Hello Everyone,
New Doors /GateWe now have the new door, gate and RFID circulation function all operational at HSL.
Doors:
· The two main doors will open outwards, and will allow two-way traffic.
· There are no swing gates.
· There will be an automatic access button for the doors, against the wall on your right side as you enter the library and exit the library.
· The locking mechanism on the doors will be controlled electronically to open and lock according to our hours of operation.
· After hours the doors will operate by card access only.
***Please Note: Staff cards will be used for access, however staff with older cards will need to go to main campus for an updated card
Important: Doors still need to be checked to ensure they are secure at the end of each shift – we have had some problems with the doors fully latching. Thanks.
Important: If the electronic locking is not operating properly, that is not locking as expected at night or unlocking in the morning, please call Security at 220-5333 immediately and request assistance. They are able to manually override the system when necessary.
Doors and Gate and AlarmsThe new gates and alarms have been in operation for almost a week, and we are still getting to know more about them. Here is what to expect…
· The gate and alarm operation of our new doors was fashioned after the system in place at the Law Library on main campus.
· The gate and the doors both have separate audible alarms.
· The gates also have a flashing light when alarmed.
· The gates will alarm when an item with a sensitized RFID tag goes through the gate in either direction. This is a short audible and visual alarm. We have seen this happen with people returning their HSL books for example, or if you just pass an item by the gate to check if it is sensitized, but do not proceed through the gate to the exit. The audible alarm will cease after a few seconds.
· If an item with a sensitized RFID tag goes through the gate and toward the door, the system wants to prevent the loss of the item. You will hear the gate alarm and the higher pitched door alarm and both doors are programmed to lock (or to close and lock if they are ajar at the time of alarm). This will hopefully encourage the person with the item in question to return to the desk.
· Important: The red re-set button by station #3 at the service counter needs to be used to unlock the doors.
· The audible door alarm will cease on its own after 15 seconds.
· As usual, when the alarm sounds, it the service desk staff responsibility to follow up by checking for items that may be setting off the alarm. We may hear quite a few alarms due to items checked out prior to the RFID system being used at checkout. Please offer to desensitize these items by renewing using the RFID system or simply selecting the 3M RFID checkout button (highlighted in green when selected) and moving the items over the RFID pad area of the service desk. Thanks.
· Items with RFID tags (all HSL books, most TFDL books, etc.) that have not been desensitized in the RFID system, for example those that were checked out prior to our system being up and running, will set off the gate alarm.
· Some items such as RFID tagged CPL items will need to be ‘passed around’ the gates. When I tried this I found that the gates can sense items close by even on the outside, so passing around may mean moving the item as far as possible away from the gate monitors, for example around the outside of the gate and lifting the item.
· There are also lights on the mag locks positioned at the top of the doors that at times show a red light , a green light or no light at all. We are trying to gather more information about how to interpret and manage these lights.
As with any new system there may be some unexpected situations that arise. Please let me know about any unusual situations, client comments or concerns.
Please let me know or speak to your supervisor if you have any questions about responding to a gate/door alarm situation. Thanks.
RFIDWe began using the RFID system for circulating books this week. The RFID pad is at station #1 (closest to POS) only, so all items being checked in and out should be handled at station #1.
Other types of client assistance or registrations can be handled at station 2 or 3. The RFID pad sensitizes/desensitizes items when items are checked in or out.
· It will likely take some time to become used to the system. How many books can be read at once, where or how to move them across the pad area, etc.
· Please watch your screens carefully to ensure items are properly checked out.
· Not all books that we handle at the desk will have RFID tags. In these cases, scan barcodes as usual.
· If you find HSL items that do not have tags, tag or place aside for tagging. Staff will continue to check returned items for tags before shelving. We are not tagging items from other locations that do not have tags.
· For the next while we will be hearing the alarm when clients go through the gates with books that have been checked out and desensitized prior to today. We will offer to renew the items, or desensitize using RFID so that these books will then be desensitized for the client.
I will be sending out fuller training documentation within the next few days. I would be pleased to demonstrate to any interested staff, or feel free to give it a try at the desk to see how this new technology will work for us.
Time Away Request and Staff CalendarA few reminders about AUPE leave balances and AUPE leave processes at HSL ….
· Remember, the 2 PLD days must be taken by the end of the year, or lost.
· The 6 NLD days expire at the end of 2012.
· Also please ensure your vacation balances are below your yearly entitlement by the end of December, and remain below your yearly entitlement throughout the year. You can check your balances by selecting this option on your electronic timesheet.
· Flex also needs to be kept below 14 hours at any time.
If you have any questions about balances or managing time away, please let me know
Now that staff have access to the time away calendar we can streamline the HSL time away request process. I’ve outlined steps below that should work .
· Staff submits brief email request to Mary with time away dates
· Email approval response from Mary to staff
· Once approval received, staff required to enter in time away calendar same day or as soon as possible (**see note below) indicating the type of time away (Vac, flex, etc.)
· Staff submits printed time request form with pertinent time sheet for PLD, NLD and Vacation days.
Please let me know if you have questions about the time away calendar.
**Since the time away calendars are used by staff to create the desk calendar and check for operational coverage and used by staff to plan time away, it is important to keep the calendar as up to date as possible. Thanks.
HoldsThe new processes are working well and we are seeing increased traffic of items between locations. With the new system the pick up location is the key for processing rather than the home location. If we check in a TFDL book at HSL (or any item regardless of its home location), that has a hold with a HSL pick up location, we simply process and place it on our HSL hold pick up shelf. While there are a number of steps behind the scenes, the new process improves hold service and delivery for our clients.
