HEAR Evaluations

Hello,

I met with Carol to give everyone a score on their evaluations since she has been the one working with you during the evaluation time frame. If you have received a scored evaluation make sure to read over it. I will be asking everyone to meet with me at some point if their is anything you would like to speak about or don't understand. Feel free to ask me any questions. There is a comment section at the bottom of the evaluation if you feel like expressing anything about the evaluation before you sign off on it. Feel free to bring proof of specific examples if you feel that a certain score is too low.

Thank you,
Pedro Fonseca

Statistics

    Statistics:   

    There was a lot of discussion about what to include as part of the stats for “Pulled” and “Processed”.  Starting September 1, everything needs to be classified and counted as follows:

·       

           Pulled = The entire paging list for that day (even if not all are found) + all items on the “clear holds” list + anything that is checked in and has a transit slip going to another location (including CEN).

      

           Processed = Delivery + anything we check in that goes on the hold shelf.

   Pedro

Clean Holds Lists

From Fred:

Several locations have reported that the paging list and the Clean Holds Shelf lists have not posted since 08/28.  We are currently working on correctly that, but that may take a bit of time.  In the interim, you may use the On Shelf Items wizard under the Holds wizard group to create a local paging list.  I will let you know as soon as the problem preventing the lists from posting is resolved.

Thanks to those who reported the problem and to all for your patience and understanding.

Pedro

New Comment Form

From Laurie 8/29/13:
There is a revised comment form in English and Spanish on the Intranet under Forms and Misc.  The new form includes a place for customers to put an email address as well as indicate how they would like to be contacted.  Please start to use the new form from here on out.

Also, please remember that the staff member that accepts the form should initial the form and indicate what he/she might have said in response to the customer and whether or not follow-up is needed.

English Form
Spanish Form

If you have any questions, please contact your Team Leader.


PF

Discrimination Sign

Good Afternoon,

All locations will receive Title VI Non-Discrimination Statement of Policy signs that need to be posted on staff and public bulletin boards. 

Signs will be mailed to your location this week and if you need more signs, please submit a Print Shop Request Form. 

Pedro

Vendor Visit

In the next few days, a vendor named Shawn Brumley will be visiting the Neighborhood Libraries listed below. The purpose for the visit is to determine whether a newer model RFID type detection system will fit, and make observations regarding possibility of selfcheck at your location(s).  Please allow him to survey your building.  If you have questions, please let us know.

Acres Homes, Blue Ridge, Carnegie, Dixon, Flores, Heights, Hillendahl, Johnson, Kashmere, Lakewood, Mancuso, Melcher, Meyer, Montrose, Moody, Park Place, Pleasantville, Ring, Scenic Woods, Smith, SW Express, Tuttle, Walter, and Young

Pedro

Employee Assistance Program

Last week we had a patron by the name of Jeffrey Green pass away at the library. Some of you may have known him. While the staff did a great job in providing assistance and keeping the library calm it is still hard to see this happen. Below is some information that may be of great assistance and are free to take advantage of if you believe you would benefit from it. If you need more information feel free to ask me.

Employee Assistance Program
The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a benefit program for City of
Houston employees and their family members. Licensed mental health professionals
are available to help with individual problems, marital problems, family problems,
work related problems, and financial/legal concerns.
State and federal guidelines require that EAP records are confidential;
EAP counselors cannot share information about an employee's use of the program
without the employee's prior knowledge and written permission.
The employee's initial visit to EAP is on Library time. Subsequent visits
may be scheduled on work time or leave time at the discretion of the unit manager.

Pedro Fonseca

8/22/13 Manager's Meeting Notes

Announcements:

-Sirsi Training is every Friday if we need to send new hires, or just go to a refresher course.  Someone mentioned that new material is covered each week, so it is worth it to go multiple times.

    -There is a new comment form available.  Staff needs to write something on it before sending it to administration.  For example, “Response needed”; “No response needed”; what staff said to customer, etc.  Staff member who receives the report must initial it.

    - Try to remember the dates that you will be attending the customer service training. It will also be on the daily schedule.

    - Very important – Remind staff that our workday is from 9:15-6:15.  We stop work at 6:15 p.m.  We must stay open until 6:00 PM.  If someone is in line when it’s time to close, we must help them.  If someone’s applying for a library card, and it will be complicated to get them out on time (fines, duplicate account, multiple cards, etc.) we can ask them to come back the next day.  There was discussion among managers about allowing customers to keep laptops until 6:00.  Most felt that since the regular computers shut down at 10 til the closing hour, the laptops should be turned in at that time as well.

     - Affordable Care Act (ACA):  Laurie and Shammi were getting a lot of questions from staff about helping patrons to answer specific questions.  Laurie reminded us that our role is limited, just as it is during tax season:  We are to help customers navigate the website and to get them an email address if they need one.  We are not to input information for them or answer questions such as “Which plan is the best for me?”

     - Read Mary’s latest email about the pop-up library materials.  We are to send in the punch card, and there are instructions for what to do with the materials. (Hi, Team, Once again, it is very important that I receive all punch cards and surveys related to the Pop Up Library program.  Please send all surveys and punch cards to:"

§  Houston Public Library, Central

§  ATTN: Mary Wagoner, Team Leader

§  NL Administration, Suite 629

§  RE: PUL

     - Statistics:   There was a lot of discussion about what to include as part of the stats for “Pulled” and “Processed”.  Starting September 1, everything needs to be classified and counted as follows:

·        Pulled = The entire paging list for that day (even if not all are found) + all items on the “clear holds” list + anything that is checked in and has a transit slip going to another location (including CEN).

