HPL Hurricane Harvey Employee Resource Page

Dear HPL Team,

I hope this email finds each of you well. As our focus shifts towards recovery from Hurricane Harvey we want to provide you with useful information and resources. We have created a HPL Hurricane Harvey Employee Resource page on our Training Portal. We will update this information as necessary and please let us know if you have any resources you would like us to share.

Here is the link to the HPL Hurricane Harvey Employee Resource page:  http://training.houstonlibrary.org/FEMA-Harvey

If you have any suggestions or questions, please email hpltraining@houstontx.gov

Harvey Updates for returned materials and holds.

Hello,

There have been a bunch of questions about circulation related things so I thought I would put everything all together in one email to simplify things.

·         Visiting staff should be logging into Sirsi Workflows using the Sub Login: HOU-XXXSUB    Pin: sub4xxx  (Example HOU-ALISUB  PIN: sub4ali).  Use the 3 letter branch abbreviation for the XXX.  Staff can use their regular pin to override anything that pops up.  This will allow returns to be logged in for the correct location.

 

·         Items returned that have been water damaged:  Please be careful when handling the items.  Separate wet materials from dry materials.  All damaged items should be checked out to the storm damaged user record that has been created for each location.  XXX XXX HARVEY DAMAGED MATERIAL, user id is similar: XXX-HARVEY-DAMAGED.  Example:  RIN RIN HARVEY DAMAGED MATERIAL.  Check out all damaged returns and items damaged inside buildings to your unit's account.  *Do Not use regular DISCARD accounts.  The items do not need to be stamped.  If it is only a few items, please discard them according to normal procedures.  Contact Collection Development staff if you have a large volume of items.

·         If customers call or come into the library and report their items have been lost in the flood waters, please check out the items to the Harvey Damaged Material accounts as well.

·         Due Dates:  All items that were due starting August 26^th have been extended to be due on September 29^th.  This includes Hot Spots.  Locations that have not previously circulated Hot Spots should review the Hot Spot instructions training information on the Training Portal (http://training.houstonlibrary.org/library-function).  Hot Spots were assigned to particular locations so if one is returned to you, please email Saima Kadir the device barcode and the location. 

·         Holds:  We have suspended the cancelled holds reports for now.   Holds for closed locations should be handled on a case by case situation.  Staff should work with customers for holds at other locations that are still not open.  If possible, re-place the hold, putting the customer at the top of the queue if necessary.  The holds from STE have been moved to JUN.  Holds from LAK and KAS have been moved to TUT.  We are working to reactivate the holds at KEN with a new pick up location of HIL.  FIDS knows that future holds for STE, KAS, LAK, and KEN should be sent to these alternate locations.  FLO holds will be moved to STA tomorrow.

·         ILLs:  Check your ILL shelf and contact ILL to see if the customer can still pick them up or not.  Most of them have expired and they need to be sent them back to ILL.  New ILLs have been suspended for now.  We can work with customers to re-place ILL requests once we open ILL back up.  If any ILL items are damaged or reported as damaged, please contact ILL so they can contact the lending library.  Contact Tunisia Powell at 3-1447 with questions.

The statistic sheet of coverage provided to other locations has been added to the blog links.

Going forward please use Google Calendar to schedule meetings.The link will show current meetings/programs/events. The calendar where you will be able to schedule meetings will be bookmark on all front desk computers at Tuttle.

On most computers the calendar will already be open.
In case a username and password is needed here is that information
Tuttlemeetingroom@gmail.com
Librarymeetings

Make sure that you enter a contact name and phone number.
State whether the reservation form has been signed and has been placed in the binder. Lastly your name/initials and the date you made the reservation.

Employee Discounts

Check out the savings you can get as City of Houston employee.

2016 TUT/PLE Christmas Party

UPDATE: Learning Link FAQ for Staff

From Fred Schumacher:

Good afternoon,

The Learning Link Staff FAQ is intended to guide you in working with customers who may have questions regarding what Learning Link is and how it can be used. It's a living document, so if and when situations arise that the document does not address, we'll add to it. Please take some time to familiarize yourself with the information in the FAQ so that you will be better able to assist students and parents who may need your assistance in using the account to access resources and collections.

