Category: Circulation News

I had to re-shelve some video games this morning, and I was having trouble finding the dummy slip in the box behind the circ desk for one of them.  I then looked in the patron area and found it.  Please remember than when trapping a hold for a video game, look for the dummy slip in the video game area in the patron area.  When you find it, look in the video game box behind the circ desk for the actual video game, and make sure that the barcodes match.  When you find the actual video game, please place its dummy sleeve in the applicable box.

Please let Molly or Denise know if you have questions.

When placing holds on the holds table, please make sure that they are in alphabetical order by the patron’s LAST name.  I picked up two holds for myself this morning, and one of them was really out of order.  I realize that there may be so many during one shift, but this will make it easier for the curbside people.

If you need to lay some down, please make sure that the hold slips are out far enough so the last names can be seen.

What do I do when I find an item from another library with my check-in cart?

We will return them via AEA/IA Shares or mail. The AEA Van picks up on Tuesday and Thursday. After the items are quarantined, Circ Staff enters the titles of the items we return to other libraries in the IA Shares/AEA Shipments spreadsheet which can be accessed from the Patron Assistance Menu on the Intranet.

Talking points for patrons are:

1. It can be a couple of weeks for delivery through the van. Libraries usually backdate to the date we received the item at JPL, but while the item is in transit, it will remain on their account at its home library.
2. The home library may quarantine the item after it is received, so patrons may want to build that into their timeline.

A schedule of the AEA Van schedule and buildings/libraries can be found here.

After you have entered the information into the database above, you should package the item. You can use an old mailer, a paper bag or a small box depending on the number items you are returning. You can return more than one item to the same library in a container. Close package with tape.

Securely tape a label to the package. Include this information on the label:

• the name of the library
• the route number
• the date we received the item

Place the labeled package in the blue bin labeled “Ready for AEA Van pickup”

Please do not place books directly in the bin without packaging them and including the route information.

If the item belongs to a library that is not on the AEA van route, please put a detailed note on the item stating “Returned to JPL” and the date the item was received. Place on the TS shelf. TS staff will enter the item in the database after determining the most appropriate method to send it.

Please don’t hesitate to ask Molly if you have any questions about the AEA Van or Open Access questions.

To keep it consistent – let’s use the above as a guide for labeling bags:

• Always include name, date, and time.
• Include a detailed note about the number of bags and extras, like craft kits or Book Page, if applicable.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Library account expiration dates have been extended to 3/31/2021.

A quick tip when trying to find a name on the curbside list or any other text on a webpage: Press Ctrl+F to bring up the browser’s “find in page” function then type the text you’re trying to find.

Do we have to keep Circ Desk manned? 

Not as strictly as we were before. We will still have phones set to ring 10 am – 6 pm (Monday – Thursday) 10 am – 5:30 pm (Friday and Saturday) so we will try to keep schedules the same. We should make every attempt to answer the Circ Line, but if we miss the call we can just respond to the voicemail as soon as possible.

What if someone wants to make an appointment outside of curbside hours?

We are sticking to curbside hours to exchange materials unless someone is standing outside wanting a few items…use good judgment. If you can get them what they need, that is fine.

But we aren’t setting up a special process for people to grab items outside of curbside hours that will be widely communicated with other staff like how we used to put items by the bouncer desk and people could just pop in and grab them.

Can I help people who want to make last-minute appointments for curbside, think they have an appointment but don’t, or show up on the wrong day?

Please try to grab items for people that show up during curbside without an appointment or on the wrong day or that think they have an appointment but don’t have an appointment. If they really want the items yet today and we are doing curbside, please try to accommodate them.

What about the lady that wants me to help her pick 10 books for her daughter? 

Remember that book bundles are a great option for children and parents. You can help them submit the request over the phone. Typically those are processed in 24 hours during the week.

How can patrons pay fines?

They can pay over the phone via credit card. They can put money in an envelope marked with their name and library card number and place it in the book return. They can mail us a check.

Can people get a library card?

They can apply for a digital card at www.johnstonlibrary.com Digital cards are processed in three days – often sooner.

When will the library building reopen? 

We do not have a date set because the situation is fluid. We are continuously reassessing conditions and we are looking forward to welcoming the public back into the building.  Please transfer those with detailed questions about the why’s or timeline of our COVID response to Eric’s phone, extension 604.

Curbside during the winter – 

• The heavier metal tables will soon be replaced with a picnic table that will be easier for the Parks Department to move when clearing snow.
• It is up to the staff member doing curbside decide to move curbside pickup between the glass doors if it is raining or wet snow is falling. You don’t need permission. Be sure you flip the curbside sign to reflect where you will be placing items.
• We also should offer to bring items to cars if it seems slick. It is ok to ask patrons to pull up in front of the building if you are running items to their car. There is snow melt near the commons doors.
• When the library is closed but you want to place items between the glass doors, please be aware that people might try to enter the building. Consider using exit only on the sliding doors (don’t lock yourself out) or placing the whiteboard sign in the commons in front of the entrance.

The following message was just sent to learning tool borrowers:

We typically ask that the library’s learning tools be returned inside the library. The library building, however, is currently closed to the public due to the recent spike in cases of Covid-19. Because of this, we’ve extended due dates on learning tools to December 15^th. When you arrive at the library to return your learning tool, please call us at 515-278-5233 and we’ll meet you outside to retrieve it. The hours when we can accept returns are included below. Let me know if you have any questions.

