January 2017 Staff Meeting Notes

Meeting Notes

Kashmere/Lakewood Grouping

January 30, 2017

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

Not in attendance:
Dionne McLaughlin

Vacant Position(s):
Assistant Manager (Librarian II)
Customer Service Clerk (Customer Service Clerk, Part-time)

Topics:
Managers Meeting
Staff Discussion
Open Discussion

First Topic: Managers Meeting
Link to December 2017 Managers Meeting Notes
Bi-weekly Pay Schedule for 2017
New Organization Charts 2017

• Staffing Changes:
• Kitty Myers is manager at KEN
• Victor Quijano is assistant manager at KEN
• The manager position at Park Place will be posting as an LIII position; Assistant Manager position will be a Customer Service Supervisor
• Djuana is now overseeing BLU; Patrick is now overseeing PAR
• Youth Services is back under Central:
• Michelle Johnson is Manger of Central Youth Services
• Carrie Toombs will manage the Juvenile Room
• Craig Bertuglia will manage the Teen Room
• They will be posting for a manager position for VIN
• IT Network Upgrade: Improved internet security and connectivity
• Continue to report iTeam issues
• HPL RescueMe (new application installed on desktops)
• IT can remotely log into the computer and correct issues on terminal
• Faster than calling or emailing 
• Best use: installation of software (e.g., computer needs Adobe, Java, etc.)
• Camp Stream: Registration will open one month prior to event (May 9th)
• Starts at CEN on June 5th
• Reloaded dates: July 31-August 4 and August 7-August 11
• Youth Services:
• Teachingbooks.net (HPL database)
• Provides resources for various books (e.g., trailers, booktalks, book lists, etc.)
• Children Book Celebration
• Date: May 6th
• Author: Grace Lin
• Art contest: Let's Go Fly a Kite
• They need assistance with displays and artwork, so if you are interested, please let a supervisor know.
• Immigration: Refer to this posting
• Learning Link Updates:
• There is an issue with HISD accessing resources through their portal
• TexShare resources cannot be used in schools; can only be used at libraries or at home.
• HISD had a few issues with Overdrive
• Wanted content to be separated out (requires different licensing deals)
• Request: filter sites for elementary schools; looking for ways to categorize content  according to grade level/school
• Tumblebooks is licensed for use in elementary schools
• We can document on Learning Link accounts address and update contact information (e.g., phone, email). Use your best judgment when verifying information.
• Goals/Budget:
• COH moving toward a performance-based/goal-oriented budget
• Now departments need to meet targets in order to get money
• Highly important that programs and statistics are documented correctly
• Saturday Switching Guidelines Reminders:
• Document can be found on her group blog.
• Full-time staff have to work scheduled Saturdays
• Must switch Saturdays if you want to take off
• Can request up to three hours of vacation time on Saturdays PROVIDED staffing levels allow it.
• You can switch Saturdays with an employee in another grouping PROVIDED managers at both locations approve of the switch
• You can use VACS for that Saturday (which means you get to keep your regularly scheduled OFF day the following week), or you can make up time the following week (scheduled OFF day would be Saturday, and you would work M-F that week).
• Staff that work every Saturday (both full-time and part-time) get four Saturdays off per calendar year (these do not roll over).
• Illnesses: Policy states staff members calling in sick should call around and request coverage within the grouping
• This policy is rarely applied in this grouping, but absences on Saturdays are documented in case a pattern develops
• Repeated call-ins on Saturdays can result in 1) a request for a doctor's note, 2) employee will be made to work the following Saturday, and ) disciplinary action (e.g., PID)
• Death in the Family Leave: This covers specific family members (father, father-in-law, mother, mother-in-law, sister, brother, spouse, child, stepchild, grandparent, and grandchild)
• Sudden deaths do not require a Saturday switch
• Funerals or memorials made in advance OR the family member does not fall under the DFML qualification rules do require a Saturday switch.
• Staff can take part of the day off to attend the funeral/services (if time is less than four hours)
• Severe Weather:
• Timecards are not coded for disaster time if Mayor did not close down COH or tell employees to stay home
• Depending on managerial judgment, time issues related to severe weather can be coded as VACU or VACS (the latter is preferable in the grouping).
• Staff can also use SICK leave up to 64 hours before it starts to negatively impact HEAR

Second Topic: Staff Discussion

• Joseph has been promoted to a Senior Customer Service Clerk. He will be going to CEN but for now will be remaining with us until our new part-time CSC begins (mid- or late-February)
• Procedure added to opening procedures at KAS: print out at least 20 guest passes each morning.
• Summer Food Training has began. Trainings have been added to daily and monthly schedules.
• REMINDER: Check out all holds. Holds should ONLY be removed from hold shelf AFTER they have been checked out on your account.
• Reminders regarding updates:
• Customers can check out only 1 laptop per library card
• A form has to be completed for each laptop that is being checked out
• Minors (under 18) can use their parent's valid ID (not expired) PROVIDED parent is listed as the responsible parent
• Can use 1 ID to check out 2 laptops PROVIDED parent and child have a library card
• We can ask for two IDs (one for each laptop), but it is very rare that a customer would have two forms of ID
• If using 1 ID, paper-clip both forms to the ID provided
• DO NOT hand over ID until BOTH laptops have been checked in
• Wellness: Reminder that all points have to be earned by March 10, 2017, to qualify for discount. Can still do Telephone Coaching, attend a lifestyle management program, or use the Cigna App + Fitness Tracker (e.g., Fitbit) to track activity
• Remember to reach out to customers and see if they are willing to go on camera to speak about the library. You can use your smartphone/branch digital camera. (This is part of the Linking to Us initiative)
• Just remember that each person in the video MUST fill out a Media Release Form.