December 2009 Staff Meeting

Check-in Errors
We are still having a problem with items not being discharged, AV items in the wrong case or empty cases being sent on the van or re-shelved. Beginning today, after DVDs and children’s books belonging to Delavan are inspected and discharged, the employee who handled the item will stick a colored dot inside the front cover (placed on tape or mylar cover in books). The dot should be removed the next time the item is checked out. Colors assigned are as follows:

Orange – Mary
Red - Janice
Dark Green – Oscar
Yellow – Myrna
Dark Blue – Jan
Lime Green – Kate
Light Blue – Cheryl
Hot Pink – Ginny
White – Sandi
Stars – Sue

Items Returned Incomplete
When an item is returned with missing pieces, do not check it in. Contact the patron and inform him or her of the problem. Put a note on the patron’s card documenting this contact. If unable to contact the patron by phone or email, send a letter.

Book of the Month
As a reader’s advisory tool, we are going to hold monthly book talks. Each staff member was assigned a month during which she or he will give a book talk at the staff meeting. Assignments are:

January – Sandi
February – Katrina
March – Mary
April - Ginny
May - Sue
June - Oscar
July - Janice
August - Amber
September - Kate
October - Cheryl
November - Jan
December - Myrna

Read Off Your Fines Policy
Two questions about the Read Off Your Fines program were answered. Patrons may read or listen to a book from any source – it doesn’t have to be a book from our library. Read Off Your Fines can be applied to overdue fines from other libraries.

Flyer Organization
The circulation desks are becoming cluttered with brochures and flyers about non-library events and services. We have asked the Friends to purchase a literature rack to hang on the wall to the left of the elevator. Non-library information would be kept in that location. We have also ordered some brochure display stands to hold 1/4-page library program handouts at the desk.

Web Calendar
Katrina asked if we could have a tool installed on the web page and the blog to count hits. Amber agreed. We will keep the program and meeting room calendars on Google updated and use them.

Emailing Newsletters
We discussed options for emailing the newsletter to patrons.

Credit Cards/On-line payment
City Hall has installed a credit card swipe system. Amber says when they work out the kinks, we will also be getting a swipe system. The LLS is still trying to get set up to accept payments through PayPal. We discussed accepting large bills as payment for fines. Amber instructed us not to accept anything over a $20 bill unless the patron’s fine is very large.