·        Processed = Delivery + anything we check in that goes on the hold shelf.  (An email was sent Thursday or Friday about specifics; it might have changed from the meeting.)

- Approving vacations:  Don’t approve 3 or 4 staff at one time.  The manager and assistant manager can’t be on vacation at the same time.  (If one’s on vacation, and the other has a day off, that’s okay.)  

-Subs:  They have a very limited pool of subs (around 7 per Yolanda Anguiano) that will answer their phone and come to work.

Reporting Open Job Lab Stats

Hi,

In an effort to streamline the reporting process for Open Job Labs and Workforce Solutions, Thuy Vo has reinstalled the easy to use drop down for each program in the NL Leader’s blog: http://hplspecialprojects.blogspot.com/

Special Projects Guides

• Open Job Lab Statistics
• Workforce Solution Lab Statistics
• Special Projects: Community Profiles Site
• Using Google Maps Instructions
• Google Maps Presentation
• Advanced Searching on www.har.com

You simply choose your location, date, and number of attendees.  Yolanda will pull the statistics from the blog instead of you emailing her.   Thanks!

Best regards,

Mary Wagoner, M.L.I.S.

Reporting Computer Classes

Hello All,

As you are aware the funding to support staff for BTOP computer classes has ended.  We will still record all computer classes in the Google doc system we are presently using. 

·         If you are continuing classes previously conducted as BTOP classes they will be reported as EXPANDED  in the statistical reporting system.

·         If you are reporting classes that have always been conducted by HPL staff, volunteers, or IT contractors, they will be submitted as EXISITING in the statistical reporting system(same as before).

·         If you have new classes that are being introduced after the BTOP grant has ended they will be reported as EXISTING in the statistical reporting system.

In order to track these services I will need a schedule of all computer classes conducted after July 31.  This schedule needs to be highlighted as follows:

·         Classes conducted by IT contractors, reported as EXISTING classes in blue.

·         Classes conducted by HPL staff or volunteers, reported as Existing classes in green.

·         Classes taken over by HPL staff (previous BTOP), reported as EXPANDED classes in red.

Please provide these schedules by August 15, 2013.

When there are schedule changes or new classes added to the schedule please send an update to myself with the revised schedule.  Thank you so much for your assistance in this matter.  If there are questions please don’t hesitate to contact me.  Have a great day!

Cylenthia Hoyrd

Heat Emergency Plan

Good afternoon, all-

The City has activated its Heat Emergency Plan.  As part of this plan, all HPL locations are designated as official Cooling Centers.  Our locations and service hours have been included in press releases and other communications that encourage those who need to get out of the heat to visit one of the official Centers. 

You can find more information below, or at http://www.houstonoem.net/go/site/4027/. 

Thanks.  Please let me know if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Greg

Internet Connection at Oak

From David:
The network team feels that your network issue should now be resolved at Oak Forest.  Please let the Help Desk know if you experience public or staff computers losing their internet connection.  The changes they made should provide more than enough IP addresses to handle all of your computers.

If there are any issues with a customer not being able to access the internet or keeps taking them back to the library webpage please report it to IT. 
Thank you,
PF

Intranet Login Info

From David:
For most users the intranet login was set up to be the same as the old III MilCirc login.  So if your III login does not work we can reset your password.  The intranet does not use the employee number as the username.  For example if your name is Joe Cool your intranet username would be jcool.  There is an 8 character limit on intranet usernames.  If your name is Joe Williams the username will be jwilliam.

Pedro

Paging and Clear Holds

From Syma:

I am very excited to report that your daily holds reports (paging lists) and your clean hold shelf reports are now available on the staff Intranet.  Go to the Reference pagehttps://hplnet.hpl.lib.tx.us/reference.html (available from a link on the top right of the Intranet home page).  You will see a gray box on the left side of the page labeled HOLDS.  Click on the link, log in to the Intranet and you can click on your reports and print them out.  These will be uploaded daily.

If you do not remember your Intranet password, send an email to the HPL IT Helpdesk with your name, employee number, and a phone number where you can be reached.  Someone from the Helpdesk will call you with your password since we do not want to send this by email.

Special thanks to George Eggleston in IT and Fred Schumacher for making this happen and to Roland Lemonius for putting it up on the site so quickly.

If you have questions about this, please let me know.

The link is available on the blog.

Pedro

New Meeting Room Procedures

Hi everyone,

Just a heads up.

We have a meeting room calendar on the blog. We will no longer be printing out daily calendars to put in the binder. The only paper going in the binder is the Room Reservation form.

Staff in charge of programs will have to keep updating the calendar with any programs they will have. There is a blank template that may be changed if the program will be recurring. At the top of the template it tells you what you need to add for a patron which includes time, name of group, name of person, phone number, if a room reservation form is needed and staff initial and date. The reservations are color coded so take a look and try to keep it the same. You are able to edit the form as long as you are logged in under oak or acres staff names.

If you have any questions feel free to ask.

Pedro Fonseca