Author: Molly Guerra

Here is the recording for today’s meeting.

Topic: Circ Staff Meeting
Start Time: Aug 21, 2022 10:57 AM

Meeting Recording:
https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/FQSG391yL-39A1n9CXnbgYFuepw8QeofTFwFUTn3a6NwTLKOl_5NQ4jwEsVGVaVj.4z4LjckF06dQABrb

Topic: Circ Staff Meeting
Time: Aug 21, 2022 11:00 AM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81776797106

Meeting ID: 817 7679 7106

________________________________________________________________

I have added everyone to When to Work. 

I hope you can attend via Zoom this Sunday. If you cannot attend “live” via Zoom, please make sure to watch the recording at a time that works for you outside of your regular shifts.

If you cannot make the time outside of your regular shifts, please contact me. I will remove the extra hours from When to Work and arrange a time for you to watch during one of your shifts. 

So, as you probably have noticed from the calls you have received, there seems to have been a sudden increase in items being shelved without being checked in since late June.

We were doing really, really well while we were double scanning our items so I am going to request that we go back to double scanning everything at check-in.

My next request is that you separate the process of checking in from examining for damage or wiping down.

1. So please just go through your cart and slowly scan each item before you wipe it, fan it out, or examine it for damage. No cloth in hand – nothing. The first step in the process should be checking in the item – and just that. Please put your entire focus on getting that item in and off the patron’s account.
   1. Special instructions for holds:
      1. If an item traps a hold, quickly scan it for damage, fan it and look for missing parts before hitting continue to trap the hold. Once you have a hold slip printed, you know it was checked in.
      2. If you notice major damage or missing pieces during this check, click No in the holds notification window. Then hit Yes when prompted to reactivate the hold. Then place the item to a circ status of In-Repair or use Special Item Check-in to get the item where it needs to go. Make sure you put a circ expedite slip with the item and the proper orange form. After the part is returned or after the item is repaired, the hold will be trapped when the item is scanned through the check-in screen.
2. Next – go through your cart and fan each item, wipe it down if necessary, and examine it for missing parts or damage. Scan once more for good measure and continue to preshelve the items.

I hope these two steps will help. It will slow us down with check-in, and that is ok. I would rather be accurate than fast,

Please let me know if you have questions.

I’m publishing the first two weeks of August on When to Work today. Saturday the rest of August will be published.

I will be in Los Angeles until Sunday, June 26th. I will check my email, but text is the best way to get ahold of me at 515-210-4441. If you cannot reach me, Denise can be reached at 515-441-6769.

I will see you next week.

Thank you guys for the extra work of double scanning at check-in over the last month. There has been a big decrease in the number of items found on the shelf that are still checked out.

At this point, I will leave it up to you to decide if you will continue to double scan items. For me, I will continue to double scan just to be safe. I trust you to decide what works best for you. There may be instances where you feel it is best to double scan and instances where you feel it is unnecessary.

If we see an uptick in items on the shelf that have not been checked in, we may return to the practice across the department.

My main takeaways from the last month are:

1. Please make sure you are watching the Check-in screen while doing check-in. The scanner will beep even if the item has not been checked in because you are not in Polaris or because your cursor is not in the correct field. Make sure you see that after you scan, the item’s information goes across the Check-in screen.
2. Please scan every item you find on a desk, table, or counter through the Check-in screen to make sure it is checked in and to verify the shelf location.

As always, thanks so much and let me know if you have questions.

Officially we are not accepting donations for the book sale due to a lack of storage.

• If someone asks, we are not accepting donations.
• If someone shows up with items, we will accept them. The donations go on the black cart labeled donations behind the circulation desk.

The receipts have moved to shelves under Circ 1 and 2 near library card applications – the spot is labeled Tax Receipts.

This is the information from Megan about Summer Reading Program. Our role at the Circ Desk is to provide general information and potentially help out in a pinch if all YS/PS staff are busy. Logs start going out today 🙂

Summer Reading is right around the corner! Logs are located on the counter in the YS workroom if you would like to familiarize yourself with them J As always, if you have any questions, please let me know. I will also print copies of both emails and have them at the YS desk for your reference.

Important Dates:

1^st day to pick up logs is May 28^th

1^st day to redeem prizes is June 11^th

Last day to redeem prizes in July 31^st

Kids Summer Library Program Birth-Kids going into 5th Grade

Kids ages birth-going into 5^th grade are invited to participate in this program. Starting May 28^th, kids can come to the library to pick up all that they need for this year’s summer reading program.

Kids can pick up their activity log at the Youth Services Desk.

Kids are asked to fill in a picture for every activity completed or for every 30 minutes of reading.

When a level is complete (10 pictures), kids can come in to pick up the prize for the completed levels. Please stamp the child’s log when a prize is redeemed.

