Submitted by ssylvester on Thu, 02/20/2014 - 13:38
Library Operations (Headquarters) – Candace is continuing to work on the Safety Manual revisions. She started working on the Annual MLS Staff Recognition event which will be held at the Cowboy Hall of Fame again this year. The date is set for Saturday, November 8th.
The new Downtown Library café will open around March 1st. The café name will change to ‘Hemingway Cafe’ and the operation hours will be 6:00am – 5:00pm, Monday through Friday.
Submitted by ssylvester on Wed, 03/20/2013 - 15:33
Kim announced the MLS Marketing Department received a total of six Addy Awards at the Addy Awards Banquet on February 23rd at the Coca Cola Events Center. The Addys are presented by the Oklahoma City Advertising Club and is the most prestigious recognition for excellence in local marketing.
Karen recently visited the Choctaw Library staff to work on their collection in preparation for a new manager.
Submitted by ssylvester on Wed, 01/23/2013 - 09:32
Information Technology – The IT department has prepared and printed W2s and given them to the Business Office.
IT is also working on configuration of routers and switches that will replace equipment that is no longer supported by Cisco.
Jimmy has been working on software that will assist with the layout of shelving at the Almonte Library.
Self Pick-up of reserves begins at Warr Acres and Capitol Hill on January 7th and Choctaw on January 14th.
The RFI for a new ILS system was sent to vendors on January 3rd. The vendors have until January 18th to ask any questions and they are due to be returned to MLS by February 8th. The RFI will then allow IT to prepare and issue RFPs.
The managers visited Luther Library and met Extension Specialists, Angie Paeltz and Dennis Delano. Angie extended a warm welcome to everyone and shared information regarding the Luther Library before leading the managers to Luther High School Auditorium where the managers’ meeting was held.
The managers arrived at Luther High School where they were given a tour of the Auditorium and control room before the meeting.
Denyvetta introduced Aiden Street, Branch Manager at South Oklahoma City Public Library and each manager introduced themselves. Ms. Street distributed Pioneer Library System December issue of Word Magazine devoted specifically to their new library and briefly shared her library career before giving the managers a tour of the library. She explained each department’s responsibilities during the tour including the staff area called “the back of the house” where sorting takes place. The tour was concluded with a highlight view inside of their “Movie Box” which holds 2000 DVDs, how it operates and the procedures for customers reserving and returning DVD movies.
Denyvetta introduced Anne Masters, Director of Pioneer Library System. Ms. Masters shared with the managers that she is looking forward to visiting SO upon re-opening and is excited that Pioneer Library System is joining Metropolitan Library System for Staff Development Day. Ms. Masters briefly discussed future projects Pioneer Library System are currently working on.
In January 2012, Tech Support received a suggestion on adding a new lookup function to vCirc to show relationships of card holders so spouses or children can easily pick up other people’s reserves. Tech Support drafted a statement to add to the reserve pick-up page that says, “You must check this material out with the card you placed the reserve on” to help with this occurrence. This subject was then discussed at the February and March Managers of Library Operations meeting. Three library manager volunteered to develop scenarios to help educate staff and customers and brought those for discussion at the May Circulation Forum.
Since the topic still continues to surface, we have developed an FAQ for customers and staff. This draft was shared at the July Circ Forum (minutes to be posted soon). Below is the draft of the staff FAQs that includes the feedback provided by the circ clerks. Please let us know if you have any additional feedback or need further explanation.
Denyvetta shared it has come to their attention that several customers have materials checked out over 60 days that total more than $500. Some of these customers have tried to sell the items; Half Price Books stores have alerted the library system to this situation. The library system sent certified letters to each customer asking that items be paid for in full or further actions would be taken. Special stops have been placed on the customers library cards. One of the customers who received a warning letter actually did pay for the items on his card, totaling over four thousand dollars. Jimmy has written a program to track high priced items (textbook format) checked out more than 60 days and valued at over $500. If a customer comes in to pay for materials not checked out on their own card, especially if it is a result of one of the certified letters mailed, please be aware the balance must be paid in full with no discounts. If a customer wants to pay for several items on someone else’s library card (mother for an adult child), you can use the receipt book at circulation or had write a receipt since we would not give them the printed one.
I.Ground Rules –Lisa Myers welcomed the group, went over the ground rules and identified 4 goals for the Circulation forum: consistency, communication, opportunities to share and receive first hand news.
II.Summer Reading -Lisa Wood, Children Coordinator from Outreach— Lisa Wood presented an overview of the Summer Reading program emphasizing the essential role the clerks played as the frontline people. Lisa, Emily and Stacy are finishing up a video for this summer’s staff training which will be available for everyone to view. Libraries should expect a visit from Lisa and Emily with Spoticus that first week. If anyone has questions or needs concerning Summer Reading, they should call her or Emily. She said. “Summer Reading is our life for the next months and we are here to help you”. In the discussion that followed, Lisa Myers said she likes exposing office personnel to the realities of summer reading by having them volunteer for an hour during the first week. She thinks it is an eye-opening experience. This has been done in the past and may be offered again this year. Julie Ballou suggested that each library might take pictures of how they have decorated their library for Summer Reading so they could be shared in Shelflife.
