Author: Eric Melton

Sometimes non-Public Services staff have to step in and help patrons at the public printer or to fax a document. I’ve created some “cheat sheets” to hopefully make it easier to pull off these tasks. 

Instructions for Faxing or Scanning using the Brother Printer are located in the filebox to the left of the printer.

Instructions for Printing or Scanning using the Xerox Printer are clipped to the back of the printer. Along with helpful tips and hints.

These instructions are also stored here P:\Public Services\How to\help patrons with Public printer-Release station-etc.

I’d like to invite all staff to attend (on the clock of course)  the Innovative Libraries Online Conference on Thursday, January 17th, 9am – 4pm in the Archive Room. 

The conference has several sesssion (the opening session is by Ryan Dowd) so please take a look at the schedule and attend those you’re most interested in.

Please register via the link below:

https://www.johnstonlibrary.com/events/?event_page=registration&did=31128

To continue to build on the training Ryan Dowd training, we will be sending weekly tips on using Empathy-Based Tools to provide customer service and manage behavior in the library. Please remember that Ryan Dowd focuses on those experiencing homelessness, but these tips are applicable for most challenging patron interactions. If you or a co-worker have an Empathy-Based Tools success story (or challenge) you would like to share, please email Molly.

When Sergeant Agan presented about de-escalation, he talked about how personal respect is earned but professional respect is given.

We will occasionally have unpleasant encounters with people. Do not take it personally if a library user does not treat you with respect. It may be a cultural misunderstanding. He/she/they may be dealing with stress or trauma.

When we do enforce the Library’s conduct policy, remember the Platinum Rule that Sergeant Agan shared: Treat others as you would like to be treated under identical circumstances. Library users get our respect when they are showering us with praise and they get our respect when they are being escorted out of the building.

In this clip, Ryan Dowd shares about cultural differences in how respect is earned or given and how that can cause conflict between library staff and library users from a lower socioeconomic status.

https://my.nicheacademy.com/johnstonlibrarystaff/course/1558/lesson/7360

The Library Board approved changes to the Circulation & Library Card Policy at last night’s meeting. Amongst the changes are the following updates to overdue fees:

• Increase of maximum fines before a patron is blocked from $10 to $15 
• Decrease in maximum overdue fines for a single item from $10 to $5

These changes have been made in Polaris and are now effective. The new policy includes a few other changes that will become effective at a later date–more information forthcoming.

I am glad you all have enjoyed my homemade bagels, but I still saw a lot of garden veggie cream cheese in the fridge.  Please feel free to have that not only on bagels, but also on things of your own.  It should last for at least another month, and it’s great on crackers! 

Yep, it’s that time again.

Please place your completed time sheets into the green folder outside Eric’s off by 8 pm on Thursday, December 20. Attach PARs if necessary.

As we head into holiday closings be mindful if you’ll be in the library to turn in your time sheet for the next pay period (ending January 5, 2019). If needed, you can always complete a time sheet and place it in slot 14 of the expandable file folder outside Eric’s office.

If you have questions, send me an email or chat with your supervisor.

Thanks everyone!

Peg 

Deepa and I have taken over the task of planning this year’s Holiday Party. 

We’ve decided on a location – Smash Park in West Des Moines, but need your help on deciding on the date. 

Please fill out the following poll by Friday, December 28 to let us know what dates work the best for you.

https://doodle.com/poll/bs85tx2qgwr7t55q

The date that works for the most people will be the one we go with. 

Find out more about Smash Park here:

Let’s Play

We will eat, drink, and play!

Thanks!

New Year’s Eve Pops on December 31st at 8 PM at the Civic Center downtown.  https://dmsymphony.org/events/new-years-eve-pops-from-west-side-story-to-wicked/.

Here’s information about our family concert in January:  https://desmoinesperformingarts.org/events/1819-peter-and-the-wolf-symphony/.  I’m sure you all have listened to Peter and the Wolf before.

Definitely consider Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets!  https://desmoinesperformingarts.org/events/2019-harry-potter-and-the-chamber-of-secrets/. 

I brought some homemade bagels, which are on the table in the staff lounge.  There’s garden veggie cream cheese in the fridge, and I will put the bagels in the freezer when I leave today (12/12).  Please help yourself when you get a chance!

To continue to build on the training Ryan Dowd training, we will be sending weekly tips on using Empathy-Based Tools to provide customer service and manage behavior in the library. Please remember that Ryan Dowd focuses on those experiencing homelessness, but these tips are applicable for most challenging patron interactions. If you or a co-worker have an Empathy-Based Tools success story (or challenge) you would like to share, please email Molly.

Recently a library patron asked Denise if she could take food from the Free Little Pantry near the entrance. The next week, that same patron brought in food for the Little Pantry. She told Denise that the few food items she had taken had fed her all weekend because she had run out of money. She wanted to give back that week since she had something to share. Then she gave Denise a hug.

