Category: Circulation News

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/sEoRMoAcsprIHOvf8QgBBPpiSLFgugqRRi-LFhpp8cR16Iu9ZnIT8yRJh_B7B6fZ.Ux7Lhh1piaSNyTOR

Above is the link to the Circ Staff Meeting 09/18/22. If you did not attend “live” via Zoom today, please watch it at a time that works for you, outside your regular library shifts. I have 1 hour on When to Work for all Circ staff and subs for this meeting, so please include it on your timesheet.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

You guys. I am sorry that I didn’t get this out there sooner. We have a Circ Staff Meeting, via Zoom, this Sunday, September 18th at 11 am.

I will record the meeting, as usual – if I remember, so please do not worry if you are unable to attend the meeting in live time via Zoom. As I always say, it is great if you can join us at 11 am on Sunday. Otherwise, please just watch the recording at home at a time that works for you.

Topic: Circ Staff Meeting
Time: Sep 18, 2022 11:00 AM Central Time

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82456850281

There will be six sets of flashcards over AP subject tests available to check out as learning tools. These flashcard sets have 500 cards, but we have decided that we will NOT count for missing cards. Patrons will get as many cards as were left by the previous borrower.

There is a check-in and check-out note, similar to the note that pops up about SD card reformatting, that will remind you that you do not need to verify that all 500 cards are in the set.

Please let me know if you have any questions about circulating these flashcard sets.

Melodee has moved the extra library cards to the shelves under Circ 2.

There was a file with forms. All of those forms are available under “printable” on the Intranet. Please access them from that menu and print on demand.

The school district is required to make the student assessments linked below available to anyone who requests them. I doubt anyone will, but if someone asks for them print them at no charge.

SAEBRS Link DK-5

SAEBRS Link 6-12

Picture Books on the New Kid’s Book Shelving will be shelved by category and then author within the category. Caroline made 2 book ends that have the categories listed. The top shelf will house Animals-Go. The 2nd shelf will house Growing Up-Tales. (if space allows)

Category order: Animals, Bios, Concepts, Dinos, Explore, Faves, Go, Growing Up, History, Holiday, Movement, Neighbors, Science, Stories & Tales.

Please let Megan or Molly know if you have any questions.

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

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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.

Picture book shifting will begin on Sunday morning. During this time all picture books will be pulled from the shelves, organized by category, and then re-shelved alphabetically by author within each category.

Depending on how long the process takes, some picture books will be unavailable.

Molly and other circulation staff have worked on picture book pre-shelving and the changes will be made at the end of this week.

An update with the shifting and order of the categories will come out on Sunday or Monday.

Thanks!

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.

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.

Don Schreiber will be picking up his photos sometime this week. They’re under the tan cart behind the checkout desk.

Julie Jewell will be dropping off artwork today or tomorrow. It can be placed in my office.

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.