we keep Jim and Steve (computers), Vicki (ILL), Ann (cataloging), and the van service. Other counties may join Lakeshores  based on geographical closeness or similar philosophies. We will soon begin a watch on what is delivered by van to see how the loss of Midwest would affect our patrons. (Could be by the use of some sort of a checklist…)                                    

Processing problems

Problems identified include wrong position of barcodes, incorrect use of tape, incorrect placement of inside tape. Please see Sandi in the next three weeks before processing anything else. See email from Amber

Changes in the youth library

Non-fiction DVDs will now be housed separately (no longer in the shelf collection) under the biographies.

Playaways and audiobooks are on the shelves by the door. The youth VHS collection has been weeded down to a minimal number (approx. 10). Those 10 were kept because they are not yet available in DVD format. The reference and Spanish collections have been repositioned–on the shelves by the door-as well.  See the email from Katherine.

  

National Library Week-April 14-20^th

There will be surveys for the patrons during National Library week. These will be about programming ideas - what do they want and what times.  Encouragement will be offered to get them to fill out the surveys. Possible perks for patrons that week ($1.00 off fines, free disk cleaning, $1.00 off printing) will be drawn from a fishbowl when they check out.

Comment Cards

The library board wants to institute a system of comment cards. Cards and a box will be placed at each service desk.

Computer Problem Forms

Please date computer problem forms when you turn them in.Amber will get a container to put these forms in so they will get quick attention.

Discard policy

Staff must now pay for discarded books. (We used to be able to take them home to read them and then bring them back.)  Make sure another staff member takes the money for your purchase and puts it in the cash register. Suggestion:  tape the receipt to that purchase (or any Friends purchase) until you get home.

Cleaning week

Please sign up to spend some of your off-desk time cleaning.  Katherine will make a to-do- list so we know what she wants done. Both Katherine and Amber will be around if we have questions about what things can be thrown away. Heavy-duty shelving and bins may be purchased as the need is determined.

On-line sign up for the summer library program is being investigated.  

Computer Order

Along with the replacement computers we will receive this year, there will be 20 licenses for Windows 2010 (not CIRC not OPAC) and 1 license for Windows 2013.

May 2-WAPL conference at Grand Geneva Resort

Conference schedules are on the counter - please pick one up. (Thanks Sandi!)  If you have a conflicting appointment or another job, please see Amber.

NO discussion on SLP committees or cash register changes.

February 2013 Staff Meeting

New Youth Programs
Youth Services programs coming in the future will include 1000 Books Before Kindergarten, a book club at Phoenix School for 6th graders, lunchtime programs at the elementary schools, and the DDHS novel club.

Disc cleaning service
Since the waiver form and cash register departments have not been set up yet and everyone is not comfortable using the disc cleaning machine, we will postpone beginning this service until March 2.

Personnel matters
The number of hours each employee is allowed to work depends on their hiring agreement.  If anyone has questions about their limit, check with Amber.  Keep in mind that your weekday hours are adjusted down so that you don't go over your limit when Saturdays and Sundays are included.
A handout about FMLA was given to each employee.  The purpose of FMLA is to preserve your job in case you have to be off work without pay for an extended time due to medical or health issues.  We should complete the FMLA paperwork any time there is the possibility of a lengthy absence.

Challenged materials procedure
We had a patron question the appropriateness of one of our movies this month.  In the policy manual, you will find the Reconsideration of Challenged Materials policy, which outlines the procedures to be followed when a patron disagrees with choice of materials.  A verbal complaint is considered informal and may be referred to the Library Director if available.  The patron should be offered a Request for Reconsideration form to be completed if he or she wishes to file a formal complaint.

New policies
The Release of Adult Records policy outlines when an adult patron's library records may be released to a designated guardian or fiduciary agent.
Wireless Internet Policy has been revised to require the user to enter an access code.  Codes will be single-use, and will be stocked at the Adult Services desk.
Collections letter to be sent to patrons owing more than $50

Summer Reading Program
Themes:  Early Literacy & Children - Dig Into Reading
               Teens - Beneath the Surface
                Adults - Groundbreaking Reads
We divided into committees to begin planning events for the summer reading program.

January 2013 Staff Meeting

Public disc cleaning service
We will offer a public disc cleaning service for audio, video, and game discs once a week on Saturday from 1:00 to 2:30.  Patrons will be charged $3 per disc and will be required to sign a waiver, which will be kept on file at the Adult Services desk.  The maximum number of discs per person per day will be 10, but the limit may be adjusted downward depending on workload.  Discs from other libraries may be done for the same price.

Zinio
Amber is aware of the problems with the Zinio link and will fix it today.  Zinio allows library patrons to borrow digital copies of magazines for use on their ereader or computer.

Scanner
The portable scanner has been cataloged and is ready for checkout.  Amber demonstrated how to use it; the instruction sheet is in the box and the owner's manual is in the file cabinet.

