Public Services Managers Minutes - March 12, 2019

Summer Reading T-shirts - Erin

Staff will be able to purchase Summer Reading shirts this year. IPGI will not take individual orders – so options are being explored for group purchases. A question was posed asking if it’s feasible for libraries to collect funds and store in the safe or other secure area then collected by BO so that a single bulk purchase could be made. General consensus reached that it would be feasible. EPS will provide more information once the prices of the shirts are determined. 

Outreach – Local vs Systemwide - LaVetta

LaVetta provided branded sticky notepads to each attendee and then posed four questions.

• What is outreach?
• What are the differences between local and system outreach?
• What guidelines and support do you need to help you with outreach?
• What does successful outreach look like 5 years from now?

Attendees wrote their answers on the notepads and applied them to a whiteboard. These same questions were posed to Engagement Managers on an earlier date. Responses from both groups will be agglomerated and shared at a later date. 

Access Priorities – Risa & Tricia

Tricia distributed handouts exhibiting the results of information gathering on Access priorities for AS I and AS II positions as submitted by Access Managers. Results were grouped into five priority levels with Level 1 being the most urgent.

Attendees broke into small groups based on regions and RDs led a discussion based on four questions. Highlights were shared with reassembled group. PSM shared feedback regarding the access levels. LMs appreciated the flexibility that could be made during a day based on workload and staff. Overall, most locations felt as though they could complete all five levels each week. Only a few locations felt as though the priorities could not be met given their current budgeted staff. Tricia will share concerns made with the Access Managers at the March AM meeting to address these concerns.

Access Services will be developing a shelving training rigor to be used systemwide.

Access Services positions hiring process is being reviewed by the Access Services Cabinet. 

Budget, System 5161, FF&E, FTEs– RDs

Erin opened the floor to questions regarding the 5161 budget line for programming. Managers expressed support for separating budgets for local from systemwide programming.

Rainbow Fleet membership budget use is now approved – subscriptions cost approx. $30 per year for each library; managers were advised to factor in the staff time and costs of retrieving and returning items when utilizing Rainbow Fleet.

FF&E – Morgan will not be scheduling visits with libraries for FF&E budgeting this year. Managers should send Morgan input for FY20 budget.

FTE – If requesting additional FTE, managers should contact HUM to enquire about the costs associated with adding a specific position then provide the info in a request to RD and PSLT will discuss.

Travel – Chris advised that there has been a delay in compiling information about common travel requests (e.g. OLA and ALA) and managers are to input the desired travel into their budget grid (e.g. “ALA”) and PSLT will fill in the dollar amounts when the information becomes available. 

Customers returning Hotspots – Tricia

If customers return a hotspot to a location other than where it was checked out (i.e. CT or WA), clear the item from customer’s card and notify a manage who will contact the owning library and arrange details for returning it. 

Department Reports:

• Access Services – Tricia

• CarlX and Connect have been updated to remove the bug that prevented some renewals on a mobile device.
• By April 1 each location will need to have two people present during all morning money functions and both will sign the deposit before submitting BO. Staff won’t be responsible for minor issues after April 1, but BO will conduct routine audits going forward and having two people involved will reduce the number of errors. 

• Central Information Services – Tim

• CIS will be taking on duties formerly performed by Central Reserve Team on March 25. Locations will need to inform CIS if equipment or other amenities in meeting rooms (e.g. projector breaks down) become unavailable.
• Meeting room requests placed within five days of the event are handled by the hosting library. CIS is asking for input regarding notifications going to the locations - should notice go to the local SPOC or to a group email.
• Send 2019 book club titles to Craig Wolf ([email protected]) in CIS.
• Libraries should call Sam Karns (3824) for extended digital assistance. Tim (3825) will be the backup for Sam.
• Chat reference on the website will go live March 25.
• Tim shared that the busiest day for calls ever in CIS was about 450 but they fielded 713 on President’s Day. 

• Collection Services & Development – Janeal
  
  • CSD is updating children’s holiday titles lists. Will use each library’s card to weed titles. CSD will also use libraries’ cards for replacements that will be reclassified.
  • Automatically Yours has been tested (Baker & Taylor’s “Automatically Yours” service that automatically sends titles from a list of pre-selected popular authors to us fully processed and cataloged). Finalizing with TLC to make sure of seamless integration with LS2 and EDI.
  • Orders are going out for VOX Books. Will start with small orders so that CAT and TP can adjust workflows. 
• Cataloging – Pauline
  
