Author: Molly Guerra

Please see the note below from City Hall Payroll:

Please let your employees know that there has been an error in PTO accrual in the pay stubs that were sent out today.  New pay stubs will be sent later today with the correct number of accrued hours reflected. 

The second email you received is your correct pay stub.

Eric Melton submitted his resignation, effective today, to Library Board President, Dan Marvin.

At the regular meeting next week, the Library Board will appoint an interim director.

In the meantime, please direct any communication for Eric to me. As a reminder, my cell is 515-210-4441.

We have moved JMusic CD Preshelving to the bottom shelf under the J Picture Preshelving. Please ask if you have any trouble finding it.

I have put together a holds review with some basic questions I get asked about holds. Ok. This may not be the most fascinating thing you have ever watched. I do think that the info is important though, so with that, here is the link and passcode:

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/L8DXKKJXpRn-EUL9zjQnBv5HQUCb2TqsONCNjLswwgbOGgC08QRxYjXkkJyG7PaA.S3YDEUeqqCzNAdV6?startTime=1683301349000
Passcode: AL0E$sZp

*I will schedule you time to watch this off-desk or backup during your regular shifts.

As we approach summer we may get questions about the Johnston Farmers Market which is held at the Johnston Town Center on Tuesdays, June – September 2023.

The City has a nice page about the Farmers Market which includes links to vendor forms and directs all questions to Nate Osmundson at (515) 727-8091.

So if the link below does not answer the question about the Farmer’s Market, we should refer them to Nate O. with the Parks Department.

https://www.cityofjohnston.com/865/Farmers-Market

At checkout:

• The Tonieboxes will be next to the Launchpads behind the Circ Desk.
• The Tonie Kits will be above the Tonieboxes on the ledge in containers.
• The Wi-Fi Hotspots have also been moved up to the top of the ledge in a container.
• Tags for Tonieboxes and Tonie Kits will be kept on the shelf near the Tonieboxes and Launchpads.

At Checkin:

• All the pieces are listed on the tag so make sure all the pieces are returned. The pieces are all marked with JPL and a partial barcode, so please verify that the correct pieces are in the correct kit or box.

Eric has arranged a training opportunity for staff on May 19th from 9 am – 12 pm.  My understanding is it will be a general safety training by the Johnston Police Department – but more details to come.

Since this is outside our regular meeting times, please email me and let me know if you will be able to attend the paid training and I will add you to When to Work. If you are already scheduled to work during that time, you do not need to let me know you will be here 🙂

Thanks!

Happy National Library Workers Day!

Your hard work and dedication are seen and appreciated. Thank you for all that you do for the community, the library, and each other.

Enjoy some treats in the break room!

The public can pick up a kite kit from the library in preparation for Kites on the Green. I have some kite kits behind the Circ Desk, on the white cart, if anyone asks for one.

Molly

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/vKJEuiMsKMNzN0otDbDVlVs022CcwRA383tBbH2MnKyQMifPALqdd4n8UlT6hb0q.Yn68PwfBpNtjcxAo

Above is the link to the Circ Staff Meeting from yesterday. I have you all down for 1.25 hours. Please watch from home if you did not make it to the meeting yesterday.

Let me know if you have questions.

Molly

In the last few months, we have had a few instances where people who look for used books that they can resell for a profit have asked to look at our donated book inventory that is not out in the Commons.

We have occasionally let them look at books on the donated cart, and I have had people press to be let into the book sale closet to go through books.

Going forward, we do not allow people to sort through the donations cart, boxed books for the Lions Club, or get into the book sale closet to search through our donated items that have not been put out for sale. If you are pressed, please share that we have a process for reviewing donated items, and only items put out in the book sale area are available to browse or purchase. We do not place holds on book sale items.

Let Molly or Laura know if you have questions.

At the March meeting, the library board approved an update to the Circulation Policy.

In order to allow children whose parents are unable to visit the library to apply for a standard juvenile library card access to materials, provisional juvenile library cards will now be good for checking out four items at a time until the library card expires.

Provisional juvenile cards will expire after six months. If they are renewed by the child, another postcard will be mailed to the parent or guardian.

Quick reminders:

1. Children need to be able to provide their name, address, and date of birth to get a provisional juvenile card. Unlike computer cards where we will accept addresses like “next door” or “Des Moines,” we need to have a complete address so we can send the postcard to their parent or guardian.
2. Phone and email are not required for any type of library card. I would recommend that anyone provide those so we can help them by sending reminder notices, but no card requires a phone or email.

