December Surveys

Please try to push the surveys on Wednesdays in December!

Frank Library

The Frank Neighborhood Library, located at 6440 West Bellfort, will be closed as of December 1, 2008, in preparation for a move to a new location.

The new location, which will be known as the Morris Frank Library, an HPL Express location, will open in the early Spring of 2009 and will be located in the Brays Oaks Towers, 10103 Fondren, 77096.

Customer Survey

Remember to try to push the customer survey on our web site. Customers can do the survey on the catalog computer. There are bookmarks at the circ desk and the reference desk that you can hand out to promote it.

Monday is the day to push in November.

Out of Order Signs

We have new Out of Order signs. They are in the top reference desk drawer on the right side. Please put them on items that are not working.

Indicate your intials, the problem, and the date. When it is reported mark initials and date. When the problem is fixed, send the out of order sign to IT if it is a computer issue. This includes OCE issues.

If it some other facility issue, discard the sign after the problem is resolved.

Resources for homeless

This is a link for resources for homeless in Houston.

http://www.homelesshouston.org/images/hh/Documents/HelpCard.pdf

New security policies

Please make sure to read Greg Simpson's email from 8/4/08 regarding changes in the security policy.

Beverages (non-alcoholic) in covered containers are now allowed at all library locations except HMRC and Clayton.

Unattended children:
Children under 6 may not be left unattended at any time and must be supervised by someone at least 13 years old.
Children between 7-12 should not be left unattended for more than 1 hour or at closing time.
Parents are responsible for making sure their children under 18 years of age leave the property before closing time.
Children under 13 will be considered abandoned 30 minutes after closing time and the police will be contacted.
Children will be suspended from the library when a parent fails to pick up a child at closing time.
A child 13 or older may be asked to leave the library for breaking Library rules.

Office Depot Supply Order

There is going to be an Office Depot Supply Order. If anyone has any non-furniture needs, let Laurie know and she will try to order them. The order is due to Linda Samson by August 14th.

Answering a call while on another call

If you are on a call and a new call comes in on the second line, you can put your first call on hold and answer the new call. All you need to do is press the button to the right of the line that you want to answer. That will put your first call on hold and allow you to answer the second line. At this point, the Hold soft-key is available for both lines.

Inclement Weather Notice

With Tropical Storm Dolly in the Gulf of Mexico, staff should be aware of the emergency contact number for the Houston Public Library. In the event of inclement weather, the library may be closed. Staff can call 832-393-1550 and hear a recorded message about library hours and possible closings. Keep a copy of the branch's emergency contact sheet handy at home. Also make sure that your current phone number is listed on the sheet. If you need another copy or need to make a change, then please talk to Jane Hensley.

Thank you,
Chris

City of Houston General Plan

The Mayor announced in City Council that citizens can view the General Plan at your local library.

Houston’s General Plan is a compilation of plans, regulations, strategies, projections and resources that provide the direction and guidance for Houston’s growth and development. The goal of the General Plan is to provide decision makers with the most up-to-date, useful information and tools to manage our growth. The General Plan provides a way to view and conduct planning efforts in a more cohesive, integrated manner.

Here is the link:
http://www.houstontx.gov/planning/GeneralPlan/GPHome.html

Take a few minutes to look at it so that you can assist customers if they ask to see it.

Next Week's Schedule

I have posted a schedule for next week. As I am new at doing this online, please let me know if something doesn't work or your have too many or too few hours, etc.

Thanks,

Laurie

Thank you!

Dear Collier Staff,

It has been my pleasure and privilege to work with you these four months. I'm sorry it couldn't be longer.

You're a great team and I know good things lie ahead for all of you.

Laurie takes over as manager on Monday. I know you'll all be welcoming and helpful to her.

I'll be in a bit over the next few weeks. Please come visit me at Stella Link!

