Hosts
Key: IHLS Library
Chris Dawdy: Good afternoon!
Susan - Edwardsville: Hi everyone!
Ellen Popit: What's new?
Ellen Popit: As a fun fact, we're more than half-way done with certification!
Ellen Popit: Anything you'd like to discuss for the good of the order?
Maria Dent - Mt. Zion District: Not sure it is for the good of the entire order, but...following the informational email about attending IHLS meetings at remote locations, how many of you do this on a regular basis?
Ellen Popit: Maria, do you mean board meetings?
Maria Dent - Mt. Zion District: Yes. And I am just curious because I am going to try to make it a point to attend at DPL.
Ryan-MTNp: I would like to. I wish there were broad cast so I can pick them up on my ipad or home computer. Always having to go to a Vtel location gets expensive in milage.
Susan - Edwardsville: I have only occassionally attended IHLS board meetings at IHLS, either remotely or in person.
Maria Dent - Mt. Zion District: Ryan, I had the same idea as far as being able to attend remotely using my computer or tablet. Is this something that could be explored?
Ellen Popit: I think we can certainly share the discussion with Leslie and she can move the question forward to the board and IT.
Maria Dent - Mt. Zion District: Sounds good. Thank you.
Jacqueline Allen--Melvin PL: I'd like our library board to set a policy for handling small repairs to the building and equipment; setting authority to spend without bringing it to the full board. Sometimes you must replace or repair something on short notice and can't wait for a meeting. How do other libraries handle this? Do you have a written policy? What is your spending limit?
Ryan-MTNp: If the Mattoon Library were to arrange a StoryTime training day, how many would send staff? I sent out an email late November trying to find a traininer, and got bupkis and that there is no type of certification in Illinois. I think I want to get toget the best people to teach general stroy time, problem kids, flannel board, drawn stories, songs and finger plays etc.
Maria Dent - Mt. Zion District: Ours is not a written policy, but an understanding following a discussion with my Board. They understand that stuff happens and that delaying can many time cost more in the long run.
Stephanie Dennis: At Carmi I call the chairman of the house committee and discuss any large repairs with him. Otherwise smaller repairs are left to the discretion of the director.
Susan - Edwardsville: If it is over $5000 I inform the board, but less than that I just do what needs to be done. I believe it is just an understanding the board developed for the director, not in writing.
Ryan-MTNp: We have a spending limit policy, as well as an emergany policy. http://mattoonlibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Payment-of-Bills.pdf is our bill payment policy
Esther Curry--C.E. Brehm Memorial PLD: Jacqueline--at our library, the Director can approve things upto a cost of $1500 and if it is over that and an emergency--then the board president can approve until the next meeting.
Ryan-MTNp: this is our authority to spend http://mattoonlibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Payment-of-Bills.pdf
Celeste @ Urbana Free: Urbana's spending limit is $10,000 in our Finance Policy
Ellen Popit: Based on Ryan's mention of Story Time Training, let me put a plug in for the Illinois Youth Services Institute (https://www.ila.org/events/illinois-youth-services-institute) Yes, it does cost money to attend, but what a great opportunity for Youth Services folks and it's as downstate as we can hope for.
Celeste @ Urbana Free: http://urbanafreelibrary.org/sites/default/files/page/attachments/2015/0...
Kim-Onarga: The Onarga Library has a spending limit of $2,500, which is stated in our by laws.
Celeste @ Urbana Free: Do you ever ban patrons for life and if so, for what?
Esther Curry--C.E. Brehm Memorial PLD: We have banned patrons for up to 1 year, but not lifetime. Usually that has worked. At some point a "3 strikes and you're out" might need to be addressed.
Jacqueline Allen--Melvin PL: Thanks everyone, very useful information!
Celeste @ Urbana Free: and I am very late to the game on the IHLS vehicle auction. Does anyone else know of vehicles which are auctioned? I am considering pros cons of having a Library van.
Esther Curry--C.E. Brehm Memorial PLD: Celeste--you can look into the State's Joint Purchasing program. They usually list vehicles--and this may be where IHLS gets their vehicles.
Chris Dawdy: Celeste, I believe that auction was over several months ago. Stay tuned, though, there could be another one!
Celeste @ Urbana Free: yes, i missed the boat, but will keep an eye out in the future at IHLS or at the State. Thx Esther & Chris.
Chris Dawdy: Though, as you can imagine, we aren't buying any new ones to replace old ones at the moment.
Maria Dent - Mt. Zion District: Throwing out another topic (which may have been discussed during previous chats) how do you decide when to close the library for inclement weather? We are a District, so make our own decision. I know when it's a no-brainer, e.g. blizzard, it i is easy. It is the "well ...maybe it's bad enough" times that i am asking about. I do not close just because the school closes - which was the long standing practice when I got here - almost 7 years ago. But, I still have a hard time deciding. Any advice?
