Circulation Forum Minutes - May 25, 2021

Welcome: Tricia called the meeting to order. Attendees shared a micro-win from their locations in the chat to start the meeting on a positive note.

Update: Self-Care Committee: Intranet posts will be made for the upcoming Self-Care Bingo, with plans for an August launch. The Bingo Card is in development by the Self-Care Subcommittee, and collaboration with the Staff Association for incentives is also in the works. A promotional flyer will be released in June. Tricia requested that members of the Circ Forum please promote this among members at their locations.

Threshold: The current fine threshold of $50.00, put in place after reopening last May, is still in effect. Once we move to being fully open, we will transition back to the threshold of $25.00. MLS going fine free starting July 1^st and fines being retroactively removed will reduce the impact to customers.

Submitted Topics:

• Missing Pieces: Once the manual fine and note are placed on the customer’s account, items should be immediately routed to Greg in CSD. If the customer pays for the item within 3 months of the manual fine entry, staff should coordinate with Greg to send the item back to the location for the customer. After 3 months, the item will go to the Friends.
• Lost and Found: Personal items of value (credit/debit cards, jewelry, mobile devices, etc.) should be noted within a customer’s account, if possible, before being placed in Lost and Found. Note the item in lost and found that a note has been made in CARL so it can be deleted once the item is returned or discarded. The Lost and Found Best Practices document created by a Public Services Manager Workgroup may be found in the Circ Forum SharePoint in today’s meeting folder.
• Sit and Stay Check-In: Discussion was held on how libraries are handling Sit and Stay. Overall, libraries are happy to see customers in the building and starting to see more children in the building, especially with school ending. Customers like being able to browse, pick up holds, sit at tables, and more are using the computers. There’s an overall increase in customers coming in without their masks. Two trainings were mentioned: Ryan Dowd Jerks with Homes and Ryan Dowd Ornery Teens
• Metro Checkout Check In: Discussion was held on how customers are using Metro Checkout App. Ideas were shared on how to promote more with customers. Curbside isn’t being used as much, across the system. Customers like being able to come in and see staff. Staff are trying to promote the app more, and ideas were shared on how to do this.

Summer Reading Promotion without Fine Waivers Brainstorm: Discussion was held on how staff can promote summer reading promotion without the fine waivers this year. Ideas included doing displays of the different prizes available for the whole family, promoting outdoor and virtual programming, create activity kits with the Summer Reading theme, and hand out paper reading logs and point trackers for those not wanting to use Beanstack.

RD System Updates (Mark Schuster):

• Auto renewal of checkouts was approved by the Commission, as was the retroactive waiving of older fines starting July 1^st. If an item without a hold on it is within 3 days of coming due, the item will automatically be renewed for the customer, up to 8 consecutive times before it must be returned. If the item cannot be renewed, the customer will receive a “Coming Due” notice. Experience Passes, Technology devices for checkout, and ILLs will still accrue fines. ILLs are also not eligible for autorenewal and must be returned within 3 weeks of the checkout date.
• Oklahoma Contemporary Art Reference Library (OCARL) will launch soon. A new quarterly magazine, Art Desk, will launch from OKCMOA. Libraries will receive free copies as well as a rack to hold the magazines.
• Staff Day is planned for the fall. Half-day sessions are planned, with locations and departments assigned to a.m. or p.m. sessions. The other half of the day staff will meet at their locations for workday/team building exercises. More information will follow.
• Work will begin DN in June to repair leaks in the sewer pipes. DN will be closed for three days during the repairs, and DN staff will be reassigned to other locations throughout the System while this work takes place.
• The budget process went smoothly this year. A second Edmond location is being planned. Conversations are happening to figure out what this library would look like.

Conclusion: The group reviewed the highlights of the meeting and filled out their Takeaways lists to share with their locations. With extra time at the end of the meeting, Tricia opened the floor for representatives to share concerns and/or ask questions to the group. The meeting adjourned at 3:00.

Next Meeting: September 28, 2021 at 1:00pm via Zoom