*Adult provisional cards are still limited to two items on the day they apply for a card.

Here is the updated procedure. I have also printed copies for all the service desks. We have updated postcards at all the service desks.

Please ask Molly or Denise if you have any questions.

We are going to be holding a virtual Circ Staff Meeting on Sunday, April 23rd at 11 am. Please join live via Zoom if you can. If you cannot make it at 11 am that day, I will still put you on When to Work for 1 hour. Please watch the video on your own sometime that week to make up the hour.

Let me know if you have any questions or if there are agenda items you would like to have added to the meeting.

Topic: Circ Staff Meeting
Time: Apr 23, 2023 11:00 AM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89606570397

Cetrick Willis, JPL weekend shelver and VIP patron, has decided to step down from his paid position at the library. He is finishing up his senior year at Hoover High School, and he hopes to attend Grand View next year.

Cetrick says,”I would like to thank you for giving me the opportunity to work at a amazing place with wonderful staff.”

I don’t think I have a current address for him on Polaris, but his email is cetrick904@gmail.com if you would like to wish him well.

The Ultimate Reading Challenge will be giving fine coupons as a prize. In past years, we handed out fine coupons for Summer Reading Program prizes. There are coupons out there for free book sale books.

If you are presented with a fine coupon:

• Fine coupons are only good for fines or “overdue item” fees. They cannot be used for replacement, damage, or processing fees.
• Coupon transactions are NOT put in the cash register. You will mark the amount “paid” with coupons as “coupons” from the payment drop-down menu. Coupon transactions will NOT go in the cash register. So for instance:
  • Molly has $.90 in fines. She presents a $1 fine coupon. You would mark the fine as paid with a coupon on Polaris. There would be nothing else to do. We do not offer “change” for coupons. Do NOT enter it in the cash register.
  • Molly has $1.50 in fines. She presents a $1 fine coupon and $0.50 cash. You would mark $1 in fines paid as a coupon in Polaris. You would mark the remaining $0.50 paid as cash in Polaris. You would ONLY enter $0.50 into the cash register.
• You can recycle the coupon after you have cleared the fee. We do not need to save them.

If you are presented with a book sale coupon:

• Take the coupon(s) in exchange for the item(s)from the book sale room.
• There is nothing to enter in the iPad cash register. You can recylce the book sale coupon. We do not need to keep the coupons.

The cash register/foundation register is only for real money (cash, credit cards, checks) – not coupons. The bank doesn’t want our fine coupons 🙂 

Please let me know if you have questions.

I have had several people ask me about how to access the Employee Handbook or get information about other benefits for those that qualify.

There is a website with information about benefits offered at cityofjohnston.touchpointsonline.com (the password is CityofJohnston)

There is also an Employee Intranet on the City’s website. You can access it at http://www.cityofjohnston.com/434/Intranet

• You will be asked to create an account.
• On the City’s Employee Intranet, you can get the most recent copy of the Employee Handbook under Employee Policies and Information.
  • Here is a link to the Handbook. My understanding is that if it is updated, they will print everyone a copy to review the changes.

If you have questions about your benefits please don’t hesitate to reach out to your supervisor.

As we enter the season where the weather swings from warm to cool, our poor chiller is easily confused and often needs to be reset.

If you notice that the temperature is higher than usual, there is a thermometer at the Circulation Desk, the chiller needs to be reset. Anyone can reset the chiller, but please make sure you find coverage for your desk if you reset the chiller. If Molly or Eric are available, we are happy to do it. If we are gone, and no one volunteers, it will be the responsibility of the librarian in charge.

Instructions for resetting the chiller are under Documentation-Building/Technology on the Intranet. If I haven’t walked you through it, and you would rather learn hands-on, let me know. I am happy to show you how.

I am going to be out of town until Thursday, March 16th. If you have anything that needs attention before then, please don’t hesitate to text me at 515-210-4441.

I will respond to emails when I get back. Please reach out to circulation staff with any circulation-related questions or feel free to fill out a patron/item needs review form from the green folder at the Circ Desk.

Hello,

This week and next, I will be assigning everyone time to watch part II of meeting and study room reservations.

Please print a copy of the handout to follow along with the meeting.

Here is the link to the meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/U979-5292eKPE-2oGGClcQsqU_cqEz7cT6Dc46_ksW-aVC6SgJ6vda_AVcRIUg0._v0kuv-p6o7ETEA1
Passcode: 1R!oRw1J

Please ask if you have questions.