Contacting Digital Strategies

From Jennifer Meyers (via Edgar Fuentes), 10/23:

Digital Strategies Hours & Contact Details


Hours 
Monday – Friday | 8am – 6pm 
Saturday | 9am – 6pm 
Sunday | 1pm – 5pm


Contact Details

• Critical Issues: Call *31570 with specific information. Include G #s when applicable. * Non-Critical Issues: E-mail the HelpDesk at HPL.HelpDesk@houstontx.gov with specific information. Include G #s when applicable.
• Use the LogMeIn Rescue Calling Card available on staff computers.
• ServiceNow is not a preferred contact method as HITS is updating. Trainings are being developed for this program.

After Hours 
If there is an after-hours emergency, please contact 713-742-3978. Emergencies include the loss of WorkFlows, the building server is down, or an issue that affects location operations.

Upcoming Election and Early Voting Information

Team,

As Linda mentioned on Friday, early voting in Harris County starts today.  If customers should ask, there are copies on the top of the holds shelf of the early voting schedule and sample ballots from the Harris County Clerks Office and the Voting Guide (in English) from the League of Women Voters. Spanish copies of the voters guide are being printed and both English and Spanish PDF copies are available on the League's website, https://lwvhouston.org/. The Houston Chronicle also has an online voter's guide, which allows you to search by race, candidate, or district.

HPL's Election Resources page, updated for 2018, also covers acceptable forms of identification required to vote.  

For information about early voting and Election Day (Nov. 6) in Harris County, including voting locations, go to HarrisVotes.com.  The early voting schedule is:

• Monday, Oct. 22-Friday, Oct. 26: 8 AM-4:30 PM
• Saturday, Oct. 23: 7 AM-7 PM
• Sunday, Oct. 28: 1-6 PM
• Monday, Oct. 29-Friday, Nov. 2: 7 AM-7 PM

The closest early voting locations to Walter and Southwest Express are:

• Bayland Park Community Center, 6400 Bissonnet (near Hillcroft)
• Tracy Gee Community Center, 3599 Westcenter Drive (between Westpark and Richmond near Beltway 8)
• Harris County Public Health, 2223 West Loop South, 1st Floor (on 610 in Galleria area)
• Alief ISD Administration Building, 4250 Cook Rd (enter on High Star)

The City's policy on voting during the workday is covered in COH AP 3-11 Absence at http://houstontx.gov/hr/e_relations/AP3-11.html and the Municipal Employee Guidebook, Sec. VII: Voting at http://houstontx.gov/hr/e_relations/employee_guidebook.html#Voting. 

Staff Meeting Notes 10-19-18

Friday, October 19, 2018, 8:30-9:15 AM, MEETING ROOM

  Staff Meeting Agenda

1. Participate in CMC—vote for the community organizations we’ll support with our fundraising efforts this month!  If you want to help with our food booth at Fall Fest next Friday, 10/23, let Holly or Ivy know. 
2. End-of Year Holidays.  Four are coming up in November and December:

a.     Veteran’s Day, Nov. 11: HPL closed Sunday, 11/11, and Monday, 11/12. SWMSC closed Saturday, 11/10—all staff will work at WAL.  Staff who work every weekend may take off 11/10 and reschedule hours for a day the following week.

b.     Thanksgiving, Nov 22:  HPL closed Thursday, 11/22 through Sunday, 11/25. FT staff will receive holiday pay for 11/22 & 23.  Saturday, 11/24, will not be a scheduled work day—FT staff will work Monday-Friday 11/26-30; PT staff will reschedule their Saturday hours during this week. 

c.     Christmas, Dec. 25: HPL closed Monday, Dec. 24, and Tuesday, 12/25, and reopen Wednesday, 12/26.  FT staff will receive holiday pay for 12/24 & 12/25; PT staff will reschedule their Monday and Tuesday hours for the remainder of the week.

d.     New Year’s Day, Jan. 1: HPL closed Tuesday, Jan. 1.  FT staff will receive holiday pay; PT staff will reschedule Tuesday hours for the rest of the week.  On Monday, Dec. 31, all HPL locations will close at 6 PM.

e.     Leave Requests:  With 4 holidays, there is enough time for everyone to get some time off if you want, if we share—1 holiday period per person.  Turn in your leave requests in Kronos by Nov. 9, and I’ll approve them, as long as we have enough staff available to run the buildings.  Remember, if you want to take off your regularly-scheduled Saturday, you must swap your Saturday with another staff member who can work on your day. Part-time staff can take off 4 Saturdays in a calendar year (subject to prior approval). 

3. Team Building Opportunities.  Several staff suggested an off-site team building activity for Staff Development Day.  HPL Training has already created a team-building activity for today, but we could plan an activity for after-work hours.  Let’s discuss:
1. What kind of activity would you enjoy doing as a group?
2. Who would like to plan this?
3. When would be a good time?

