Materials Services Division Minutes - August 18, 2016

New Topics

Budget — All

Managers had a few questions about what to do with the spreadsheets supplied for the final budget.

Janet mentioned that the majority of her proposed materials budget increases are in the electronic resources.  She recommended an increase to children’s materials, but in many cases, the library managers wanted decreases in other areas, so the base budgets are often at the same level as last year’s.  She also indicated that MSL is wanting to add the Playaway Launchpad format for adults in the new fiscal year.  Again, selectors are recommending a decrease to the Playaway Views, while increasing the Launchpads. 

Policy Reviews — Janet/Tim

Leadership Team reviewed and discussed proposed policy updates for SH120 (Wages and Hours) and SH220 (Employee Leave). 

Kay reported that the committee was charged with simplifying the policies by removing procedures as much as possible, understanding problems staff and supervisors have encountered with the existing policies and how to apply them, identifying what is difficult or confusing about the policies, and how the policies may assist with recruitment and retention of staff.

The committee was made up of Lloyd, Kelley, Meghan, Kay, Denise Courts, Elizabeth Kessler, Teresa Matthews and John Rahhal.

The committee recommended that SH120 be changed to define the employee classifications.

The Leadership Team discussed the possible impact of some of the committee’s proposals and suggested a few changes.

The discussion on SH220 was quite lengthy.  The outcome of the discussion included making changes based on a multi-year plan.  Leadership Team recommends increasing the amount of vacation leave for new employees and changing the amount of leave staff are allowed to rollover to the next calendar year to 80 hours.  This would allow for an absolute number, not a percentage that requires calculating the amount allowed and would be the same for all employees.  It would allow MLS to get closer to implementing a PTO system.  MLS can review next year to see if rollover amount needs to be changed.  Leadership Team agreed that changing policies to allow staff to use only leave that has been earned is a good idea, especially if more leave is rolled over.  It could allow staff to plan for leave better.  This could be seen as a positive move to help with retention.  The Leadership Team agreed that requiring a doctor’s note after 3 consecutive missed shifts would put MLS more in line with other organizations.

The discussion is ongoing and no definite decisions were made by Leadership Team.

TS360 — Janet

Janet indicated that on Monday, Materials Selection began using the new Baker and Taylor database, TS360.  The product is very easy to use and provides staff with better cart management.  Materials Selection staff are working on getting grids set up that will allow staff to enter order information in a cart and then upload the cart into Carl-X which eliminates the need for data to be re-entered. 

Janet provided Heidi and Kristin with access to the product.  They will be able to see orders, track orders and pull invoices in the product.

Collection Training — All

Because there has been no formal collection management training for some time, and due to the number of new employees, Materials Services managers agreed it’s time to plan for training opportunities in the near future, without waiting until an employee development staff member is hired.  Managers discussed ideas for collection training topicsand talked about how some of the training may be accomplished.  Topics discussed included:

• Help staff understand what the materials departments have control over.
• Assist staff with finding material in the LS2Pac.
• Help staff understand how to handle defective materials.
• Help staff determine if condition warrants replacement barcodes.
• Help staff understand handling holds.
• How to use collectionHQ and weed appropriately.
• Intellectual Freedom issues.

Managers will consider other topics as they talk with library staff during the next couple of weeks.  They’ll discuss more at the next managers’ meeting.

Administration Update — Tim

Tim attended a conference on OrangeBoy over the last few days.  It was an opportunity to find out how other libraries across the country use OrangeBoy and listen to new ideas.

The A&P Committee of the Commission is scheduled to discuss the recommended pay raises.  Any staff with effective dates between July 1 and Sept. 15, will receive their raises the first pay period after the Sept. 15 Commission meeting.

Department Updates  

Cataloging/ILL — Pauline

• As of July 31, 331 individual users have signed up for online ILL accounts, 187 members and 144 staff.
• Pauline set up our Collection Manager account and is finishing up our MARC profile to get Ebsco records through OCLC.  She’s waiting to get with Anne Fischer about the batch upload process.  Anne has Pauline that TLC has to create a setup for the Ebsco records.
• Tech Processing started sending new Book Center materials to Cataloging on August 8 for barcodes.  OUT will begin sending Come Read with Me materials to Cataloging for inventory and barcodes on August 15.
• The transition of depository document functions from Cataloging to MSL is complete.  Pauline is available to assist as needed.
• Pauline is still working to create custom "paths" to allow ILL staff to easily identify libraries that are willing to lend various AV formats.  This will speed the overall ILL process.
• CAT/ILL have held two meetings to discuss morale related issues, one on June 21 and one on July 25.  Tim Rogers attended a staff meeting on August 4 to respond to questions about morale and other administrative issues.
• Cataloging statistics for July

