Tech Support Meeting Minutes for December 2002

Tech Support Meeting Minutes

Date: December 17, 2002

Present: Jim Welch, Anne Fischer, Kay Bauman, Sue Hall, Linda Jameson, Traci Jinkens, Janet Brooks, Anne Hsieh, Teresa Goggins, Crystal Giles, Laurie Mack-Clark, Karen Marriott, Debra Spindle, Judy Walden, Lori Kane, Donna Morris

1. Update on Action Items
• PR will continue to work on ideas of how to best notify customers of new changes regarding the Internet
  A design has been created, however it is still being worked on. The design will be little signs, which will be placed by the computers.
• Materials Services will continue to work on changes to customer requests for purchase.
  Janet reported that customer requests are leveling off, which could possibly be due to the holidays. She will continue to monitor them. MSL has been receiving about 300 requests a week.
  The customer request process has been streamlined. MSL now has a shared drive on their computers, which allows for them to access a searchable spreadsheet. This spreadsheet houses “regret” requests and has an action column stating the reason for the regret.
  Janet has also been looking at web sites for other major public libraries to see how they handle online requests. She will get with Jim sometime after the first of the year to see what Automation changes can be made.
• PR and MSL will continue to work on a display for what the summer heat can do to a CD and video.
  MSL is still looking for samples.
• Judy will investigate limiting walk-up customer access to just the Internet and require the assistance of a librarian/tech to access other applications on Gates computers.
  Judy reported she had talked with managers regarding this issue. This will not implemented due to the complexity of the matter.
• Judy will talk with Library Managers about an employee bulletin board.
  This item still needs to be done.
• Automation will implement an Overdue 60 notation next to items in Financial/Pay Partial.
  This has been implemented, however it is Fine 60, not Overdue 60.
• Kay & Donna will meet and discuss the 2003 Tech Support Retreat.
  This item still needs to be done.
• Judy will recruit an employee to take the place of Lisa Myers.
  Judy has recruited Linda Jameson, from Del City. Welcome, Linda!
2. Demo of “Prototype of Meeting Room Booking System”
• Jim Welch has developed a prototype meeting room booking system based on the old system along with the “wish list” put together by the Meeting Room Booking Committee. This is a work-in-progress.
• The Meeting Room Booking System consists of three security levels. The first
  level allows for solely viewing the system. The second is the booking level. This allows for employees to enter in meeting room reservations.
• The final security level is the room manager. Anne F. and Jim are the only two able to access this level.
• The new system does not use military time. Furthermore, time is represented in 30-minute increments instead of 15-minutes increments currently used.
• As stated previously, this is a work-in-progress. More work needs to be done on this system. Judy will pull a new team together to meet and look at the prototype.
3. Miscellaneous
1. Discussion revolved around what the difference was between Tech Concerns and Tech Suggestions and what types of e-mail should be sent to each address. It was decided that the following descriptions should be used in determining where to send concerns and suggestions:
2. Tech Concerns
• Something should work a certain way or differently
• Information is not needed ASAP
• Something to be fixed without bringing the issue before the whole Tech Support committee
• Suggestion or idea for improvement
• Something to be done in the future
  These descriptions will remain in each month’s minutes to help differentiate the two terms.
3. Tech Support Retreat has moved from February 25, 2003 to February 18, 2003. Location to be announced.
4. ILS Issues
1. A suggestion was made to have the bar code scanners at the staff workstations to work the same as the scanners at the express checkout stations.
   This sounds like a good idea; however research indicates this could cause more repetitive motion problems. We will not be implementing this.
2. There was a suggestion to have government databases be made available through CyberMars terminals.
   Tech Support suggests using your own personal judgment on helping customers access government databases through CyberMars.
3. A question was sent in regarding usage guidelines for customers filling out applications online due to time limits.
   We will wait and see if the new time limits, which will take effect in January will help solve this issue. Tech Support will continue to think about this issue.
4. A suggestion was sent in asking for rewording of bills sent to customers notifying them that “Your Library Borrowing Privilege is Suspended Until This Debt is Satisfied.”
   This statement covers all possible ramifications. We will choose to continue with the current statement.
5. There was a request to have the MLS staff home page accessible from Virtual Circ.
   Tech Support suggests creating a shortcut at the Circulation Desk to access the Intranet. If help is needed in creating a shortcut, please contact Automation.
6. A suggestion was made to have the days that we are closed added to our Internet site to let our customers know that we are closed due to bad weather.
   We will do this when we are able to. Furthermore, Teresa will also add library closings due to holidays on the Internet.
7. A comment was made regarding the difficulty of accessing graphics due to Bess because one would have to shut down the filter, do the graphics, and then shut down again in order to access the databases.
   It was advised to be careful when shutting down the filter to access graphics. The pictures you are searching for may not be the pictures you will actually get.
8. A comment was made on how nice it would be if bib. numbers were on the Author’s Works list.
   Adding this feature would cause the catalog to move slower and there seems to be little need for this.
5. Internet Update by Teresa
1. www.metrolibrary.org
2. Spotlight on Native American Heritage Month
3. Homework Center
• Combined the Kids & Teen page to link to the Homework Center
• Divided the links and databases on the Kids and Middle School pages to subject category
• All pages in the Homework Center are consistent within each age category
• Changed the graphic on the front page to match Homework Center
• Continue to edit & refine Homework Center
• Family Place
• Family Place link on the main page has been changed from an article to a page with information & resources. This page will continue to grow.
6. Intranet Update by Teresa
   Human Resources page within the MLS Department & much more….
7. Work in Progress by Teresa
• Teen Zine
• Application in .pdf for Human Resources
• Refine pages – Internet
• Nice to Know – Intranet
8. Consistent Additions by Teresa
• Library News
• Commission packets
• Headlines
9. Action Items
1. Judy will talk with Library Managers about an employee bulletin board.
2. Kay & Donna will meet to discuss the 2003 Tech Support Retreat.
3. Judy will pull a team together to meet and look at the Meeting Room Booking System.
4. Signs will be sent to agencies on Friday, December 20, 2002 regarding changes to the Internet.