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.