Manager of Library Operations Meeting Minutes for November 2004

Date: November 10, 2004

Location: Choctaw Library

Attending: Rosemary Czarski, Phil Tolbert, Randy Wayland, Deb Spindle, Jeanne Engebritson, Lisa Weissenbuehler, Katrina Prince, Barbara Beasley, Debbie Robertus, Priscilla Doss, Deb Willis, Mary Patton, Jack Kinzie, Susie Beasley, Karen Bays, Anne Aliotta, Denyvetta Davis
Guests: Mike Miller, Heidi Port, Anne Fischer, Doug Bentin

1. Meeting called to order at 1:30
2. CELLULAR SAVERS -- Elaine Rickli
• Cellular Savers is a company that was developed to try to help out people in need by collecting used cell phones. There are an estimated 65,000 tons of used cell phones going into landfills, and they would like to curb that by collecting them and recycling them. Those phones then provide 9-1-1 services to the elderly, battered women, etc. They have worked with Warr Acres and have been able to connect with several elderly people by leaving a few of the phones at the library for people to pick up when in need. The difference between this group and Save-a-Life, is that this group can help anyone, not just battered women. What they would like to do is set up donation boxes at each of the libraries, and be able to have 4 or 5 phones available in each place to give out to people in need. Then, when there is just 1 phone left, they will restock the library. Or, they can be put in direct contact with the organization, if the libraries are not comfortable keeping the phones on-site. The managers agreed to donation boxes being set up at each library, but were not in favor of distributing the phones. Individuals needing phones will be asked to contact Cellular Savers.
• Priscilla asked how often the phones would be picked up. Elaine said that is something that would still need to be worked out, depending on how much is being donated.
3. OPEN DISCUSSION
• CDs BY GENRE & RESERVE PULL LIST PROTOTYPE -- Anne
1. A proposal was brought to the Tech Group to see if it was possible to sort the reserve list by Genre for the CDs. IT's response is that "anything is possible." There is a problem with the earlier ones that were only cataloged as Music, because there is not a genre to sort by.
2. The Pull List will print out at the end of the reserve list each day, and it will tell the staff which reserves have expired, based on the date that the customer was given in their notice. So, dates do not have to be written on the slips any more.
3. Anne passed out a sample page of what the Pull List will look like. It will be in alphabetical order by customer's name, then by title, and will include the item number.
4. Anne also passed out copies of what the customer screen will look like, including how they are notified of each reserve, changing the word "route" to "shipped," and on TIME, showing the date it must be picked up by, rather than when the reserve was placed.
5. They will begin running the program Monday, and each library should begin getting the first lists by Wednesday, and can stop writing the dates on slips that first day the Pull List prints off. Titles that are on the list but do not get pulled will continue to show up on the list each day until it is cleared. It does not matter if the staff waits until the evening to pull the items, because they do not compile the list until after closing each day.
• VOLUNTEER BACKGROUND CHECKS -- Heidi
1. It seems like it would be in the best interest of staff and customers to run background checks on volunteers. The first step in the process is to go from 5 different applications, to 3 (Adult, Teen, and Court Appointed.) The only groups that will have the background checks run are the adults, since libraries already have access to the background of any court appointed ones.
2. Although the forms are available online, they still have to have a signature; therefore, the physical forms are needed. Volunteers will receive ID badges, which will be yellow for the regular volunteers, and a more generic one for court appointed ones.
3. Heidi asked if managers would prefer to process the timesheets for volunteers on a quarterly basis, rather than monthly.
4. Karen is concerned that for some volunteers, like the Edmond Women's Club, or event volunteers who only come in for a brief time once or twice a year, the concept of having to drive Downtown to have a badge made might be offputting. Heidi said it would be possible to come up with an alternative way to process them.
5. Heidi stated that she is planning to go out to each of the agencies to take the photos for the ID badges, rather than sending groups of volunteers Downtown.
6. Heidi will be offering training for the staff working with volunteers in December and January to inform them of the changes. If the managers send Heidi an email to let her know who the contact person is at each agency, she will make sure they know about the upcoming sessions.
7. Heidi passed out copies of the relevant letters and forms that will be given out, as well as a list of Adult volunteers at each agency. If the managers have adult volunteers who are not listed, please let her know so she can add them to the list of ones needing to be contacted and checked.