Scott Drone-Silvers: Celeste - I believe that there are a couple of places that auction vehicles periodically - I believe there is an auction or two every year at Gordyville. And the State Police might auction vehicles as well. Not sure about that, but wouldn't hurt to check.
Ryan-MTNp: We have one patron that is banned for life, and a judge did it after he treatened to shoot the staff. We usually have a one week, then one month, then one year. Only once has a year ban person come back in. But she was such a pain, I still wouldn't let her back in. She was running a prostitution ring in our bathrooms. I feel justified in saying you still can not come in.
Susan - Edwardsville: Is the system looking into a group rate for mobile hot spots. to check out to patrons?
Chris Dawdy: Yes, Susan, Lesley Zavediuk is working on that, and it was proposed at the firste SHARE eResource Committee meeting.
Chris Dawdy: Leslie is checking out a few more details before providing the information to libraries.
Esther Curry--C.E. Brehm Memorial PLD: Maria--we're a District as well and our Board President makes the official decision. We usually see how the roads/streets look and then make a recomendation. The condition of the streets is probably the biggest factor. If were open, they will come. :)
Ryan-MTNp: Maria, if IDOT says stay off the roads, then close. Most of my staff live intown and we have an hour of staff time before we open. I tell people to take thir time and if they are late then they are late.
Chris Dawdy: And, by the way, with a change in the law, we are now able to offer those same deals to all IHLS members--not just SHARe members.
Ryan-MTNp: We are an area warming and cooling center so we try to stay on schedule as mush as possiable.
Susan - Edwardsville: we are also a 211 designated warming/cooling center, so we try to stay open, but it can be with a smaller staff because many of our staff live in other towns.
Celeste @ Urbana Free: is anyone participateing in the Open eBook initiative http://dp.la/info/get-involved/dpla-ebooks/open-ebooks-initiative/
Celeste @ Urbana Free: it looks really good to me!
Scott Drone-Silvers: Has anyone investigated self-check units lately? There is this little state budget issue, so money isn't exactly plentiful - or even existant...
Stephanie Dennis: I basiclly make a judgement call. Our city workers clean our walks and parking lot as soon as possible. But if the main and side roads are still uncertain we close. We will then close about dark. As Esther said if we are open they will come which is not always the smartes thing.
Jacqueline Allen--Melvin PL: Maria-Our severe weather policy states “The library may close early or remain closed during severe weather” and is based on weather reports, road conditions and school and system closings. I decide based on these items and whether it seems safe for staff and patrons to be out.
Stephanie Dennis: I agree Jacqueline, we just don't have a policy for that.
Ryan-MTNp: Celeste - you are right this looks awesome. I bet we get involved by summer if we can
Ryan-MTNp: Scott, we have 2 self checks and i LOVE THEM!!. We have had one for almost 7 years. We purchased a new one last May and moved the old one to the kids station. Effingham library has new ones as well with their new building. Mine are 3M. Charleston has had theirs for a while, but it is not 3M and does not work with Polaris. I do not know what brand Effingham has
Susan - Edwardsville: after seeing self check out stations in other libraries, I became convinced they are an excellent addition to what we offer to patrons for customer service. It was a really hard sell to my board. They actually said, well, if you think it is important, get one. But they were skeptical. We've had it by our adult circ desk, and just moved it by the youth circ desk to study use patterns.
Ryan-MTNp: Scott - I think Charleston's are Innovative, but do not quote me on that
Celeste @ Urbana Free: Scott, Urbana has 4 self check units 2 on the main floor and 2 in children's. almost 20% of our checkout is self check now.
Celeste @ Urbana Free: we'd be happy to share our rfp & our experiences if you are ever interested
Ryan-MTNp: Susan, we noticed a radical difference is what gets swipped from the library now that we have the self check. Plus it frees us up to do more work with patrons then just being checkout drones behind the desk
Scott Drone-Silvers: I should come see them. If we ever get money again, I'd like to investigate having one. Thanks for the feedback!
Ryan-MTNp: Scott, based on what celeste said, our self check circ is 50% in adults, and 5% in childrens. I think its location, but people do not want to use the self check upstairs. The kids who want ot use it will come down stairs to use the one here.
Celeste @ Urbana Free: and Champaign Public is only 2 miles away. They have different units. Ours are kiosks, theirs are on a counter.
Ryan-MTNp: A self check is an approved tech spend for those of us that get a Per Capita grant. That is how we purchased our latest one.
Susan - Edwardsville: I've noticed our circ desk is still very busy, which the board thought would not happen if we got a self check. It just gives staff more time to help the patrons who want contact and help.
