Staff Meeting Notes 1/27/2016

Summary: Wellness Documentation, Overdue Items, Upcoming Gatherings, Shifting Update, Displays + Room 455, Cell Phones, Test Prep Guides, Tax Help; From the Youth Meeting: FLIP Kit Tickets, Children’s Book Celebration, Seuss-a-Palooza, SRP; Open Discussion

Written by: Melinda Campbell

In attendance: Angela Barratt, Julia Bradley (presiding), Melinda Campell (note-taking), James Diederich, Teresa Eshelman, Djuina Hammett, Cyrano Machey, Rose Siegel, Isabel Veloz


1. Wellness Documentation

• Option A requires two preventive care activities
• To receive the discount for health insurance if Plan A was chosen, visits must be documented by January 31^st.
• Able to use dental visits, vision screening or flu injections not done through Cigna but these visits must be manually reported.
• You may, of course, use wellness time for visits
• Other plans include: telephone coaching, onsite health education or my health assistant online program
• Visit the COH wellness website for more information.

2. Overdue Items

• Please check accounts when checking in items to see whether they have other items out or overdue items on the account and let the customer know at that time, including any preexisting fines that the account may have. Please make this a habit for better customer service.
• One tip for a friendly way to let the customer know: “The record shows that there is an overdue fine ….”

3. Upcoming Gatherings

• Brandon Cofield of MBK is coming to lunch at Collier on Friday to familiarize us with their service to the community and to answer any of our questions.
• Also we have Hiawatha Henry from Programming coming on Monday at 11:15. Hiawatha works with Jennifer Schwartz and they are in charge of setting up outside programs and performers in the Library. She wants to hear your ideas regarding programs that we could have at the library. Rose and Kameshia, Julia will get together with you for your input as you are not here at that time.
• James suggested “How to use my library card”

4. Shifting Update

• The large project is almost done and a big thank you for all the work that everyone has done. It looks amazing.

5. Displays and Room 455

• Cyrano has been doing some great displays! If anyone wants to join in and do some displays or collaborate with others, Central Library now has a room (455) set up with materials such as colored paper, fancy scissors, die cuts, Cricut, butcher paper etc.
  We can organize a field trip to see what is available and get supplies together for a display. Also, in the future, we can use the Central Library volunteers to assemble some simple pieces for our display and send them our way.

Room 455 is a communal space for HPL staff to access craft supplies and tools (die cuts, Cricut machines, paper) and be able to spread out and create displays for their branches. Anyone can use the room whenever they like--it's not limited to youth stafff.

6.  Cell Phones

• Melinda has discussed the cell phones at the desk.
  Please do not have your cell phones at the desk.
  We do have a private line at the library that can be used for emergencies or if necessary you can speak to a Manager to discuss having your cell phone handy to take the call you are waiting on.
  Social media sites on the cell phone do not look professional.
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7. Test Prep Books

• Check and use your judgement to shelf the Test Prep books in this area.
  Be careful with general help such as algebra help books.
  Make this area just for test taking help.

8. Tax Help

• Great news! We are getting our tax forms mid February as we have reactivated our account.
• We can remind the customer that they can ask for the tax forms to be sent to their home address or use irs.gov for printing of forms.
• We do not have the tax help printouts yet.
• Tax help form AARP Tax Aide is available at select HPL locations from Monday February 1^st through Friday April 15. Here's the HPL link to tax information, including AARP services.
• Closest Libraries for this service are:
• Oak Forest: Tuesday and Wednesday 11:30-3:30, Saturday 10-2
• Hillendahl: Wednesday 11-3 Thursday 1-5. Spanish speakers help at Hillendahl is on Thursday only.

Kids' Corner (Angela Barratt)

1. From the Youth Meeting

• FLIP Kit Tickets: When the survey and kit is returned the family can receive the free museum pass.
• The surveys should be returned completed at the time the kit is returned. If returning the kit without doing the survey, we can ask them to do it at that time.
• Our passes are in the grey metal box in the drawer to the right of the CSD. When we get down to the last 5 passes, please let Angela know so she can order more.
• Check expiration date on free pass and let patron know that it is time sensitive.

2. Childrens' Book Celebration Festival

We will have Dan Santat, author of The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend and winner of the 2015 Caldecott Award.

If you would like to work on the artwork for this festival, please see Angela.

3. Seuss-a-Palooza:

• We're hosting a special event for Dr. Seuss’s birthday. It will occur March 2^nd.
• We will have a bilingual story time and crafts for all ages.
• Please see Angela if you'd like to help with this program.

4. SRP

• We will host a teen event every Wednesday at 4PM.
• Please help Angela with thoughts on programs to entice teens into the library. SRP theme for this year is "Aim for the stars." May be interpreted as the summer Olympics or astronomy. Ideas suggested for programs: old fashioned field day, mini Olympics, lip-sync battles, make your own short podcast.

Open Discussion

Teresa: Please do not add float items in the discard bin as there has been several items in there recently.

Cyrano: Send back to LMS Brotherhood in Death /Robb and Honky Tonk Samurai Lansdale. We should be receiving them in shipment today or tomorrow.

Julia: We now have flowers in the staff area. Let's try to keep them alive!

Djuina:

• Jungman Library should be up and running in two months.
• City of Houston is facing between 120-150 million dollars in deficit so we may have a budget reduction.
• Staff Development Day will be occurring in October this year.
• Read to the Final Four: Dr. Lawson attended a White House meeting last week with other Library and School leaders.
• All HISD students from K-12 will be provided the “Learning Link” card, probably to commence at the beginning of the next school year.
• We are up to the Elite 8 and the pep rally where the Final Four will be announced is on February 5^th.
• Hoping everyone has attended to the Cyber training.
• The HEAR quarterly assessments are being completed.
• Renderings of Robinson-Westchase and Central Libraries were available in break room. Central will have their plaza updated to have movies and performers.
• Djuina suggested “Paint with a twist’, Laser Tag, Paintball, bowling, or Top Golf for staff extra curricular activity. Julia will send out a google survey form for voting.