Duplicate hold requests
I have just noticed something this week with holds when there are multiple copies in various branches.
A client can place a hold on a title that has copies at HSL, ACH and RGH, for delivery to TFDL. We can pull our copy, place on transit card and send over. However once the item is checked out on the ‘in transit’ card, and until the client charges the book out at the pick up location, the system looks for another copy, so in fact other branches will likely see the same title on their hold list (or 3+ days old hold list) when the hold will actually be filled by the first copy pulled. This is a bit of a glitch with the mail service delivery, and the best practice is to check item records for those items on the old hold list to make sure they are not a duplicate request.
Pick up by dates on hold slips
From Discovery System staff….
As of Tuesday, November 8th, Symphony (sirsi) no longer provide a “Pickup by” date because we are now using “mail service” to allow patrons placing a hold to pick the branch library where they would like to pick up their hold when it becomes available. The logic in Symphony is that if the hold is being mailed, then it doesn’t need a pickup-by date! However, we still want this date in the system so are running a report at quarter-past every hour to add the pickup-by date. So if you trap (or discharge or checkin) holds before xx:15 and re-print your hold slips at xx:20 after the report runs, the hold slips should have the expiry dates printed.
I think it is best practice to pull and discharge (or trap) the holds as soon as possible once the on shelf hold list is received. At HSL this generates the hold slip. If the item is going to another location for pick up, there is no date needed, so you can indicate the pick up location on the slip, place in the book, check the item out on the in transit card and send it on its way.
If the item is for pick up at the discharging library, you will want an expiry date on the slip. When discharged, the slip will print – sometimes with and sometimes without a date. At HSL this week we started by keeping the books at the desk then reprinting the slips with the date after 15 past the hour, but by the middle of the week we found it more expedient (and less waste of extra slips) to simply write the ‘pick up by’ date on the top of the slip and put directly on the hold shelf. What are other KCs doing?
HIN E-booksThere are a number of ways to find e-books accessible to HIN clients remotely.
Check for individual title in the catalogue and click on the Calgary Health Region Users link.
Check the “Toolkits” menu on the HIN homepage for most popular titles in particular disciplines.
Browse the four E-Book packages through the HIN databases webpage:
hinc.ucalgary.ca > Databases > AHS Calgary Zone > AccessMedicine,
hinc.ucalgary.ca > Databases > AHS Calgary Zone > MD consult
hinc.ucalgary.ca > Databases > AHS Calgary Zone > Books@Ovid
hinc.ucalgary.ca > Databases > AHS Calgary Zone > STAT!Ref
HIN HandoutsNew Consumer Health HIN handouts are now available for clients. This includes the ‘What your Library Account Gives You’ handout for patients and patient families and the Smart Surfing handouts.
The ‘Library Account’ handouts are on the cabinet behind the service counter at HSL. Staff are asked to continue to give a handout (either the patient/patient family or staff) to new HIN clients at the time of registration.
DisplayWe now have our Diabetes display on the large wooden HSL display unit that has been relocated close to the Consumer Health collection. It creates a nice space for the materials. This includes some HSL texts on the topic. Remember to scan this area if you are looking for some of our books on diabetes.
Lost ItemsUofC ID cards or AHS badges found in HSL should be flagged for regular staff for follow up. We generally try to contact the client whenever possible and arrange for the client to pick up the items within a few days. A note is then attached indicating action taken, date and staff initials and they are placed in the top drawer by the POS.
Likewise other items of value that are turned in , such as keys or wallets or cell phones should be flagged for regular staff follow up. We generally try to contact client and arrange a pick up as soon as possible. If we cannot contact the client it is best to bring these types of items to Security staff at the Info/Security desk for safe keeping, including a note with date and location found and staff initials. This can also be included in the shift report.
RenoComing by mid December…
Accessible furniture for persons with disabilities
4 Stand up workstations for the stacks
2 Flat panel screens installed outside library and beside service desk
Coming in the New Year…
Self-check station
Service desk renovation with front entry
Proposed date for Grand Opening…February 2012
TALI learned recently that it is no longer necessary for UofC clients who are applying for a TAL card at our locations (sorry, this is not available to HIN clients) to complete the paper application form. Procedures will need to be updated to reflect this change. Any surplus application forms can be forwarded to me.
Viewing DVDs at HSLClients wishing to view DVDs at HSL may use the public computers and their own personal headsets, or they may also use the computers with sound in the 1461-4 classrooms.
HSL/HIN/HKN Holiday Potluck
From the Social Committee…..
Thursday, December 8, 2011
12:00 - 1:30 pm
HSL Staff Lounge
Please bring an appetizer or main course or dessert to share with everyone
New Parking Pass and Process for Arts Parkade Main CampusThe Arts Parkade transponder is being replaced by a new parking pass after December 1st . Please see Annley’s email for details about the new parking pass process.
Operation (formerly Circulation) ManualThis manual is currently residing on Brian’s desk as he works on the many revisions needed to keep up with the recent changes in technology and processes.
Audio DigestWe hold the most recent 5 years plus the current year for our Audio Digest collection. Currently we have from 2006 – 2011 shelved in two cabinets just around corner of the yellow wall as you go toward the book stacks. The 2009 – 2011 items are all RFID tagged, earlier copies are not. In the New Year we will be withdrawing the 2006 to make way for the 2012 items.
Please let me know if there are any questions, concerns of suggestions.
Wishing you a great weekend.
Mary
