Manager of Library Operations Meeting Minutes for July 2002

Date: July 24, 2002

Location: Village Library

Present: Ann Aliotta, Karen Bays, Barbara Beasley, Rosemary Czarski, Denyvetta Davis, Priscilla Doss, Jean Engebritson, Tim Fisher, Jack Kinzie, Mary Patton, Katrina Prince, Debbie Robertus, Debra Spindle, Phil Tolbert, Judy Walden, Randy Wayland, Deborah Willis, and Lisa Weissenbuehler.
Guest: Helen Chacon, Scott Carter, Ernestine Clark, Lavetta Dent, Dana Morrow, Anita Roesler, and Don Updegrove.
General Meeting 1:00pm

Opening/Review of June 26 minutes

1. Denyvetta called the meeting to order at 1:05 p.m. There were no corrections to the minutes
2. Sharing - New Teacher Orientation - LaVetta Dent, VI
   Choctaw Groundbreaking- Rosemary, CT
   Midwest City Family Place Grand Opening- Deborah Willis, MC
• LaVetta passed out information about the new teacher orientation luncheon August 5-6 and library card policies for schools that they use at Village. Please let her know if the policies are different at other libraries and if that information needs to be included in the policies. She discussed a flyer on the licensee database, and a power point presentation that will be presented by Scott Carter, Julie Mock, Susan Ryan, and herself. She discussed the general services such as tours and gave a demonstration of the CyberMARS. Robin will talk about free Internet access. Judy Moss and Susan will talk about elementary teaches in the morning and secondary teachers in the afternoon at Belle Isle. Scott stated that Public Relations would help with marketing bags and resources for other libraries planning teacher orientations. Be sure to inform PR of the date and time.
• Rosemary passed out pictures of the Choctaw library groundbreaking ceremony and said it was wonderful. The grand opening is expected in August 2003.
• Deborah stated that the Family Place Grand Opening activities were aired on OETA, and was well attended and exciting. There were two articles in the Daily Oklahoman and the Sunday Sun. Midwest City Library staff put together a pseudo child parent workshop for that day, and to their surprise the turnout was extraordinary.
3. Opening Discussion
• Internet Scheduling Problems Debra Spindle stated that Downtown has a Tech Assistant who monitors the customers computers usage. She said this helps them solve their Internet scheduling problems. Judy asked for feedback on adjusting the hours on the Gates computer. Phil and Karen would like to have software that would monitor customer use and eliminate staff from asking customers to get off of the computers. Denyvetta stated that there was a news note in PLA discussing software scheduling, and said she will look into it.
• Barbara mentioned that customers are using the computers to visit chat rooms, and that students who schedule time to use the computer are playing games. When adults are waiting to use to computers see young people playing games, they feel that their work is more important than the young people who have scheduled time, and they want the students to be removed so that they can have access to the computers. It was decided that students have a right to play games on their scheduled time.
• The experience with check-out receipts without library card number has been very positive and appreciated. - The customers love the new receipts, and are happy that the web address is printed on the top.
4. Special Recognition's - Denyvetta Davis, PSA
• Denyvetta and Judy handled out certificates and congratulated mangers for their outstanding leadership during the past year.
5. Grants - Ernestine Clark, DEV
• Ernestine gave some key points when applying for grants. She stated that the Development Office does not have a person who only works on grants, and stressed the importance of establishing relationships and being on time. She asked that she be informed when the staff is applying for grants, and that the managers keep a copy of their grant on file at their location. Judy stated that she would like to reinforce coordinating writing of grants and letting Development know ahead of time if anyone is planning on writing a grant. All grants need to be signed/approved by Managers.
6. Misc. - Judy Walden, PSA - Debra Spindle, Downtown Library
• Judy stated that the system reserves email notification is going well. Automation has sent out 30,000 invitations and 4,200 customers have signed up to receive email notification. There are a few glitches to be worked out, and one is bad email address, about 5 of these per day. Beginning Monday, July 29th automation will begin sending to Circulation Departments a memo to place attached messages to customers on their reserves to be picked up. Attached messages will inform the customers that their email address did not work and they need to resubmit an email address if they still want to receive email notifications. When an address is bad, customers will be notified the traditional way to pick up the reserves.  Judy addressed the requests to help staff not fill reserves automatically for those with special messages (used when customers are on vacation) the Automation Department will institute an audio warning that there is a special message so that the staff will know before pressing ”fill” to look at the message. This will only work if the sound is turned on at the Circulation computers or other computers used to fill reserves. She stated that staff should leave the sound on at all times. 
• She discussed a request from left-handed customers who have trouble with our right-handed mouse at public access computers, and asked that the areas be arranged so that the mouse can be moved to the left side of the keyboard. If there are areas that cannot accommodate this, or if a longer mouse cords is needed, please ask Automation for assistance. The Tech Group elected not to institute the practice of changing the mouse buttons from right-handed to left-handed and back because this would be labor intensive for staff.
• Judy discussed the request for a screen saver on CyberMARS computers that informed customers that the computers are for catalog and database use only. The Tech Group agreed that Scott Carter and Judy Walden would develop some visual notice/signage to apply directly to the monitors of CyberMARS notifying customers of their purpose.
