Mobile Hotspot Checkout Agreement

This is the link for the Mobile Hotspot Checkout Agreement that patrons will need to fill out to check out a hotspot:

 http://houstonlibrary.org/find-it/available-technology/mobile-hotspots/mobile-hotspot-checkout-agreement

Public Printer

TUTTLE & PLEASANTVILLE PRINTING INFO

 Coins or bills

• §  The machine will only take $1 bills, no $5's or $10's or much less $20's.

• §  The machine will only allow you to insert up to $6, coins or bills at a time.

• §  Large Printing Jobs must be split. If people have large jobs split them so that only $6 worth of prints be done at a time. That would mean:

12 color pages
40 black and white

Credit Card

• §  Black & White copies if paying with CARD

Maximum of 66 pages which is $10

• §  Color copies if paying with CARD

A Maximum of 20 pages which is $10

If they have a job that requires more than $10 they will also have to split the job.

The credit card charge will be at least $1, even if the amount of pages total  less than $1.

Envisionware Information System

Envisionware

Information Sheet

Differences between queueing system and a reservation system.

A queue is a first-come-first-serve system in which customers wait in line upon arrival until it is their turn or service start time.  The customers cannot make requests in advance for a session start and end time. 

A reservation system allows the customer to schedule/reserve a service start time so there is no need for them to wait in line. Envisionware is a reservation system which is very different from both past queue systems used by HPL customers and staff. In a reservation system, each request is processed immediately and the response of the booked session, beginning and ending time, is generated and can be printed for the customer.

Both the queue and reservation system permit guest passes, however the guest passes from Envisionware take less time to print and give a clearer copy.  Guest pass lasts 24 hours.

Computer screens offer the option of using an rss feed to push out information and promote programs.The Envisionware home screen gives clear directions to the customer on how to access a computer through the reservation system.The Envisionware home screen meets our branding design of Linking You to the World.Reservation system allows a reservation for a computer to be placed in the library and in the future, at home, by customers. Customers may reserve the time slots they want in advance.

Reservations will be made during normal business operating hours due to computers being placed into Deep Freeze during non-operating hours.

The Reservation system would allow customers with a MyLink card to reserve laptops as well as desktops.  Laptops that the location does not want to make available because they are using them for a program or training can be changed to Out of Service so they are unavailable in the reservation system.

Customers must begin their session within five (5) minutes of the reservation start time.

Reservations placed after all computers have been booked are made based on the earliest availability of the next computer in a 60-minute block of time.

Each customer is allotted one (1) hour per session.

• ·       Ten (10) minutes before the session ends, the customer receives a prompt of the time the session is ending so the customer may save their work product.
• ·        Automatic extension of 15 minutes if computers are available.  The system checks at four (4) minutes prior to the reserved end time if other computers are available.
• ·        If computers are not available, then the session will end at the reserved end time.  The customer would have to make another reservation. 
• ·       Staff cannot guarantee after the 10-minute prompt whether the session will be extended because of the unknown variable of when other customers may arrive.
• ·        The customer can book one hour at a time in advance. 
• ·        Time exchanges: If another person’s session ends early, another customer is offered the option of waiting for their session start time or using the available time left on the first person’s session.  If the second customer chooses this option, then they lose their other reservation.  If the second customer declines this option, it will be offered to other customers. 

Customer Education

• ·         Inform the customers of what a reservation system is. 
• ·         Let customers know about the advantages of a reservation system.

Staff

• ·         The staff portal is intuitive and easy to use.
• ·         Suggest staff refrain from giving extensions of time except in emergency situations.  Staff are empowered to make these decisions.
• ·         The primary drawback in staff giving exemptions is that the system no longer works as it was designed to work as a reservation system.
• ·         Staff should honor customer requests to help them make a reservation.  Using the staff portal, staff can make a 2-hour reservation instead of a 1 hour reservation for customers who are taking an online test or completing a job application.
• ·         The reservation system works best when not treated like a queue system.

Printing

• ·         Mobile printing will be available. Print jobs will only be available for 3 days.
• ·         Customers will be able to preview print jobs before sending to print.
• ·         Printing will be available on the web portal using an URL, and mobile App.
• ·         Browse the computer, upload, then go to the Self-Service station and release the print job. Library card or gest pass number is needed to retrieve jobs. Email address will be required for mobile prints.
• ·         Can use USB /flash drives
• ·         Can print from email
• ·          Existing print cards will not work with Envisionware.

Winter Reading

UPDATE: Prizes will be awarded from January 2 - January 13. They get a lollipop and a book, while supplies last. Make sure you award the prize through Beanstack: houstonlibrary.beanstack.org


The Winter Reading Program is here! It's running from December 18 - January 8, with prizes awarded starting January 2. It's for youth ages 0-18 and like with Summer Reading, it's tracked through Beanstack. As long as they read at least ten minutes in a day, they get to track that day. They have to read for ten days to get the prizes, which are a book (left over from Summer Reading) and a giant lollipop (while supplies last, which we've already received in a big box marked Winter Reading). At TUT, all the prizes are on the shelves in the Reading Program section of the workroom.

If you see kids and/or parents, let them know about the program, especially if they're checking out books for the break. You can direct them to this page on the HPL website: http://houstonlibrary.org/learn-explore/winter-reading-program There's a register link at the bottom so they can register or sign in if they already created an account for Summer Reading last summer. If you've got any questions or anything, feel free to ask Kristin. :)

Envisionware

Envisionware will eventually replace the current reservation system at all locations. The attached Envisionware Information Sheet will aid in understanding the new system.  The Information Sheet is based on testing conducted by Central and a few Neighborhood Library staff at Central Library.  In tandem with the installation of Envisionware, the copier machines will be replaced by copiers that do color copies.

