Excerpts from Manager's Musings 3-16-09

VITA & Tax Information
We are no longer a VITA Tax Assistance site and cannot provide income tax assistance. Most of you are aware of this. However, there are apparently some local referral agencies that have a list that still includes our name as a service-provider I have had several calls from folks who want help with their taxes. I have ascertained where they got their information and have called those agencies to ask them to remove our name from their list. However, you still may get the odd call from someone who has been given old information. Please advise them to go to the IRS website for federal tax information. For California tax info they can visit ftb.ca.gov or call 800.338.0505.

Japanese Literature:
Some of our recently processed books that are part of the Japanese Literature purchase were accompanied by a poster giving a thumbnail sketch of 5 of the books. Byung suggested displaying the poster & books together. They will replace the “Give Peace a Chance” display near the elevator”.

Escondido Public Library:
The Escondido Public Library has new programs and attractions, however, their hours have changed. Please be sure to note their new, curtailed open hours schedule.

Highlights from the Public Services Meeting Held 3/12/09

Many of you have used the hand-held scanner recently to scan barcodes on library materials that were not checked out to patrons, but were used in the library. Thank you for helping with the testing and development of this procedure. It has proven to be very worthwhile in the high statistics that it gives us. Please ask Pat for more details of exactly what you should scan when you are working at the Circ desk since this process has evolved since the meeting minutes below.

This spring and summer we will be making a big change in the location, call numbers and shelving of Instructor Reserve materials. First of all, the materials in the Rare Book room will be weeded and the ones we are going to keep will be moved to a small storage room in the NE corner of the 3rd floor. We will then move ALL Instructor Reserve materials into that room, with overflow or future growth of the collection going on the shelves behind the circ desk that currently house the closed IR materials. There will no longer be any IR materials in open stacks along the brick wall in the Reference area.

In addition to this change in location, the call numbers on all IRs will change. They will clearly state that the item is a reserve, it will have the course name and number as well as the first three letters of the instructor’s last name.

And the third change is that all of the IRs will be on the shelf in order of the course name rather than the instructor name.

n You will see the term “library anxiety” used in the minutes. Linda, Byung and Katherine received a grant to fund some training and activities for library staff this year with a goal of helping our patrons overcome their library anxiety. So it doesn’t refer to anxiety that any of us have about working here!

Student Use of Fax Machine and other Changes

At the Librarians and Supervisors Meeting on Tuesday, March 3, the following decisions were made.

Fax Machine Policy for Students

Is there a fax machine in the library for student faxing? Is there a policy regarding student faxing? These questions arose at the last Public Services meeting and Linda asked for clarification regarding these issues.

After much discussion it was decided that the fax machine currently located behind the circulation desk would be removed. We do not offer fax service for students at the library. A list of local fax resources will be compiled.

Jay will look into the possibility of moving the fax machine into Dennis' office. He will look into whether or not there is a phone line in that office that can accommodate it. The fax machine was originally meant to be located in that office for Isabel's use with ILLs.

Scanner Attached to DPSP Computer

Students are allowed to use the scanner in the DSPS area. They must give up that computer if a disabled student needs to use it.

Librarians at Circ Desk in Search of Reserve Items

Issues associated with some librarians accompanying students to the Circulation Desk to retrieve reserve materials were discussed. It was decided that the librarian is to simply send students seeking reserves to the Circulation Desk for help - or if they must accompany them, hand them over to Circ staff rather than go behind the desk. This should eliminate the problem of students returning to the Circ Desk and going back to retrieve books themselves.

If you have any questions about these items, please see your supervisor.

Public Services Meeting Highlights

Thursday 02/26/09

RESERVE RESULTS

Pat shared that the working committee met and have devised the following suggestions:

1. All reserves will be 2 hours unless the instructor has approved a different time limit.
2. Reserves will be on the shelves by course name and number: personal copies will still include the instructor's name.
3. Open reserves will now be closed reserves and will be kept behind the desk.
4. Request that the Rare Book Room be used to accommodate the added reserves.

These suggestions were brought before the librarians who approved them unanimously.

The new policies will start in the fall 2009 semester. Preparations will take place during the summer months. Mary will need help editing records and Pat is asking for qualified volunteers.

Shortly before the end of each semester a letter will be sent to instructors asking if they want their books to remain on reserve for the upcoming semester. If they fail to reply their personal books will be returned to them via their departments and all others will be moved back into the stacks. Judy will be sending a letter to all departments notifying of the new procedure.

ILL FORM

Isabel discussed the ILL forms and asked that all staff take extra care to make sure every line of each form is filled out and initialed by the person accepting it. It is especially important that they specify if they are willing to pay, and if so, how much they are willing to pay. Also their phone/contact information and the expiration date of the ILL request is very important.

ILLs should start at the Reference Desk, get the required librarian's signature and then come to the Circulation Desk.

3rd FLOOR - FOOD and TALKING

Pat shared that since the new policy started there is much more evidence of drink cups and cans, especially in 3rd floor carrels and foot-long sandwich wrappers, napkins, general trash from students eating and drinking upstairs. In the evening especially there is much more clean up required. Linda will take this issue back to the Librarian's and Supervisor's meeting for further clarification.

Noise issues on the 3rd floor are being made worse by group study tables located in the stairwell area of the 2nd floor. Noise from study groups at these tables is being drawn up through the opening between the two floors and causing excessive noise in the quiet study areas of the 3rd floor.

CELL PHONE USAGE

Cell phone usage is already banned on the 1st and 3rd floors. The issue will be brought up at the next Librarian's and Supervisor's meeting. In the meantime a sign or signs should be put up asking that all cell phones be set to vibrate while inside the building. It was further decided that people speaking loudly on their phones in the 2nd floor foyer would be asked to go outside while talking.

TECHS AT REFERENCE DESK

Techs working at the reference desk were asked to be more mindful during busy times and make more of an effort to encourage students/patrons to use their services.

EQUIPMENT

Linda announced that there was money available for equipment and asked for ideas and suggestions.
Michael suggested quiet pencil sharpeners - Linda felt that would fall under the category of Supplies and not Equipment. A scanner for student use was suggested as were a couple of backup keypads and a new fax machine. Pat also suggested a cash register.


OTHER

1. Pat asked that when checking out material techs be sure to tear off all receipts and either give them to the student or destroy them.

2. Discussion took place regarding proper reserve procedures behind the circulation desk. Adjunct librarians have been bringing students behind the desk, finding the material they need, handing it to the student and instructing the student to take it back around the desk and check it out. This creates problems when students do not carry through and properly check material out. And, it leads to students thinking that they can come behind the desk and retrieve their own reserve material - which is definitely a no-no. It was suggested that adjuncts be notified that this isn't the correct procedure and in fact they don't need to accompany the student to the circulation desk. Instead they should send students directly to the circulation desk for help with reserves. It was further suggested that a blog with updated information for adjunct librarians be instituted.


3. Another subject for the next librarian's and supervisor's meeting was suggested - catalog changes with location of display has caused major havoc with circulation - would like this issue brought to the librarian's attention.


4. A change in boom-boxes/audio CD players in study carrels will be made. From now on only two will be left in carrels; all others will be moved into a storage area to be determined, in order to free up more space for study needs.

Meeting adjourned: 12:40 pm
Many thanks to Chris Bundy for taking the minutes of the meeting.