Department Highlights

Materials Selection

• Since the beginning of July, a total of 6,754 customer suggestions have been received in MSL.  On average, we received 270 per week.  In the first 2 weeks of December 466 suggestions were received.
• Since the first of July, a total of 15,207 titles have been selected and 101,009 items ordered.  During the first 3 weeks of December, 2,468 titles and 15,176 items were ordered.
• Since the beginning of July 376 boxes of withdrawals and gifts were received in MSL.  During that time 211 boxes have been sent to the Friends, 101 boxes of transfers sent to CAT and 13 boxes of gifts sent to CAT. 

Cataloging

• 2,201 new titles were cataloged during November, including 221 e-media titles.
• 7,972 barcode labels were printed in November; 17,064 for new materials and 908 for reprocessed materials.
• 2,070 new titles were received in Cataloging during November.  This is the lowest number of titles received in one month since August, and is a 26% decrease from October.
• Average turnaround time for new titles in Cataloging in November was 11.34 working days.  This includes only time that materials were in Cataloging; it does not include time in Technical Processing.  The lengthy turnaround time is partly due to the high volume of materials received in October.  Turnaround times are decreasing in December.
• Average ratio of copies to titles was 5.57 copies per title for November.

Interlibrary Loan

• 856 requests to borrow materials through ILL were received in November; 683 borrowed materials were received.  Materials are not always received during the same month that a request is placed.  During November, 437 materials received (64% of receives) were requested in October.  In October, 928 requests were received and a total of 696 of the requested materials were borrowed, for a fill rate of 75%.
• Average turnaround time for borrowing materials in ILL during November was 7.51 working days.  This includes only time from the date requests are sent out from ILL to the date that they are received in ILL; it does not include routing time between MLS libraries and ILL.
• Staff in ILL evaluated 1,634 requests to lend MLS materials to other libraries in November; 789 materials were lent; average fill rate was 45%.  Materials lent to other libraries in October were returned after 17 working days on average.

Technical Processing

• The average daily run for November was 854 items per day, for a total of 16,227 items.  The average for December of 2013 so far is 745 items per day. The processors are current on processing all rush materials and are processing non-rush materials from the run 14 days ago. Study guides and dated materials like continuations are also current. 
• During November, TP received a daily average of 46 boxes of materials a day, for a total of 873 boxes.  The daily average in December so far is 39 boxes. 

2.    Materials Selection update – Janet Brooks

Library Visits

• Selectors made an annual visit to Warr Acres during December
• They are scheduled to do an annual visit to Belle Isle in January

Staff Activities

• Lisa attended the Staff Association meeting on 12/19/13
• Marilyn and Melissa worked with Downtown staff weeding collections.

Materials Selection Holiday Schedule

• During the weeks of Christmas and New Year, a number of staff are scheduled for AVL.  The following calendar indicates staff schedules during the next two weeks.

3.    Technical Processing update – Heidi Johnson

• Baker & Taylor’s and Ingram’s accounts continue to be current. 
• Heidi and Kristin have been interviewing candidates for the Technical Processor position.  TP hopes to have a new processor in place by January 6, 2014. 
• Kevin Colwell, SA representative at the Service Center, attended the last Staff Association meeting scheduled at CH on December 19.
• Curtiss Ray from MTC had contacted Heidi and Anne in IT about giving a tour of the sorter room to Richard Boersema, Facilities Manager for Tulsa City-County. Apparently Tulsa is looking into purchasing sorting equipment for their system and is exploring different possibilities and currently soliciting feedback from libraries already utilizing them.  Heidi also gave a tour of TP for four new staff members on December 19 after their scheduled workshop at the SC. 
• Staff at the Service Center had their Christmas party for all departments on December 16.  Everyone seemed to enjoy the food and the company.

4.    Cataloging/Interlibrary Loan update – Pauline Rodriguez-Atkins

• We are happy to announce the birth of Bayley Lou Johnston to ILL Technician Brandon Johnston and wife Lauren.  Bayley arrived on November 29, weighing 7 lb. 13 oz.
• Paige Nifong began work as the new part-time ILL Technician on December 9.  She is catching on quickly and contributing to ILL’s productivity.  After training Paige, Morris is able to spend all his working hours in CAT.
• There was much feasting and merriment at the Service Center Christmas potluck luncheon on December 16.
• Pauline appreciates the Cataloging and Interlibrary Loan staff, along with Heidi Johnson, who have taken care of departmental business during her recent unexpected absences.  She is not surprised that they were able to do so effectively because they are an amazing group!
• Several CAT and ILL staff members have vacations scheduled during the remainder of 2013.  Both departments will be sufficiently staffed at all times to provide assistance or answer questions.  Staff should feel free to call main numbers for either department whenever needed.