July Meetings Recap

Collected from meetings held 7/5, 7/12, 7/19 & 7/26:

Scheduling

Starting the week of 8/4, full-timers will work the following schedule:

• Sat 12:15pm-5:15pm (no lunch) (5) 
• Mon 8:15am-6:15pm (1hr. lunch) (9)
• Tues 8:15am-6:15pm (1hr. lunch) (9) 
• Wed 8:15am-6:15pm (1hr. lunch) (9) 
• Thurs 9:15am -6:15pm (1hr. lunch) (8) 
• Fri. Off = 40 total

• Sat off
• Mon 9:15am – 6:15pm (8)
• Tues 9:15am – 6:15pm (8)
• Wed 9:15am – 6:15pm (8)
• Thurs 11:15am – 8:15pm (8)
• Fri 8:15am – 5:15pm (8) = 40 total

HEAR

The new HEAR review period started July 1st. HEAR reviews for FY18 will take place this month.  New plans for FY19 will be created in August. Smart Goals will change where applicable.

Training

There is a required webinar for a new database called Small Business Builder. Please sign the sheet on Leonore's desk after viewing the webinar. https://houstonlibrary.libguides.com/c.php?g=852808&p=6104220

Library Card Applications

• We are no longer doing paper library card applications. Youth cards must be done on the catalog computers, but adult cards can be done with the tablet. If a customer is not in the postal database, then input the information manually in Workflows and put a note on the account.
• If a customer is applying online and nothing seems to happen after the “register” button is tapped, then there is an error somewhere on the form. Scroll through what was entered to check for blanks or typos.
• A customer must still show a photo ID and proof of address to get a physical card. Do a name and ID search as you would for any new registration, just in case a duplicate got past the online system.

Statistics

The statistics sheet has been updated to include Computer Help. Put a mark down every time you assist a customer on the computer. Marks for questions answered while you are helping customers at the computer should still go under Directional or Reference. If you assist a teen or child on the computers, please notate it on the bottom of the daily statistics sheet. Computer Help is considered a program, so the age breakdown is needed for the statistics.

Payroll

• We are getting raises: 3% FY19, 2% FY20, 1% FY21. The 3% pay raise goes into effect on August 3rd.
• Floating Holidays may only be used in full-day increments.

Policies

Executive Order 1-12 Controlled Substance and Alcohol Abuse: http://www.houstontx.gov/execorders/1-12.pdf

Technology

• The City is eventually blocking Google Drive on staff computers. All documents will eventually be migrated to OneDrive.
• We only have one of the old PC laptops left. Donna will use it on movie days, so don’t lend it to a customer if a movie program is scheduled to take place.
• Starting August 1st, ebooks and downloadable audiobooks will no longer be available on Hoopla. This information is on the website.

Programming

• The International Services Team is planning on making site visits in August.
• Mary Wagoner will meet with us on Thursday, August 16th at 11:15 pm to discuss youth services.
• Central is offering one-on-one business consultations. They are not writing business plans for customers, but they are helping with resources. Have customers contact Central for more information.
• There is a graphic novel contest that ends on September 1st.
• Children should receive Whataburger coupons at every SRP prize level and at checkout.
• We are going to move the coloring sheets and crayons to the desk. Crayons will be in baggies.  Donna is thinking about making a sign-out sheet.

FlipKits

• If a FlipKit comes in from refurbishment missing something or with the wrong book (make sure the barcode on the book and tag match!), then send it back to CMH with a note describing the problem.
• Don’t check out a FlipKit without a survey.

Serials

Tina is doing serials now, so put new magazines on her desk.

Garden Room

If someone from the Garden Club of Houston calls about using the garden room on a specific date and time, it is okay to schedule them in the calendar.

Utilization of Time

• If an assigned task does not take the whole hour, please find something else productive to do.
• Don’t abandon the service desk for too long. It is a disservice to customers and your coworkers.
• Be on time to the desk!
• Please separate adult and juvenile books when emptying book drop, and put things in order on the carts. Also put things in order on the carts out front! Shelving goes so much faster and easier if items are already in order.

Closing Procedures

If you are assigned to check upstairs, you need to check that the closet in the meeting room is secure.

June Meetings Recap

Collected from meetings held 6/7 & 6/14:

Closing Procedures
Since it is now the busiest time of year, everyone needs to be out on the floor 15 minutes before closing to help clear the building. If you are scheduled to do book drop or in-house, please complete those tasks beforehand.

Collection Maintenance
I have replaced the “Log - Books from Other Systems” link on our blog with the “Log – Missing AV and Orphan Items” system-wide link: https://houtx-my.sharepoint.com/:x:/g/personal/laurie_covington_houstontx_gov/ETQLOYk86L9OoXglBV3oU08B4op-3L3PfVz7RTdBMIEIAg?e=vX2HVM This is an Office 365 spreadsheet that will required you to log in with your email credentials to view or edit. There are two tabs: incomplete items & items from other libraries.

Please try to put items in order on the carts.

We are still finding a lot of items on the shelf that are still checked out to customers. Please watch the screen when checking things in!

Garden Club of Houston
The Garden Club of Houston has new board members. Sally Hilliard is now in charge of the archives located inside the garden room. She is a former librarian at River Oaks Baptist School. She will be requesting the room in the coming weeks to reorganize the collection. If she or someone else from the garden club request the room in advance, it is okay to block off the room in the calendar for them. Garden club members do not have to fill out the garden room form to use the room.

Meeting Rooms
The upcoming change in library hours is not yet public knowledge, so if someone requests a meeting room on a Friday or Saturday morning after August 1st, just tell them the room is unavailable. You can also refer them to Jungman for Saturday morning requests.

Summer Reading Program
Customers who participated in SRP last year can use their same account to enroll in this year’s program. You can tell they are properly enrolled if there is a green check mark next to where it says Babies (or Kids or Teens) Summer Reading Program 2018. If there’s a box with no check mark, they haven’t registered for this year’s program.

SRP prize reminders

• Green pins are for kids. Purple pins are for teens.
• Participants get a program pin after logging 5 activities. The truck with color is for completing 5 HPL activities. The plain truck is for Around Town activities (bird watching, taking a walk, etc.)
• When making pins, make sure the smooth pieces aren’t stuck together.
• Babies only get a book at registration.
• We have the 10-day and 20-day prizes for babies. Don’t give the parent the whole bag of finger puppets to look through. Pull out a handful for them to choose from or just pick one for them.
• A folder with prize information is in the drawer where the garden room clipboard is.

Details about SRP programs are on the back of the SRP calendars.

Flip Kits
There is a new folder in the Desk 1 drawer for surveys that CMH has sent over for specific customers. These surveys are for customers who checked out a kit without a survey. If this happens, get the customer’s name, library card #, and phone number and give that information to Donna. She will contact CMH for a survey. After the customer fills out the survey meant specifically for them (it will have their name on it), you can give them a CMH pass.

Do not give a customer a CMH pass if they only give you a survey. One of our Montrose colleagues observed a customer remove a survey from a Flip Kit at Montrose and then try to get a pass. The customer then came here and tried the same thing, even claiming Montrose sent them to Looscan.  Customers are only eligible for CMH passes if they return a survey WITH a Flip Kit they have checked out.