Envisionware Information Sheet

Differences between queueing system and a reservation system.

 A queue is a first-come-first-serve system in which customers wait in line upon arrival until it is their turn or service start time. The customers cannot make requests in advance for a session start and end time.

 A reservation system allows the customer to schedule/reserve a service start time so there is no need for them to wait in line. Envisionware is a reservation system which is very different from both past queue systems used by HPL customers and staff. In a reservation system, each request is processed immediately and the response of the booked session, beginning and ending time, is generated and can be printed for the customer.

 Both the queue and reservation system permit guest passes, however the guest passes from Envisionware take less time to print and give a clearer copy. Guest pass lasts 24 hours.

Computer screens offer the option of using an rss feed to push out information and promote programs.

The Envisionware home screen gives clear directions to the customer on how to access a computer through the reservation system.

The Envisionware home screen meets our branding design of Linking You to the World.

Reservation system allows a reservation for a computer to be placed in the library and in the future, at home, by customers. Customers may reserve the time slots they want in advance.

Reservations will be made during normal business operating hours due to computers being placed into Deep Freeze during non-operating hours.

The Reservation system would allow customers with a MyLink card to reserve laptops as well as desktops. Laptops that the location does not want to make available because they are using them for a program or training can be changed to Out of Service so they are unavailable in the reservation system.

Customers must begin their session within five (5) minutes of the reservation start time.

Reservations placed after all computers have been booked are made based on the earliest availability of the next computer in a 60-minute block of time.

Each customer is allotted one (1) hour per session.

• Ten (10) minutes before the session ends, the customer receives a prompt of the time the session is ending so the customer may save their work product.
• Automatic extension of 15 minutes if computers are available. The system checks at four (4) minutes prior to the reserved end time if other computers are available. 
• If computers are not available, then the session will end at the reserved end time. The customer would have to make another reservation. 
• Staff cannot guarantee after the 10-minute prompt whether the session will be extended because of the unknown variable of when other customers may arrive.
• The customer can book one hour at a time in advance.
• Time exchanges: If another person’s session ends early, another customer is offered the option of waiting for their session start time or using the available time left on the first person’s session. If the second customer chooses this option, then they lose their other reservation. If the second customer declines this option, it will be offered to other customers.

Customer Education

• Inform the customers of what a reservation system is. 
• Let customers know about the advantages of a reservation system. 

Staff

• The staff portal is intuitive and easy to use. 
• Suggest staff refrain from giving extensions of time except in emergency situations. Staff are empowered to make these decisions. 
• The primary drawback in staff giving exemptions is that the system no longer works as it was designed to work as a reservation system.
• Staff should honor customer requests to help them make a reservation. Using the staff portal, staff can make a 2-hour reservation instead of a 1 hour reservation for customers who are taking an online test or completing a job application.
• The reservation system works best when not treated like a queue system. 

 Printing

• Mobile printing will be available 
• Customers will be able to preview print jobs before sending to print. 
• Printing will be available on the web portal using an URL 
• Browse the computer, upload, then go to the Self-Service station and release the print job. 
• Can use USB /flash drives
• Can print from email
• Can use mobile app

Hello,

Digital Strategies has created logins for PLE/TUT for these staff members.  Their pins remain the same.

Ryans, Melissa

Robinson, Ruby

McLaughlin, Dionne

Lopez, Juan

Wade, Twanna

Perry, Ardernaeuse Ann

Adams, Linda

Moore, Brittany

Santana, Ana

Lee, Alena

Harbour, Chantel

Hunter, Denetra

Please share with the staff.  Let me know if I missed anyone.

Thanks,

Updates from LMS

Good morning everyone,

While HPL is still focusing on Harvey Recovery, LMS has shifted collection management priorities. The following changes are temporary and will be in effect until LMS department managers feel we are ready to resume ‘normal’ services.

New Materials:  Open locations will temporarily see an increased volume of new materials arriving from LMS.

Many locations remain closed and may be for quite some time. Rather than storing the thousands of new books and other items currently locations would normally receive, we are sending those items to open locations in order to make them available for checkout by our customers. As more locations open, this should start to even out.

Floating: We are extending the ongoing suspension of routine shipments of items from NLs to LMS Float Team through September 29.  

On a case by case basis, I have made some specific exceptions for locations experiencing a very large influx of returns due to the closure of nearby high-volume libraries. If you find that your unit is besieged by returns that are overwhelming your shelf space, please contact me to discuss a remedy. Hundreds of items that were checked out at closed NLs are being returned at CEN and CMH too and we are floating them out to open units rather than indefinitely storing all those items that are “intransit” back to the NLs where they were checked out.

Edits: For the time being, please hold off sending any edits to LMS except for:

1) Item-on-the-Fly material,

2) items specifically recalled by Gary Lackey,

3) items on wrong bibliographic records,

4) transfers to CEN Stacks,

5) items with barcodes not in the system.

This means holding onto your call number change requests, label changes, and other problem items until we are able to receive them. (Also, don’t forget that al units should now be using the new LMS flag that was recently distributed and any copies of the old Processing Flag you have on hand should be send to LMS.)

Collection HQ:  Please refrain from running any Collection HQ “Dead Items” lists until further notice. “Shopping” for specific items to rebalance collections is also on hold for now.  You’ll be notified when it is okay to resume both of those activities.

Thank you for your patience and cooperation. Please share this with all members of your team, and apologies for any cross-posting.

We’ll get through this together. Please contact me or any of the Collection Development selectors (x31469) if you have questions or concerns regarding any of the above or other collection-related issues.

~Sara