All the best,
John

Employee Recognition

All,

As you know, Employee Recognition is this Thursday, June 19th, at the Southwest Multi-Service Center, 6400 High Star. We will be opening at 12 noon that day. This is the first time in HPL's 104-year history that we will be delaying opening so that staff members may attend a recognition event. Many of our colleagues (including our own Melody!) have worked very hard to make this event a success. Several of our folks are being recognized. Please attend if at all possible.

Thanks,

John and Laurie

MilCirc on new reference computers

All,

Now that we are in the process of having new computers installed on the reference desk, please keep MilCirc open on them at all times. There are many tasks that it makes so much easier.

Thanks!
John

Jones Building Collections Guide

From the Central Blog, here is a guide to what's where in the renovated Jones Building:

1st Floor
World Language Collection; Large Print; Fiction; Music, Movies & AudioBooks; Gallery; Access Center
2nd Floor
Non-fiction 000s-700s; CORE
3rd Floor
Non-Fiction 800s-900s; Biography; Reference; Current Periodicals; Automobile Manuals; Microfilm Readers; Copiers
4th Floor
Kids Room; Teen Room; Program Place
5th Floor
Stacks Collection; Newspaper & Business Microfilms; Driller Logs; GS Collection
6th Floor
Government Documents; Topo Maps; Federal Register & CIS

What Time Is It?

As you've doubtless noticed, the time display on the telephones (except for the two Telephone Reference lines we have borrowed from Central) is approximately five minutes fast.

Until this issue is resolved, I recommend we use the following Web site to determine the time:
http://www.time.gov/timezone.cgi?Central/d/-6/java

I have it bookmarked on one terminal at the reference desk and the circ desk.

Thanks!
John

Contacting JCI/GSD

Staff please be aware that the hyperlink to file maintenance work orders with the Facilities Department has changed. The link on the staff home page is no longer correct. The correct link "Sprocket" can be found either on the blog page or by going to the Intranet page and clicking on the reference link at the top right-hand side of page. The actual url is: http://gsd.upturnhost.com/.

Tier Assignment Acknowledgment Forms

All,

Roosevelt Weeks sent out an e-mail to everyone regarding the tier assignments for staff members in the event of an emergency. All Collier staff are tier 3, except for me (I'm tier 2). The e-mail and the attachments explain the system. Please print out and sign the acknowledgment form and leave it in my box. I'll collect them and send them to HR for us.

I'd like to have them all collected by May 12th.

Please also remember that I will be on vacation next week. I'll be in town and can be reached at my cell phone as usual. In my absence Chris will be in charge and I know you'll give him your full cooperation, as always.

Thanks for being such a great team!

John

Staff Meeting

We will have our April staff meeting on Tuesday, April 29, at 2 and 2:30 p.m. If you have anything you want to share with the group, please let me know by Monday.

Thanks!
John

Thursday Afternoon Notes

• Per our AARP volunteers: Persons who normally do not file income tax returns do have to file this year in order to get the anticipated tax rebate check, due in May; however, the process for them to file is not yet in place, so the volunteers will not be equipped to assist persons in those circumstances till late March.
• Next week's reference desk schedule should be posted here very soon. I am still waiting on verification as to when Telephone Reference will arrive here. The schedule as it stands this afternoon assumes it will not be here next week, but this may change mid-week. I appreciate your flexibility and understanding. When we have confirmation as to when it arrives, I will contact Julia from Central about training.
• Thanks again for a great first two weeks here!

John

AED has arrived!

The AED (defibrilator) has arrived. It is in its niche on the main floor, just outside my office.

One key will be kept in the safe, the other in the reference desk drawer.

There is a DVD and CD-ROM that came with the unit, which would be good for everyone to review, especially those of us who have taken the training.

If you are interested in being trained on the AED or have any questions, please see Chris or me.

Thanks!
John

First post

Welcome to the new Collier Regional Library page. Blogs have worked well all over our system and I hope that it can facilitate communication here too!

John