NO Check-Out if an Item is Missing

Please do not check out materials if an item is missing. This includes DVD series, CD, Tapes, and CD's in books. It gets too confusing to know which patron has the item. We need to contact the previous patron to see if they have the item and go through the SNAGS process.

Postcards for Holds

If we are unable to reach a patron after calling them twice for their hold, please send a yellow notecard explaining we have their hold and how long we will hold it for them. On the side of the patron's hold slip, put "card sent" with the date it was sent underneath. In the middle of the hold slip put the "hold to date" which is one week from the day yellow notecard was mailed.

If the phone number has been disconnected or the voicemail is not set up, please take the phone number out of the phone area on the account and put a message on the account that we need the patron's phone number.

Accident/Incident Reports

From Pam:

You can find all the forms regarding accidents and incidents on the common file (N:/Accident Reports) or on the County Website – (Extranet – Human Resource Forms – Risk Manager). 

Blog Tabs

There are now tabs near the top of our circulation blog that lead us to other departments for more library related information. Thanks April!

Ordering New Books

Please remember that it is OK to send patrons up to the reference desk for ordering items but please don't send them to specific librarian selectors who do the ordering. Before sending patrons upstairs to order a new item, please check to see if the item is already in the catalog. Thanks!

ILL Hold Procedures

When an ILL is on hold for a patron: please mark in the white notification slip if you have left a message on the answering machine or with the patron. Also, put the date the patron was notified with your initials. The ILL due date varies with each check out and is shown on the pink slip which needs to stay with the item.

The due date for the ILL must be overriden before checking out.

Catalog for Patrons Computers

If the catalog acts up for the the patrons computers, hold down the buttons ctrl, alt, delete and then click on the log off button. The computer will restart itself and the catalog will come back up.

Removing Fines Properly

Please be sure to remove fines properly. (if they have multiple charge types - overdues, rentals, friends basket, etc., uncheck all the boxes next to the charges then select the charge(s) you want to take off.)

Patron's Previous Card Number

To find out what a patron's previous card number was, scan the current card, click on view/edit address, click on the summary button at the top left corner of the screen, click on other info tab. The previous borrower ID is under the last active section on the lower left hand side.

Adding E-mail Contacts

To add contacts to your Microsoft Outlook e-mail (work e-mail), go to contacts, click on new button, click on address book button, fill in the contact's name, click on find button, and add the contact.

Public Phone Use

All adult patron personal phone calls need to be made at the reference desk now. Children under the age of 17 may use the phone in the children's room.

Called and Dated Holds

After holds are called and dated, please place on the notified reserves shelves section by patron's name alphabetically, this includes staff holds. Thanks!

Toggling Items

Please only toggle specific items if they are available or you have it in hand. If all copies are checked out for a specific item you do not need to toggle to place it on hold. Thanks!

Patron Registration Cards

Please be careful when creating new cards for people so we don't have duplicates. You can put the full last name and part of the first name in to see if we have a card for the patron already.If a patron's maiden name is on their driver's license, please check that last name to see if it is in the system.However,you should ALWAYS check the date of birth to avoid creating a duplicate account. Thanks!

Please Stay Busy

Please stay busy during work hours. We need to keep moving doing projects, making calls, cleaning, shelf-reading, etc. There is a list of projects to do on the circulation board when we are having a slow day/night.

SNAGS

There is a guide on how to do snags for Headquarters in our white snags folder. If you have any questions, please ask.

If an item is missing from the case and has been held for a month after the damage letter has been mailed, check the item in and then out to Tech Repair and send it back to Tech Services.

Once a snag has been taken care of please take the message off of the patron's account.

Book Cover Repairs

There is tape to reinforce book covers on soft cover books on the shelf below the tech shelf. Please be sure to use the roll that says "Book Tape" and not "packing tape".
If you are taping a plastic cover as a temporary repair so a patron can check out, you may use the packing tape. Otherwise send books with torn plastic covers to tech.
Never use tape to repair loose pages.

Board of Elections / Republican and Democratic Headquarters

http://www.rowancountync.gov/GOVERNMENT/Departments/BoardofElections/FAQs.aspx

The deadline to register, change party or change address occurs 25 days prior to each election.

Rowan County Board of Elections
130 West Innes Street
Salisbury, NC 28144

Republican Headquarters
118 South Main Street
Salisbury, NC 28144

Democratic Headquarters
1411 West Innes Street
Salisbury, NC 28144

Patron's Holds

Please hook the patrons holds together by name. Please do not hook family members holds together.

Returned Lost/Missing Items

When checking in items that have been made lost or missing, please say NO to the message that pops up about wanting to deal with it now. After saying NO and checking in the item, go back into the patron's account and waive the charge for the lost item. Make sure you initial the receipt and state that the item was returned. If you have any questions, please ask.

