CONNECT Minutes - December 2013

Present – Buddy Johnson (DN, Chair), Julie Ballou (NW), Meghan Attala (RE), Jennifer Jones (CH),  Clyde Herrod (CAT), Sally Gray (VI), Meaghan Hunt Wilson (ED), Glenn Webb (CH), Sally McCurry (DC), Sabrina Little Axe (DC), Sharon Bish (DN), Terrie Thomas (BI), Megan Huggins (BI), Christine Bassett (BE), Jeannie Manners (NW), Janeal Walker (NW), Sam Johnson (MC), Tracey Thompson (MC), Karen Litteral (WA), Ajax Delvecki (MC), Debbie McPherson (BE), Anna Todd (BI), Alexis Whitney (AL), Ann Meeks (BI), David French (BI), Aaron Bluitt (LO)

Meeting was called to order at 2:00pm.

Welcome

Buddy Johnson welcomed the attendees and introduced the guests followed by a reminder about the mission and goals of the Connect Forum.  He also went over the rules for the forum and explained that the topic for the forum would be “librarian in charge.”

Introductions

Attendees introduced themselves to the rest of the group.

Librarian In Charge Discussion

Attendees sat in 6 groups of 6-7 people and Meghan Attala explained that each group would be discussing some scenarios librarians in charge may face entitled “What Do You Do!?”

Scenarios and comments from the discussions are as follows:

1. A coworker takes a nap during lunch time. She forgets to set her alarm and fails to return to work.
• Give them a few minutes then find them, wake them up and ask them if they are OK. 
• If you can’t find them, give them a call. 
• If it they are very late returning to work notify the manager.
2. A large group of teens are yelling and running around near the library entrance. They are not being belligerent. 
• If they are blocking access, talk to them and ask them nicely to move away from the entrance. 
• Let them know it is unsafe and you are concerned
• If they refuse, call security or police as a last resort
• Enter into incident log or fill out an incident report
3. A group of men are outside drinking alcohol together on library property. They are clearly intoxicated. 
• Staff safety is a priority.  If you have security let them go check on it or ask security to go with you to ask the men to go somewhere else.  Let them know you will be calling the police. 
• If you don’t have security, call the police. 
• Fill out an incident report.
4. You witness 2 staff members having a strong difference of opinion about a work issue.
• Ask them to stop talking about this in a public area.
• Ask them to take the conversation out of the public area, out of earshot of customers. 
• Offer to work the desk to help separate them if they were on the desk together.
• Don’t get in the middle of the disagreement.  That is not your place.
• Send email to the manager about what happened.
5. Staff complains to the manager that you have recalled them from breaks and lunches.
• You can recall them from a break.
• Explain reasons for the recall to the manager (such as staff emergency, the employee’s expertise was needed, or the library was very busy.)
• You could offer the employee another break time later.
• Employees have to have a lunch.  If you could find and recall them, you would need to be sure they still got a lunch.
• Try to avoid calling someone back from lunch and only in an emergency.
6. A coworker says they are not feeling well and walks out 6 hours before their shift ends.
• Email or report to the manager that the person left and the time. 
• Make arrangements to cover the desk shift if needed.
• Call the manager if you need another person to come in and work.
7. A paid performer or employee leading a program calls in sick.
• It depends on the program, but if possible check to find if someone else can fill in (such as storytime.)
• Provide an alternate program if appropriate.
• If not, cancel the program:
• Contact customers if you have a sign-up list
• Ask MAC to post on Facebook and Twitter
• Post signs
• Make sure all staff members know the event has been cancelled
• Apologize to customers
• Let manager know and inform the person who scheduled the program.
8. You hear someone preaching and selling items in one of the meeting rooms.
• Preaching is not a problem if they have rented the room.
• If they are selling, show them the policy and educate them either discreetly or after the meeting.
• Remind them that they signed the room agreement form.
• Write an incident report.
9.  7-year-old and 3-year-old siblings are dropped off at the library unattended.
• If the children have caused a disruption you may notice that they are unattended and younger than the 10 year old age limit set by the system.
• In that case identify the children and have them call their parent
• Use name and library card to look up phone number if necessary
• When the parents arrive, educate them about library policy
• If unable to reach the parents, call 911 only as a last resort
• Fill out an incident report
10. Someone urinates on a computer chair, and another customer sits in it.
• Apologize and empathize
• Remove chair and get another chair to put at the computer temporarily
• Clean chair if possible, leave a note for cleaning crew, put in maintenance request for chair to be cleaned and disinfected.
• If you know who urinated in the chair, educate them and ask them to leave to get clean clothes and come another day.
• IT can identify the person that was on the computer if you know the time.
• Enter into incident log or fill out an incident report, whichever is appropriate
11. A customer falls and injures himself in the library. You think he is exaggerating his injury, and he is threatening to sue MLS.
• Offer to call 911
• Fill out the customer accident form and fax to business office
• Identify witnesses, take pictures if needed, and note times in case video is needed
• Keep your own opinions out
• Notify the manager
12. There is a high threat of severe tornado activity in the area. Several staff members want to leave ahead of the storm to pick up family and/or go into their personal shelter.
• You have no authority to make them stay
• Tell them they leave at their own risk
• Let them know you will update the manager about when they left
• Follow safety protocol
• Inform manager
• Keep calm and carry on
13. An angry customer insists that you immediately waive their fines or work out a payment plan.  She calls you some colorful names to express her opinion of your lack of authority.
• Empathize with customer, but let her know her language is inappropriate
• If the customer becomes threatening, you may ask them to leave for the day and come back when they are calm and can discuss.  If still a problem you may have to call security.
• Depending on circumstances you might remove fines, but not damaged or lost
• Check incident or circ log to see if there is a pattern
• If you are not comfortable removing fines for some reason and they want to get on a computer you could offer a guest pass.
• Use your best judgment and do what you think your manager would want you to do
• Offer that the customer could come back or call later to talk to manager, or offer manager’s contact info.
14. At closing, an upset 10-year-old comes to you and says no one has come to pick her up. No one answers the phone number she tries.
• Two employees should stay with child
• Find out if there is someone else she can call
• If no one comes after 15 minutes, call 911
• If police take the child, leave a note for the parent on the door of the building
• Fill out an incident report
• Report to manager about how long you had to stay after closing for timesheets
15. A library employee falls and injures himself in the library.
• If serious, call 911 and the employee’s emergency contact
• You or someone should stay with them until the ambulance arrives
• If they are able, have them fill out employee accident form
• Give them worker’s comp paperwork
• Fax forms to HUM
• Call or email manager depending on the situation
• Document everything
• Cover their shift
16. A colleague is a no show. She doesn’t arrive at work or call in. This is getting to be a pattern.
• Call her to find out if she is OK and awake
• Report it to the manager
• Take steps to cover the shift
• LIC is the reporting agent
17. There are political protestors outside the library.
• Monitor the situation to be sure they are not blocking access, soliciting, or threatening other customers and are not too close to the entrance
• If they are harassing others, soliciting or blocking access they need to leave.
• If they are asked to leave and refuse, call 911
• They cannot come inside
• You may educate on library Rules of Conduct so they are aware
• Fill out an incident report
• Report to manager
18. Someone has made a feces mural on the bathroom wall. 
• If the area is not too large, get the biohazard kit and clean it up
• If it is very large, block off area with out-of-order sign and call in an emergency maintenance request
• Report to manager as they may be able to use security camera to identify the “artist”
• Fill out an incident report

Meeting was adjourned at 4:00pm.