Category: All-Library News

If you are printing a hold slip and you notice that the patron’s name has letters with descenders (tails) that are being cut off, please edit the patron’s registration record to capitalize all the letters their first, last and middle names.

Then reprint the slip.

It is not your responsibility to catch all of these names. If you notice them, please change them. If you notice holds with names that are hard to recognize because letters are being cut-off, please take a minute to capitalize the names and reprint the hold slip.

Please let me know if you have questions.

Starting today circulation staff will be working to get “caught up” on check-in. We will not be quarantining items for 72 hours going forward, although we are giving ourselves until February 22^nd to work through the piles of materials in the quarantine room so there still will be a delay between when items are returned and when they are checked-in.

We will not advertise this change to library users, but starting February 22^nd, we will remove the language stating that we quarantine materials for 3 – 5 days from our emails and the website.

Until February 22^nd, we will still empty the book return in the meeting room and label the tables with the date and time.

Currently, the only change to the process is that we may be checking in items sooner than 72 hours.

Please let me know if you have questions.

All,
Thanks for all your hard work as we progress through the various fun stages of COVID and our library systems and procedures morph to accommodate different levels of openness to the public. Below is a brief refresher on how to talk to patrons about library services that are being offered right now. I find it useful to talk about what we are here for right now and what types of library activities are paused due to COVID. I really like the term grab-and-go because I think it’s language familiar to patrons because of restaurants, so the implications make sense.

What We’re Here For:
Library services are intended as grab-and-go type services. We have 30-minute browsing appointments and 1-hour computer use appointments. Computer appointments also encompass other services like copying, scanning, faxing, notary appointments, and test proctoring.
And then, of course we have curbside services for pickup of holds, print jobs, and tax forms.

At this time, we’re still not open for hanging out, meeting others to use the library as a communal space, or even just reading the newspaper in a comfy chair.  Library furniture is partitioned off, play items in the Youth Services Department are put away, and study rooms and meeting rooms are not available.  Again, right now, in-person library services are intended to be a grab-and-go service. Molly will be sending info about language and steps to use when talking to patrons about holds so staff has an easier time determining where a patron’s library items might be.

Installation of the teen space wall will start next Tuesday. I’ve moved the wood music CD bins to make room for the installers to bring in the walls for the teen space. Once we’re done shifting the south/nonfiction stacks on the adult/YA side of the library, the music CDs will live in bins where the playaways/audiobooks are now.

Thanks to everyone for the vase of sunshine that just arrived on my doorstep. The flowers are lovely and just what Zig and I needed to brighten our day.

For those who missed it, a link to the recording of last week’s all-staff Zoom meeting is linked below.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/100VF5D12vdqhp9nd_iX3Q-pAK3Ywo5mT/view?usp=sharing

One last bit of tax info–just a friendly reminder that we do not give out information about how a person can correctly fill out their taxes or what the correct form is for a specific situation.

If an individual needs assistance with their taxes, there are agencies offering free tax  assistance. More information about those services is available here:  https://www.johnstonlibrary.com/services/tax-forms/

Hello All! It’s Tax time! You may have started getting calls about picking up tax forms from JPL. Below is the need to know information for you to pass on to patrons.

• JPL has a limited supply of printed combined 1040/1040SR Federal Form Packets and 1040/1040SR Instruction Booklets.
• We have no printed Iowa tax  forms and no other federal forms apart from the 1040. Information about printing other federal and state forms is on the home page under the link  https://www.johnstonlibrary.com/services/tax-forms/
• To schedule curbside pickup of the 1040 Form Packet and/or 1040 Instruction Booklet, patrons can visit https://www.johnstonlibrary.com/services/tax-forms/. This page is also accessible under the Services menu on the JPL homepage or by clicking the Tax Forms link on the homepage.
• You can also schedule a tax pickup appointment for patrons through the same link if they don’t have access to wifi.
• We have a limited supply of these preprinted forms and booklets so we’re asking one form/booklet per household. Additional copies may be printed from a JPL public computer.

