Category: All-Library News

Could everyone take a moment to review How to Handle Lost and Found in Confluence this week please 🙂

Locked Drawer:

• As a reminder – the locked Lost and Found drawer should be used for “cash, cell phones, credit/debit cards, gift cards, tablets, or other small valuables (worth more than $25).” Other items do not need to be locked up and are less likely to get found if they are in the drawer.
• We need to list items put this drawer in the green notebook and then note in the green notebook when the items is picked up or taken care of by staff.  We use the green notebook to leave documentation of where an item went. For higher value items, it is helpful for your coworkers to have a paper trail (the green notebook) of where items went in case someone comes in expecting to find their phone or ID and it is not in the drawer.
• Slack is a great way to let people know that something has been put in the locked drawer or a pickup has been scheduled, but it is not a substitute for marking notes in the green notebook.

Regular Lost and Found:

• Please put your initials and the date found on items
• Please empty food or drink containers

Thank you!

I have put a copy of the Jamex Coin-op override key on the keychain with the master key and tree key that lives at the PS Desk in the top drawer. It is labeled coin-op.

There is a spare coin-op key on the master keychain which hangs in the locked money cabinet.

After receiving valuable feedback concerning the role of the Librarian in Charge (LIC), we want to clarify expectations and foster an environment where all staff feel empowered to seek guidance and make informed decisions.

Our goal is to ensure that there is always someone available to promptly address any escalated situations involving the building, patrons, and staff.

LICs are there to act as a support and provide assistance when necessary, but we want to encourage staff to continue to feel empowered to make decisions.

Responsibilities of the LIC:

• Responding to Building Emergencies:
  • Be proactive in assessing and swiftly responding to any building emergencies, ensuring the safety and well-being of staff and patrons.
  • Maintain open communication with library staff and patrons, providing clear guidance and updates throughout the duration of the emergency.
• Resolving Patron Complaints:
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for addressing and resolving patron complaints that have escalated beyond frontline staff members.
  • Approach each complaint with empathy and professionalism, striving to find satisfactory resolutions and maintain positive relationships with patrons while following library policies.
• Troubleshooting Technology Issues:
  • Take the lead in troubleshooting escalated technology issues, such as internet outages, utilizing available resources to resolve issues promptly and effectively.

Resources Available to the LIC:

• Confluence, the Central Knowledge Base:
  • Access policies, procedures, and relevant information through Confluence, our central knowledge base, to support decision making and follow procedures
• Support from Department Heads and Staff Members:
  • Utilize the expertise and support of department heads and fellow staff members when faced with challenging situations. Collaborative problem-solving and sharing knowledge can be invaluable in finding solutions.
• Assistant Librarian & Department Head Meetings:
  • Engage with your supervisor during Assistant Librarian & Department Head meetings to identify areas where additional training or documentation may be beneficial. Your feedback is helpful when building more support systems and resources.

When should I go to the LIC?

• Examples:
  • Example #1: You put something into the register incorrectly and need to void the transaction. After reading the instructions on Confluence, you are still not exactly sure how to do it. Grab the LIC and have them walk through the process with you. It may be a learning experience for the LIC too!
  • Example #2: On a Friday afternoon, you notice that the Foundation money drawer and the register are low on small bills and change. You let the LIC know so they can run and get change from Kum & Go or the bank.
  • Example #3: A patron notices broken glass by the front door, you are not available at to sweep it up. Notify the LIC and they will coordinate the clean-up.

Thank you for all of your hard work!
Megan, Beth, & Molly

Technical Services has added several new people in the past few weeks:

• Amy Huynh will start Wednesday. She will be checking in and shelving weekends from 12-5.
• Amy Theulen started yesterday. She will be checking in and shelving from 3-8 Monday-Thursday.
• Cindy is a volunteer who will be doing the pick list and withdrawing materials on Tuesdays from 1-3.
• Sreek is a volunteer shelving 3-5 on Thursdays.

Please say “hi” and welcome them to the library when you see them.

We are just starting to get adults turning in their Adult Summer Reading Log. Remember, to complete summer reading, participants need to have finished 12 of the 16 action items. When this happens, please  do the following things:
1. The bottom of patron log with their name and phone number can go in the Grand Prize bucket.
2. Write the patrons’s name in the Summer Reading Stat Binder and mark that they have received their mug. That Stat binder is located by the Grand Prize bucket.
3. Give them their mug. They can choose between light blue and dark blue. Please take mugs from the boxes beneath self check rather than from the display.
4. Ask the patron if they would like a Bonus Reading Log. Same rules apply for bonus log as the first adult reading log, but upon completion they just get an additional entry into the grand prize drawing–no second mug. The bonus logs are behind the Adult Summer Reading logs at each service desk.
Thanks! Let me know if you have questions.

