Manager of Library Operations Meeting Minutes for April 2008

Date:  April 16, 2008

Location:  Capitol Hill Library

Attending: Denyvetta Davis, Kay Bauman, Karen Bays, Barbara Beasley, Rosemary Czarski, LaVetta Dent, Priscilla Doss, Mary Patton, Joanie Porter, Katrina Prince, Phil Tolbert, Randy Wayland, Melissa Weathers and Deb Willis.

Guest: Jimmy Welch and Anne Fischer, IT

Meeting called to order at 1:30p.m., by Denyvetta Davis, Director of Library Operations.

1. Open Discussion
• Demo – Credit Card Usage – Jimmy Welch & Anne Fischer, IT
• Jimmy and Anne, IT, gave a PowerPoint demonstration giving managers a preview of the new features that will be added to the CyberMars link on the Internet and will be made available to all customers on April 28, 2008.
• Credit/Debit Visa cards, MasterCard and Discover can be used to pay for fines, lost or damaged materials and also annual fees for customers living outside our service area.
• Effective May 1, 2008, overdue notices, bills and annual fee renewal letters will reference paying by credit cards. Cheryl, CC, will be the primary staff member in handling credit card refunds. When the Express Checkout re-development is completed, coin boxes will be placed at every location so that customers can pay by credit card or cash without having to visit the circulation desk.
• Anne informed that all touch-screen monitors for Express Checkout will be purchased and replaced during the FY’09 budget year. These new monitors will have credit card swipes so that customers can use their card at Express Checkout without having to key in the number. IT will also be installing some monitors at circulation with credit card swipe and will replace the rest of the circulation monitors as they go out. RFID will also be added to Express Checkout. All changes will impact training classes for new employees.
• Service Principles – Daily Link
• Denyvetta asked managers to share the activities and ideas that their staff members have done during the daily links. Managers agreed that the activities have provided excellent customer service training for everyone.
• Kay informed that PLA is working on putting an Activity Library up on the MLS Service Principles page of the Intranet so staff may share their daily links ideas with others.
• RFID
  Anne indicated that IT is at a 72 percent completion rate on the RFID project at CT. DC will begin their RFID project next, followed by RE. The RFID project should be completed at all libraries before Summer Reading begins.
• The managers shared experiences they’ve had during the RFID project and has noticed more involvement in teamwork amongst staff as well as the partnership with IT and various staff members from other libraries.
• Strategic Plan Assignment
  Managers shared their plans for creating and maintaining libraries that are welcoming and inviting.
  The telephone survey is completed and Stuart, PLA, is working on analyzing data to help determine how great of an impact we will need in certain areas.
• Administrative Guidelines for Monitoring Computer Use
• Kay distributed packets that included drafts of the Rules of Conduct; Procedures Responding to Disruptive Conduct; Responsibilities for Unsupervised Children’s Policy & Procedures.
• The Rules of Conduct drafts have been reviewed by the MLS Attorney and the Ad Team and will be submitted at the May 2008 Public Services Committee meeting.
• Kay asked managers to view all the drafts and forward comments and feedback to her by April 30. She informed that these drafts will be a part of the Administrative Guidelines for Monitoring Computer Use. The Internet Agreement will be forwarded to the managers.
• Jimmy, IT, has developed software that recognizes card numbers when entered to monitor computer usage and capture screen shots of those violating computer guidelines.
• Other topics
• Randy inquired about the Safe Place Program. Denyvetta will follow up on request and report to managers.
• Congratulations and applause was extended to Mary Patton, DN, who is retiring at the end of April. Phil, CH, honored her with a cake.
2. Kudos, Character First & Misc. – Denyvetta Davis, Dir. of Library Operations
• Kudos
• Denyvetta shared a thank you note and picture Priscilla, BI, received from scouts expressing their appreciation to Barbara Johnson, Librarian, for doing a program for them and giving a tour of the library. Two City of Choctaw E-Newsletters were passed around that highlighted the CT Library. DN received a thank you note and compliment from a customer.