Technical Processing — Heidi

• Kristin & Taylor met with CAT and Outreach to discuss updating BC processing and cataloging procedures on July 1st
• Technical Processing worked closely with Business Office to adapt close-outs to the new accounting system throughout the month of July.
• Heidi returned to work half-time August 8th
• All vendor accounts are current and up to date.
• Supply ordering is going well through Intacct.  TP has already received several supply orders using it, without any issues.
• Close-outs with the Business Office are going well.  TP has had a few meeting with Jeffery and have come up with a very efficient method.  TP is now scanning all invoices into a file shared with Business Office on a daily basis.
• Heidi is working with John Rahhal on getting Tech Processing access to viewing the paid status of invoices in Intacct.
• Anne has been working closely with Southwest Solutions to fix the Bin.  She met with Bruce from the company, August 10th and although they were unable to fix the bin, they feel more confident about what steps need to be taken to get the storage machine fully running again.
• Working with CAT, TP has started the processing BC materials.  So far, things are going smoothly. 
• Kim Rickey has started the process of getting the materials already in the collection reprocessed the new way this week.

Materials Selection — Janet

• In July, MSL averaged about 582 titles per week and 3715 items per week.  During the month of July, we selected a total of 2330 titles/14860 items.  The selections by format are as follows:
  • Books: 1648 titles/11548 items
  • DVDs:  247 titles/2221 items
  • CD Books: 80 titles/471 items
  • CD Music:  137 titles/465 items
  • AMPs (Playaways): 113 titles/397 items
  • VMPs (Playaway Views):   6 titles/58 items
  • TABs (Playaway Launchpads):  56 titles/123 items
• In the last month,401 new Overdrive titles were added.  MSL added 1232 more copies to meet holds demands and spent just over $61656.65 for emedia.
• Ruby and Janet attended a demo for TotalBoox on 7/18.
• Susan completed contracts for Mitchell’s, Morningstar and Reference USA. 
• Janet is working with OCLC trying to finalize the contract for the services they provide.
• MSL previewed the electronic resources management product that is being developed for MSL and suggested adjustments as needed.  Susan and Kristine are previewing and discussing some of the statistics that will be collected with the developer.
• In July selectors made annual visits to CH and NW.
• In August selectors are making visits to CT, BC, and BBM
• MSL had to go into emergency mode to take care of materials after the basement flooded last month.  All wet/damaged materials were removed and sent to Friends for disposal.  Any material that we were able to salvage out of the wet boxes, we have on carts and are monitoring them to make sure they are dry and not starting to mold before we rebox them.
• Curtiss ordered plastic pallets to place boxes on. 
• Marlene and Lauren finished updating the spreadsheet for hot titles.  This makes it easier for MSL staff to know what is available for replacements or transfers.
• Marlene has begun working with selectors to identify items that can be reprocessed for JN’s new building.
• Janet worked with Anne/IT and Alice Belous our project manager for the migration to TS360, filling out questionnaires and getting the migration process started. 
• Selection staff began training webinars for TS360, including: “TS360 Introduction”; “Introduction to Shared Carts”; “Understanding Cart Preferences”.  Next week we have Administration training; “Basic Selection”; “Basic Acquisitions”, then the following week we will have training on “Grids”.
• MSL went live with using TS360 on Monday, August 15th.  The transition has been relatively easy. 
• Interviews were held for the Materials Selector position last month.  Sadie Bruce was chosen to be the Selector.  She begins in MSL on Sept. 2nd.  All staff will be assisting with Sadie’s training. Janet plans to have Sadie visit TP and CAT to help her understand processes there and how they fit in with her areas of responsibilities.
• Several MSL staff members are attending classes this semester.  Kristine is continuing her courses at OU for her MLIS.  Lauren is taking classes at Rose State.
• Kristine assisted DC staff, working the reference desk on 8/4.
• On 7/6 Janet had a Web-X meeting with the rep from collectionHQ to discuss the settings for targets and how the hierarchy was originally set up. 
• Melissa met with Brad Doss from Recorded Books.
• Kristine and Janet attended the X-change meeting on 7/19
• Janet is serving on the Focus-Staff Awards Committee with Rachel/NW, Julie/DN and Kelley/HUM.  They met on 7/21 to outline the awards.
• Janet met with Meaghan Hunt-Wilson to discuss the collection at the ODDC and how MSL can partner with them.
• Janet attended the Policy Review committee for SF200.  She’s contacted libraries from a peer library list Vicki provided her and has received feedback and copies of policies from some of them.  She also contacted TCCL, PLS, EODLS and SEOLDS.
• On 8/4, Janet toured OSU’s Library Annex, which is their high-density storage facility.  She toured with Anne Fischer, Todd Oberding, and staff from Southwest Solutions and an architectural firm working on a similar storage facility at OU.
• On 8/8, Janet met with Chris Stofel/Community Libraries and Kiley Ingram/LL for the Community Libraries.  They discussed the collection needs and timeline for JN.
• Kristine is serving on the Performance Management Review Committee.  They met in July and again on 8/16.
• Janet participated in the interviews and presentation for the COO position.
• Janet is attending the A&P Committee on 8/18. 
• Janet is meeting with Julie/DN to discuss the findings from the Labeling Taskforce on 8/23.
• Janet is serving on the Policy Review Committee for SF200-Purchasing.  The group met on 7/28 and are meeting again on 8/26