HPD Presence @ your Neighborhood Library

Greetings,

In an attempt to assist with security concerns at your location, library administration has been working with HPD in order to increase the presence of police officers at libraries. Beginning this coming Monday (possibly sooner), your location should begin seeing HPD officers coming to your locations to work on completing reports and other paperwork. They may come in to the library or may remain in their car. Either way, the hope is that their presence will act as a deterrent to misbehavior. Further, they will be readily available if needed by staff. I ask that you and your staff are welcoming, accommodating, and pleasant as you would be with any partner. They should not require too much access to staff areas other than to perhaps use the kitchen, break room, or rest rooms briefly.

In addition, we ask that you keep a record of frequency, length, and nature of visits (e.g., worked in car, public area, back room, spoke with customers/staff, etc.). This can be done by keeping a notebook at a public desk and just asking staff to note down this information as they observe a visit by HPD. In about two weeks, we will be coming back to you to get feedback on how this program is working and how often you noticed a police presence in your location. We will then share this information with HPD as we assess the usefulness of this partnership.

Because there is the possibility that officers might begin showing up as early as tomorrow, I want to request that you share this information with your staff immediately.

Please do not hesitate to call me if you or your staff has any questions about this.

Thanks,

Mike Van Campen
Chief of Neighborhood Libraries
Houston Public Library
Phone: 832.393.1371
Mobile: 713.303.1974

Important information regarding Coin Copiers from Ron Stauss

Managers,

I has come to my attention that there may have been some rules and practices in use regarding OCE that are NO LONGER accurate.

I will be issuing some rules in this memo that may conflict with things you have been told in the past. These rules pertain to Pay for Print and Copy as of receipt of Coin Copiers equipment at your library.

All money belongs to Coin Copiers.

There has been a Smart Money category for Pay for print that was used if an OCE payment device would not accept a Patron’s money. That Category is NOT TO BE USED> regarding Coin Copier transactions.

It will disappear as an option from Smart Money Manager before this week ends.

Any difficulties with bad prints or copies or situations with the card issue device or payment devices are to be called into the Coin Copiers 800 number clearly displayed on the equipment.

HPL does not refund money or issue refunds if a print does not work correctly – Coin Copiers will handle those issues.

If a customer leaves behind a card that has money, you can hold it for a short while in the event they come right back and identify the fact they left it. Cards such as these not claimed in a day or two are confiscated by Library and can be used to help hardship situations. There are no identifying numbers on the card unless a patron immediately on purchasing a card, marks it in some way as to identify it to you.

The special “Mini Till” device is to be used for ONE purpose only – After a person purchases a card from the card vend device, they can bring that card to you and have you transfer money from their patron account on Pharos ( you have a tool to read that balance from their patron card account) to their new debit card. A routine should exist to zero out their OCE Pharos balance when you process that transaction.

If you have any questions, please ask.

All problems are to be reported to the 800 number on the equipment.

Thanks

Ron

Ronald L. Stauss

Assistant Director - CTO

Houston Public Library

500 McKinney St.

Houston, TX 77002

Office 832-393-1400

Cell 832-748-1809

Voluntary Furlough Program FAQs - Updated Dec. 9

From: COH - Broadcast Message
Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2010 11:01 AM
To: COH - All Employees; Request, Broadcast
Subject: Voluntary Furlough Program FAQs - Updated Dec. 9

Voluntary Furlough Program, as authorized by Ch. 14-172(e) Here are details about the Voluntary Furlough that was implemented by Mayor Parker on Dec. 3, 2010, via broadcast email. The program is in effect from Dec. 4 – Dec. 31, 2010. Furlough days may be requested and used for any day between Dec. 4 and Dec. 31, 2010. It applies to all civilians except those in grant funds, including part-time employees. Furlough days are taken in whole-day (8 hours) increments – not partial days. You may request furlough days – no limit - in advance, and must seek supervisory approval before taking a furlough day. Supervisors are encouraged to accommodate furlough requests, but departments will consider business and operating needs before approving a furlough request. Participation in this program is completely voluntary, and is subject to departmental scheduling requirements. Directors have been encouraged to approve voluntary furlough days, whenever feasible. You are encouraged to let your supervisor know as soon as possible if you plan to take a voluntary furlough day by December 31, 2010. I appreciate your willingness to consider this possibility. Voluntary Furlough FAQs – bookmark this link and check back for updates to continuing questions on voluntary furloughs. Updated Dec. 9 ** This message is being directed to ALL City of Houston employees. This email was approved for citywide distribution by the COH HR Department. If the reader of this e-mail is not an intended recipient, you have received this e-mail in error. Any review, dissemination, distribution or copying is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender immediately by return e-mail and permanently delete the copy you received. **

Ring Neighborhood Library's Grand Reopening 12/7/10

The Houston Public Library and the Houston Public Library Foundation (HPLF) invited the community to the Grand Reopening Celebration of the Elizabeth L. Ring Neighborhood Library on Tuesday, December 7, 2010 at 10 am.

The distinguished guests included:

Brenda Stardig, City of Houston Council Member, District A
Dr. Rhea Brown Lawson, Director, Houston Public Library
Harriet Calvin Latimer, First Vice Chair, Houston Public Library Foundation.
Special guests:
Peter Brown, Former City of Houston Council Member
Anne Schlumberger Brown, The Anchorage Foundation of Texas

MORE INFORMATION:
Ring Neighborhood Library had closed temporarily for the construction of a new community meeting room and accessibility upgrades of the library. The new meeting room will provide community members with meeting space for the first time since the library was built in 1964. This addition has increased the size of the library by approximately ten percent.

The addition of the meeting room, which continues the iconic round architecture of the 1964 structure, was funded by the Houston Public Library Foundation. Bailey Architects, Inc. designed both the meeting room and other improvements. Natalye Appel + Associates Architects, LLC, designed the accessibility upgrades. Improvements included revised parking for accessibility, a relocated entrance with a steel and glass canopy, rubber flooring, new paint throughout, new restrooms, a new circulation desk with a book drop, flat-screen TV for upcoming events, new computer tables, a new teen area, and refurbishment of the original furniture. Times Construction was the General Contractor.

The Houston Public Library Foundation contributed more than $400,000 for the construction of the HPLF Meeting Room and architectural design services of the entire project. In addition, The Anchorage Foundation made a generous contribution to improve the lighting for the entire facility. The Anchorage gift was made in honor of former City Council Member Peter Brown whose father, Hamilton Brown, was the primary architect of the original 1964 library.

Ring Neighborhood Library is located at 8835 Long Point, 77055, 832-393-2000. Hours of operation will be: Mondays 11 am - 7 pm; Tuesdays 10 am - 6 pm; Wednesdays 10 am - 6 pm; Thursdays 11 am - 7 pm; Fridays 10 am - 6 pm.


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