Public Services Managers Minutes - August 12, 2021

HUM – Jeff Cover and Greg Keenon

• Jeff shared they are reviewing and have planned updates for human resources, including recruitment and hiring practices
• Changes will be release incrementally
• Training on hiring practices
  • For both HUM and managers/hiring teams
  • PSM training via XChange
• Recently rolled out an employment marketing campaign
• Commitment form for hiring team/PSM members
• Rather than emailing a specific HUM person, use the following: · [email protected] – staff questions, practices, etc. · [email protected] – job postings, hiring updates and questions, etc.
  • Response within 24 hours Monday-Friday (if late in the day on Friday or over the weekend then it will be Monday by noon); resolution make take longer
• Update on the hiring process. Presently more than 50 open positions

CARL Gender Field – Risa Jensen-Jones

• Only three options
• Will be discontinued
  • Do not add anything to field going forward
• Working with TLC to have it removed from CarlX

Summer Feeding programs

• AL, BE, CH, DC & RE have switched to after school/dinner servings
• Some locations who participated in the program shared how the program went this summer. It has encouraged connecting with customers especially some we may not have previously had using our services, the waiver that allows food to be consumed offsite has been useful and many locations saw increases in meals being served over the summer months
• All sites are serving meals outside of posted times when they have supplies

Chromebook/hotspot proposal – Chris Stofel and Erin Bedford

• 2018 Google grant of hotspots and Chromebooks to use in programming – tech basics and workforce development
• Grant period ended
• Hotspots:
  • Standardize lending procedures across the system
  • Recommendations
    • Allow hotspots to be put on hold and move among locations
    • Treat like magazine – routing envelope and into mail
    • Treat like ILLs when arrive at locations – behind desk, etc.
    • Ask customer to bring to a service desk upon return
    • Charge/discharge note added when IT disconnects service
    • Shut off to return to three days rather than seven
• Chromebooks:
  • Create programming kit for libraries not part of original grant, housed in central location, with LMs or RDs to manage circulation
  • In-house Chromebooks checked out for programming purposes for length of program
  • All others checked out as per other lending items
  • $20 replacement fee for charging cord
  • Replacement for hard covers/carrying cases and costs
    • Discussion of bags and how to carry
    • VI carrying cases were approximately $10-15/each
  • Questions/discussion:
    • Cut off periods for Chromebooks? Same as hotspots and is handled through IT
      • With the newer hotspots, based on the service provider, IT no longer has direct control of turning newer hotspots on/off, so it is a slightly different process and takes a bit longer
    • Check in procedures for staff? CLs will provide to workgroup
    • AL Chromebooks and laptop procedures will not change – in-house use only
    • Customer agreement for Chromebooks? Discussions for and against
    • Replacement devices – IT will continue to replace only if Chromebooks and hotspots are circulatingProposal will go into effect when IT makes change in the system and after we have provided information to staff about the procedures.

Safe Place update – Mark Schuster

• MLS used to be involved. Discussions moving forward
  • Approved MOU
  • Next steps planning now in process
  • A number of departments involved
  • Need a couple of managers to be part of planning group and process
• · Primarily intended for youth up to age 18, but can also accommodate young adults
• · Program is an alternative to calling DHS or 911 if youth comes in and indicates they need a safe place or are in distress
  • akes pressure off staff of what to do next when this occurs
• · Should identify location within library that is a “safe place” to be until help arrives
  • Private or out of general traffic
• · Each library will receive yellow informational sign and should determine where to post
  • Cost of approximately $25 each which will come out of the location’s supply budget
  • Required to have one, but can purchase additional, if needed
• There will be training; it will be developed soon
• Questions/discussion:
  • Recommend driving by OnCue to see what sign looks like to help determine placement at libraries

Outreach – Risa Jensen-Jones

• “We’re Open” campaign
• Came from recent Edmond canvassing – public doesn’t really know MLS is open again
• Recommendations include:
  • Open at least one children’s computer, if can be socially distant
  • Open at least one teen computer, if can be socially distant
  • Phone campaign for customers
    • Location specific
  • Approximately 130,000 people who do not have active email addresses and have not used the library since February 2020
  • Reach out to local/city newsletters and other media
  • Community opportunities to participate in outdoor events
• Questions/discussions:
  • Any restrictions in light of recent virus surge? Levels of service are part of the overall communication
  • Opportunity to update communications options when speaking on phone – email addresses
  • People are more likely to engage if we have a table at an outside event

Two-hour computer limit – Mark Schuster

• Discussion of unlimited computer sessions based on demand
• Time limit useful but there is a need for extending time, when needed
  • Discuss time limits with customers and offer to extend proactively
• Opportunities to err on the side of customer service

Next PSM Meeting is September 8, 2021