Manager of Library Operations Meeting Minutes for January 2006

Date:  January 18, 2006

Location: Belle Isle Library

Attending: Denyvetta Davis, Ann Aliotta, Kay Bauman, Karen Bays, Barbara Beasley, Susie Beasley, Rosemary Czarski, LaVetta Dent, Priscilla Doss, Tim Fisher, Jack Kinzie, Mary Patton, Katrina Prince, Debbie Robertus, Randy Wayland, Melissa Weathers, Fariba Williams, and Deb Willis.

Guests: Anita Roesler, Stacy Schrank and Kim Terry.

1. Meeting called to order at 2:00p.m., by Denyvetta Davis.
2. Open discussion
1. Bundling reserve items:
   Email from Phil Tolbert at CH Library regarding bundling reserves on possibility of more training in bundling due to some system reserves being poorly bundled. Barbara showed examples of how bundled books have been bundled. It was asked if books are to be bundled by fours, as well as if there is a need for a refresher course in bundling. Books should be bundled with books and DVD’s with DVD’s etc.
   Kay asked if there is an agreement to send emails regarding wrong bundling. Managers will communicate and be receptive. Tim suggested putting up postings and illustrations in the libraries regarding bundling. Denyvetta will follow up on Tim’s suggestion. System reserve processing involves many people. Kay stated that it may seem like a small thing to you but can make a huge difference in someone else’s job, like the delivery driver.
2. Refreshments at meetings:
   The managers enjoy and appreciate the thought of refreshments and would like to continue. LaVetta feels refreshments bring good communication. Denyvetta asked about setting a limit on reimbursements. There use to be a general limit of $30.00. Kay suggested there may need to be guidelines set on refreshments. All agreed on a $50.00 limit on refreshments.
3. Other topics:
   Meeting rooms at the libraries; when should they be paid for or is it within five days? Barbara asks for a five day window; money due before they can enter the room. Tim stated the policy; if not paid within five days the room is not confirmed or guaranteed. Kay stated if not paid the room is not confirmed. Tim discussed that reservations on rooms may be cancelled if not paid within five days. He would like to see a change in the policy clearly stating the room will be cancelled if not paid within five days. Also, no meeting rooms are accessible unless paid within five days. Barbara’s suggestion is that it would be good for the policy to read same in other agreements as well.
3. Sharing
1. Kudos & Misc.:
• RE received a $500 donation from newly built Sonic Drive-In located across the street from the library off N.E. 23rd Martin Luther King Blvd. The funds donated in celebrating Martin Luther King’s Day will assist in RE’s Coretta Scott King’s Bookclub.
• Susie purchased fifty gift cards for the RE staff as a token of appreciation for their hard work.
• Congressman Ernest Istook nominated RE & ED for the IMLS 2006 Service Award.
• Mary Patton at DN is working on grants.
2. BE & DC:
• Katrina stated that after being at BE for a month she’s feeling more comfortable, is enjoying herself, and that it’s been fun to compare libraries. She has made some slight changes such as, changing labels on boxes for periodicals so that only the inserts need to be changed. Katrina sees the need to get new children boxes with primary colors for the children’s area then they can use the current children boxes for the periodicals.Melissa at DC is enjoying herself. She explained that coming from MC it seems that everything is so packed at DC. She is
• working with the staff on new videos and CD’s for more space. She is getting more opinions from staff to see what will work. She has already shifted some books and switched titles around. Melissa is attending the Del City Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, Jan. 19th hoping to meet some big and exciting people.
3. MC Fire Drill:
• Fariba conducted a mock fire drill. She decided to plant 14 balloons throughout the library and pretended the balloons were customers. The fire drill took place at 8:15a.m., before the library opened. She gave employees grocery bags and assigned each employee an area to find the balloons; all employees were to meet outside once they found the customers (balloons). The drill took all of 1minute and 45seconds. In all they had two casualties. They need more practice to make the drills bigger and better. This was good and exciting for the staff and they enjoyed it. Overall, it was very successful.
4. System Reserve Process Update & Misc.:
   Kay Bauman discussed that last year the library managers were asked to prioritize what they wanted Kay to work on. System Reserves were about 3rd on the list.  Last year we instituted the in transit code which can also simulate scenarios to help in problem solving.

   Charla, the Researcher needs to understand the process to understand the data. Much of the data they are looking at is based on surveys about the reserve process conducted over a year ago. Things have changed since then such as, the in transit codes and delivery routes.

   Charla has general questions to send to all the managers for answers. Would like to do a survey where the staff will do a little bit of tallying to update the data. Kay wanted the managers to know about the system reserve process update before emailing. The most recent copy on delivery route is November 2005.

   Jimmy has been testing routing slips, last time he found paper that works well. This is a huge project. We do not want to make any quick moves and will continue to study it.

   Computer use – sign up and configuration. Kay met with Anne and Jimmy on January 18, 2006. IT has the money to buy this equipment this fiscal year partially because of the Gates grants. A demo has been completed for all managers to view at the March meeting. Managers will need to figure out where the display monitors will go. The main factor in the location is wiring. Anne must be involved to see what’s doable and will go out to the libraries to figure out where to mount the monitors on poles and wiring. In all cases, wiring will come from the wall or the ceiling. Kay and Anne identified the number of computers each library will have based on input managers provided to them. Kay does not recall how many computers each library will receive, she made note to speak with Anne on this topic. We are looking at a date of July 1, 2006 to implement the new computer rules.

