Staff Meeting with Edward on Sept. 1, 2009

Edward would like to meet with Frank Staff tomorrow morning at 9:30. Rachel from Mobile Express will cover the desk. Please provide any agenda items or concerns that need to be addressed.

Thanks.

--Jeff

Announcements Regarding Technology

Greetings fellow HPL Staff,

I want to update you on some issues so that you know what IT is doing to help with certain challenges we face daily.

First: in an effort to reduce cost, IT has enabled ALL PATRON machines for automatic shutdown after hours. You have probably noticed that when you come in – they have to be turned on. If we are missing any (you find them on) please let the helpdesk know. Our normal night for software updates is Thursday so if there is a long update there is a chance that they are not turned off on Thursday nights.

Soon we will do the same for STAFF PC’s. Until we are able to do that, please log off and then do a shutdown prior to your departure each day. If you have a desktop or laptop with a docking station, you may leave those in Log Off mode on Thursday Nights (do not shut down on Thursdays).

Second: I want to remind you again to be conservative with color printing. There are certain reports that would be meaningless or simply hard to understand if it were not for the use of color. Obviously those can and should be printed in color (if you have a color printer). The most obvious instance of where you do not need color is searching for something on the Internet and then printing. Color will be part of that web page and most generally, the color does not add any real value to the printed document – i.e. mapquest directions, Magazine article, safety tips, Information from medical sites such as Humana or the City of Houston’s Blue Cross, Blue Shield website. I of course cannot give every possible example but I think these should allow you to make a good choice. We have a very difficult time ahead of us and we must be very conscious of our expenditures.

Third: I am sure you are experiencing slow speed on your network. We are aware of this and had hoped that the Optical network project would be complete by now. Unfortunately there were some issues we were not aware of that has caused delay. This project is beginning with a pilot of 10 locations. Due to AT&T planning, an optical circuit can’t be ordered until the site is certified ready and then the lead time is as much as 120 days if your library is not in an area of the city where fiber already exists. I am not going to include the entire schedule at this time but the first locations based on their overall readiness in the network switch closet, are Central, Stella Link, Blue Ridge, Montrose, Johnson, Looscan, Pleasantville and Marston. Due to the Hub and Spoke nature of our Wide Area Network, Central had to be first. Then each line is a point to point connection from Central to that library. When the Fiber is installed, your speed will go from 1.5 million characters per second to 10 million characters per second. This should make a big difference in your Internet experience.

Fourth: LAPTOP’s and Batteries. We realize as our laptops age, that the batteries just do not hold long enough to keep checking a laptop out all day long. It is not recommended to checkout the power supply for two reasons – an outlet must be available near seating to accommodate plugging them in and second, cords stretched from the seat area to outlets become hazards for tripping and falling. We in IT have engaged Hewlett Packard experts to look at this problem with us. We have provided you the reconditioners but the fact remains – HP specification indicates that it takes 4 hours to get a 2 hour charge. We are purchasing new batteries for laptops that will not be replaced this year. We are providing HP with some of the batteries that will not hold a charge any longer so they can test them. We do hope to come up with a good solution to this annoying problem.

I hope this information helps to let you know we are aware of situations you face daily and are diligently working to make them better. I hope we can records some wins in these areas this year.

As always, I will answer your questions.

Best Regards

Ron

Ronald L Stauss
Assistant Director - CTO
Houston Public Library

New Internet Usage Policy - 4.8

There has been a change made to the policy governing Internet Usage here in the library. The change to the policy is as follows:

Change to Section 4.8 (B) 1:

· Old Policy – Current policy states that each user is limited to 2 hours per day.

· New Policy – The new policy states that internet usage is provided in one hour session increments. There is no limit to the number of sessions per day.

This means that users can now use the computer all day if they want to as long it is done within the limits of the policy. Thus, if a patron requests more time on their card then they are to be given that extra time. Staff is empowered to terminate or extend a user session if appropriate. For more information on this particular policy please visit: link.