New ILL procedure
Cheryl reviewed the new ILL procedure outlined in the handout she gave to everyone.  When ILL items are checked out, use the bar code on the green card and adjust the due date to match the date on the card. Put the  When returned by the patron, ILL items will be placed in the ILL box in the circ room or at the Adult desk; DO NOT CHECK THEM IN.

How to transfer calls from the children's desk
The screen on the children's library phone has a menu that appears when you answer a call.  The transfer procedure is the same as on other phones:  select TRANSFER from the menu, enter the extension to which the call will be transfered, when you reach the intended recipient of the call, select JOIN, and hang up the phone.

Milwaukee Bucks reading challenge
Materials have been received for the Milwaukee Bucks reading challenge.  Packets to be given to interested youth are in a green bin under the children's desk along with instructions on how the program works, who may participate, and the stickers and vouchers that we give out when reading is completed.

Use of problem card
Items on hold for the Delavan Problem card should be checkout out to that card when they are received from other libraries.  After the corrective action is taken, they should be discharged.

Adult book discussion
Sue asked for a volunteer to take over some of the adult book discussions sessions.  Cheryl volunteered.

Register reports
Sue asked to have a copy of the nightly register reports put in her box.  Run the X1 report for Sue; run the Z1 report to clear the register for the next day and to attach to the reconciliation sheet.

Disc machine maintenance
Maintenance of the disc cleaning machine was discussed.  There is a list on the disc cleaning table that tells what daily and weekly maintenance should be done.  Disc machine maintenance will be added to the closing checklist on Friday.

CATALOGING COMMITTEE MEETING

At our last Cataloging Committee meeting in Waterford, on October 15, 2012, we discussed many things as usual,  having to do with the cataloging of library materials. Patron ideas never cease to amaze.  With the holiday seasons approaching, there was a request from a patron that our libraries start to catalog and "checkout" baking pans and cookie cutters!  This was a 20 minute laugh fest with all the possible scenarios as to how and in what condition these pans and cookie cutters would arrive to each library.  Can you imagine the endless number of shapes these baking pans could end up with at the end of the day with all the books being thrown on top of them in a van bin?  Or would a cookie cutter even be recognizable?  How about the cleanliness factor! Well-the vote was a resounding "NO" for being placed in the cataloging manual of "how to do's".  Thank God!  As the meetings are pretty boring and sometimes, "over my head", there are light moments when one feels a little more comfortable being there.  Sandi

The Nordstrom Way . . . Chapters 1-2

Amber's Questions:

1.  Nordstrom's is customer-driven instead of customer-focused.  What does that mean to you?

2.  What is our product and how can we ensure the highest quality?

3.  Working from the list of words in the staff room, choose 5 words that create our core values and five words that represent our procedures. (Here is the list of words:  dedication, helpfulness, innovative, customer-oriented, quality, enthusiasm, sense of humor, cheerfulness, curiosity, training, perceptive, compassion, fairness, teamwork, diversity, thoughtful, commitment, education, courteous, kind, adventurous, prudent, visionary, honesty, integrity, service.)

4.  As a staff, come up with a list of decisions that could possibly be made on the spot and ones that need to be bumped up to higher authorities.

January 2012 Staff Meeting

Homebound Program – Lindsey is the primary contact and Susan H. is the secondary contact for this program.  A binder for each participating organization is kept in the galley closet.  Applicants complete a regular library card application form and a reading preference form.  Give the completed forms to Lindsey/Susan to make the library card.  Deliveries are made by Friends volunteers, who call in advance to let us know when they need materials for a particular site.

Facebook and Blog Entries – In an effort to get more staff input for the Facebook page and library blog, a folder called BLOG-FACEBOOK has been set up on the Z drive.  When you think of something that should go on either site, write it up and put it in this folder.  Kris will add storytime information.  Jan will add tax information.

Best Seller List – Susan H. will take over the weekly preparation of this list.

In-Service Day – Friday, February 17 from 8:30 to 5 we will hold a staff in-service.  Steve Ohs will be presenting a workshop on digital devices.  We will clean computers and learn the tasks on the “things everybody should know” list. 

Items Returned with Missing Parts -  Check all returned items before discharging them to be sure all pieces are present, i.e., correct number of discs.  If pieces are missing, DO NOT CHECK THE ITEM IN.  Call the patron and tell them what is missing, that the item cannot be checked in until all parts are received, and that there may be an overdue fine.  If the item belongs to another library, hold it here for up to a week. If the missing pieces are not returned, contact the owning library to see what they would like us to do.

Emergency Closures -  If there is no power iin the morning, the library will not open.  If the power goes out during the day for an extended period, we will close.  Post “Closed” signs on the doors and lock up.  In the event of inclement weather, Amber will contact each staff member by phone.  She looks at other libraries and the school district before making a decision.  Closings will be announced on WTMJ.  We can call the Police Dept. non-emergency number to determine if we need to close early.

Supply Ordering  will be taken over by Cynthia, with Susan H. as backup.

Amazon bill goes to Janice for reconciliation before Amber gets it .

Book orders will soon be through Brodart instead of Baker and Taylor.  We will be having  mylar jackets applied by them.  

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