Circulation Services Group Meeting of February 5, 2019

Attendees:

Michele Buchman (LHS), Francis Francisco (LHS), Agustin Ramirez (ITSL), Peter Basmarjian (SSD), Lillian Lee (ANTH), Agnes Concepcion (EPS), Phylicia Mossiah (OPTO), Neda Salem (ESL), Blake Lindsey (EPS), Peter Soriano (EPS), Amy Chin (BUSI/SOCR), Jose Polio Canas (ANTH/BUSI), Paul King (IGS), Molly Rose (ENVI), Vaughn Egge (SSEA/ISD), Jenna Jackson (Access Services), Brice Sullivan (LHS), Sheehan Grant (AHD), Ellen Dario (NRLF), Nancy Tran (DMCS), Mark Marrow (Access Services), Nga Tran (Access Services), Keridwyn Ryan (DMCS), Kristen Van Vliet (ILL), Sophie Rainer (Access Services), Brian Light (SSD), Angela Arnold (MUSI), Bonita Dyess (EART), Albert Chung (EAST), Esther Gold (DMCS)

  1. Introductions
  2. Announcements
    1. The ILL FAQ page has been updated. Circulation desk students and staff should utilize the FAQs and the ILL website when assisting users.
  3. Circulation Topics (Nancy Tran)
    1. Building use only and restricted item checkouts -
      1. Current process followed at Main: Patrons place their own holds in OskiCat for BUO items. Holds for NRLF restricted items are placed under the Circ Sup account. The patron's ID is held while the item is in use in the library. The hold may be modified to allow the patron extra time needed. When being returned to NRLF, the item must be checked out (to the account that carries the hold) and checked back in to ensure it is counted as a fulfilled hold for statistics.
      2. Mark M. noted that the Lead Team would like the libraries to stop holding IDs. He recommended that a small working group gather information on current practices and present recommendations for discussion at CSG. After discussion, recommendations would be submitted to the Lead Team.
    2. Closing circulation desks 15 minute early -
      1. This practice allows the desk student to complete closing tasks by the end of the hour. Mark M. mentioned that late clockout times can fall onto the next day or into overtime, creating problems. Doe/Moffitt students may need to leave the desk on time to report for their next shift. Some subject specialty libraries announce the early desk close time but do not refuse service after that time. It was mentioned that closing students clock out after the closing hour more often due to the time it takes to clear patrons from study spaces. Peter S. was in support of dropping the practice, especially as early desk closing times do not appear consistently or clearly on libraries' web pages or the library hours page.
      2. There was agreement that the policy, if retained, should be clearly posted at desks, visible on libraries' door signs, and included on the web where patrons look for hours information. Jenifer C. will explore possibilities and report back to the group.
  1. Flagging damaged items -
    1. Main now adds a pink stripe to the top of hold slips and transit slips as an alert for circ desk workers to add a message at checkout describing pre-existing damage. Because subject specialty libraries replace the transit slip with a hold slip when they check items in, Mark M. recommended the message be added at Main prior to routing to the SSLs.
    2. Esther G. has been phoning patrons to give them the option of coming in to the library to erase markings, etc., on their returned books to avoid being fined $2.50 per page. Discussion followed about the need to educate patrons about how/why to take proper care of books. Units may contact the Conservation Division regarding creating a display on the topic for their library. Ideas regarding best ways to get the word out (blogs, online visuals) would merit discussion at the Division Head level.
  • Improving Library Experiences for Community Patrons (Jenifer Carter)
    Jenifer C. summarized research results presented by Celia Emmelhainz to PSC and opened the floor for discussion on ways community patrons use the libraries and ways our services to that group could be improved.
    1. Community patrons may feel unwelcome when basic printing processes, such as printing from an email, are confusing. They may add funds to a Guest Card and then discover they cannot access their email from a library PC and lack the Cal login needed to print from a laptop. Solutions discussed (other than referring to a public library): use/provision of flash drives and instructional tents at PCs.
    2. Difficulty scanning to email. Solution: save to a Google Drive instead.
    3. Custom-size print problems (often a default to A4 size which our printers cannot read). Solution offered: open pdf again in Adobe Acrobat, select Print, select Adobe pdf, go to page setup and choose Letter under page size options, then save. Print this version in Mobileprint.
    4. Jenifer C. will create a Shared Folder and invite units to post printing guides they have created. Social Services Division has a pdf guide to services available to community patrons - Amy C. will share this with CSG.
    5. Community users interested in borrowing UCB materials should be directed to the Privileges Desk and advised that some public and institutional libraries submit requests to UCB for interlibrary loan.
  • Open Discussion -
    1. Peter S. reported problems with the Microsoft Edge browser on PCs upgraded to Windows 10. He has reported this to Dave W. in LIT so a fix may be coming soon. In the meantime, he advised units to test it and change the default browser in systems settings if needed.
    2. Amy C. reported the Social Research Library no longer has a 4-hour loan period for its laptops. Its laptops now circulate for 1-day and 2 weeks.