VBPL Talks

Winter Reading Program Mascot

2012-02-13T16:22:00.000-05:00

Question: Any thought go into using the President's dog for the Winter Reading program mascot during a Presidential election year? We seem to strive for political correctness except when it comes to politics.

Answer by the Library Communications Team: The graphics for the Winter Reading Program came from the Library of Virginia. They are based on the illustrations in the book First Dog by J. Patrick Lewis. Bo is a cute, fluffy, friendly looking dog who is appealing to young children.

Selection criteria for OverDrive materials

2012-01-24T12:39:00.002-05:00

Question: Can someone from Materials Management explain what collection development criteria are used in the purchase of Overdrive materials? We've had several customers ask about this and staff would like to be able to answer them intelligently.

Answer by Nancy Miller and Susan Zwick, Materials Management: Much the same criteria are used to purchase OverDrive materials as the rest of the collection. The Collection Development Librarians match the OverDrive titles to the print collection as much as possible, looking at reviews, known authors and publishers, as well as responding to Materials Request forms. The collection contains more fiction than non-fiction and more adult than juvenile titles. It also contains more WMA audio titles than MP3 (iPOD compatible) because most producers release only WMA versions.

As with other electronic and audio materials, not everything available in print is available from OverDrive. Therefore customers often request titles that are simply not available from OverDrive. Frequently only some of the titles in a series are obtainable. In addition, the e-book and audiobook market is in a constant state of change with some publishers opting out altogether. For example, Brilliance Audiobooks recently took their future release audio titles off the downloadable market. Harper-Collins has placed a 26 circulation limit on their e-book titles before the item must be repurchased. Other publishers like Simon & Schuster and Macmillan do not sell their titles as e-books.

One major difference is the holds/purchase ratio. The ratio for OverDrive is 8 holds to 1 purchase. So a title must have 16 holds for a second copy to be purchased. The Collection Development Librarians monitor the holds on a regular basis to add copies, if necessary.

Program Cards

2012-01-20T07:59:00.000-05:00

Question: Is it ok for staff members who live outside of Virginia Beach to use a program card as a personal library card so they don't have to pay money to renew their personal card? There are staff who are doing this.

Answer by the Library Communications Team: The Library Card Policy states (under the Agency Card section): Items for personal use may not be checked out on Agency cards. Agency supervisors will regularly monitor these cards for compliance. Staff agency cards may be used for staff development purposes regarding the use of Overdrive and other electronic resources. If you have concerns that agency cards are being used inappropriately, please talk with your supervisor and/or manager.

Christmas Eve 2011

2011-12-08T11:18:00.000-05:00

After the Mayor's announcement that Friday, December 23 was going to be an official City observed holiday, LCT received a couple of questions about Saturday, December 24. An email has gone out but to make sure that everyone has the information . . .

From Nancy Pavona, Administrative Services Manager: In response to the additional City observed holiday that Mayor Sessoms has given to all City employees on Friday, December 23, the Library Department will also be closed on Saturday, December 24. Staff scheduled to work that day should have those hours rescheduled to another day. If they were scheduled to be off on Friday the 23rd due to working Saturday, that would be the most logical day since that is now designated as a City holiday.

If you have any questions about this, please talk with your manager and/or supervisor.

Christmas Trees, lights and other things

2011-11-30T16:35:00.001-05:00

Question: As a City building why do we decorate the libraries for Christmas with lights,trees etc.

Answer by the Library Communications Team: Christmas trees have become popular for purely cultural reasons. There's nothing inherently Christian or religious about Christmas trees or lights. The courts have ruled that Christmas trees, stars, wreaths, and other non-religious symbols are secular and are permitted on public property. Decorating in this manner does not violate the separation of church and state.

Court-Ordered Community Service

2011-11-18T13:10:00.000-05:00

Question: Is there was a policy against taking court-ordered community service volunteers?

Answer by the Operations Steering Committee (OSC): There is no policy against court-ordered community service. Most agencies and divisions do not accept court-ordered volunteers due to the volume of the requests and the cost of doing background checks. On occasion, an agency or division may choose to accept a court-ordered volunteer. This is at the discretion of the manager of each division.

Staffing and Teams

2011-11-18T11:40:00.000-05:00

Question: Why are employees allowed to do projects and be members of committees outside the agency when the agencies are short staffed?

