Technology Specialist Meeting Overview

Hello,

The Technology Specialists met again last week.  Here is the summary from Jessica Stanley:

We just wanted to send a review of what we accomplished in last Friday’s tech specialists meeting. Thanks for all who attended and for those who did not-we hope you will be present in May’s specialist meeting.

Summary

-We met new techies and shared stories about tips, tools, and trainings.

- We reviewed all of the new tech class curriculum and materials

-We toured the tech blog at http://hplibtech.com/

-We signed up to the tech forum and started to communicate about ideas

-We brainstormed ways to improve our classes and to improve our skills as instructors

-We evaluated our skills with a tech challenge

-We discussed the results of the Community Tech Needs Survey

Reminders and Action Points

***Please remember to email the Central Tech team with all of the materials and handouts that you are using in your classes that you have created. We are making sure that we are properly citing resources and getting approval through our Communications department.

***Please notify techies and instructors who were not in attendance that we need to add them to the tech specialists email list so that they can be invited to the next meeting and receive important updates.

***We will be publicly launching new class materials over the next several months. We will be releasing 5 classes at a time-So look forward to those on the website! Remember that at this time you are able to use the class materials on the tech blog but they have not been officially approved by communications until they are released to the public.

Thanks for being part of the team-You all are incredible!

-Jessica Stanley

Human Resources: Information Update Request

Good afternoon Supervisors/Managers,

Please request that each of your employees review their Personal and Emergency Contact Information in the Employee Self Service system to verify that it is accurate and up to date.  The ESS link may be accessed on the home page of the Library’s Intranet website or click on  https://cohapp.cityofhouston.gov/ESS/login.aspx.  The employee may make any necessary changes here which will update immediately.

Thank you for your assistance in ensuring that, in the event of an emergency, valid information will be available.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at 832-393-1351 or Chanta George at 832-393-1337.

Regards,

Sharon Alvarez--832-393-1351

Pop Up Library in Your Neighborhood

Hi, Team,

Pop Up Library Program Manager Kapila Sankaran is currently booking Pop Up events at locations that attract low income families with young children, such as WIC Centers, Hermann Park Zoo, Multi-Service Centers and more. 

Please share with Kapila the name and contact information for any organization, church or apartments in your  library service area where we can present the program to entire families.  We are not interested in sites, such as schools, with only children in attendance.

• When we visit a venue that is in your service area this summer, we will distribute a location guide with your neighborhood library circled.
• We will promote your upcoming Summer Reading Program events. 
• We will distribute library card applications that will be stamped; or marked Pop Up Library or PUL.  We ask that you track the number submitted at your neighborhood library for us.
• We will create flyers to announce Pop Up events and request that you distribute them.

Once again, please send your recommendations to kapila.sanskaran@houstontx.gov. Your support in making this program a success is very appreciated.  Thank you.

Best regards,

Mary Wagoner

Logging into Symphony--Check the Host IP every time

Hello all.

This is just a reminder to everyone to make sure that the IP Address in the Configuration box is set to halan.sirsi.net every time you log in to do business.

If you find that the setting has been changed to something else, simply type halan.sirsi.net into the IP Address box, and click OK.  That will change the setting back to what it needs to be.

If you not already in the habit of checking this setting every time you log in, please make that a part of your regular routine.  As always, if you have any difficulty or concerns with these instructions, please feel free to contact the Circulation Administration Department at 832-393-2222 (option 3) or at circinfo@hpl.lib.tx.us.  You may also contact the HALAN Help Desk for assistance.

Thanks, and have a great day.

Fred Schumacher

 

Thank You Photos

Check out these photos from NL staff!

Thank You Pics (Send Laurie your pictures)

Website survey

Hi,

Help out Virtual Services by taking this survey about the HPL Website.

Thanks!

Laurie

National Wear Red Day--This Friday!

Good Morning!

Houston Public Library will be participating in support of National Wear Red Day this Friday, Feb. 7, 2014, and we are urging staff to wear red that day. 

National Wear Red Day®, held the first Friday of every February, is the American Heart Association’s (AHA) special day to bring attention to heart disease. The AHA encourages everyone to wear red, raise their voices, know their cardiovascular risk and take action to live longer, healthier lives.    http://www.goredforwomen.org/wearredday

That same evening Central Library complex will also participate in Buildings Go Red, in which landmarks and businesses –in Houston and nationwide– turn their buildings red.  At Central, we will leave the lights on and take advantage of the reddish glow created by the red floor bouncing off the ceiling tiles.  

If you have any questions, please contact Paty Bustamante.