Prizes:

Level 1: Lanyard & Trailblazer Badge 

Level 2: Activity Kit & Explorer Badge

This year’s activity kit is a DIY bird feeder. The kit includes Crisco, bird seed, a wooden coaster, twine, and a popsicle stick.

Level 3: Goodie Bag & Adventurer Badge

The goodie bag is filled with a variety of coupons: Iowa Cubs ticket, Taco Johns Coupon, Blank Park Zoo pass, & more.

Level 4: Prize Book & Seeker Badge

Each child will receive a book when they finish their log. They are free to choose from picture books, beginning reader, early chapter books, and chapter books. All of the titles are located on the shelving behind the YS desk.

Readers are welcome to complete a bonus log and can get a 2^nd prize book when the bonus log is complete.

Teen Summer Reading is for kids going into 6^th grade-12^th grade.

Teens will be pick up their reading log and can earn points doing the following things:

Reading (points per page OR points per minute)

Reading aloud to someone (5 points per minute)

Listen to an audiobook (1 point per minute)

Watch a movie based on a book (20 pts each, up to 100 pts)

Attend a Library Program (50 pts each)

Write a book review (50 pts each)

Watch a TV series based on a book (10 pts/episode, up to 100pts)

When a teen comes in, have them add up their total points and write the total points they have on their sheet.  After giving them the prizes they’ve earned, date & initial where the total points are and check off the prizes that they’ve received. All prizes will be organized by point level and will be located behind the YS desk.

When teens reach 500 points they receive a ticket to the Laser Tag Super Reward Party. There is a 3-ring binder containing the tickets. Please fill out the ticket-stub accordingly and give the ticket to the teen. Remind the teen that they must register and have the ticket in hand to attend the final party!

In order to make sure that we have carts and space available, please look through these guidelines.

In the book return room-  red carts: 

Please fill the cart completely – top and bottom shelves. 

Make sure that if items need to be backdated, they get on a cart with the correct date. 

Please do not start a new cart each time you empty the book returns if items are from the same date. 

In the Circ Workroom- white/grey carts:  

Please do not fill the bottom shelves of carts. 

Take advantage of preshelving or use black carts if necessary. 

Consider shelving, if the desk schedule allows, to make room if carts and preshelving is full. 

Please do not stack books when recently returned or the regular stacks get full. 

Please put shelving flags, green, yellow, and purple away in their holders when you are done with a cart.

The guidelines above are not steadfast rules. I trust you to use your best judgment. 

Let me know if you have questions.

I’ve updated the All Staff Closing Checklist and the Circ  Detailed Closing Checklist to include a note to check the laminator by the TS sink/workbench.  If you close, please make sure a staff member checks this each night to make sure it is off.

The black laminator has a red button on the front that can be depressed to the right (run) or to the left (heat). The button should be centered (off) when we leave or anytime the laminator is not in use.

Ask me if you have any questions about shutting off the laminator.

So I have had some good discussions with some of you about how the last two weeks have gone with double scanning items at check-in.

A couple of you shared with me that you realized that the cursor wasn’t always getting back into the Item Barcode field of the check-in screen and you were scanning items, hearing the beep from the scanner, but not actually getting the item checked in. Thank you for sharing that with me. That is a great reminder that the beep of the scanner means nothing – it is very important that we keep our eyes on the check-in screen, make sure the cursor is in the Item Barcode field and make sure that every scan reflects a new title listed in the check-in screeen.

I have noticed fewer calls and emails about items that we find on the shelves, but let’s continue with double scanning items until Memorial Day weekend with additional focus on the issue above and see if we continue to see improvement.

If you have noticed a trend at check-in that you would like to share with your co-workers, please don’t hesitate to share it.

Thanks for your hard work with this.

This is a piggyback message to Eric’s intranet post about digital cards

Please update accounts with the driver’s license field marked “digital” with the driver’s license number – please do not leave “digital” in the driver’s license field.

Let me know if you have questions.

Until May 9, let’s always re-scan our carts of items before preshelving them at check-in. So after you check-in items and examine them for damage/missing pieces, you should have items on a white cart and ready to preshelve. Please scan each item once more to guarantee it has been checked in. You do not need to scan holds again because there wouldn’t be a slip if you hadn’t checked in the item. 

I know this is extra work, and I know this will slow us down. My hope is that this exercise will help us gain individual awareness of how and when we are missing items at check-in and improve the user experience at JPL. 

I would guess that it will take an extra three to five minutes to re-scan a cart of 60 items – remember you don’t need to check for condition again – just run the barcode through the check-in screen to guarantee every single item that is being shelved/preshelved is checked in.

If your desk schedule allows, you could re-scan your carts of pre shelving at the Checkout Desk during slow periods. 

After May 9th, we can discuss the process as a department to decide if double scanning has been helpful.

Ask Molly or Denise if you have questions.