Opening and Closing the Library

Here are my expectations regarding opening and closing the library:

1. ALL STAFF are REQUIRED to learn how to count the money in the drawer at the end of the day and to to prepare the deposit in the morning. No exceptions. We are required to double-check our change fund and to prepare and bag the deposit daily even if we are not sending it downtown that day (Friday and Saturday’s deposits are sent to Marston on Monday).

2. The two staff assigned to the desk during the last hour the library is open are responsible for counting out the drawer and printing off two copies of the drawer count. Whoever counts the money should sign both copies of the report.

3. Everyone should take turns counting the money in the morning and preparing the deposit. I will put it on the schedule if necessary.

4. The two staff members assigned to the desk are primarily responsible for closing the main area of the library, but I strongly suggest that five to ten minutes before closing a few staff members from the back come out to help close the library, deal with customers, etc., so we can lock the doors as close to 6:00 PM as possible.

5. The bookdrop needs to be emptied within the last 15 minutes before closing and the cart labeled so that someone can check those books in properly the next day.

6. The staff members who do not help out front should prepare the staff work room for closing by making sure everything is off that needs to be off, etc. That way, once the money is locked up everybody can get their things and we can leave in a timely manner.

7. After the doors are locked, someone in the back should check the printer to make sure two copies of the drawer count have printed correctly and let the people at the desk know.

8. Do not count the money while customers are still in the building.

--Jeff

AV Items

Per an email from Technical Services, we are not to tell customers that they must put AV items in the bookdrop. According to policy and proceedure, those items must be checked in inside the library.

In accordance with this, we will check in DVD's and CD's at the front desk and put them on a cart there. We need to change the sign on the customer service desk to reflect this change.

--Jeff

Tomorrow

I have received word that GSD will come at 9:00 AM to work on the A/C. We are all supposed to report to work as normal and go from there.

--Jeff

Frank Express Closed

Due to the lack of Air Conditioning in half of the building, Frank Express closed to the public at 3:30 PM.

Please give me a call in the morning after 6:30 AM, or check the blog, to see when or if we are going to be open tomorrow and for any further instructions.

--Jeff

Supplies and Miscellaneous

From Donna Joy:

We want to continually refine how we do things. With that in mind, I would like a few staff members to send me a quick list of new items they ended up needing but did not have as well as having but it does not meet the need- such as black metal book carts, waste receptacles, slat wall and desk accessories, step stools, etc.

The lists do not need to look good- just something quick.

Thanks,
Donna Joy

Please email your responsed to Donna Joy and CC me.

--Jeff

Visitors from Arlington

A group from Arlington will be visiting HPL Express Libraries and Mobile Express on Friday, August 7 between 12noon and 4pm. Please make sure that all areas of the library including the workroom are clean and neat. Please make sure that the shelves are straightened and materials displayed.
Edward

closing procedures

The public terminals should not be turned completely off during the week. Only turn off the monitor Monday-Friday. Turn the computers completely off on Saturday.

Book Return and Self Check

If a customer prefers to return their items at the service desk, instead of the book drop, staff should return the items at the desk. If a customer prefers for their items to be checked out, instead of using self check, staff should accommodate the request. Book drop return and self check are priorities, but are not mandatory. We want to provide the customer with options.

Edward Melton

Circulating laptops

Hey Guys,
Please remember to check in All laptops when patrons return them. When a laptop is swapped because it is not working properly you must check in that laptop before you give out another one. Thank you, Naudia

Reminder

Patrons should not be using any of the staff computers. The only exception I can see for this is when you have a patron enter their password after you reserve a computer for them.

--Jeff

Staff Meeting Next Week

We are having a staff meeting at 9:30 AM next Wednesday, August 12, 2009. Please send me your agenda items by Noon next Tuesday (Aug. 11) so I can prepare the agenda.

--Jeff

[EDIT] When I first posted this, I had the wrong time. The correct time is 9:30 AM.

Study Room Reservations

Just a reminder since we've had some accidental double bookings of the study rooms lately.

Since we usually have the Study Room Reservation spreadsheet up on more than one computer at a time, please make sure that you reload the page before you make reserve a study room. This should keep you from accidentally reserving a Study Room for two people at the same time.

Changes that someone else makes to the spreadsheet do not automatically appear on every copy of the spreadsheet that is open on other computers.

--Jeff