Public Services Minutes - November 08, 2018

Meeting Location: Homeless Alliance, West Town Campus

Purpose:  To discuss and make recommendations and decisions on issues having a system-wide impact on library operations.

Special Guest Jennifer Livingstone

• Jennifer presented an overview of Tableau.  Tableau is a data visualization software.  It can connect to a variety of data sources (door counters, circulation statistics, etc.) and be tailored to display specific information regarding statistics at certain points in time or between multiple library locations. 
• A group of managerial library staff from Public Services and Operations will get licenses to use and access the software.  The creation of new workbooks and refinement of existing workbooks will continue going forward.  A “perpetual survey” will be created that will allow for feedback and requests for specific reports from users. 

Collection HQ and Inventory Schedule (Risa)

A committee to study and make recommendations on the CollectionHQ and inventory schedules is ready to report their findings and suggest best practices.  The Collection HQ schedule will be modified to account for the busiest times of the year – June and July will have no assignments, and May, August, and December (appraisal time) will be lighter.

JNF Relocation Recommendations (Risa)

• Eleven libraries have completed the moving of their juvenile nonfiction collections.  Other libraries are working on completing this task.  JNF circs have gone up at the locations that have moved it out of ANF and into its own location. 
• Libraries that have not moved their JNF should plan to do so.  Collection Development is happy to assist with the process, from analyzing gaps in the collection to the physical moving of items. 

MOU with OKCPS (LaVetta)

• The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with OKCPS requires background checks to be completed for those staff who will be visiting OKCPS locations as part of InterReach activities.
• Libraries that this applies to (any library with even one OKCPS school in their service area) should send the names of staff in need of background checks to Elizabeth Kessler in HUM.
• Managers will track when they have sent the list in, so it can be done annually.  New staff members have a background check done prior to hire, so this can count as their annual check. 

Membership Reimbursement Recommendations (Chris)

• A committee has been convened to talk about this topic.  In the past, OLA reimbursements up to $100 were the norm.  The committee recommends that the guidelines be altered so the reimbursement process is open to any professional library organization, and the reimbursement amount shall not exceed $50 (regardless of position, and regardless of the cost of membership – memberships that cost less than $50 will be reimbursed at the full amount of the membership), and that the reimbursement process will be open to all public services staff. 
• First-come, first-served, up to the budget limit of $3,600.
• Interested employees will need to provide a signed receipt for their membership fees to their library manager.  The library manager will sign the receipt as well, and email or send the original to their RD for final approval.
• Final recommendations will be publicized on the intranet to increase all staff awareness.

Refreshments in Library Programming (Risa)

Small group discussions were held about the topic of refreshments used at libraries during programming – how they are used, why, when, etc.

Department Reports:

Access Services (Risa)

• The test Carl.X system has been updated to the newest version, so those who go through Access training will be interacting with the newest version of the software. 
• The test catalog has been “FRBR”ized (with like items now grouped together in the catalog rather than each having their own entry). 
• The cause of the mobile catalog renewal issue has been pinpointed (any item number with an “M” at the beginning) and TLC is working to resolve the issue. 
• A large-scale delivery review process is underway across the system to identify potential streamlining and efficiencies of procedures and workflow. 
• An updated Access training schedule is coming soon, with Train-the-Trainer events coming at the end of November.  Additional series of trainings will be slated for January and February to meet increased demand. 

Collection Development (Janeal)

• Collection Management training is ongoing, and post-training action plan forms have been updated based on staff and supervisor feedback. 
• BOB Books will be returning to the libraries soon in omnibus hardcover editions. 
• The system now subscribes to Baker & Taylor’s “Automatically Yours” service that automatically sends titles from a list of pre-selected popular authors to us fully processed and cataloged.  The final details are being ironed out, with implementation coming soon.

Central Information Services (Tim)

• CIS will be taking over BE’s phones on December 3^rd, which will put them covering 11 of 18 libraries in total. 
• Involved database or digital resource questions can be sent to Tim Spindle or Jessica Moad at their direct extensions (3825 for Tim, 3824 for Jessica). 
• If databases have technical issues, report those issues to CIS so they can follow-up with the vendor. 
• Tailored Titles opportunities are forthcoming – staff should let their manager know if they are interested in assisting with these personalized reading lists and the manager will coordinate with CIS. 