Ryan-MTNp: Susan, I agree and that is exactly what happens here. We are still busy with the people who just refuse to use it, but our patrons love how easy it is and how private it is.
Scott Drone-Silvers: (sheepish grin) I live in Champaign, Celeste. I just haven't used CPL for a few years.
Maria Dent - Mt. Zion District: Any cons for those using self-checks?
Ryan-MTNp: We even turned off our computer kiosks and redid our laptop checkout where patrons now check out a computer card at the self check, give the staff member the computer card and we give them a lap top
Susan - Edwardsville: Does anyone have a limit on the number of DVD movies a person can check out at a time?
Scott Drone-Silvers: Ryan - if only we got per-capita...
Celeste @ Urbana Free: our kiosk ones have a fixed slot size. i like "open faced" pads better so you can self check bigger stuff
Esther Curry--C.E. Brehm Memorial PLD: We limit DVD to 4 per patron
Jenna Dauer - Smithton PLD: @Susan. We limit to 5 DVDs, 5 audiobooks, 5 magazines, and 15 books per card.
Ryan-MTNp: Maria, our biggest con would be people who "forget" to check stuff out, and a few fakers. They make the machine make noise but do not actually check this out. This doesn't happen very often, but it does happen. Then we have the good patrons, we get busy talking and what not, who forget to check out their holds. But the good ones always bring them back.
Jacqueline Allen--Melvin PL: We also limit patrons to 4 DVDs out at one time.
Ryan-MTNp: Celeste and Scott. We have open faced but they can also be converted to RFID if I can ever come up with the money to do it.
Scott Drone-Silvers: Susan - we do limit DVD checkouts. We had some, er, unfortunate, experiences with people checking out lots and then never coming back.
Susan - Edwardsville: Thats interesting. We had a 15 per patron limit on DVDs that we just dropped to 10. And I have had patrons want to talk to me as to why we did it.
Celeste @ Urbana Free: Susan - up to 20 per peson
Jenna Dauer - Smithton PLD: And we do count a tv series as 1 item, as we don't break up the discs. This can be hard, as it's difficult to watch a whole season in 1 week, if it's a popular series.
Ryan-MTNp: Susan, we have a limit on our DVDs -3 at a time and 1 video game. Durring summer we set a total limit of 6 which means they can have 3 of our movies and still check out 3 at the self check while we do not have the returns processed yet, or they can have 3 of our movies and 3 of someone elses, or a total of 6 of someone elses. We had people checking out 10-50 dvds from libraries with little to no limits and I do not want to pay those lost item fines. We just had someone this week, request and get in over 80 dvds from other libraries.
Scott Drone-Silvers: Makes sense, Jenna. why break up a set?
Susan - Edwardsville: wow. 20. off track a little, but when it was 10 DVDs perperson, a man checked out 15, and then went back to the stacks and put more under his coat. and left. Another patron reported this after the fact.
Linda Richter Trenton public: Our limit is 5 at a time unless they have special use (teachers, senior centers,)
Ryan-MTNp: We have a few patrons want to check out more because we have 2 week checkout, but that is not happening anytime soon. We were paying out too much money to other libraries.
Celeste @ Urbana Free: so how is everyone doing in implementing changes re: their Edge Assessment results?
Celeste @ Urbana Free: one we need to work on is surveying users & non-users.
Celeste @ Urbana Free: any good techniques you've used to find your non-users?
Ryan-MTNp: The edge is annoying and a waste of time.
Esther Curry--C.E. Brehm Memorial PLD: Surveying users was our weak area also. Just not sure how to do it.
Debbie Aggertt/Illinois State Library: BTW Everyone still has access to their Edge Account, reports, over 300 resources, online trainings. Action Plans and toolkit until April 30.
Ryan-MTNp: We get very little credit because we do not have classes and do one on one training instead. We get marked down because when we do have classes they are only in one language, but our population 99% english speaking.
Ryan-MTNp: Then add that my board wants to know why we are spending money on technology when we have a roof that needs to be replaced.
Celeste @ Urbana Free: :-(
Ryan-MTNp: Why do we only have access until April 30?
Jacqueline Allen--Melvin PL: Chris--Are these director's chats being posted to the website so we can refer back to them? I know they were posted at one time but not sure if that is still happening.
Debbie Aggertt/Illinois State Library: That is when the funding runs out. The Edge has been funded for over two years for libraries.
Susan - Edwardsville: most of our weaknesses in the EDGE were because we do not have much in the way of service for people who speak in another language.
Debbie Aggertt/Illinois State Library: You will still have access to the reports beyond April 30.
Stephanie Dennis: I agree with Ryan. If you and your staff truly know your community and your patrons you do not need the edge---you will be doing all that as a responsible library.
