Library Managers Minutes - June 14, 2018

OBPE Update and Community Assessment - Emily Williams, Julia McConnell

Notes: Presenters gave a refresher of the OBPE model.  The past few months have been devoted to Information Gathering to ensure future programming decisions are based on relevant data.  Upcoming phases include: Determining Outcomes, Developing Programs and Services, Conducting Evaluations, and Leveraging the Library’s Role.  EPS have been presenting their findings to various MLS groups, including Leadership Team, Library Managers, and the Commission. 

Next Steps: In the next few weeks Engagement Managers and general MLS staff will have the opportunity to review the data gathered and present feedback.

Additional EPS Reports: Summer Reading data will be going up by the end of the week, and EPS will be fully-staffed starting Monday, June 18^th.  Programs Managers will be visiting and visible in the libraries to help with programming, services, and to help explain the role of EPS to library staff.  The goals of these site visits will be, in the short term:

For Programs Managers to be able to introduce themselves, their new roles, and their new department to MLS staff, to provide help for programming or services, to answer questions, and to communicate/model systemwide engagement standards.

Long-term goals include: to build lasting relationships between EPS and the libraries, to increase communications, to grow the systemwide perspective of engagement staff at the libraries, to allow EPS staff to understand the unique communities the libraries serve, and to help identify gaps in programming. 

It is important that Engagement staff understand the importance of asking for help and the impact of missing deadlines.            

Courtesy Phones and 911 Calls – Ed Dillard

Notes: There has been an increase in 911 calls originating from the libraries.  There is a correlation between this and the newly established courtesy phones in most of the libraries.  Many of the calls have been “nuisance calls,” including people wanting things like a ride to the doctor, etc.  IT will ensure that phones cannot place 911 calls, and stickers will be placed on the phones indicating that emergencies should be reported to library staff.

Action Items: Staff will be cognizant of the use of a courtesy phone to ensure that it is not being used inappropriately – including for making toll calls (including long distance) and duration of call (2 minutes is a guideline).  If the phone is being misused, the customer will be educated and an RoCV report made.  If a customer reports an emergency, staff will make the 911 call on their behalf.     

Next Steps: The goal timeline for this to be fully implemented is July 2^nd.

Incident reporting – software, progressive steps, training - Chris Kennedy

Notes: We are getting closer to the roll-out of our new incident reporting software.  We are currently in the configuration process with the company we are purchasing the software from to hash out the details and make the program specific to MLS needs.  The new software will include questions and prompts that will help streamline and unify the process of creating incident reports and allow all staff to see reports from across the system. 

Action Items: Staff will explain and clarify progressive discipline steps to the customer – “We need you to leave for a week.  The next occurrence will lead to a 30-day ban.”  The fact of this explanation will be recorded in the incident report. 

Staff will fully document a progression of discipline in applicable cases (leave for a day, a week, a month, etc.).  This documentation is vital to the Directors in making determinations of the need for further progressive discipline.

If a customer is banned for a period of 30 days or longer, even from a single location, an official ban letter will be delivered to the customer.  If banned customers return to the library property and create a further issue, staff will not try to engage the customer, but call 911.  Staff will also place an “urgent note” on the customer’s Carl.X account specifying the ban to create awareness of the situation to the local library and other locations.     

Next Steps: There is a goal timeline to roll-out the new software after Summer Reading.  Training on the software will be forthcoming once it is active.  The nature and scope of the training have yet to be fully determined.

Projects and workgroups - Melody Kellogg

Notes: The intranet structure to report on system-level projects and workgroups will be updated to reflect the current state of affairs in this area.  This will ensure timely and effective communication across the system so that all staff are on the same page.  Workgroups that were active, but never completed, will be resumed and brought to completion, and new groups and projects will be reported on.     

Next Steps: The members and leaders of workgroups that had been commenced but not completed will pick up the threads of their processes and move them forward.

Renting outdoor spaces - Julie Ballou

Notes: Discussion has been had with the city of OKC and the Commission regarding the rental of outdoor spaces by the public for hosting outdoor events on library property.  It has been determined that outdoor spaces are not appropriate for use as rentable event space by the public. 

Action Items: If members of the public inquire about the usage of outdoor spaces, they are to be told that these spaces are unavailable.  They should also be told what we do offer in terms of indoor meeting spaces.

Department Reports:

Access Services – Risa Sargent

Notes: Access training has wrapped up and will resume after Summer Reading. 

• The status and location code workgroup will report their findings to Collection Anywhere. 
• The topic of magazine holds is still in progress.  Information has been related to the Access and Library Managers across the system.  Work is being done to “clean up” records and understanding of processes to facilitate the magazine holds process. 
• Risa will begin to meet regularly with Collection Anywhere to compare notes and share information of mutual interest/concern. 
• Notice history in Carl.X will be getting reduced through purging of old notices to ensure the software remains easy to use.

Central Information Services – Tim Spindle

Notes: CIS has taken the phones of the 9 busiest branches and are collecting statistics about the number of questions they field regarding Summer Reading.  CIS has received 4 times as many text message interactions as they have interactions through social media.  CIS will likely not take the phones of any additional branches until they fill a current staffing vacancy.

Outreach – LaVetta Dent

Notes: Discussion was had regarding the best way to present information about upcoming InterReach events to the library locations.

Next Steps: A general Outlook calendar is being created to enable sharing of this information across the system, which may prove more effective than emailing library managers.  Intranet posts may also be introduced to share these opportunities with all staff.       

Staff training in Performance Development Program – LaVetta Dent

Notes: Discussion was had regarding the rollout of the Performance Development Training to staff at the libraries.  Some libraries have begun their trainings, and others have planned theirs.  Staff have been positive and supportive in receiving the information.

Next Steps: Scheduled trainings at the libraries will be shared amongst the group of managers to ensure that all staff are able to attend trainings by the end of June at some location, even if it’s not their own.

Guidelines/steps for designating Librarian-in-charge when needed – Julie Ballou

Notes: While we strive to have a supervisor in the libraries for each hour the library is open, this is not always possible for a variety of reasons.  When a supervisor is not available, each library has a designated staff member in charge.  Discussion was had as to how the decision of who to put in charge is reached at the local libraries. 

Trial services – Time to share any trials or “pilot” projects assigned to your location. Customers may ask for something they have seen at other libraries, and it would be helpful for staff at all locations to be aware of the "pilot" service.  If something is done as a trial at one location it may eventually be implemented at other locations.  (Example: 15-minute use computers.)

Notes: ED shared that they have installed a “scanning station” near their copy machine to relieve the congestion at their copy machine from demand for scanning.  Scans can be saved to a flash drive or sent via email. 

DN, BI, and SO shared that they have 15-minute-use computers.  DN manager Ben Mead-Harvey reported that statistics will be gathered to determine the success of the rollout of these stations.  Pending determination at the local level of which computers can be repurposed, this project can be rolled out at other locations.  It was reported that, for those libraries that have these computer stations, signage and clarity for customers as to the nature of the computers is vital for good customer service.

CH is piloting a new public computer printing and reservation software and is working with IT to iron out the “kinks” of the software. 

DN was the first library to separate out their JNF, and several other libraries have drafted proposals and been approved to also complete this process.