UPDATE: The Youth Computer Lounge doors are installed. The workers have moved on to the Teen Space Doors; but they cannot guarantee the doors will be done by the time the Teen Space is open.

**We have posted to social media and have placed signs on the whiteboard to notify patrons it may be louder than normal.**

The Youth Computer Lounge and Teen Space doors are being replacements with non-sliding doors. The team will be here at 6am Monday, Tuesday, and possibly Wednesday morning and will wrap up by 2pm. During this time the Youth Computer Lounge may not be available to use. I have sent an email to ChildServe as they typically visit us on Tuesdays and use the computer lounge. I will also have the yellow barricades up and signs notifying the public.

We understand this isn’t the most convenient time, but we wanted to have this project wrapped up before the fiscal year ends on June 30.

Thank you for your patience! Please let us know if you have any questions.

Megan & Molly

I am sad to say that Kris Whetstone has submitted her resignation to spend more time with her family. She sends her best wishes to you all!

Thanks for all your work at the desks as we dive into our busy season. I want to send out a reminder on our procedures for checking out items to library users.

Library users can borrow without a library card, but I ask that you follow this process to keep the experience consistent for library users and your fellow staff. Always ask for their library card first. If they say they don’t have it, always ask if you can see their photo ID before looking them up with three pieces of information. Here is an example of how a interaction might sound:

JPL Patron: I don’t have my library card, can you just look me up? 

JPL Staff: Not a problem at all about the library card, would you happen to have your photo ID available?

JPL Patron: I don’t have anything with me.

JPL Staff: Ok. We can still get you checked out by verifying three pieces of information on your account!

Photo ID is preferable because you have then verified their identity and when you open their account if they ask you questions about their circulation record, ask you to get them a new card, etc. you will be good to go and can help them. It also helps to have their name spelled along with date of birth right in front of you. 

You guys – I could go on and on about all the various times that escalated issues have gotten really awkward and complex from us accidentally checking out items to the wrong person’s account. I can tell you a million stories – just grab me sometime. But in the meantime, please trust me that if at all possible, it is best to use a library card or photo ID before looking people up with three pieces of information to ensure you get items on the correct account. 

Also – please remember that if you look up the account with three pieces of information, you are just letting them borrow the materials on their own account. So I cannot come in and give you three pieces of information on my husband’s, mom’s, friend’s account to borrow on their card. I can give you three pieces of information about my account and borrow items (after I am asked if I have my library card of photo ID available).  I can present another person’s library card and use their account with full access. 

Thanks for reading this and following the process. It really helps so our library users know what to expect and have a consistent experience at JPL. 

This cheat sheet is in Confluence under Circulation and Library Card Policy FAQ that I am currently updating but this information is there.

Please ask me, Riddhi or Mary if you have questions!

Heads up everyone:
This Saturday, June 15, from 3 to 4pm, we’re going to have a Library Loud concert in the library proper. NOLA Jazz Trio will be in and will put on a concert for patrons in front of the Archive Room. We have done this several times before (Harry and the Potters, Damani Phillips). I will be here Saturday and will take care of all setup and tear down.

I am going to move the display tables in front of the Ref Desk out of the way in the afternoon and set up some chairs theater-style for those who would like to sit. I will leave aisles by the Circulation Desk and Reference Desk so people can still get to service desks. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns. Thanks!

Clarification: The Heartland AEA Van delivery service will continue to deliver materials to the school district administrative offices. Only the delivery to and from public libraries is ceasing.

The AEA Van delivery service is discontinuing due to changes in the funding and structure of the Area Education Agencies. Our last pick-up day will be June 13.

After June 13, we will be using IA Shares to send materials to other public libraries on the route throughout Iowa. Some public libraries that are located inside schools or colleges are not on the route.

For non-local libraries that are not on the route, we will use US mail. For Johnston libraries, we will use staff and volunteers to hand deliver the materials.

Check-in staff will continue to use a repair slip to indicate “Not a JPL item” and an expedite flag to highlight the item’s priority.

Repair staff will enter packages in the IA Shares Package form. For packages that can’t be sent via IA Shares, use the Notes area to indicate Local or Mail.

Repair staff will receive instructions on preparing materials to be returned via IA Shares or US mail.

If you have any questions about how to handle materials that do not belong to JPL, please talk to Dreama or Laura.