Answer by the Library Communications Team: Managers and supervisors consider staffing when placing employees on teams. Maintaining normal operations in all of the agencies is important but so are the many projects and committees that are throughout the Library and the City. These projects and committees are instrumental in moving the departmart forward and making sure that we align our work with the City's goals and strategies. Employees are selected to participate on various projects and on various teams because their knowlege, skills and/or abilities are needed on those projects and committees. If you have concerns that agency work is not getting completed on time, discuss those concerns with your supervisor or manager.

Library Van

2011-11-18T11:37:00.000-05:00

Question: I drive by South Rosemont almost everyday on my way to CL and wonder why it is that the Bookmobile staff was given the city van we used to have here to use??

Answer by Library Administration: The decision to move the van from Central Library to South Rosemont was a management decision. It was based on the fact that the van was not being used regularly at Central Library and there was an increased need for staff to travel to and from the Bookmobile when it was at the Landstown facility or the City Garage.

Work Assignments

2011-11-16T12:30:00.000-05:00

Question: Why do managers assign projects to employees without consulting with the supervisor first?

Answer by the Library Communications Team: Managers have the authority to assign projects as needed. Ideally, the manager and supervisor are working together to make work assignments however, there are times when something comes up unexpectedly or when the supervisor isn't available and an assigment must be made without the supervisor's input.

Christmas Eve 2011

2011-11-16T12:19:00.000-05:00

Question: I would like to know why staff are being required to take leave or make up hours on the afternoon of December 24. This seems to me to be like a weather related closing - the building is physically closed, so why should staff be penalized for not being able to work? For that matter, why not just close for the whole day?

Answer by Library Administration: Christmas Eve is not related to Facilities Closure. As was announced earlier, Libraries will be open to the public on Christmas Eve from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. Staff will work from 8 - 12 noon. For the afternoon, members must reschedule the remaining four hours during that FLSA workweek, take leave or take Leave without Pay.

Homework @ Work

2011-10-31T18:25:00.000-04:00

Question: Why are employees allowed to do their school homework during work hours?

Answer by the Library Communications Team: This question already been answered. If you have questions or concerns about something happening in your agency, please speak with your supervisor and/or manager.

Suspending ILLs during the holidays

2011-09-30T08:33:00.000-04:00

Question: Why are ILLs suspended during the holidays? I have heard that one reason is because colleges and universities shut down for the holidays but what about borrowing from public libraries or those that don't shut down?

Answer by Booker Bates, Supervisor Collection Management: We do not suspend all operations of InterLibrary Loan during the holidays. Only the borrowing function is suspended. Other InterLibrary Loan functions continue as normal (i.e. loaning, packaging, receiving, updating, etc).

We suspend the borrowing function for several reasons. The majority of our ILL requests come from colleges and universities which shut down their loaning service on OCLC during this time. Many public libraries also stop lending during this period due to staff shortages for the holidays. In the past, we have tried to ILL requests from five different libraries only to have them go through unfilled. It is a waste of staff time and money for every request that goes through processed as unfilled.

You may not know that all items are sent Library rate as the most cost effective way for the customer and the library. Library rate is considered a non-priority by the Post Office especially during the holiday rush and as such, many ILL packages have lost their way to and from their owning library. Many libraries extend the due date for items we borrow during November for that very reason. So requests made at the end of November may be eligible for longer checkout periods!

Every year we send an email to VBPL staff that we are suspending ILL borrowing for two weeks but ask that you to continue to enter any requests you receive from your customers. We also reiterate that if a customer has an urgent situation, we will handle it on a case by case basis.

Merging Collection Management and Cataloging Services

2011-09-20T14:10:00.000-04:00

Question: Was there an official announcement about Collection Management and Cataloging Services merging? If not, why was it kept a secret? Is it true that YFS will be moving to the Collection Management spaces once they are vacated?

Answer by Clara Hudson, Service Development Manager: Between 2008 and 2011, 6 positions were cut or moved from Collection Management and Cataloging Services. To continue providing high quality service with less staff, we began a process to create more efficient, effective work in and between the two divisions. One of the elements identified in that process was moving the two groups into a single workspace. Due to the smaller staff and identified related work, it was found to be logistically possible to fit both divisions in a single space.

This has been a work in progress, using a facilitated process that will produce the greatest result for all involved, including public service staff (who have helped us at times with the process) and our library customers. No "official" announcement has been made out of respect and appreciation for the ongoing work and for those involved.

The move was certainly not a secret, having been talked about at a variety of meetings where Public Service Managers were present. Our goal is not to do more with less but to work better and create a strong team, minimizing the impact of reduced staff.

As to the space that will eventually be left vacant by Collection Management, no decision has been made nor has any formal discussion occurred on the matter. Any information that is being shared on the topic is strictly supposition.