We are no longer going to scan items found on the black carts or left out on tables or in study rooms using the In House Mode screen of the Check In window.

When you are collecting items that have been left out by library users, please just scan them in the Check In window to make certain the circulation status is In and to verify the shelf location of the item. Then you can put the item in the correct recently returned or pre-shelving area.

Please let your supervisor know if you have any questions.

We are no longer going to scan items found on the black carts or left out on tables or in study rooms using the In House Mode screen of the Check In window.

When you are collecting items that have been left out by library users, please just scan them in the Check In window to make certain the circulation status is In and to verify the shelf location of the item. Then you can put the item in the recently returned or pre-shelving area.

I have updated the closing procedure. Please let me know if you have any questions.

There are two different collections with biographies in the Junior Section. In order to facilitate discovery, biographies that are intended to be read aloud to and shared with younger children will be put in the junior picture book collection in the biography category.

Junior Biographies will have a spine label that begins with (JB)

Junior Picture Books – Biography will have a spine label that begins with  (JP – Bio)

With all the junior picture books, the JP-Bio books will be filed alphabetically by the last word on the spine label. For now, we are disregarding the category.

The junior biographies will be filed with the other junior biographies in alphabetical order.

A hint is to read the call number like an address. J – takes you to the junior collections. B takes you to the biographies section.

J – takes you to the junior collections. P takes you to the picture books.

Things will be less confusing when we finish categorizing the junior picture books.

Let me know if you have questions.

For those of you that could not attend on Sunday here is a recording of the March Circ Staff Meeting:

Topic: March Circ Staff Meeting

Meeting Recording:
https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/OBkwvalrStxe7HWD6p6O0w3ryvUz3SO0Z_UelW4DyvziUyaQ1y6-sgZUZd3BzTSG.dfxWjFIiyv56HR9t

Access Passcode: 123Johnston!

I’ll get the link out for the staff meeting recording later this week for those that couldn’t attend live. I’m sorry for the delay.

Hi All,

I am holding an online Circ Staff Meeting via Zoom this Sunday, March 27th at 11 am.

I will put all of you on When to Work. If you cannot attend online at 11 am on Sunday, please just watch the video at a time that works for you at home.

Topic: Circ Staff Meeting
Time: Mar 27, 2022 11:00 AM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87853960479?pwd=cng4U0wxalhjeVFOWENHOXFXSnEyZz09

Meeting ID: 878 5396 0479
Passcode: 114731

Ok. This is super long, but it is really how I want to see claims returned handled, so I hope it makes sense. Please let me know if you have any questions.

When a patron states that they brought a book back but it is still showing on their account, we should be able to resolve the issue with the claims returned function or by escalating it to Molly or Denise with the Patron Needs Review form.

Very rarely will we want to go to the shelf to look for the item(s). 

Before moving an item to claims returned or escalating the issue, please make sure you are asking the following questions and having a conversation about our check-in timeline when appropriate:

• Do you remember approximately when you brought it back?
  • We don’t need an exact date but was it two hours ago, two days ago, a week ago…
• Did you return it to the library or one of our remote book returns at Beaver Creek Elementary or Horizon Elementary?

The above questions just help us provide education and establish expectations on the time between returning an item and when it is check-in. This is my script:

• Our goal is to have items checked in within 24 hours when using the book returns at the library. Holidays or weekends occasionally put us past that timeline. If you return something to the book return at the library, I recommend waiting two days before contacting us to let us know if it is still showing on your account. We backdate at check-in to reflect the date the items were received at the library.
• For Beaver Creek or Horizon, we generally empty the book returns twice a week (backdating to the last empty), so I generally recommend that people wait one week after returning a book to the remote book returns before they contact us to report a discrepancy.

If the patron is calling about five items or fewer, I put the items to a status of claim returned regardless of the timeframe. I just want to make sure I educate them so, hopefully, they will wait an appropriate amount of time before calling next time.

If the patron has more than five items out, and it seems that the items on a cart waiting to be checked in or in a remote book return waiting to be emptied based on the timeline they provided you, I thank them for calling. I give them a date by which I would expect their items to be checked in. I ask them to check their account or give us a call back after that date if they still detect any errors.

If the patron has more than five items out and from the timeline, it seems like they should have been checked in, please transfer the call to circulation so we can look on the shelf for the book or take a look for the books yourself.

• If you find the books, check them in backdating, and call the patron to apologize and let them know we have checked in the items.
• If you don’t find the books, call back the patron and let them know you are looking for the items but you do not see them on the shelf. If possible, renew the items in question and fill out a patron needs review form so we can follow up with them after looking for the items again. If some of the items have holds and are not renewable, please move them to claim returned (even though there are more than five) and fill out the patron needs review form.

Here are instructions for moving items to claim returned.

*For any of the above scenarios if the item is an ILL or a book club book, would you also send a message to Lori Elrick letting her know the status?