• The Oklahoma Humanities Council has a comment section regarding the Oklahoma Connection Book Discussion Program for Adult Literacy Students. Denyvetta shared a note by a participate stating, “I learned that books bring people together.”
• Denyvetta read a thank you note from an OLA Committee Chairperson thanking Karen Bays, ED, for speaking at a workshop that challenge ABC’s building blocks for intellectual students. Ronna Davis & Carol Hunter each received thank you notes from ED customers expressing their appreciation for being provided excellent customer service.
• Denyvetta received from Deb, MC, a magazine titled, My Midwest displaying a picture of Kristen Williamson, Librarian.
  Denyvetta shared written compliments from customers giving praise to MLS for the new print management system.
• Character First
• Denyvetta passed around and briefly discussed the “Character First” for this month: “Persuasiveness.”
• Living persuasively; converse rather than contend; teach others to speak for themselves and practice public communications. Managers may request copies from Nita, LO.
• Misc.
• Denyvetta shared an email received from Kim Terry to inform managers that in four weeks, MaC department will provide all of the MLS libraries with sticky/post-it notes that say, “Staff Pick. A Good Read”! Smaller postits with just “Staff Pick” will also be provided. These can be put on the spines or covers of books that staff feels customers may enjoy.
• LaVetta gave Kudos to Julianna for her innovative idea in creating a thermostat for the summer reading program to log and keep track of the number of customers signing up.
• Katrina shared that BE signed up over 500 seniors for the Winter Readfest program.
3. MLS News/Updates – Kay Bauman, Deputy Executive Director of Library Operations Ad Team Update
• April is national volunteer month and Kay indicated that, as of last week, there were 70 seats remaining for the Literary Voices and $105,530 was raised at that point. The new signs have been placed at several of the libraries.
• MaC is working on the system wide brochures. Kim has been speaking with librarians and associate libraries from various locations for ideas.
• Kay is asking for staff involvement for the V2R project. As of this date, there are only three facilitators with the need for more. Information may be found on the Intranet.
• An issue with the Service Center driveway must be resolved and in compliance with the city ordinance before a permit is granted to move the project forward.
• RE is moving along, a temporary location is being sought out. August 18, is the target goal to be moved out of the building so contractors can begin renovations.
• Donna, Kay and Todd traveled to Phoenix and viewed three different libraries that have opened within the last three years designed by Richard+Bauer. Donna, Todd, Anne and staff members with Pioneer Library System traveled to Fayetteville, Arkansas, to view some of their libraries. With a slideshow in mind, pictures taken in Phoenix, Minneapolis and Fayetteville will be sent to Todd.
• Kay reminded the managers that when customers have reached their limit on checking out a number of items, the customer must return the items. The policy clearly states, 42 days maximum. She asked that usage of temporary tracers be limited.
4. Resource Sharing Facilitator – LaVetta Dent, VI
• LaVetta discussed an article written by Warren Bennies entitled, Flight Plan for Leaders. She shared an idea as a way to challenge her staff by  having them write what they feel their purpose is at work and how it will change if their purpose is welcoming to everyone and to think of it as a  high priority.
• Tech Support Meeting – Deb Willis, MC
• Deb emailed the Tech Support Meeting notes to the managers and indicated that Jimmy, IT, sent an email on Apr. 15, stating he would like to  implement the condition to place reserves from anonymous log on. He will work on this in the next few months.
5. MLS Partners – Information/Updates MSL Training project – Julie Ballou, MSL
• Julie distributed a handout outlining the collection maintenance training she has implemented. She has been traveling to locations working with  staff members.
6. Announcements/Reminders
• OLA – April 21-23 Tulsa Southern Hills Marriott, Tulsa, OK

Next meeting date scheduled – May 14, 2008 – Del City Library at 1:30p.m.