August 2016 Staff Meeting Notes

Meeting Notes 

Kashmere/Lakewood Grouping 

August 29, 2016

In attendance: 
Melissa Ryans (Manager)
Jose Santoyo (Assistant Manager)
Juan Lopez (Senior Customer Service Clerk)
Twanna Wade (Senior Customer Service Clerk)
Ann Perry (Customer Service Clerk)
Karl Beck (Library Assistant)
Joseph Asberry (Customer Service Clerk, Part-time)
Alena Lee (Customer Service Clerk, Part-time)
Ana Santana (Customer Service Clerk, Part-time)
Pedro Fonesca (Senior Manager)

Not in attendance: 
Dionne McLaughlin (Senior Library Service Specialist)
Linda Adams (Customer Service Clerk)
Dee Hunter (Library Assistant)

Topics:
Icebreaker
Managers Meeting
Staff Discussion
Open Discussion

First Topic: Icebreaker
Human Knot: Staff worked together to untangle a "human knot" without letting go of hands. Team did not complete due to time constraints, but staff would liked the icebreaker and would like to revisit this at a later date when more time is available; possible suggestion to use strings to elongate the "ropes" and allow for more maneuverability.

Second Topic: Managers Meeting
Link to July 2016 Managers Meeting Notes

• Here are J. Santoyo's notes from the August 2016 managers meeting. Some highlights are:
• Collier's manager position will now be an LIII
• Four additional positions are about to be posted:
• 3 Senior CSCs for Passport Services
• 1 Library Service Supervisor for BLU
• Guided Resources and COH Employee News discounts: take advantage of the discounts offered to COH employees. Links to the websites as well as instructions on how to enroll can be found on the CE Blog.
• Wellness program started on August 1st and ends on March 10, 2017.
• Remember that biometric data is needed (measurements had to have been taken after 02/01/2016)
• There will be biometric screenings offered around Houston, but the sessions will be highly limited. Try to get your measurements from your annual wellness/physical appointments.
• Biometric data: blood pressure total, HDL cholesterol, height, weight, and waist circumference
• Health assessments need to be completed by employees and eligible spouses by  12/05/2016
• Once again, there is an additional step:
• Can choose to do preventative care (deadline: 01/31/2017)
• Can choose to do telephone coaching but has to be done early because you have to complete several sessions in order to complete this step (deadline: 03/10/2017)
• The 2017 Combined Municipal Campaign is approaching. Training for coordinators will be held, and the Fall Festival is on 10/28/2016.
• Libraries will be opening 1 hour later at 2PM, so it is expected that staff participate and attend the event.
• Each location has to provide either a booth or carve a pumpkin (entry fee: $5).
• Staff Development Day: Remember this is on 10/10/16, and it is mandatory for all staff
• Vacation requests will not be approved unless it is a highly extraordinary circumstance.
• Managers are asked to provide reasons why staff are not/cannot attend.
• Parking is a huge issue: carpooling is highly recommended
• Email will be sent on 09/13/2016 for staff to sign up for carpooling drawing. 
• At least three people per car; rest can make arrangements or park at Lot H
• Security at CEN will only let people on the list enter the parking garage
• Notary Services: Start date is Monday, September 19, 2016.
• Will determine logistics at the branch-level
• Learning Link: 
• Copies of presentation PowerPoint were provided at meeting to all staff. In summary:
• 10 items can be checked out at a time: print materials and audiobooks only; DVDs and laptops cannot be borrowed on these accounts.
• No fines will accumulate on account, but customers will be charged for damaged/lost items up to $10 per item
• They can still check out items despite fines/fees on account as long as account is under $50 ($49.99)
• Accounts cannot be sent to collections
• No actual card will be given to middle and high school students
• User name/account is first letter of first name and school number (ID)
• PIN is month and date of birthday (MMDD)
• Pre-K - 5th grade will be issued a card that schools will provide
• Elementary school accounts can only check out juvenile materials
• Middle and high school students can check out YA and adult materials
• HISD staff/teachers/employees will also get an account for digital access only
• Launch is scheduled for mid-September to early October.
• Digital Strategies: Roland Lemonius is the new Tech Link Manager
• Houston Housing Authority Voucher Program: HHA is opening up their waiting list once again for housing. HPL is providing customers with access to computer labs so that they may do their applications.
• Encourage customers to apply on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. HHA takes 20% of applicants from each day. 
• More information can be found here.
• Renovations, Opening and Closing Calendar 2016 (list of branches and the dates they will be closing or opening)

Third Topic: Staff Discussion

• HEARs: Remember that our main goal as managers is to give staff enough time each week or month to meet your goal (which is a 3). So if you plan says you have to complete a task twice a week to get a 3, then we should be scheduling you to complete that task twice a week. 
• To earn 4s and 5s, you should take the initiative and demonstrate your ability to work efficiently and to communicate to us that you need additional time.
• Do not log formal trainings (e.g., those trainings given by COH and HPL, those trainings taken through TMS, and any trainings reported to HPL Training from approved resources).
• Will start emailing on a monthly basis training opportunities for staff.
• To begin: Everyone should take the Cyber Security training. HITS states it is optional, but everyone in this grouping needs to take it.
• Continue to log informal trainings (e.g., trainings conducted in-house by supervisors and/or your coworkers)
• All in-house trainings will now have sign-in sheets to ensure staff gets credit for participating
• New Programs:
• Workforce Solutions is offering on-site training at KAS every other week on Tue, Wed, and Thu from August through October.
• Project Grad starts in October at KAS and focuses on providing college preparatory assistance with FAFSA and college essays.
• Keys and Locks: Looking to see what locks staff have access to and update cores as to get rid of skeleton key (master key) and branches.
• Exempt locks: Manager's office and security room/closet
• J. Santoyo created a wonderful Google spreadsheet for staff to document which locks work with their key and those that do not
• Holidays and Vacations: M. Ryans will send out an email to all staff in October requesting a list of dates and times you want off for the holidays.
• Be mindful to the fact that our goal is to be fair to everyone. I will be comparing this year's requests with last year's.
• We were told last year that we could not request assistance in order to staff our locations for the holidays, so please be mindful of that.
• Switching weekends: staff are encouraged to be mindful that some are scheduled to work after both holidays, so be kind if a staff person asks to switch.
• Staff are not required to switch weekends.
• Shelving and Shelf Reading: Everyone should shelve everything, as I am working on updating the shelving/shelf reading assignments. Keep shelf reading your assigned sections.
• Staff can shelf read other sections if they see that it needs to be done
• Volunteers: 
• LAK received a new volunteer from the Chinese Community Center, Ms. Ngo. 
• KAS received a new student volunteer.
• Outreaches and Open Houses: This week, staff will begin calling schools to establish contacts. If interested in attending an outreach, please let me know. Staff will be partnered up (if necessary) to attend requested open houses.
• Reservation System: Please see the post on the group blog regarding reminders and issues with the iTeam system.
• Remember that if you submit a ticket to IT to forward the incident number to supervisors so that they are aware that the issue has been reported.
• Staff are allowed to include all staff on the emails, too.
• T. Wade stated that staff can highlight cells on the reservation screen then click "Make Reservation" - this will automatically give customer those assigned time slots. (e.g., 1 cell = 15 minutes; 4 cells = 60 minutes)