Incentives to Read (ITR) Minutes - September 26th, 2013

Attendance: Chair: Karen Marriott; LO: Kay Bauman, Julie Ballou, LaVetta Dent, Jana Hausburg (PIE group); OUT: Emily Williams, Anita Roesler; DVS: Diane Sarantakos, Heidi Port, Sarah Blaney; MaC: Kim Terry; PLA: Kellie Delaney

1. Karen emailed the September 11 minutes to the committee members.  Following is a recap of from that meeting.

   The program will provide reading “incentives” rather than “prizes”.   Studies show the importance of reading 20 minutes per day so we decided to track minutes read or number of 20 minute sessions.

   All ages will have the following incentives:
   

   Increments	Read 20 minutes a Day	Incentive to participate in the reading program	Information to Customers
   Signup			Tips for lifelong learning, why 20 minutes a day, what counts, etc.
   Goal 1	Read 10 hours	Fine waiver for fines only with expiration date of possibly August 31. (defined amount not yet established) Book; (We hope to have a coupon or % off for Adults to a bookstore.  DVS is currently working on this)
   Goal 2	Read 20 hours	Fine waiver for fines only with expiration date of possibly August 31. (defined amount not yet established) Book; (Adults will likely get a book bag instead of a book)
   Drawings	Those who reached a goal?	DVS is getting sponsorships that will fund dollars to purchase things such as books or e-readers.  We only want coupons that give something entirely free.  These will presented as gift baskets.

    
   In years past the Sonic bags have been available for all customers at the circulation desks.  Sonic tater tots were given at events.  At this time, the meetings with ODL & Sonic have not taken place.

   All employees need to understand and be able to explain the connection between the Strategic Plan and incentives, ie:  Know your community = Museum passes

2. Evanced Summer Reader software
1. As requested at the September 11 meeting, Kellie emailed the group links to the Summer Reader software by Evanced:
1. Planning has created a test reading program on Evanced.  Please sign up prior to Thursday's meeting to test the online software and sign up procedure.  Please keep in mind a majority of the sign up questions can change and requirements can vary from program to program.  Let me give you an example.  On the current sign up, email is a requirement but school name is not.  We can change either of these options to be required or not.  We can also create special drop-down menus such as the school name or any other information you would like to gather. 
2. The point of gathering this information is to create reports we previously did not have the luxury to create.   Keep in mind the types of information you would like to gather, because there is a good chance we can incorporate questions to get this information.
3. While you are looking at this from the perspective of a staff member, also place yourselves in the position of a parent or individual who is signing up.  Bring all of those thoughts and questions to Thursday's meeting so we can address them or feel free to contact us at anytime.
4. On Thursday, we will go over the "backend" from the administrative, staff, and volunteer level.  This way you can see each level's access and some of what we can accomplish with this new software.
2. The majority of the group had signed up and looked around at the program.  Kellie shared additional information and we discussed the front end and the back end of the software. 
3. There are 5 types of users of our summer reader software: customers, volunteers, two staff levels, and administrator with various options and roles.
1. We can customize the roles of the volunteer and staff to limit access to certain portions (such as drawing prizes or customer information).
4. Multiple accounts can be linked through a family account or a group account.  This would be great for families with multiple children participating in the reading program and for daycare groups.
5. If we purchase the Evanced events program we will be able to embed our events to show up in the Summer Reader.
6. If we get email addresses from participants we can use that to send reminders, notifications, and more.  The email will be plain text only.
7. Additional language support can be added to Evanced.  Evanced comes equipped with Spanish, French, and English.  These languages have been added to the test site for review.
8. We need to finalize the demographic type information we want to ask and/or require when the participants sign up for the reading program.  Such as:
1. *User Name:
2. *First Name:
3. Middle Initial:
4. *Last Name:
5. *Your birth date:
6. *Library Most Visited:
7. School you attended this year:
8. Grade you will enter this fall:
9. Gender:
10. Phone number:
11. Email:
12. Library Card Number:
13. *required information
14. Parents: If you want to manage multiple children's accounts with one username and password, …
9. Without an email address customers will need to have staff assist them if they forget their username and password.
10. Kellie will continue to learn the software and help us understand what our options are.
11. Each program area can be customized to fit the specifics of that reading program.  For the upcoming reading program there will be four separate programs listed (based on age).   Evanced allows for customization of each program to fit the specific needs of the particular age group.  A customized registration page will change based on program.  This opens the door to customized reports based on demographic information and allows the library to capture information we previously did not have the ability to gather.
12. Update: Kay visited with Anne F. on 9/27/13 and learned that we will not be validating the library cards for 2014, we will need to be using our new ILS for that to happen.  We will still ask for their card number and if we need to know if the numbers are valid for some reason, we will need to manually check it in V-Circ.
3. Timeline
1. Kim brought the timeline with deadlines used for last year’s summer reading program.  To determine deadlines requires beginning with the first date all the materials need to be available. 
1. The past several years, OUT has sent packets of materials to the schools.  The schools need that by May 1 and OUT needs to have 2 weeks to prepare the packets.  Therefore, the first date the materials are needed is April 15. 
2. The printer needs about 6 weeks.  So, MLS has to have the materials ready for the printer by about February 25.
3. Expenditures over $10,000 must go out for bid & approved by our Commission, per MLS policy SF 200.  The closest Commission meeting prior to February 25 is the one in February. To be prepared to present the bids at the February Commission meeting, the Business Office needs the details of what will be printed by about January 25 since, according to policy, MLS must have no less than 14 days for bids to be received. 
4. For MaC to get the details of what will be printed that office must have all the sponsor logos, listing of incentives, listing of the types of printed materials (postcards, bookmarks, posters, gameboard, etc) no less than 2 weeks prior the BUS deadline for bids, which is about January 15.
5. Kim will update the calendar with the timeline and share with the group. (2014 timeline updated)
2. We also reviewed the 24 pieces that MaC did for the Summer Reading program last year and decided on the types of pieces to do this year, which are highlighted in yellow.  The green highlights are still undetermined.
   

