Booksale - Programming Funds

Good afternoon managers!

We just wanted to follow up on last Thursday’s discussion of book sale funds with a procedure that we think will help to make the process go a little smoother. I know we have used the following Google form in the past for various programming requests:

http://tinyurl.com/nl-programs

Please share this link with your staff as well. We would like for you to use this form to indicate any requests you may have for your location’s share of the book sale funds, or for programming in general. If we get a requests that doesn’t quite match book sale funds, we will e-mail or call to discuss the possibility of using a different fund or altering the request.

If you have any questions about this process, please feel free to ask either Jennifer or me. Thanks!

Heidi M Daniel, LIV

Programming

Houston Public Library

500 McKinney

Houston, TX 77002

Coverage Instructions

Greetings,

Here are the basic instructions for seeking coverage that I mentioned in the manager's meeting. Many of you are already doing this, but we wanted to make it official.

Implementation date for this process is October 18.

Thanks,

mvc

Neighborhood Libraries

Coverage Process

1. If a coverage need arises at your location, call your Neighborhood Library Team Leader directly.
• If unable to reach your leader, call the Neighborhood Library Admin office (32707) to find another member of the NL Leadership Team
• If no member of the NL Leadership Team is available and it is emergency, call manager (or person-in-charge) at closest “Extended Hours” location, who will serve as Acting NL Team Leader and carry out the following steps.
2. NL Team Leader will approve request for coverage.
3. NL Team Leader will work with other locations to arrange coverage
4. NL Team Leader will send an e-mail to all parties involved confirming coverage

Online Sign in/out Implementation

Greetings all,

All NL locations should begin using the online sign-in/-out forms on Saturday, October 16. This system has been in place at the Central Library for just under a year and has been very effective. Below are basic instructions on the procedure. There is also a set of instructions that develop further on these 7 points attached to this e-mail. We owe a big "Thank You" to Thuy Vo for all of the work she has done on this and other projects that are helping us to move to a digital environment.

The HPL NL Sign In/Out Procedures:

1. The Sign In/Out procedure at all HPL NL will effective on 10/16/10
2. Sign In/Out form for all HPL NL locations is available on the NL blog http://hplnl.blogspot.com/
3. HPL NL managers can copy the link to the Sign In/Out forms and add to their library blogs. (Instructions included)
4. HPL NL managers can view the Sign In/Out results by signing in as nlmanagers@gmail.com and ffats#1492 password. (If managers want to view the database with another gmail or personal email, please send the request to Thuy Vo)
5. HPL NL managers can export the Sign In/Out results to Excel format to sort or save the database. (Instructions included)
6. The NL Admin Assistant Team will archive the database monthly.
7. A separate account has been created for the staff wishing to view the database. Staff can view by signing in as hplnlstaff@gmail.com and ffats#1492 password.

Please let me or one of the NL Team Leaders know if you have any questions.

Thanks,

Mike Van Campen

Change in PFD Responsibilities effective 9/23/10

Good Day, Managers!

I want to let you know about some responsibility changes here in the Planning & Facilities Division. Effective immediately, Karrington Burnett has assumed responsibility for Property Management and Security issues for the Houston Public Library. Any questions regarding work orders, Sprocket, security, access requests and the like should be directed to him. He can be contacted at 832.393.1374 or by email at karrington.burnett@houstontx.gov. If he cannot be reached in the case of an emergency, please contact Jason Stephens or me.
Jason Stephens has accepted new responsibilities, helping the Communications Division with statistics and evaluation. He will continue to assist with Property Management and Security issues in Karrington's absence.

We have also changed this info on the Planning & Facilities page on the Intranet (https://hplnet.hpl.lib.tx.us/depts-plan.html under the About Us – What We Do tab) for your reference.

Thanks for your flexibility. We hope this change will maintain or even improve our service.

Wendy

Wendy Heger, AIA

Assistant Director for Planning & Facilities

Houston Public Library

(832) 393-1681

(281) 217-7960 mobile

Team Leader Assignments

Greetings all,

I wanted to make sure to update everyone on some changes to which team leaders will be covering which locations in Suzy's absence. The main change from the last notice is that Heidi Daniel from Programming will assist Neighborhood Libraries by serving as team leader for two Neighborhood Library locations. The NL Admin team is excited to welcome Heidi and looks forward to working closely with her.

The updated assignments are:

Heidi Daniel - Heights and Smith
Shammi Gill - Mancuso
Edward Melton - Johnson
Mike Van Campen - Young
Mary Wagoner - Freed-Montrose

Please let me or your team leader know if you have any questions.

Thanks and have a great day,
Mike Van Campen

Important Information on Requesting Design and Print Projects:

Good Morning-

I think you all know that today is Donna Jackson’s last day at HPL. This email is advise you of process issues and work assignments in Communications that result from this transition.

Veronica Davidson is now managing the Print Shop and Dan Castillo, our Senior Graphic Designer. Donna Jackson is on contract with us to help with several items related to branding and design.

I know that we’ve all relied, to some degree, on direct email or conversation with Donna regarding design and print projects. Beginning today, I need to ask that you have your teams request all design and print projects through the hplprintgraphics email address. If a request requires design work, Veronica and I will decide to whom to assign the project.

Please remember that we have a guideline for this process, with timelines, available for your review. You can find it at https://hplnet.hpl.lib.tx.us/documents/HPL_Printshop_Information1.pdf. Please see page 5 for specifics related to project timelines.

I appreciate you taking the time to discuss this with your staff members. We ask for your patience with us as we work through the changes in the Division. If you have questions, concerns, or problems with particular projects, please feel free to contact either Veronica or me.

Thanks-

Greg

Greg Simpson, Assistant Director

Communications Division

Houston Public Library

(O) 832-393-1333

(C) 713-851-8390

Houston Press Best Public Library 2010: Stella Link

Greetings,

For the second time in under five years, the McGovern-Stella Link Neighborhood Library was selected by the Houston Press as their Best Public Library for 2010. Stella Link also received this honor in 2007. A big congratulations goes out to John Merullo and his team for all their hard work. The write-up for the award recognizes that hard work by pointing out--among other things--the library and the "shelves are wonderfully maintained".

Thanks to the entire team at Stella Link for bringing this wonderful honor to HPL.