Here’s a script you can use with patrons when you receive phone calls requesting tax forms:

• • JPL has a limited supply of 1040/1040SR form packets and 1040/1040SR Instruction Booklets available for patrons.
  • How soon were you hoping to pick up the 1040 Federal tax forms?
  • If they can wait for an appointment–I would be happy to make a curbside pickup appointment for you… (you can make this appointment by clicking the tax form link and then clicking the appointment schedule link
  • If you were hoping to pick it up right away, you’re welcome to pop into the library and grab a form from staff seated by the front entrance.
  • If patrons are needing Iowa forms, or other federal forms, staff can either make a computer appointment for the patron so they can come in and print forms themselves, or direct patrons to johnstonlibrary.com/print-pickup to submit a print pickup request for the additional forms needed.
  • If the patron doesn’t have access to the internet, and need tax forms printed, the call should be directed to Public Services Staff who will print off forms  and create a curbside print pickup appointment for the patron.

Council member Scott Syroka has announced that he’s taken a position in the Biden administration and that he will resign from the Johnston City Council. I assume a special election will be held or the mayor will appoint an interim replacement.

I only work from 9am – 1pm on Friday. Please make sure I have your time sheet by Noon at the latest. Thanks!

If you missed-out on any hours due to the recent weather and would like to make them up, talk to me about the nonfiction shifting project.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87481107075?pwd=TjRXdmUxdWY5OFNCTE80VEFET0dOQT09

To make some space on the shelves while circulation is down, several YA graphic novels have been moved to “storage” in the East Meeting Room. These can be circulated if requested by a patron.

We will close at 2pm today due to the predicted snow storm. If your shift starts at 2pm or later, stay home. If your shift starts earlier and you’re scheduled to work past 2pm, you are welcome (but not obligated) to stay to the end of your shift.

Good Morning and Happy Monday!

I realize that the subject line in this email probably made you think it was junk mail.  But it isn’t!  If you’re looking for a program to help you meet your health related goals, be sure to check this out! This is our second go round with this program, and those who participated in the first session had good things to say about it.

The City of Johnston is offering you the chance to lose weight and improve your health—at no cost to you—with a program called Naturally Slim^®.

Unlike diets, which rely on your willpower and “eat this and not that” advice, Naturally Slim teaches you simple, repeatable skills to help you lose weight, keep it off, and improve your health in the real world, without giving up the foods you love.

You can access the program via computer or mobile device so you can complete it at a time and place that is convenient for you.

To be considered*, you must complete the online application by February 5^th, 2021. Don’t wait. Space may be limited!

Visit www.naturallyslim.com/CityofJohnston to apply and learn more.

*Employees over age 18 are eligible to apply to the program.

Please let me know if you have questions.

Thanks!

Cyndee

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87481107075?pwd=TjRXdmUxdWY5OFNCTE80VEFET0dOQT09

• We will only checkout and bag items for curbside appointments.
  1. Circ will no longer pull and bag holds for PC and browsing appointments at the beginning of the day as patrons can easily grab their holds while they visit.
  2. If someone calls wanting to pick up their holds outside of curbside hours, please just let them know that the holds will be available near the entrance during our open hours. We won’t be bagging items to put by the bouncer desk any longer.
• Every chance you get, please remind patrons that they will need to check out their holds at the self-check kiosk or at one of the service desks.
  • Ways to borrow:
    • Present the library card
    • Present photo ID
    • Provide three pieces of information on the account

Self-Serve Holds

Circ staff are in the process of moving holds back to the holds shelving near the entrance over the next day or two. As you point people to self-serve holds, please remind them that they will need to check out the items on the holds shelf at the self-check kiosk or at one of the service desks.

Library users that apply for a digital card will need to provide a photo ID and proof of address when they borrow for the first time in the library building – this does not apply to curbside. Some digital cards have a blocking note asking for a photo ID and proof of address. If the patron provides a photo ID and proof of address, please delete the blocking note and replace “digital” with the driver license number in the driver license field in the registration window. If they forgot their ID or proof of address, we can allow them to borrow but ask them to provide it at the next visit and do not delete the blocking note.

How to Delete a Blocking Note –

1)Get to the General View

2)Highlight the note you want to delete

3)Click Delete