AHM and Checking for Damaged Materials

2011-09-19T10:59:00.000-04:00

Question: When we get the automated return system will staff be checking for incomplete items and/or damaged items?

Answer by Diane Wetterlin, Oceanfront Library: As was mentioned in an earlier post, Automated Materials Handling will not check for damaged or missing items - that will be up to staff as part of the sorting/shelving process. DVDs missing their discs will, presumably, go into the "exceptions" or "problem" bin (or whatever it is going to be called) because, without the disc, the system won't be able to check in the material.

Circulating Magazines

2011-09-15T15:31:00.000-04:00

Question: When are magazines going to begin circulating? Haven't heard any more on this topic since it was announced. Thanks.

Answer by Clara Hudson, Service Development Manager: It was never officially "announced" that VBPL was going to circulate magazines. The possiblity is being researched and has been discussed by various staff and teams that impact the decision. Two critical factors are being considered: first serials control needs to be implemented before magazines can circulate and, second there may be a problem with returns using automated materials handling.

Early Literacy Centers and Misbehavior

2011-08-25T12:40:00.000-04:00

Question: Why have we turned our Children's areas into playgrounds and battlefields? The addition of "toys" has made it impossible for a parent to sit quietly and read to their child. Also, daily we have children roughhousing and using the "toys" in a manner they aren't intended for while their parent/caregiver is busy on the Internet or conversing with other adults.

Answer by Victoria Strickland-Cordial, Youth and Family Services: Glad you asked. VBPL is committed to supporting all learning and skill building for our youngest citizens. Research indicates that the old adage "play is the work of children" is not just empty words. Toys are a child's vehicle to learning. They entertain and stimulate young minds as well as foster an interest in particular areas such as language and writing which are of specific interest to us. Playing helps to develop a child's language, social interactions, imagination and problem-solving skills. ALA has specifically added play as a vital component to a child's learning process and Every Child Ready to Read has been updated to reflect this. Their updated branding is: Sing, Talk, Read, Write, Play.

We provide educational and manipulative toys for parents or caregivers to use to enhance the library experience, enlarge vocabulary and to teach early reading skills through play. We got a vetted set of learning tools (toys) from the Library of Virginia and based our purchases on that, plus additional toys that were vetted through YFS.

The library of today is not the library of the 1950s where silence was golden. Having a child friendly area shows that babies and children are welcome in the library, builds parent loyalty (most parents love the addition of toys) and should encourage interaction between parent and child. Aligned with ALA recommendations, we have specifically designed our areas to be anchored around a cuddle-space (at VBPL this is usually a loveseat). We have created a space for a parent and child to sit quietly and read together.

The behavior of parents on the Internet or conversing with other adults is not new and certainly did not start with the inclusion of toys. If the parents aren't paying attention to inappropriate behavior of their children, staff should take the child to the parent and explain that, for the safety of all, the behavior can't continue. If the toys are the problem, simply remove the ones that are being abused.

If the children are roughhousing and toys are turning the areas into "battlefields" then it is up to the library staff to step in and address the behavior. All staff must consider safety first - and use common sense to decide whether the problem is the toy or the behavior of the customers. It is our responsibility to maintain order and safety for all in the building - whether it's toys, computers, loud conversations or fried chicken dinners!

ACS Backdating

2011-08-25T09:17:00.000-04:00

Question: It's been observed that ACS will, on occasion, be backdated when a person logs in even when the person using the computer immediately before had not backdated the system. Why does ACS backdate sometimes for some people but not for everyone?

Answer by Technology Services: ACS is not "smart" software. For it to be backdated it must have been done by a person and the backdating must be removed by a person. This might be a case of the first person using the computer for the day backdating ACS for the bookdrop and forgetting to remove the backdating. Through the day, those using the computer either didn't notice it was backdated or perhaps didn't use ACS.

Hurricane Email Updates

2011-08-25T08:28:00.002-04:00

Question: Why do we have to receive emails from so many different sources regarding this or any other hurricane? Can one person be the designated supplier of information resources and one person for the official updates?

Answer by the Library Communications Team: Dawn Chabrol, the LEMCO representative on the City's Emergency Operations Committee, has been designated as the department's source of the City's emergency updates. Additional information may come from many sources as it becomes available in the effort get news out as often and as broadly as possible. This information can include additional links for emergency supplies, preparation, safety, etc. for work and home. If you are not interested in reading these messages, delete the email (as was mentioned in an earlier post regarding weather announcements).

