Public Services Managers Minutes - December 12, 2018

Welcome & Introductions 

Milissa introduced Joseph Peebles, Learning & Development Specialist, to the group.  Joseph’s duties will include EduBrite administration and new employee orientation.  

Launchpads Update – Sarah / Janeal  

• Findings and recommendations from the Launchpad workgroup were shared.  The System currently has about 2500 circulating Launchpads.  We will continue using Launchpads until the point that we are down to 500.  At that time, more specific plans for ongoing in-library use will be made by the Launchpad workgroup, which could occur before Summer Reading. 

• If libraries need more Launchpads, or have too many, please contact Janeal for redistribution. 

• Do not change procedures for damaged Launchpads.  Continue to charge full price if lost.  Charge $60 for partial Launchpad returns. 

Learning & Development Update -- Milissa 

• Lynda.com: Supervisors can assign trainings to staff for professional development from Lynda.com.  Trainings can be assigned to employees based on individual need, and do not need to be assigned to every staff member.  L & D can create custom playlists by condensing and pulling out irrelevant videos. 

Food in Libraries – Chris & RDs 

Budget (food served by library as refreshments vs. food as part of a program) 

• Food used as a part of a program (such as Candy Science or Spaghetti Structures) should be taken out of the programming budget. 

• There will be continued discussion and a decision made on using food as refreshments in programs for small children. 

• Do not ask Development for grants for food. When budgeted funds are gone, that is it.   

• Refreshment budgets for next fiscal year will depend on how budget numbers are submitted and we may or may not use the formula used last year.  It is hoped that similar amounts of money will be requested by each library. 

Food brought in by customers 

A conversation was had regarding allowable food and drink consumption by customers in the libraries.  The consensus was that removal of food wording from the Rules of Conduct has been a good thing.  Most libraries allow food in certain appropriate areas of the libraries, and covered drinks.  Guidelines should be consistently applied across the System and as with anything, if the food creates a distraction or danger to library resources, it can be dealt with as an ROCV.   

Food brought in for programs, by participants (book clubs, crafting groups, etc.) 

• Be clear that if a program participant brings food for the other participants, that the food was provided by the group, for the group, and not by the Library.  

• Staff should not be bringing food for programs cooked at home. 

Vending Machines 

• Responsibility for vending machines will move to BUS for purposes of consistency and accounting. 

• Vending machines will no longer be used for staff funds at individual locations. 

• Profit from vending machines will go into the general fund. 

Staff Meetings – Erin  

• Effective January 2019, an all-staff monthly meeting will be required of all library managers.  

• Managers are to submit meeting minutes to the Regional Director within 2 weeks. 

• Managers are to invite the Regional Director to the monthly meeting with a calendar invite. 

Scheduling Managers & Supervisor – Risa  

A discussion took place as to how different libraries handle managerial staffing in general and supervisory staffing when managers are not in the building. 

• Managers should make sure that whoever is left in charge knows who to contact for support. 

• Managers can reach out to other libraries and RDs in emergency staffing situations. 

• Schedule Anywhere should be kept up to date for managers, especially nights and weekends, with in-charge duties indicated if out of the ordinary. 

Filming & Pictures at the Library – LaVetta   

Libraries are public spaces with no legal restrictions to filming or taking pictures.  Customers can however ask the photographer not to film them.  Continuation of filming by an individual after having been asked by a customer to cease becomes a disruption to access and should be treated as a Rules of Conduct violation.  Children, teens, teachers, daycare workers, etc., can be educated by library staff that they can ask that they not be filmed or photographed.  