Thank you for all your efforts in promoting the Summer Reading program! We’ve had a great start, and as a result, we’ve printed a lot of extra logs and quizzes for the Adult Summer Reading program. If you need additional Adult Summer Reading logs or quizzes, you can find printed extras in the drawer labeled “Adult Reading Programs” located to the bottom left of the Reference Desk computer. If you require more, please let me know, or you can print your own. Both logs and the PDF with all Adult Summer reading puzzles can be found on the P Drive here: P Drive > Beth Stevens > Adult Summer Reading > 2024ASR. If you print your own, please send me an email with the number of extra logs or puzzles printed so that I can update our tally sheet. Thank you!

Starting Monday, June 10th, a SRP Prize & Log table will be stationed in front of the Archive Room. Volunteers will be on hand to assist from Monday to Friday, between 10 am and 2 pm. The aim is to ease some of the traffic and crowding at the YS desk.

At this table, prizes for Kids & Teens will be accessible, along with logs for all age groups.

Megan

Doug, our building maintenance staff, has many responsibilities with roadwork that take up most of his time during May and mid-July. He will not be doing lightbulb replacement until later in the summer. So please do not be discouraged if you do not see lights changed out as quickly as usual.

During this time, please add light bulbs that need to be replaced to #buildingmaintenance on Slack and Lori F or Molly will add those noted to a spreadsheet in the P Drive<Building Maintenance. We will get the spreadsheet to Doug so he can get light bulbs switched next time he visits.

I will not be here next week so, Please send Peg an email at rasmussen@johnstonlibrary.com if you have any questions or if you are not able to turn in your time sheet by this day and time.

FEMA announced on May 24 that federal disaster assistance is available to the state of Iowa to supplement recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, tornadoes and flooding from May 20-21, 2024.

Should you have patrons inquire, FEMA info is linked below:

Disaster Assistance Registration Flyer English and Spanish

FS Help for Survivors with Insurance

SPANISH_FS Help for Survivors with Insurance 06042024

FS How To Appeal a FEMA Decision 06052024 DR4778NE _ DR4779IA _ DR4784IA

Staff learned that we are still listed as an eyeglasses donation site on the Johnston Lions Club website. For expediency, we have put an eyeglasses donation bin back out under the community handout display by the Self Check station at the Circulation Desk.
There is still an outdoor collection bin for eyeglasses in the Lions Club parking lot, but if requested, patrons can donate glasses in the bin and I will make sure they make their way to the Lions Club.
Thanks!

As most of you know, I am a cellist in the Des Moines Symphony, and I will be performing with them for the Yankee Doodle Pops on Wednesday, July 3rd, at 8:30 PM on the Iowa State Capitol grounds.  This is a free performance, and please feel free to bring food and lawn chairs.  It will also be broadcast on Iowa PBS and Iowa Public Radio Classical including a re-run on July 4th at 8:30 PM.  Vocalist Hugh Panaro will be joining us, and here is a link with details:  https://www.dmsymphony.org/concerts-events/yankee-doodle-pops-2/.  This is one of the few times one can see the orchestra in person for free, and I hope that you all can come or tune in.

There is also a viewing party offered at the State Historical Building, and here is a link with details about this:  https://www.dmsymphony.org/concerts-events/viewing-party-for-yankee-doodle-pops/.

New artwork is here! When you have a minute be sure to check out our featured artist for June and July, Lisa Cooper. Her acrylic + ink and watercolor works are on display in the JPL Art Gallery.

Kristy Niemeyer is displaying her work in the JPL Display cases during June and July as well. More info about both artists is available on our website: https://www.cityofjohnston.com/1428/JPL-Art-Gallery

I can’t believe summer and June are already here! It is time to start planning the City Employee Appreciation Tailgate Event. These next few months will fly by and I need everyone’s input to help create a fun event. I appreciate any feedback regarding last years tailgate (e.g., did you like the catering, timing, games, etc.) as well as any suggestions regarding this years event. As always, we do have a budget to consider, so we will be holding the event at a city location, but we are open to budget friendly ideas for games, food, etc. The Employee Engagement Committee wants everyone to feel welcome and your ideas will help us to accomplish that goal.

The committee will be meeting on Thursday, June 13 to begin planning. I would like to have some preliminary ideas to share with the committee.

I am very grateful to all of you for your input! I am happy to receive your ideas or suggestions as an email or a note. I also enjoy when you stop by my desk and share your thoughts.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Hello!

JPL will host a Teen Summer Book Club called (drumroll, please!) The Five Star Scale Teen Summer Book Club!!  Books for participants will be located where the adult book club books are held and will use the same check-out method, with the exception that if a teen comes in to pick up a book and doesn’t have a library card and is unable to get one, please check the book out to the :YS account so they can still be sure to get the book.

Thanks very much, and let me know if you have any questions! -Jessica