  • VOX Books will be arriving soon. The media code for VOX is “aeb” – audio enabled book
  • Locations should check for holds placed by CAT before sending material that need to be fixed or reviewed by CAT.
  • If you send material for review check the material out to CAT and send with Cataloging Consideration Form attached. Sticky notes are not sufficient because they can become separated from the item. 
• EPS
  
  • Training for Summer Reading begins next month – dates soon
  • School Library Media Specialists breakfast will be held at NW May 3 – an email with details went out recently
  • School mailing for SRP will be assembled & sent April 8-11
  • A toolkit for community outreach has gone out to engagement staff to promote SRP 
  • Staff can direct teachers to www.metrolibrary.org/summerschool for additional SRP information
  • Opening gala for Maurice Sendak exhibit info will be coming soon
  • Laser quest is closing so the traditional SRP volunteer party will be held at a different venue – info coming soon
  • Website and calendar launch is still on track for March 25
  • Libraries should examine their current calendar entries - 400 programs already have registrations – but there can be no more registrations entered in the current calendar after March 14. Libraries have several options:  they can cut off registration at the March 14 date; or pause registration until March 25; or use the ask staff to register option in the listing; or just not require registration at all. Libraries should contact Kellie Delaney or Tim Spindle if issues arise.
  • The engagement project teams are still working on Q1 projects so Q2 planning will be pushed back to the date originally slotted for Q3 project work. 
• Outreach – LaVetta
  
  • Notice has been emailed out about 3 OUT events in April
  • Need three more Engagement volunteers for 4/6 and 4/7 events 
• Public Services – Chris
  
  • Library Manager @ WA interviews have concluded, and an external candidate selected. The new manager will start in about 6 weeks.
  • Library Manager interviews for VI, DN, and NW have been scheduled
  • A security team has been created to look at the philosophy and policy & procedure for security in libraries with the aim of consistency across system. Share any thoughts or input with your RD.
  • OLA is this week. Library Managers are reminded to be sure to provide information on conference attendance to RD so it can be relayed to the Commission. 
• Special Collections – Buddy
  
  • SCR completed cleaning and processing Monnot architectural plans with great aid of VI staff.
  • Lisa Bradley provided excellent customer service by reuniting a fallen soldiers personal effects with his family. The family made a monetary gift to MLS in gratitude. 
• Libraries – Managers
  
  • VI staff has begun to move back in after renovation; will open 3/18.
  • DC project agreement for new building has been signed. New teen librarian starting 4/8.
  • Architects recently toured BI location.
  • NW has new AM II starting March 11.
  • DN – Sam Anderson author of Boomtown coming on April 20. MAC is distributing posters to places Boomtown has circulated the most.
  • BE opening pushed back to mid- to late June
  • CL had success with recent Seuss on the Loose event with over 60 participants

Lost & Found Workgroup – Mark

A library managers workgroup has been formed to research lost and found procedures across system, including local police policies regarding lost & found items. The workgroup will make recommendations for a consistent policy and include guide to disposal of items as well. Send thoughts or input to your RD.

Core Value Discussion – Mark

Freedom to Learn- We treasure and protect each member’s freedom to read, view, and learn in order to achieve his/her highest potential. 

Libraries will discuss freedom to learn in staff meetings this month.

• Comments from group discussion:
• Freedom to Learn is the most straightforward of our core values.
• Remember not to make judgments about customers’ reading habits or information requests
• Most challenges to library materials center on question of age appropriateness rather than objection to content.
• Customers have responded positively to wide range of films we now offer vis a vis the previous more restrictive selection policy for films.
• This value is very important for teens – they don’t always have judgement-free adults in their lives
• Try to balance a parent request with what the child really wants. If a parent makes a request for a topic, try to do a reference interview directly with the child while still respecting the parent’s authority.
• ILL is a way to provide wider access to customers when the subject falls outside our collection policy.
• Respect people who complain or challenge. Let them know you appreciate that they care enough to take the time to voice their opinion.
• Be aware that our new digital products (e.g. Overdrive) will make recommendations that are not reflective of MLS opinions or our collection policy and be ready to explain that to customers.
• Consider changing focus of the value from learning; changing gendered language; changing “potential” to “fulfillment” or “explore”. Suggested revision: Freedom to Access - We treasure and protect each member’s freedom to read, view, and explore in order to achieve fulfillment.

Marketing Requests, Kim Terry

MAC has a small staff so they are not able to handle a large workload. They are working on guidelines for style, logo use, and distribution for libraries that choose to produce their own marketing materials.

Templates are also available for common marketing materials. MAC can accept requests for more templates, but the more general the template is the better.

Need requests in 30 days advance because they need time to promote and build momentum for programs.