Materials Services Division Managers' Meeting Minutes for March 2012

Present:  Karen Marriott, Janet Brooks, Heidi Johnson, Pauline Rodriguez-Atkins.

Updates on Action Items

1. Daily barcode counts – Pauline
• Pauline met with the Cataloging Technicians on February 17 to discuss providing Heidi with a daily count of barcode labels sent to Tech.  The group established a process and the Technicians have been recording and reporting counts.

1. New Business

1. Replacement of defective AMPs (Playaways)
• Janet mentioned that libraries have been reporting that some of the AMPs are defective.  MLS is guaranteed free replacement indefinitely after purchase of these items.  Janet asked what procedure libraries should follow when an AMP needs to be replaced.
• The group discussed various issues involved and agreed on procedures as follows:
• If a player is discovered to be defective within 5 months after purchase, the library will return the entire item (player and container) to TP.  TP will order a replacement player, and return the item to the library when the replacement is received.
• If a player is discovered to be defective 5 or more months after purchase, the library will temp loan the item to its back room, then notify MSL to request a replacement.  When the replacement player is received, CAT will forward it to the library with a “replacement AV” memo.  The library will put the player into the original container, and return it to the collection.  The library will dispose of the defective player as instructed.
• Janet will work on creating procedures for libraries and forward to MS Managers for review.
2. Budget
• Karen stated that the materials budget may increase by 5-6% in FY13.
• A tentative decision has been made to keep the Almonte (current alternate SO) site open when SO moves back into its building.  This is contingent upon reaching a lease agreement with the owners of the property and on Commission approval.  It is estimated that the ultimate collection size will be comparable to Capitol Hill.  Estimated costs including materials costs will be included in the FY 13 budget requests.
• WA has requested a cut in their materials budget due to the opening of NW.
• More AMPs will likely be purchased.  VMPs (Video Media Players) are a possibility, but nothing is definite.
• The GPO materials budget may need updating.  Pauline will follow up on this.
• Karen asked managers about areas where budgets may need to be increased, or additional items that they plan to request in next year’s budget.  Discussion followed.
• Managers were reminded to complete entry of budget requests before the April 16 deadline.

