Friday, February 21, 2020

Taking Money for Faxes








You need to make sure your workflow has you accepting patron's money 
BEFORE faxing paperwork. 

 This will avoid several problems, such as:

(1) The patron doesn't have enough money.
(2) The patron only has large bills with which to pay.
(3) The patron "forgot" their money in the car.

If the fax doesn't go through, you can always return the patron's money to them.

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Customer Service Skills





Do not use Cleaning products and aerosol sprays in the computer lab or at the circulation desk doing the hours the library is open to the public. 


Cleaning products and aerosol sprays cans (lysol, deodorizer, etc.)
 should not be sprayed around patrons. Some patrons have fragrance sensitivity.



Friday, May 6, 2016

Know where the fire extinguishers are located






Don't look around.  Now...do you know exactly where the fire extinguishers are?  If not, find out NOW!

In an emergency you need to be able to react automatically.  It could make a difference to someone's life, including your own!

All employees should know the location of the fire extinguishers and how to use them.

Thursday, April 21, 2016

E-mailing scanned documents for patrons



When a patron requests that a scanned document be mailed, send the document to the patron only, not to the destination e-mail.  If you send it directly to the destination e-mail, then any returning responses from the recipient will come back to you instead of the patron.  Sending it to the patron also accomplishes the task of putting the scanned document back into their hands where they can control its distribution.

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Review points from safe child policy...


(1) 30 minutes before closing the library is supposed to make a LOUD VERBAL announcement that the library will be closing in 30 minutes and that everyone needs to be making arrangements to leave the library.  This is the responsibility of EVERY staff member at the library at the time the announcement is due, so don't assume someone else will take care of this.

(2) Library staff members are NOT to stay with children after hours on library property.  There is no 'I don't mind' option.  From a legal standpoint, during such a time you are on library time, required to be paid, and holding the library liable for your actions.

(3) If a child is on library property after closing you are to call the police IMMEDIATELY.  It is NOT your fault if you have to do this - it is the parent's.  You are to document the date, time, and child involved by E-MAILING me this information as soon as possible after the event occurs.  If you are on-site when a parent arrives, you are to hand him/her a SAFE CHILD POLICY and document that as well.  You should also try to reach me on my cell phone to let me know what is going on.

***IF*** it is a situation where a panicked parent has called with a flat tire or some similarly reasonable situation arises, call me.  Under such circumstances I will provide the authority for you to stay with the child - but you have to call me as the event is occurring.

Katrina

Posted: 2011, 05/22/15, 09/23/15

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Tagging lost items and notes around the office




#1

Before putting something in the Lost & Found box, make sure that you date the item.  This helps with cleaning out the box of items that have been left beyond a reasonable period.


#2

Make sure when you leave ANY note around the office (on a book, on the desk, etc.) that you sign/initial the note *and* date it.  This will avoid problems for other staff members trying to determine the appropriate way of handling the note.


Posted: 5/15/15, 9/22/15

Monday, September 21, 2015

Accepting Donations



When accepting donations from patrons, please keep in mind that donations are only helpful if they fall within the library's collection development policy.  Accepting boxes of dirty or outdated items accomplishes nothing but adding more work requirements to already busy schedules.  The following are examples of items NOT to accept in the form of donations:
  • Textbooks older than 2 years old
  • Reader's Digest condensed books
  • Encyclopedias 
  • Magazines other than standards like National Geographic
  • Dirty or musty books
  • VHS tapes or cassettes
  • tapes, dvds, etc. without cases
  • spiral bound items or books without spines are highly questionable
Patrons sometimes donate to the library to feel good about not throwing away 'good books.'  We don't ever want to discourage someone from offering donations.  However, it is okay to explain to patrons that, unless the books fit within the library's collection development policy, accepting the donation will hurt the library more than it will help.

Posted: 4/3/15, 9/21/15