Manager of Library Operations Meeting Minutes for March 2003

Date: March 19, 2003

Location:  Ralph Ellison

Present: Ann Aliotta, Karen Bays, Barbara Beasley, Rosemary Czarski, Denyvetta Davis, Priscilla Doss, Tim Fisher, Daphene Keys, Jack Kinzie, Mary Patton, Katrina Prince, Debra Spindle, Phil Tolbert, Judy Walden, Deborah Willis, and Lisa Weissenbuehler.
Guest: Lavetta Dent, Karyn Miller, and Mike Miller.

I.  Opening/Introduction

• Denyvetta called the meeting to order at 1:00 p.m. She introduced and welcomed Daphene Keys as the new Manager of Ralph Ellison. There were no corrections to the minutes.

II.  Open Discussion - Revised General Employee Standard/Budget/Other Topics

• Denyvetta asked if there were questions/concerns from staff about the recent anyone change to the Good Employee performance Standard and explained to Daphene the changes in the sick leave standards.
• Denyvetta stated that the Ad team briefly discussed the budget, and that accounts 212, 330, and 408 would be reviewed due to substantial increases.
• Tim stated that the library sometimes forgives fines or sponsor food-for-fines drives in order to get materials returned. He asked if the library should try to target specific customers who have a large number of valuable materials out with a personal letter offering to forgive all fines (on a one-time-only basis) if they return them to the library. When there was no immediate response, he asked the group to email him with suggestions.
• Debra Spindle stated that Kathleen Haynes, OUSLIS was retiring and that cards could be sent to the library school.

III.  ODL Survey - Mike Miller

• Mike discussed the upcoming survey that he will be completing for ODL. It is titled the "Title/Fill rate Survey." It measures how often the customers find materials on the shelves. He stated that each library would need to have 200 completed surveys from their customers, and that the survey would begin April 1st, and ends April 15th. There were several questions asked regarding the surveys. Michael asked that all survey questions be sent to him and stated that he would submit those questions to ODL.

IV. Worker's Compensation - Karyn Miller

• Karyn handed out a report on employee injuries and discussed statistics of workman compensation injuries at the library. She asked the managers to encourage employees to wear the required safety equipment (i.e. wrist braces, etc.).
• Judy stated that she is working on clarifying the MLS safety rules and safety documents. She will be adding more details.
• Tim asked if there could be a list available, without names, which showed the injuries that occurred for each quarter. He believes this could help prevent repetitive injuries.

V. PLA Initiative - LaVetta Dent

• LaVetta discussed the Public Library Associative Early Literacy Initiative, and stated that MLS is involved in the second phase of the project. She stated that she will create and make available a PowerPoint presentation with handouts to each library. She stated that these ready-made presentations would allow each library to be prepared when any groups make a request for a librarian to speak to parents. She went over the reading readiness skills, and stated that there is more information available on the PLA website under projects.
• She stated that she would be offering a Family Place Overview workshop.
• She said that the Week of the Young Child is coming up in April, and that family fun day at Metro Tech was set up so that it only required one hour of the children librarians time to come and do a 15-20 minute reading.  She is hoping to set it up so that the children arrive when the library in their community is there. Please let her know if you need more information on anything that she discussed.

VI. Miscellaneous – Judy Walden

• Thanked everyone for their input on the printing needs survey

VII. Miscellaneous – Denyvetta Davis

• Denyvetta reminded managers to inform staff that color copies are available for customers $1.00 per page.
• She stated that if there are problems with people accessing improper web sites, please try to provide a web page address for automation.
• She passed around a newspaper article in the Edmond Sun about the Edmond library.
• She distributed copies of each library's work schedules in case anyone was interested in seeing how other libraries prepared their schedules.

VIII.  Building updates - Rosemary Czarski/ Debra Spindle

• Rosemary gave an update on the Choctaw library. She stated that the floor had been poured, and said that once the concrete has been poured the completion of the building will flow smoothly and quickly. She stated that the target date for completion would be between September and  November of this year.
• Debra stated she informs customers that the target date for the Downtown library will be sometime this fall. She stated that the panels are not up, and because they have been stored they must be inspected before they can be installed. She said that work has continued inside the building.

IX.  Announcements -

• Katrina Prince stated that it is Youth Art Month, and that George O'Keefe's artwork will be displayed at the Del City Library through March.
• Debra Spindle stated that when customers call and want to donate material to the library, she would like to refer them to their local library. She said that she is getting a lot of new material for the genealogy collection, and that the France Room is still only open to the public on Wednesdays. However, she informs customers that they can come to the library and use the materials because a lot of the information they need is located on the first floor.
• Karen Bays invited everyone to a reception to be held at the Edmond Library March 28, at 5:30p.m. She stated that art from Edmond High School students would be displayed.

The Meeting was adjourned at 2:45 p.m.
Minutes submitted April 4, 2003