Updates

1. Technical Processing update – Heidi
1. Statistics show the number of barcodes brought to TP on average per day in February was 887 items for a total of 18,632 items; the average for March so far is 841 items. The processors are current on processing all “rush” materials and are processing non-rush materials from 4 days ago.  Study guides and dated materials like continuations are also current. 
2. During the month of February, TP received an average of 41 boxes of materials a day, for a total of 859 boxes. The average so far in March is 51 boxes, for a total of 972 boxes up to 3-27-12.
3. The lights in TP have been on low power for at least a couple of weeks now. MTC is trying to correct the problem which is apparently caused by a faulty switch.
4. TP has had problems retrieving invoices from Gale’s website lately. The only way invoices can be downloaded is by knowing the invoice number located on the outside of the box. If ever a box is discarded before it is discovered that the shipment did not contain an invoice or no invoice was received by mail, customer service needs to be contacted. Even when the invoice# is known, the information listed in the subtotals column was cut off when the invoice was printed out. Not even IT could figure out a way to keep this from happening. Gale is supposed to fix the problem.
5. TP has received a steady trickle of misfunctioning Playaway units from the libraries as customers discover problems during checkout. So far, there have been about 15 items which were found to be defective. Findaway World and Karen Peck, their sales rep., have been quick about replacing them for us.
6. Heidi and the processors have been trying out the plastic book jacket samples sent by Michelle Temple from Brodart Co. prior to MLS soliciting bids for processing supplies for the next fiscal year.  Heidi will compile the test results and provide feedback to both Michelle and John Rahhal in Purchasing shortly.
7. Susan Poole from Cisco-Eagle is to provide quotes for possible solutions to TP’s problems with the flex conveyors in the loading dock area sometime this week.
8. The participants of the Connect Forum toured the SC after their meeting on March 13. Heidi was told that Kristin did a great job of facilitating the tour of TP during her absence.
9. The sorter was experiencing some problems on Friday, March 16, the last day of Heidi’s medical leave. On Monday, March 19, IT was already on the way first thing Monday morning to fix the problem. Apparently the problem was due to some misaligned sensors which had been bumped into and inadvertently moved. Thanks to IT the sorter was operational again by 9:00 a.m.
10. Lynda Bahr from OUT contacted Heidi about possibly color coding the Outreach subject headings. After some discussion, and since this project was intended for one location only, Lynda decided to start printing some colored labels on her PC for this purpose instead of ordering boxes of color coded labels from a printing company.
2. Materials Selection update – Janet
1. Staff
• Lori Mullooly, new PT MSD Tech, continues to learn MSL procedures and processes.  She is catching on very quickly and has already worked system reserves by herself several times.  She’s a great addition to the MSL department.
2. Library Visits
• Selectors conducted an annual visit to ED and a 6-month visit to DC during March.  In addition to the regularly scheduled library visits, selectors visited HR for an annual review and assisted them with weeding the collection using iWeed.
• In April, selectors are scheduled to do an annual visit to MC and a 6-month visit to VI.  They also plan to visit NP for an annual review and to assist them with weeding.
3. iWeed
• The libraries are working the iWeed lists and returning them via email.  The application appears to be well received by the library staff. 
• A few glitches have arisen, primarily with the action and status not matching sometimes.  Janet suspects this may have something to do with staff performing a function in VCirc and then checking iWeed before the inventory update. 
• Janet is collection other minor issues and suggestions from staff to submit to Jimmy later.
4. Budget
• Janet has entered all of her FY13 budget requests.
• Selectors are reviewing statistics, purchasing patterns and current budget to prepare for FY13 materials budget.
5. Volunteers
• During spring break, Lisa Coker’s two sons helped us out in our department.  They removed RFID tags, shelved review media and pulled old issues from the shelves.
6. Meetings/Workshops Attended
• Janet and Melissa attended the YA Services Retreat on March 7.
• Susan met with the ProQuest rep on March 8.
• MSL staff held their staff recognition at the Art Museum Café on March 16.
• Lisa attended the Staff Association meeting on March 22.
• Janet Melissa and Amy are scheduled to attend OLA on Thursday, March 29.
• Melissa is scheduled to attend the Children’s Services meeting on April 4.
• Janet is assisting with the DC manager assessment April 9.
• Susan is scheduled to attend the Oklahoma Special Libraries Workshop on April 11.
3. Cataloging/Interlibrary Loan update – Pauline
1. Brandon Johnston began work as a full time ILL Technician on February 20; Alex Hinton began as a part time ILL Tech on March 5.  Both are learning quickly and are contributing to ILL’s ability to maintain a high level of customer service.
2. Garry Souders’s last day as a part-time ILL Technician was March 9.  He was able to spend a week training his replacement before leaving, and this is much appreciated.
3. Pauline presented the ILL and CAT sections of the Collection Management workshop on February 21 and 22 at the Service Center.  Staff from ILL and CAT attended various sessions.
4. The Connect Service Center Boot Camp was held on March 13.  A small but enthusiastic group of library staff members viewed a slide show describing operations of CAT, TP, and ILL prior to the move to the SC.  They then toured the same departments, along with Books by Mail.  Pauline presented the slide show, led tours of CAT and ILL, and held a brief Q&A session after the tours.
5. Jill attended the March 15 Commission meeting to receive her 25 year service certificate.
6. Brittany is the SC chair for the Heartwalk.  She is planning fundraiser activities for April.
7. The Cataloging Technicians have been applying the guidelines for condition to all gifts received in CAT.
8. Cataloging remains current in cataloging and barcoding newly received titles.  Several of the Catalogers are learning to catalog in different formats.
9. During February, 1,727 ordered titles were forwarded to the Catalogers, for an average of 82 titles forwarded per day.  This represents an increase of about 10% over the number of titles forwarded last month.  2,142 titles were cataloged, and barcode labels were printed for 3,151 titles.  The number of titles cataloged is down slightly from the January total; this is likely due to completion of titles delayed due to staff shortages early in the fiscal year.  19,967 barcode labels were printed, at an average of 951 labels per day.  This is the lowest daily average since August 2011.
10. For FY12, 15,767 titles have been cataloged, with barcode labels printed for 27,116 titles.  Both figures exceed the cumulative totals through March of FY11.  A total of 162,699 barcode labels have been printed.  At the current rate of printing, by the end of March 2012 the number of barcode labels printed for 3/4 of FY12 will exceed the totals for all fiscal years through FY08.
11. ILL received 777 requests to borrow materials for MLS customers in February, and was able to submit 729 to other libraries.  552 requests were filled. 
12. In February, ILL received 1,746 requests to lend MLS materials to other libraries; 766 requests were filled.
13. Meetings and training attended:
• Brandon, Jenny – Collection Management ILL section, February 21
• Jenny, Alice – Collection Management CAT section, February 22
• Alice, Jenny – OLA TSRT meeting, March 2
• Lisa, Ursula – Compassionate Communication, March 6
• Paula, Lisa – Prepare, March 22
• Jenny – True Colors, March 27
4. Administration update – Karen
1. Several Commission committees have scheduled meetings to discuss FY13 budget:  Long Range Planning, 5/7; Administrative & Personnel, 5/21; Finance, 5/30.
2. Library closures
• DC will be closed the week of 4/9-4/15 for carpet replacement.
• WA will be closed the week of 4/16-4/22 for carpet replacement.
• BE will be closed for a week in May for replacing of HVAC, but no firm date has been set.
3. Northwest Library
• MLS does not officially have possession of the building yet.  Since it was essential for cabling to begin the week of 3/26 in order for the library to open on schedule, an agreement was made with the builders to allow IT to begin cabling.
• The estimated move in time for materials is the last half of April.
• The official opening is scheduled for May 22 at 3:30 PM.
4. Karen met with Lori Hedin, the new Director of Human Resources.  Lori has been meeting with Administrative Team members and plans to schedule meetings with managers.
5. The owner of the property to the west of the Service Center has contacted MLS with an offer to sell.  Negotiations are ongoing.
6. P&P Committee
• Karen is working on a draft policy for gifts.  It will include policies for all type of gifts, instead of only materials, and will not be part of the selection policy.  Karen will send the draft to managers when it is finished.
• Other policies in process include a firearms policy and updates to travel policies.
7. PLA
• Karen discussed several of the programs that she attended at the PLA conference earlier in March, including sessions on transitioning to e-media , virtual orientation for new staff, and transitioning to turnkey automation systems.
• She attended a presentation by the Los Angeles County Public LIbrary technical services group.  This library system has reduced their turnaround time for new materials from 52 days to 5 days.
8. Karen will be going to Kansas City on April with Executive Director Donna Morris, Director for Development and Volunteer Services Diane Sarantakos, and Friends’ president Steve Bolton.  They will look at how Johnson County Library System handles withdrawals, gifts, and sale of withdrawn items.

The next meeting will be on April 19, 2012, 8:00 A.M., at the Service Center.  Janet will chair