8. Rosemary asked how to handle the Library Guild volunteers, or the Village Friends, or Ralph Ellison Friends. Heidi thinks it can be handled on a case-bycase basis. Also, the Village Friends and Ralph Ellison Friends are under the umbrella of the "Big" Friends.
• SURVEYS -- Mike
1. First, the staff survey on Summer Reading is now live. Mike has gotten about 50 responses so far. Mike said that it is important to keep clicking on "submit" until you reach the "thank you" page, because otherwise the response does not count!!
2. The system reserve survey is trying to come up with the amount of time that is spent on processing reserves each day. The survey will be done on Tuesday and Thursday next week. Mike passed out a Word document to explain the process, as well as the actual forms to be used.
3. The first form is titled Reserves Sent, and would typically be used in the morning. For the start time, it should be when you have someone begin searching. For the total number found, it should be the number of items that make it completely through the process.
4. The second form is titled Reserves Received, and again, there need to be an accurate record of the total time spent on the process. If there is any significant break in the process (like lunch or actually unpacking and receiving them the next day) then deduct that time from the total. Karen was concerned that the time required to count the items coming in will extend the amount of time included in the total. Barbara suggested that people use a "clicker" to keep track. "Reserve items received" is counting the bundles with blue slips, and the "Items received home" is tracking everything else routed home.
5. Barbara asked whether to count items pulled for her customers; the group decided that they should count, as long as they are processed during the time frame indicated.
6. After a question from Katrina, the managers agreed that for the 2 days of the survey everyone would go ahead and bundle “onesies” and “twosies,” rather than leaving them for later.
7. Mike would like for each library to use the Error Tracking sheet for the entire week. He came up with 5 common errors, but left room to add others that might come up.
4. SHARING & KUDOS
• Deb Spindle received a very nice comment from a customer in response to a tour she arranged of RJN.
• Village received 2 donation checks from customers, both of whom said it was because of great customer service.
• Recent flyers created at Village were shared.
• Phil talked about a recent article in El Nacionale featuring Capitol Hill & MLS, with a picture of Lee Mata. Joan Shelton translated it into English for anyone who would like to read it.
• At Ad-Team this morning Ric announced that the library reached the 400 mark for employees with MLS!
5. MaC UPDATE
• Recently Donna suggested that MaC contact Elizabeth Anthony, (Bob & Nancy Anthony’s daughter) to see about her doing some film programs for the library (she runs a website on classic films.) She agreed, and this will be held on a monthly basis, rotating between Elizabeth, Doug, and Scott. The programs can be brought out to the agencies if anyone is interested; just contact Doug or Scott. The theme for November is “Books into Movies”, for December Doug is using a Vaudeville theme, and in January Scott will be showing films with a Political theme. Printed material advertising these will be coming out soon.
• Deb Willis asked if Doug knew the status of the new business cards – he did not.
• Deb Spindle asked if Doug knew the status of the new stationery – he did not.
6. ANNOUNCEMENTS
• Denyvetta asked the managers to send Unusual Incident & Accident report forms directly to her for the time being.
• Deb Spindle asked about the possibility of having a “first warning” letter that could be printed off the Intranet & given to customers using someone else’s card, or online through a “backdoor.”
• Deb Willis & Debbie Robertus spoke about the recent OLA Gold Leadership workshop. Deb W. was extremely impressed with it as a growth experience, even from a panelist’s point of view. Debbie R. was impressed with the concept of Community Mapping. OLA will try to hold this workshop every 3 years.
• Susie will be hosting a Tellabration program at Ralph Ellison at 6:00 pm Monday, that is geared more for adults than children.
• Rosemary is hosting 4 Oklahoma storytellers on Tuesday, November 16th. They will also be appearing at Mayflower Church on Saturday, November 20th at 8:00 pm.
• Barbara asked if anyone else has noticed that the hold music is rather loud on the new phones. From the discussion, it seems to be specific to Bethany.
• Phil said that he is tired of the one song that keeps playing for the hold music.
• Doug asked if anyone would be interested in having a message giving upcoming program information, rather than music that would play while customers are holding. The general answer to that question was “YES!”

Next Meeting – December 15 - RNDL