   Effective, February 20, 2006, look for the new version of CyberMars. Eventually CyberMars at the libraries will have no database access. CyberMars access from home will remain the same. Kay will meet with Jimmy again and will send email to all managers regarding the database access. Libraries may have signs that will need to come down.

   IT discovered there are several computers that have a lot of music saved on them and that music will not be copied to a new computer. Managers will need to make sure all employees do not put music on the hard drives. The computers are library property and music for personal pleasure is not to be on the hard drives of the computers.

4. Other topics
   Reward and Recognition Survey Report was sent to managers on January 17, 2006 in demographics information. It indicated that the Director’s office had nine people who responded. Kay wanted to explain that the demographics are based on how the individual filled out the form. This report indicated that informal recognition is very important to people and managers can work individually to make sure this gets done. 
   Headquarters Management position will be announced next week.
5. Winter ReadFest
   Anita Roesler, OUT discussed that we are in our third year for Winter ReadFest from February 1, 2006 through March 31, 2006. There are two sets of guide lines. Anita asked that managers please read and talk about it in their staff meetings. The sign up gift is a purple bag with the MLS logo on the front. Also, the brochures are the same as in the past. Wanda did an excellent job on the artwork. The sign up/enrollment page changed this year, at the bottom of the page is for library use only. The managers are to keep the cards weekly until the end of the program. They will also update weekly and put the enrollment total in every week and at the end of the program they will send all cards to Anita. Anita will deliver everything for the Winter ReadFest to the libraries beginning January 23, 2006.

   She will check to see if the credit union has gift cards. Everyone will receive four $25 gift cards and book lights to use for prizes. Everyone will also receive two Oklahoma Photography books to use this year. The agency with the most increase in their enrollments will receive a framed original of the drawing on the brochure. 

6. Book Bags, etc.
   Kim Terry, MaC showed different types of bags to the managers. Two washable bags in blue or beige, these bags can be sold at $1 a bag. About four adjustable blue/black book bags to sale easily for $5 a bag depending on how many are ordered. The bags vary: weatherproof, not as expandable as others with zippers or with black imprint on them. Managers will need to give Kim an estimate of how many bags they think that they can sell within the next six months.

   All bags will have one color label, either white or black. Kim asked the managers if it is good to have a choice. The majority of managers felt it will be easier with just one type of bag. They could store more of the $1 bags because they are smaller and would not take up much room. Emails will be sent to Kim from the managers that would like to have the more expensive bags and how many. If an email is received by Kim asking just for the inexpensive $1 bags, she will assume they do not prefer to have the expensive $5 bags. Almost everyone choose the blue/black zipper $5 bags.

   Storage space for bags is a concern depending on how many boxes will arrive. Kim will handle the storage issue once she receives the numbers on how many bags. Arrival time will take six to eight weeks for delivery. Deadline for emails to Kim is Wednesday, January 25, 2006. Annual report will be in on Thursday, January 19, 2006. This report will have charts on how important the libraries are to the communities. Kim will be turning in orders for business cards. Managers will need to inform Kim of the employees in need of business cards. Managers will need to send in a production request and staple to existing business card with corrections. Kim will send a proof to managers. Once she receives approval for title changes, she does not need production request from managers, she will proceed.

7. G.O.A.L., etc.,
   Stacy Schrank, PLA discussed the new employee orientation class, there was a meeting to look at ways to streamline the content of the class; suggested making arrangements to have all new employees arrive in at 8:00a.m. to complete all personnel paperwork. Classes can begin at 9:00a.m. and end by 4:00p.m. He hopes to have a detailed checklist to go over with new employees.

   The AdTeam had a retreat at the beginning of January and it was a great experience. Tom Massey facilitated the day, planning for the future looking at our mission and current values. The AdTeam revised the three values as follows: Respect, Integrity and Excellence. Stacy asked that managers encourage all of their employees to use these three words often.

   Stacy and Debbie serve on the OLA Gold Committee and are working on ethics for the conference in Tulsa to be facilitated by Tom Massey. Topics to be discussed include: how do you look at your goals while monitoring your ethics and going for the goals.

   Metro U Courses has an upcoming class with awesome enrollments. They are putting list of students on the intranet which will cut down on the amount of emails needed to be sent out. All classes are on the meeting calendar for the entire year.

   Stacy is working with Tom to get new management/leadership classes. He does not have titles for classes yet.

   We put in the budget for a mobile computer lab and DN is the only library with the software at this time. Therefore, classes must meet DN until the mobile computer lab is up and running. Libby helped ED to teach a lot of part-time staff. Stacy will move to see if maybe each agency can be a liaison to do some other classes.

   Kay explained that Respect, Integrity and Excellence are qualities we as individuals must exhibit and the organization would like to create an environment that is rich in these qualities. Each of us must focus on ourselves and what we are doing rater than what someone else is doing or not doing. The vision is about the destination, “where are we going?”

   Denyvetta and Stacy has talked about revisiting Connie Patosdo on how to be the kind of employee good companies like to keep. This is an eight part session. They will try to speak with Connie and persuade her to come to Focus. Denyvetta said if everyone hears the same thing at the same time, she believe this is a good thing.

   VIII. Announcements

   Susie announced that Ralph Ellison will start their tax assistance on Saturday, January 21, 2006 from 9:00a.m. - 4:00p.m. Hand-outs were distributed.

   Meeting adjourned at 4:00p.m.