Ryan-MTNp: We have come a long way technology wise in my tenure (i am a techie I will admit), but it does not take into consideration where you live, and what type of population you have. I have a community college, a university, an adult area education center, and a life span center all offering the same classes and getting no one. Why should we waste the same time. With one on one training we get to the heart of what each person needs, and how to use the devices they have.
Chris Dawdy: Yes, Jacqueline, we post the Directors' Chats on both the IHLS website and the SHARE website.
Scott Drone-Silvers: Ryan - get some cheap patio umbrellas and put them across the whole roof. Cheaper and colorful to boot... ;-)
Stephanie Dennis: Exactly Ryan--that describes our area.
Ryan-MTNp: I am going to to the Project OUtcome from PLA. I think it will give me a more broad view of where i need ot be with my patrons. I think it will do more then edge ever did.
Ryan-MTNp: Scott, that will be awesome. Will you do Mary Poppins with me when they are installed. My current board thinks we are way more techie then we need to be.
Susan - Edwardsville: Our one on one tech instruction is much more popular than when we offer a class. in the same subject.
Esther Curry--C.E. Brehm Memorial PLD: Ryan--I feel your pain. We have to replace our roof too. We are also in the middle of a building/renovation project on a property we just purchased, so the price of a new roof is not well timed.
Celeste @ Urbana Free: if you get a new roof, then you may be well positioned to add solar power, though :-)
Jacqueline Allen--Melvin PL: Chris, the most recent chat posted on the IHLS website (that I can find) is from last summer. Perhaps I'm looking in the wrong place , this is the link I'm using http://www.illinoisheartland.org/?q=content/page/ihls-directors-chat
Ryan-MTNp: exactly susan, and I feel more rewarding for the person taking the class. In December eRead Illinois announced that we had the biggest checkout in the 3M cloud library for the year (for the 2 years) and it is because we do one on one training.
Scott Drone-Silvers: I'd love to have ours be something other than dirty white. It's shaped like a circus tent, why not make it look like one? Not very academic, though....
Celeste @ Urbana Free: our roof is 10 yrs young, so that rules us out.
Esther Curry--C.E. Brehm Memorial PLD: Celeste--that is a great idea!!
Ryan-MTNp: Celeste - I would LOVE THAT. we had some in to tell us about doing that a few years ago, but then the AC went out. All of them at once and we have 13 units.
Ryan-MTNp: Circus tent. I'm ready. Bring on the party. I can bring a dancing dog.
Celeste @ Urbana Free: There is this group trying to get a group purchase going in Champaign Urbana http://www.growsolar.org/solar-urbana-champaign/
Celeste @ Urbana Free: BUT one of the big incentives is the federal tax break you get, which the Library would not get.
Jacqueline Allen--Melvin PL: Ryan--in this day and age I can't understand how a trustee can think "that you are more techie than need be!"
Chris Dawdy: Well, I thought Brant was posting them on both sites, but I see I thought wrong!! They are posted on the SHARE site (I checked!) and you can find them here -- http://share.illinoisheartland.org/?q=connect/share-chat
Susan - Edwardsville: I guess we are lucky to have a reserve fund for when our AC goes out (over 20 years old). We know it will go but don't want to replace it yet.
Ryan-MTNp: Celeste I will have to make one of those meetings. I wonder if we are too far south?
Celeste @ Urbana Free: Urbana as a city is looking at other group purchasing programs for governmental units with a different "cost/benefit" package. If anyone wants to learn more email me and i'll update you as I learn more celeste@urbanafree.org
Ryan-MTNp: Jacqueline, I compleatly agree. But I have a very business board right now. I put on my wish list a virtual conference center (not Vtel, but a screen and sound for skype and go to meeting etc, and our "too techie" board member said his organization put in a $180,000 system that no one uses.
Susan - Edwardsville: Well then why doesn't he just donate it to the library 8-)
Scott Drone-Silvers: Maybe they will donate it then? (grinning, ducking, and running)
Ryan-MTNp: I wish I could say this was an older outdated board member who just doesn't want change, but he is not that much older than I am. But maybe I can change his mind
Ryan-MTNp: I suggested that. No such luck.
Ryan-MTNp: We are starting a stretegic plan and that is something i hope gets asked about. But with skype and facetime and things being more prevelant, maybe we dont need it anymore and I am thinking old.
Susan - Edwardsville: I had a board member skype into a board meeting when she was out of town. She is one of our oldest board members-I was so proud of her! But sadly noone else has picked up the thread when they have to miss a meeting.
Ellen Popit: I think we're at 2:00 p.m.----see you next month!!!!
Maria Dent - Mt. Zion District: Thanks to all for a lively discussion on lots of interesting topics.