• Judy discussed additional reports added to Intranet. They include internal reports such as part-time hours, budget usage, copy machine reports, and supply usage reports. Please see minutes of July 23rd Tech Group meeting for additional ILS issues response and other business. They should be out soon.
• Debra Spindle stated that the Downtown Library occasionally receives an overflow of mail for other Downtown organizations. She asked that when staff attends seminars to please put their library name and address down. This will help prevent the overflow of brochures received at the Downtown Library.
7. Success by Six, Misc. - Dana Morrow, OUT
• Dana discussed “Books for Babies,” a National project coordinated locally by the MLS Friends. Erwin Mason is the chair for Books for Babies and has come up with a great idea to sponsor a rodeo as a fundraiser to expand efforts to reach out to parents and babies. Dana introduced Anita as the new Senior Services Coordinator. Anita shared feedback she received from the community, and discusses what the library system can offer the people of Oklahoma County.
8. Security & Safety Issues - Don Updegrove, MTN
• Don passed out an article on security alarms. He stated that the library system has had about 60 alarms this year not counting the times the panic button was pushed. Drexel has had six calls. The employees cause most alarms and the others are mechanical. There is a limit to how many alarms each city will allow before a ticket is issued. He stated that the City would turn alarms off if numerous tickets were issued. Don stressed the cost of maintaining an alarm, and the importance of the alarms. He stated that without the alarms the Wright library could have been destroyed. Someone put something that was burning into the mail drop, and the alarm went off causing the fire department to respond. The alarms have prevented several break-ins.
• Scott offered a challenge to library managers stating that any library that remains completely alarm free for six months will receive a free lunch for their entire staff from Public Relations.
9. Core Competencies - Helen Chacon, PLA
• Helen presented a PowerPoint presentation on Core Competencies for library managers.
10. Marketing Plan, Movie Promotion - Scott Carter
• Scott stated that library commercials would resume airing next month, and that several new stations have been added including ESPN. PR will be creating 4 new TV commercials in August, and he may ask some managers to participate.
• He stated that beginning tomorrow there would be a change in Metro Library Magazine. They have added 16 pages, and it is now in full color. The circulation is up to about 10,000, and it will be sent direct mail. A card will be inserted into the magazine, which will ask customers if they would like to receive it through the mail. Scott stated that If customers come into the library to turn the card in. The card will be used to build a mailing list.
• Scott asked everyone to thank Deborah Willis for a great family place launch. There are six-foot, multi-colored, Dalmatian standup poster boards in the Downtown library and in the Midwest City library that say "Change Your Library, Read at the Library." They have the library's and Weokie Credit Union names on it. Each branch will receive one. Scott asked that the poster boards are placed in a prominent area, and that family place materials are placed nearby. He has received many positive comments on the posters.
• Scott stated that Public Relations have ordered $5,000 one-way bus coupons, and that each library will receive some. The coupons are already numbered and recorded. They should be handed out at the manager's discretion. To comply with the grant, families of modest means should receive the coupons. If there are customers that the staff believes meet these requirements, please issue them a coupon. If the staff believes that the customer will be returning to the library the next day, they may give the customer two coupons. The goal is to keep customers coming to the library. Scott stated that the ideal for the bus coupons was Heidi Daniels. The tickets are good for any day, and can be used for the bus, the trolley, or anything that the metro transit operates.
• Scott stated that other than Family Place, library night at the movies was the most successful event done by Public Relations this year. The screening of “Spirit” filled three theaters, and “Like Mike” filled the largest AMC Theater. Scott said there would be a screening of "Tuck the Everlasting" in September.
• Material Selection is in the process of purchasing the books. There will be signage that says "Library Night at the theater, ask me how to get a free ticket." Public Relations will increase the number of movie tickets each library received.
• In November the MLS Literacy campaign will be launched, and Public Relations will purchase the entire screening of the second Harry Potter movie and 100 copies of the 5th book. The book will not be out until spring 2003, but customers will received a coupon which they can bring into the library and received a book. KMGL will help promote this event. Scott stated that there will be a buyout screening the first week of the movie, and that their goal is to do one screening each month. The Literary Campaign ties together Success by Six, Books for Babies, and Come Read With Me. The campaign is called "Read Y'all”. The logo is in the process of being design, and there will be tee shirts to be distributed. Harry Potter is part of the "Read Ya' campaign. Four librarians from across the state have asked to participate, and there will be at least two TV spots.
• Scott stated that printing jobs need to meet design standards. He asked that Public Relations be informed of any long-standing printing jobs that need to be done, and stated that they will produce the materials for each library. Please give Public Relations two weeks notice if possible.
• Scott discussed PR's Marketing Plan.
11. How to be the Person Successful Companies Fight to Keep, Part I - Helen Chacon, PLA

Rescheduled for September meeting.

The Meeting was adjourned at 3:35p.m. due to servere weather