Mondays, Wednesdays, & Fridays 10am-2pm

Tuesdays & Thursdays 2pm-6pm

Saturdays 10am-1pm

Sundays 12pm-2pm

YS and PS have been so gracious to help answer the phones as time allows since we re-opened. They will have less desk coverage for the next two weeks. Eric and I will also be covering more desk shifts, so the library will have less coverage in back to answer the phones.

We should be striving to answer incoming Circ calls within two or three rings if we aren’t directly helping another patron or on Curbside. This means that if you are at Curbside Prep or Check-in or near the desk doing another duty, you are “on-call” to answer the phone if it rings.

I’ve mentioned several times that since we are so busy grabbing holds for curbside prep, we have some more freedom to leave Circ 1. That being said, we need to keep the desk covered and give the other desks and/or our coworkers the courtesy of knowing where we are if we are out of sight of Circ 1.

• If you need to be in the pre-shelving area or empty the book return, please give the bouncer the doorbell so they can ring you if a patron needs assistance.
• If you need to run to the restroom or the quarantine room, let the bouncer/PS desk know & only be gone a few minutes.
• If you are grabbing holds, keep your eyes on the Circ Desk and be prepared to head back if needed.
• When you are covering Circ 1, it is not the best time for pre-shelving, shelving, or visiting with co-workers.

Thanks for all your flexibility.

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to me directly.

Up to now, PC and Browsing appointments have been set to allow scheduling no sooner than one hour from the current time–e.g. if it’s 10am, no appointments could be scheduled sooner than 11am. In order for staff to be more accommodating in scheduling patron appointments, that gap has been removed–at 10am, for example, we can now schedule a browsing appointment for a patron for 10:20am. If you schedule an appointment that’s within 30 minutes of the current time, please post it on the Slack public service desk channel.

I put out the Foundation cash drawer this morning. Please put it in on the mornings that you put out the register cash drawer. I have updated the opening and closing procedures to reflect that change. If you notice anything that should be updated to the opening or closing procedures, please let me know.

We should be using the Foundation iPod and cash drawer for foundation book sale transactions.

The Check-in Computer has been replaced. Nothing should change from your end.

We survived our first few days of curbside in the snow!

The printer of John Grisham’s new book, A Time for Mercy, released the book with errors. Pages are repeated, missing, falling out of the binding, etc.

JPL has 3 copies — two of which are damaged and one which seems fine (although TS did not read it cover to cover). One of our patrons has one damaged copy and is aware it’s damaged; the other damaged copy is in TS.

Because of the massive nature of the problem, the publisher pushed back the release date to 12/13. We’re ordering replacement copies, but it will likely be around that date before they arrive.

We have two copies of the large print which are in cataloging. The CD book has not yet arrived.

As we continue into the fall, we are preparing for cold, snowy weather. On days that it may be slick, please respond to patrons with the following text: 

Thank you. I will bring your items to the table. Please text back if you would like me to bring them to your car due to the weather. 

If they would like us to deliver to their car we will do so. 

The Parks Department clears our snow regularly, but we will move the ice melt closer to the front doors. Circ staff will spread it periodically on slick days. 

Circ staff will need to dress appropriately for the weather. 

Let Molly know if you have any questions.

We now have some smaller paper bags for holds for pickups with just a few items. They’re near the others behind the circ. desk.

If you can find it, take a few minutes during your shift to look at the list of the top challenged or banned books of the decade to celebrate Banned Books Week.

I would suggest putting issues of newspapers in a plastic Hy-Vee sack (we have many in our plastic bag storage) to provide a little protection. Recommend that the patron return the newspaper in the plastic sack so it doesn’t get torn in the book return. If it doesn’t get returned in the plastic sack, we won’t worry about it. They have a very short lifespan.

The current issue of magazines and all newspapers can now be checked out. Magazines will continue to circulate for 3 weeks, and newspapers will check out for 1 week. Magazines can be renewed twice, but newspapers cannot be renewed. All issues are holdable.

Newspaper barcodes are on the last page of the first section of the newspaper – in the upper-right corner.

Ann will remove the plastic covers that distinguish the current issue of magazines. She’ll check the shelves periodically (no pun intended!) to make sure that an issue of each magazine is on display if the current issue is checked out.

We now have an iPhone for curbside so patrons can text and call us directly rather than going through Google Voice. Messages and calls from patrons to the old Google Voice number will be forwarded to this new phone. Until all patrons are sending calls and messages to the new phone’s number,  which may take a week or so, we may still experience the delay we’ve seen with Google Voice.  Let me know if you have any questions.

As you have heard there is an all-staff meeting on Thursday at 9 am via Zoom. I hope most of you will able to attend, but I understand if you have other obligations. Just know that we would love for you to attend even if you can just listen in with your camera turned. Also, let me know if you need to come to the library for internet access (bandwidth is tight at my house these days). We should be able to accommodate you watching the meeting here in a socially distanced manner.

I will mark those in attendance on Thursday AM and update When to Work. There will be a recording available if that time just won’t work for you. If you watch the recording outside of work, please email me and I’ll add you to When to Work for that hour.

Thanks!

An inclement weather version of the holds pickup sign has been added to the other side of the sign holder. Be sure to face the correct sign out each day at the start of curbside.