Job Postings

2011-08-17T12:00:00.000-04:00

Question: This isn't a question, but a suggestion. Instead of several supervisors sending several emails about job openings, why not have our library HR staff send one email listing the positions that have been posted on the Wave?

Answer by the Library Communications Team: Great suggestion!! A new process, along the lines that you mentioned, is in the works. Stay tuned!

Leave

2011-08-17T11:55:00.000-04:00

Question: Why are staff allowed to put in leave for next year (including Christmas holidays of 2012)?

Answer by the Library Communications Team: There is nothing in either the City's Leave Policy or the Holidays Policy about how far in advance leave may be submitted. Please discuss your agency's leave procedures with your supervisor and/or manager.

Library Cards and the Internet

2011-08-17T11:45:00.001-04:00

Question: I know we do not give library card numbers to customers when they forget their cards but there have been problems because customers want to know why we can't just write down the numbers. Is there a reason why we don't besides that it's our policy?

Answer by the Library Communications Team: It is the policy, as approved by the Library Board and submitted to the Library of Virginia, that each customer must have his card with him to use the computers. This is important, not just for their protection (someone else won't be able to do something online using their account) but also because it encourages them to bring their library cards to use self-checkout and to (soon) use the payment kiosk to pay for their printing.

Posting Weather Alerts to Beachnet

2011-08-04T17:06:00.001-04:00

Question: Would it be possible for Marcy to just put a link to where the information is for the storm alerts and not send the 1MB files? This could be put on Beachnet where everyone could get to it. Then all department heads could just link to the file. This would save space on the email server as well as clearing our email files.

Answer by Library Communications Team: Storm messages, along with other important messages, need to be sent to everyone and not simply posted on Beachnet. Many people receive and read their email on various devices and in various places other than work - Beachnet wouldn't be as convenient or as timely for them (it does take time to post to Beachnet!). Anyone not interested in reading the message may simply delete it - however, it's important information that might be of interest and use - so it wouldn't hurt to scan before deleting. In addition, 1MB text files are extremely small so there's no need to worry about clogging the email server.

Blog Archives

2011-07-15T09:47:00.001-04:00

Question: How long do answer/blogs remain on VBPL Talks and Inside VBPL? Sometimes information pertaining to a particular policy and/or procedure has been updated but old information is still retrieved and used.

Answer by the Library Communications Team: The archives for VBPL Talks go back to July 19, 2007 while those for Inside VBPL go back to July 29, 2008. Posts that are months or even years old should not be used as current policy or procedure without verification that the information is indeed still current.

It is always best to check the official Policy and Procedure manual on Beachnet. Policy and procedure updates are blogged when possible, as soon as possible, but the entire policy or procedure may not be included in the post - Beachnet is the best source for the current policies and procedures. Use the Sirsi Operations Team Question & Answer form to notify them of circulation procedural changes that might be needed and use the OSC Issues Form to request clarification on policies that might need updating or changing.

New Book Stickers

2011-07-06T16:23:00.000-04:00

Question: LCT has received two related questions regarding new books stickers: 1. I heard that we will no longer stamp the date on the books as they come into the system. The New Book stickers which are placed on the spine do not stay on the spine and it is hard to tell which books go with the New Books and which ones go on the regular shelves. Could this problem be addressed?

2. Are we supposed to be putting tape acoss the new book stickers to keep them on the books? I see this being done and want to know if this is a universal process.

Answer by Sean O'Connell, Cataloging Services: It was decided at the March 2011 CM/CS meeting that we would not stamp the date on books as they enter the system. I don't know if it's a universal process, but, if the new book stickers are not sticking well, feel free to use tape on them.

(Diane Wetterlin, OF Library): Oceanfront uses removable tape - it helps keep the stickers on and is easy to get off the book when it's time to remove the sticker.

Smart Investing Grant

2011-06-29T11:15:00.000-04:00

Question: Will VBPL be participating in Smart Investing after this year? We were told that it wouldn't cause extra work for staff but that has not been the case. I think it was a good idea and teens need to know the information but they are simply not interested.

Answer by Christine Brantley, Community Relations and Development Coordinator: It has not yet been determined if VBPL will reapply for the Smart Investing grant. The Smart Investing Grant and related programs are part of VBPL's strategic plan, public response #6 "Information Fluency." Please see David Palmer's recent post on Inside VBPL "Financial Literacy and Sustainability", which talks more about this topic. The Smart Investing team members have taken steps to minimize the work for other library staff as related to the programs.