EPS (Emily, Kellie, and Kristen)

• The Summer Reading committee will meet on November 14^th. 
• Black History Month program planning is occurring now – libraries should let EPS know of any non-EPS-sponsored programs they plan to hold so EPS can help advertise them as part of everything that is happening. 
• Rainbow Fleet is a valuable community resource with a developmentally appropriate toy-lending library.  EPS has arranged a discounted membership rate per library of $30 annually.  Interested libraries should reach out to EPS. 
• No food handler or food manager licenses will be required for the libraries to present programs that involve food, but libraries should follow these guidelines: food should not be prepared at home, an ADA-compliant sink (that is not a bathroom sink) should be located within 25 feet of program space, and libraries should have a metal stem food thermometer on hand to monitor food temperatures for safety.  Best practices will be formulated and shared across the system. 
• Engagement Managers are currently completing a programming survey.  The recommendations from the survey will be finalized in December, with planning teams organized in January.

Outreach (LaVetta)

• November and December OUT events have been posted on the intranet.  Engagement staff from any location are welcome to assist with these events. “Encyclomedia” and “Santa Saturdays” need more volunteers. 
• A committee (led by LaVetta) to review the role of the Engagement Specialist 1 position has been convened. 

Public Services (Chris Kennedy)

• BUS is working out the process of distributing staff appreciation funds to the libraries.  More information coming soon. 
• An organizational assessment survey is being developed and will be shared with all staff and commission members. 
• Managers should let their RD know of any staff on their teams who attend conferences, so that information can be shared with Julie for her monthly Executive Director’s report for the Commission. 
• Any food purchased as a programming supply needs to be clearly labeled as such in Intaact so the item doesn’t get moved to the refreshments budget line by BUS. 
• Discussion of the core values is forthcoming at Leadership Team, Manager, and local staff meetings.

Special Collections and Research (Risa)

• Special Collections is still accepting job shadowers. 
• Podcasts are coming soon.
• SCR is also exploring the use of Facebook Groups for engaging customers.

General Reminders and Updates (Risa) (these items were shared after the meeting via email due to time constraints at the meeting itself)

• Outreach has purchased a bedbug oven to use on an as-needed basis. They found it very affordable, and since it is inflatable, it can be easily stored when not in use. These (and MTC’s) bedbug ovens are not designed to cook anything very dense – like a box or bin of tightly packed books. It is heated with a blower, so it just won’t get a densely packed box hot enough in the middle to do the job. These are good for small batches though. PLEASE withdraw and discard any damaged items. Cooking materials should be reserved for materials that were found next to damaged items but don’t appear to have damage (a just in case situation).
• Hiring managers - with the revisions to the Access Manager job descriptions to clarify the distinction in the roles, the AM I is not intended to be the hiring manager during a hiring process. They are intended to have their supervisor mentor and support them during that process.
• Open Position Request Form – generally when this form is submitted, we are expecting to see that the library/department manager (or interim manager) is submitting the form. Since that manager is ultimately responsible for the FTE and budget for the library/department, when the LM or Dept Manager submits the form, we know that there has been a discussion about the needs of the library/department and that the budget has been accounted for in that discussion.
• Ordering furniture – Remember that anytime you are considering ordering furniture, you need to consult Morgan first. Generally, Morgan will order all furniture for the system whether it is in the 1330 FFE fund or in the 5204 FFE - non-capital fund. She will know if multiple locations are going to be ordering the same thing, and she can often get them at a better price than if an LM or Dept Manager is making a direct inquiry with a vendor. Also, be sure to have that furniture ordered or at least quoted before you spend out of 5204 so that you can be sure that you have enough left in the fund for the other smaller items you might be requesting like bulletin boards or small display furniture.

Tour of West Town Campus (Group)

The meeting ended with a tour of the Homeless Alliance West Town facilities. 

Next Meeting – 12/6/18 @ BE