   Printed piece	Quantity
   Early Childhood half-sheet	12,000
   Early Childhood half-sheet in Spanish	3,000
   Children’s postcard	90,000
   Children’s postcard-Spanish	8,000
   Teen postcard including teen schedule	75,000
   Teen postcard-Spanish including teen schedule	4,000
   Adult half-sheet	?
   Adult half-sheet in Spanish	?
   Teen Bookmarks	7,500
   Parent info Bookmarks	12,000
   Parent info ½ sheet	?
   Parent info Bookmarks-Spanish	3,000
   Giant Posters-Early Child (3’x5’)	10
   Giant Posters-Children (3’x5’)	11
   Giant Posters-Teen (3’x5’)	11
   Giant Posters-Teen (3’x5’)	11
   Reg. Posters-Early Child (2’x3’)	19
   Reg. Posters-Children (2’x3’)	19
   Reg. Posters-Teen (2’x3’)	19
   Reg. Poster-Adults (2’x3’)	19
   Reg. Poster promoting all 4 programs	19
   Prize Posters-Early Child (2’x3’)	19
   Coupon Book-Early Child, 14	4,500
   Coupon Book-Children, 14 coupons	15,000
   Coupon Book-Teen, 14 coupons	4,000
   Gameboard-Early Child	7,000
   Gameboard-Children	30,000
   Gameboard-Teen	6,000
   Registration cards	42,000
   Drawing slips	20,000
   Staff Cheat Sheet	400
   Sonic Stickers	20,000
   Fine waivers as an incentive	?

3. The half-sheets can double as bookmarks.
4. We are still waiting to learn the information on printing Sonic stickers.
5. We discussed the logistics of tracking the use of fine waivers. 
4. Incentives
1. Fine waivers.  Do we print or do an electronic version?  The Managers of Library Operations will further consider a streamlined approach for redeeming the fine waivers aiming at making a decision by Friday, October 4. 
2. Diane indicated that she and Sarah continue seeking sponsors for the reading program.  The goal is to maintain previous sponsors, where applicable, while seeking out new ones. 
5. Volunteers
1. Heidi Port says the deadlines and timelines that MaC shared is pertinent for use with planning the volunteer piece of the reading program. 
2. The group discussed ways that participants may register and/or track online in the library.  In addition to customers having the option to sign-up to use a library computer, the volunteers and staff will use the Netbooks, iPads and staff computers to assist participants in registering, tracking and awarding incentives.   Further discussion is needed to work through the logistics.
6. We are unsure at this time if everyone will need to attend all of our meetings.  As the agenda is determined that will become clearer.  For now, we think it’s a good idea for each of us to schedule the meetings right now. 
• Thursday, October 10 at 10:00 Brawner room, DN
• Friday, October 25 at 1:00 Brawner room, DN