Department Reports: 

Access Services -- Risa  

Risa shared the top 5 tickets that will be submitted to TLC for further development, over the course of 2019.  They are: 

1. Removing the “place hold” button if holds cannot be placed 

2. Suggest a title submission which currently fails with non-word characters (‘&’, ‘/’, etc.) 

3. Placing a hold when one copy is reference and the other copy is circulating (example: when using a catalog at DN and the only copy at that location is in the Oklahoma Collection but there are circulating copies at other libraries)  

4. Allowing when customers update email, customer email preferences in Carl X will also be updated 

5. Renewing items at one station at the same time they are checked in at another station 

CIS 

• CIS began answering BE’s phones on Mon, 12/3 so we’re now answering the phones for 11 branches, which represents about 75% of all incoming phone traffic. Earlier this week, you should have received a copy of the spreadsheet showing whose phones CIS answers and the number for each branch that you/your staff can call to reach the branch & avoid the CIS call queue. If you did not receive this, please let me know & I can send it to you. 

• If your branch’s copier (or registration pc or another similar piece of public use technology) goes down, will you include CIS on the email to branch staff so we know to share this information with customers? This would help us avoid situations where (for ex.) a customer calls to ask about the cost of faxing & we provide them the answer without knowing that the fax machine at your library is currently out of order. 

• If your staff have a lengthy digital collection question from a customer that they've already worked on for a while: if it’s a weekday, call Tim (x3825); Evenings/weekends: call 231.8650 & we will take the customer’s information & work to get in touch with them ASAP. Please don’t forget to utilize the FAQ at help.metrolibrary.org when troubleshooting. 

• If you/your staff have questions about any of our digital collections, CIS is your contact for tech support. Especially in light of her changing job duties, Sadie Bruce is not the point of contact for support. Whatever database help you need, CIS is here to help. 

Collection Anywhere – Sarah & Janeal 

• The Graphic Novel recall is continuing and making good progress. 

• A new ILL tech has been hired. 

• Sarah’s last day is December 21. 

• Module 2 Train-the-Trainer begins next week. 

• Sadie will be selecting fiction, giving up database selection, and retaining Overdrive. 

• The new selector, when hired, will select some non-fiction and the databases. 

EPS – Erin  

• Kristin: a $30,000 sponsorship grant was received from the Endowment Trust for an opening event for the Sendak exhibit. 

• Emily: The outcomes workgroups are wrapping up their meetings this week and reconvening likely in January. Project teams and priorities are forthcoming. 

• Kellie: PLC is working on our new meeting room software which should be coming in March, with training in February. 

• The Google Kickoff is scheduled at Capitol Hill on December 20 from 9 to 10:30 with a press conference and visit from Mayor Holt.  Staff members are needed to attend the training session that Google will provide.  

Outreach – LaVetta  

The outreach kits are in demand so the earlier those are requested, the better. 

Public Services – Chris  

• Be aware that the System has had attempts at payroll fraud scams.  Scammers may be using information available on LinkedIn accounts.  It was suggested that LinkedIn account holders select an initial instead of displaying full last name.  Please report any suspicious emails to BUS and HUM.  IT is developing a scam awareness training. 

• Open Records Act: All staff should keep work type info on personal devices to a minimum if using for work purposes.  Cell phone records can be requested via the Open Records Act.   

• Building project updates were provided for Belle Isle, Ralph Ellison, and Del City. 

• Survey Results: We had about 250 responders to Julie’s survey.  An executive summary of the results will be provided to the Commission and posted on the Intranet soon. 

Special Collections – Buddy  

• Podcasts launched last week and since then they’ve gotten about 450 downloads from every continent.  

• SC is planning for one new podcast per month, and others on an ad hoc basis.  

• Marketing will be creating some materials to promote the podcasts. 

Core Value Discussion – Chris   

• A discussion was had concerning the Core Value, “Library Members First”, and what it means to us. 

• Managers were requested to have local conversations about this Core Value and provide feedback at next month’s meeting. 

• As a System, we will begin focusing on one Core Value per month. 

Tour – Steve Butts 

The meeting concluded with a tour of the new Bethany Library, currently under construction.  

Next Meeting – 1/10/19 @ SO