SRC

Parents have started to ask about our SRC program.
Behind the information desk, you'll find two blue boxes: One marked Elementary and the other Read to Me. You'll find the SRC bags, filled with gameboards and coupons inside the blue boxes.

To register the children, give the correct registration form (forms are on top of the boxes) to the parent to fill out. Once they've filled it out, place it in the blue wire basket. Explain how the program works and hand them the appropriate bag.

There is no registration form for the TEENs. For TEENs everything is done online. Please familiarize yourself with the SRC page from our homepage if you have not already done so. http://www.bcpl.info/kidspage/summerreading.html

We will not be having any drawings this year. Children who complete the program will receive a completion prize.

Pick Up Location for Holds

For all librarians:

After June 1st, when placing holds for customers at the desk please make sure to change the pick up location to another branch. Thanks.

Rolling Maintenance

We will be starting rolling maintenance this Monday, May 3rd.
Some changes to take note of:

*We will no longer have individual collections
*Collection log binders have been replaced by two rolling maintenance binders - one for nonfiction, the other for everything else with the exception of DVDs. Carolyn is still responsible for DVDs.
*Hot spots are collections that need immediate attention. CAs will use the right hand side of librarians' whiteboard to communicate which areas are hot spots.
*There will be an overflow cart next to Nancy's desk for books that won't fit on the shelf or books that need to be reviewed.
*Replacement cart will be everyone's responsibility. It will be behind the information desk for librarians to review and shelve.

If you have any questions, please ask Nancy.

Thank you

April Branch Meeting Minutes

For part timers and FT who were not able to attend the April branch meeting, please read.

April Branch Meeting Minutes

There are also two documents that you should read. In the minutes it says, "see attached". Where it says, "see attached", hold down the ctrl key and click over the text to open the document.

Thanks

New Procedures for Submitting Interlibrary Loan Requests

From memo# 2010-145:
Due to budget reductions, the Maryland State Department of Education Division of Library Development and Services is no longer able to fund the MPowerCat project.

This brings about two changes for BCPL staff and customers:

1. BCPL holdings will no longer appear in OCLC’s WorldCat. Customers who search worldcat.org or who see a “find in a library” result in Google or Yahoo will not be directed to BCPL’s catalog even if we own the item.

2. We will no longer have access to FirstSearch. BCPL had paid for FirstSearch access before the MPowerCat project was put into place in 2006. Unfortunately, the price is substantially higher now than it had been at that time. We have chosen not to re-subscribe to the service. We will still be able to request items through OCLC but we will not be able to use FirstSearch to do it.

The procedure for submitting an interlibrary loan request is very similar to our current process. The search options are slightly less powerful than were available through FirstSearch but should be sufficient in most cases to find the requested title.

The ILL link on the information desk computers has been updated.

Downtime

Polaris will be down on Tuesday, April 6, 2010 until about 4 pm. Do NOT use Polaris on this day until contacted by Technology Support staff.

Please ask customers to be patient while we upgrade our ILS system. To look up titles and authors use other system catalogs. We will not be able to check our catalog for our holdings. If customers want to place holds, please ask them to call back once our system is back up.

Thanks

Public Wireless Internet and Printing

From Memo# 2010-132.

We are pleased to announce that wireless printing will be available to BCPL customers with effect from Thursday April 1, 2010. However, the wireless printing will only be available to users of notebook computers running Microsoft Windows operating systems. As usual, BCPL customers will continue to have wireless internet access via various Wi-Fi enabled computers, and handheld devices.

A video tutorial to guide branch staff on wireless internet access and printing is now available online (Please go to the memo to view the tutorial).