If you have questions or concerns, do not hesitate to contact me or Circulation Administration. We'll be happy to help in any way we are able.

Note: Learning Link is to launch on Monday, October 3, 2016. The FAQ is posted below and will also be linked to on the blog under "Staff Resources."

Learning Link FAQ for Staff
Launches Monday, October 3, 2016

1. What is Learning Link?

·                     Learning Link is a virtual library account that is issued to all students in Houston Independent School District schools.

2. Can a student have a Learning Link account as well as a My Link library card?

·                     Yes. A student enrolled in an HISD school may have a Learning Link account even if s/he already has a My Link library card. Likewise, a student with a Learning Link account may also register for and receive a My Link library card, as long as s/he does not already have a My Link library card account in HPL's Symphony system.

3. What can a student do with a Learning Link account?

·                     Learning Link provides the student with 24/7 access to HPL electronic resources, as well as allows him/her to have up to 10 physical items checked out from the Library at a time (some restrictions apply).

4. Are there check out limits for Learning Link accounts?

·                     Yes. Learning Link accounts are limited to up to 10 physical items checked out at any time. Additionally, Learning Link accounts are subject to the same check out limits on electronic resources as My Link accounts.

5. Are there restrictions on the type of physical material that can be checked out on Learning Link accounts?

·                     Yes. Learning Link accounts may not be used to check out DVDs, CDs, laptops or other electronic devices, games or Flip Kits. Additionally, elementary school students may use their Learning Link accounts to check out physical items from the juvenile materials collection only.

6. Do Learning Link accounts accrue fines?

·                     No. Fines do not accrue for overdue materials checked out on Learning Link accounts.

7. Do Learning Link accounts get billed for unreturned, lost, or damaged material?

·                     Yes. Learning Link accounts will be billed for unreturned, lost and damaged material. Bills for items will be limited to a maximum cost of $10.00 per item, and no processing fee will be charged.

8. Will Learning Link accounts be blocked for bills?

·                     Yes. Learning Link accounts will be blocked from privileges when the amount owed for bills for unreturned, lost and/or damaged material on the account is $50.00 or more.

9. What do I do when a student wants to check out physical material with his/her Learning Link?

·                     To look up the student's Learning Link account, request his/her school issued student ID, and look the account up using the name and ID number. The Learning Link User ID is the first initial of the last name followed by the student ID number (Robert Frost with HISD ID number 123456 will have Learning Link user ID F123456). If the student cannot present his/her school issued student ID, get the student's first and last name, student ID number, and birthday. Use that information to look up the student's account, confirm that you have the right account by checking the birthday against the PIN (mm/dd). Before checking out, make sure that the student's home address and phone number are added to the account. Address verification is not required for these accounts, but it is helpful to do so if the parent is present.

10. Can parents/guardians use their children's Learning Link accounts?

·                     Some parents may wish to use their children's Learning Link accounts to check out material for their children. Allow them to do so. The parent will need to provide the same information to access the account and check out as the student does. The same limitations will apply to these check outs as apply to check outs performed by the students.

11. Can Learning Link accounts be used to check out DVDs, CDs, laptops or other restricted material if the student's parent/guardian gives permission to do so?

·                     No. Learning Link accounts are not approved for checking out any of those materials. Parents/guardians may register their children for My Link accounts, which will allow them to check out DVDs, CDs, laptops and other electronic devices, games, and Flip Kits.

12. Do HISD Staff have accounts too?

·                     Yes, HISD staff also have Learning Link accounts in the Symphony system. The formula for the user IDs is the same as the student accounts - first letter of last name and employee ID #/ They are not allowed to check out physical materials with those accounts. They are limited to electronic resources only. If an HISD staff member comes in and wants to check out physical materials, they should complete an application and get a regular MyLink card.