Important Dates this Month

●      Friday, October 19: Pay period close.

●      Friday, October 26: Pay day; CE Managers Meeting @ CEN; CMC Fall Fest @ CEN (locations delay opening until 2 PM).

●      Wednesday, October 31: Halloween Happening; wear costumes (?)

●      Tuesday, Nov. 6: Election Day; regarding time off, see COH AP 3-11 Absence at http://houstontx.gov/hr/e_relations/AP3-11.html or the Municipal Employee Guidebook, Sec. VII: Voting at http://houstontx.gov/hr/e_relations/employee_guidebook.html#Voting. Early Voting in Harris County is Oct. 22-Nov. 2.

●      November 10: SWMSC closed for Veteran’s Day holiday; all staff work at Walter.

●      November 12: Veteran’s Day—Library Closed.

●      December 8, 7pm-11pm: Staff Holiday Party at the U of H Hilton, and staff can bring a guest; more information will be forthcoming.

Extending Borrowing for Online Registrations

From Saima Kadir, 10/10:

I encountered a situation yesterday while on a site visit: a customer who had just received a new MY Link card was only allowed to check out 2 items. Staff and I worked towards resolving the issue and were able to check out the items. Staff reported that it happens at least twice a week! So upon my return, I checked with Somer Newland to find an answer. When staff registers a new user using MobileCirc or updates an eCard record using MobileCirc or Workflows, the maximum checkouts allowed does not automatically update to UNLIMITED. This, unfortunately, is a known issue and has been reported to Sirsi. The workaround is to go to Circulation>Users>Renew Privilege in Workflows, enter the library card number (the MY Link number, not the temporary number generated by eCard) and click Renew Privilege. This will update the record and the customer will be allowed to check out as expected. I have updated the MY Link Online Library Card FAQ available on the Training Portal. 

Hotspot Holds Issues

From CE Admin, 9:38 AM:

Several staff members have contacted Digital Strategies/HelpDesk about a hotspot issue: when it’s checked in, it gives an error message instead of fulfilling the next hold in the queue. HALAN has opened a ticket with Sirsi but rather than send individual barcodes, Digital Strategies would prefer to send them a list.

As location managers, please update the following spreadsheet should your staff find one with this problem? Digital Strategies will submit the list to Sirsi by COB on Monday, October 8. It is not necessary to report this issue to the HelpDesk since they are already working on a solution.

Here's the link: https://bit.ly/2PhWks5 (requires login to OneDrive)

Also, Digital Strategies is removing the 30 day embargo since customers can place holds through Enterprise. There isn’t a way to block library cards that are less than 30 days old. As a result, a customer with a less than 30 days old card, can have a hotspot ready for pick up. It wouldn’t be prudent for us to stop them from checking out an item that was ready for pick up. Staff will still need to check the photo ID and review the device checkout policy.

Hotspots Start Floating Sept. 28

From Edgar Fuentes, 9/26:

I hope you all got a chance to see the email regarding the exciting news that our mobile hotspots will now begin floating! 

Initially, Saima and her team were going to merge the location bib records this weekend, but they will now be merging the record Thursday night after closing. When records merge, the customer hold lists combine based on timestamp, but once the 200 new hotspots are checked in Friday morning, customers shouldn't see their position change too much. The new Houston Public Library Mobile Hotspot record will go live on the online website for customers place holds sometime Friday. Please let staff know to be on the lookout for the new record to help customers with the transition. 

If any issues come up with hotspots, please contact the HelpDesk.

Stella Link Mini Moving Oct. 1

From Neighborhood Libraries, 9:02 AM:

Please make note that the Stella Link mini-library will be moving from its temporary location at the Weekley Family YMCA to Sheltering Arms (3838 Aberdeen Way, Houston, TX 77025) beginning Monday, October 1, 2018. The location will serve primarily for holds pick up, so customers will be asked to visit a nearby full service location for things such as printing, notary, and passport services.

New hours of operation at the mini-Stella Link Library at Sheltering Arms will be Monday-Friday 9:00AM-5:00PM. The mini-location phone number remains the same as the Stella Link Library: 832-393-2630. 

Sheltering Arms is in the same campus complex as YMCA, and it shares a parking lot with the McGovern-Stella Link Neighborhood Library, so the move will not be far.

The last day of service at the Weekley Family YMCA will be Saturday, September 29.  Family Storytime will continue at the Weekley YMCA at 9:30am on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Please see the image below to see the proximity to Stella Link Library (on the left hand side, the building with the curved roof). The mini location will be located in the lobby on the right hand side, in the glass part of the building.