This patron can be challenging, but Denise and others have worked hard to build our relationships with her. I’m fairly certain there will be difficult interactions in the future, but I’ll bet things will be smoother for us than they have been in the past. I would like to thank Denise for the work she has done to build a relationship and put “pennies in the cup.”

It will be easier for all of us not to judge behavior when we try to remember the circumstances that some library users face. We aren’t expected to allow people to break the rules. When we work to suspend judgment, we will be better able to accommodate all library users and encourage voluntary compliance with our conduct policy.

https://my.nicheacademy.com/johnstonlibrarystaff/course/1558/lesson/7381

The Express Printing Station is now live behind the ref desk. This PC is intended for printing quickly from a flash drive, the web, or email and has a 15 minute limit.

You know the drill: 1) confirm that your time sheet matches When to Work; 2) place completed time sheet in green folder outside Eric’s office by Thursday, 8pm; 3) attach completed PARs for PTO.

Thanks,

Peg

Thank you to all of you that donated to Casual for a Cause. We raised $187 and were able to purchase gifts for five Star Cards.

Gifts purchased:

13 year old boy

 Game Stop gift card

4 year old girl

Barbie

Barbie clothes

pajamas

8 year old boy

LEGO – Batman

socks

Dog Man book

11 year old boy

hoodie

sweat pants

basketball

11 year old boy

Diary of a Wimpy Kid book

legos – helicopter

legos – car

Goosebumps book

Winners of the gingerbread house contest have been notified. Prizes are on the ledge behind circ. 

Checkout the winners here

To continue to build on the training Ryan Dowd training, we will be sending weekly tips on using Empathy-Based Tools to provide customer service and manage behavior in the library. Please remember that Ryan Dowd focuses on those experiencing homelessness, but these tips are applicable for most challenging patron interactions. If you or a co-worker have an Empathy-Based Tools success story (or challenge) you would like to share, please email Molly.

Building relationships and putting “pennies in the cup” will make a difference. Our training taught us that it takes five good interactions to counteract one negative interaction. On a Wednesday, as the library’s energy increased with the after-school crowd, a large group of student walked past the Reference Desk. Peg took a moment to establish eye contact with two of the girls, and said, “It is nice to see those big smiles on your faces today.” The girls nodded at Peg. If that group had become boisterous later in the day, it would have been easier for Peg to approach the group and talk with them about their behavior in a friendly, conversational manner because she had established a rapport. If the group didn’t have any problems, she promoted equal access to library services AND she added “pennies to her cup.” Good work, Peg!

https://my.nicheacademy.com/johnstonlibrarystaff/course/1558/lesson/7370

At the July staff meeting, I spoke about the increased popularity of interlibrary loan for our patrons.  Because of the volume of requests we’re now receiving, TS has made some refinements to the process.

Five Active Requests

Patrons may no longer submit more than 5 interlibrary loan requests at a time.  We used to allow them to submit as many as they wanted, with the understanding that only 5 could be active at a time.  This proved too difficult for us to manage, and we’re shifting the responsibility of managing multiple requests back to the patron.

Eric has modified the interlibrary loan request form to check the Polaris database for the number of active requests.  When the patron tries to submit the sixth request, s/he receives an error message.

Two Renewals

Patrons may only request two renewals of borrowed material.  Approval of renewals is still at the discretion of the lending library.  TS will submit a request to the lending library.  While we’re waiting to hear back, the patron may hang on to the item.  We’ll resolve any overdue fees once we hear back from the lending library. 

Renewals do not display in the Items Out view for interlibrary loan materials, so forward all renewal requests to Dreama and Missy via e-mail.  We’ll determine whether the patron is eligible to request a renewal.

An FAQ is now available on the web site to answer everyone’s questions about ILL.

Not a lot of news from last month’s board meeting. I’ve included the highlights.

*Foundation

At their November meeting, the Library Foundation approved a budget for their 2019 fiscal year which begins in January. The budget includes the two major projects that will be discussed at this week’s all-staff meeting: construction of a quiet room in the old copier area and revamp of the audio and video controls in the Large Meeting Room.

*Technlology

Additional Wi-Fi routers have been installed in the Story Time Room and the East Meeting Room to extend Wi-Fi access to the front exterior and the west patio.

Good afternoon,

 Please join us for the holiday potluck on Friday, December 14^th. The potluck will be at City Hall from 11:30-1:00.

Thank you!!

 Kaitlyn Royer

Administrative Assistant

City of Johnston

We’ve raised $110 so far for Project Share!

This is the last week you can purchase stickers or buttons to be used for Jean Days throughout the month of December. 

Stickers are $1 – You can buy as many as you would like, but each sticker can only be used once

Buttons are $15 – Buttons can be used throughout the whole month of December

The last day to purchase buttons/stickers is THIS Friday! Stickers/buttons are redeemable beginning December 1. 

You must be wearing the sticker or button any time you are wearing jeans on a non-casual day.