Phones and Computer Programs

Please remember to put the phones away in their charging bases and close down the computer programs including the computer in the back at the end of the day. Thanks!

Material Request Procedures

Materials published in the past six months (not counting the current month) or to be published three months in the future (not counting the current month) may be requested for purchase at no charge.
Any items published more than six months ago may be requested for a $5 fee.

Disconnected Phone Numbers

When making calls for holds and the patron has a disconnected number, please take the phone number out of the box and place it in the comment section with a note saying that the phone number is disconnected, the date, and your initials. Thanks.

Verify Patron's Name

Please verify patron's name when checking out - this is to prevent errors from items getting on the wrong account. (If they have their picture in the computer, you don't need to verify. If it isn't them in the picture, please ask if the check out is under the name on the card presented.)

Patrons need their card, ID, or we need to have their picture in the computer to be able to check out. Juveniles may check out as long as they can verify their birthdate and name but we prefer library cards. Parents need to have child's card to check out if the child is not present.

Comments on Patron Accounts

Please don't add notes in the comment section of patrons' accounts about future holds or if a child or another adult may check out on that patron's card. As long as a patron has the other patron's card in hand, they may check out materials.

When making a comment, please add the date and your initials to it.

Verify Patron Phone #'s

When placing a hold for a patron, please verify that we have their current phone number.

Toggling Specific Items for Holds

If you are placing a hold on a specific item and you have it in hand or it is available at another branch, you may toggle it. When placing a hold, choose Item Specific, find the correct barcode #, select the item, and then place the request. This should only be done if you need the specific item. Otherwise, you should always choose First Available.

Please Ask Questions

If you are unsure of how to do something, PLEASE ask someone how to do it. We are here to help one another and it is always good to have back up. :)

Checks for RPL Friends

When patrons pay for Friends of RPL items with a check, please make sure that they write the check out to Friends of Rowan Public Library. Thanks.

Checking Registration Cards

When checking on a co-workers new card registration slips, remember to check by the patron's date of birth, not by the library card number, then verify their name. We need to watch for duplicate library cards.

Meeting Room Statistics

There is a folder on the podium in the foyer of the meeting rooms next to the Stanback Auditorium. This is where groups are to record their name and attendance when using the meeting rooms. Should they instead come to circulation desk and give the information verbally, please write down the information and send it to Cyndii. E-mail is preferred, but you can also send it up in an inter-office envelope.

Notary for the public

We do not have a notary at the library but patrons may go to the UPS Store on Jake Alexander Blvd. next to Harris Teeter.

850 Jake Alexander Boulevard West, Salisbury, NC 28147
(704) 638-0661

Checks to RPL

Please make sure when a check is written to pay fines, etc. that the check is written out to "Rowan Public Library." We then write the account number(s) for the items being paid, on the memo line.

Patron's Paper for Copies

Even if a patron brings their own paper to make copies, they still have to pay .10  a page.

Staff Use of Computers

Please use the computer behind the circulation desk (in the back behind the wall) for looking up non-work-related websites on your breaks.  The computers at the circ desk should be used for work.  No Facebook on any computers.

Display Books

When placing books on display (white holders), please pick a book from the same shelf that the holder is on so it is easier for us to find the book.

Initial What You Read!!

Please put your initials in the comments in the blog so we know you have read them.  If you do not understand something, please ask questions.

Match the Barcodes

Please make sure the barcode numbers on each CD and DVD match the barcode number on the back of the item.  Please don't flip through the case assuming everything is there and correct.  We have had missing items or the wrong items in the cases.  Please watch the DVD series.

Hyphenated Last Names

Patrons that have hypenated last names like "Henderson-Braswell" should be shelved under "H" on the hold shelf.  Patrons that have nicknames for their first name will have (parenthesis) around the name.

Renewals

Please renew books when patrons ask (if they have not reached the renewal limit).  We have had a lot of renewals not being done properly over the phone--items aren't being renewed on time or are being missed.  Do not say everything has been renewed until it is verified on the screen that it is renewed.

Showing Circ Screens

FROM JEFF:  There is no need to ever show patrons our circ screens.  Our screens contain "operational information" that are for staff use.  Thanks!  Sherri

Comments on Patron Accounts

Please read the comments on patrons' accounts.  PLEASE, PLEASE read what's on the patron's accounts and act accordingly!  If they have an item on snags, please do not check out to the patrons until the snag is taken care of.

NO PIC, NO CARD, NO ID, NO CHECKOUT!

Please remember: No picture, no card, no ID = NO CHECKOUT!  (Unless you or another staff member knows the patron.  If this is the case, it would be a good time to get a picture.)

Circulation Rotation List

There is an updated circulation services rotation list on our circ board.  If the person is unavailable to do their assignment, please jump in to help each other.  Thanks!

Wear Your Nametags!

CIRC STAFF: Please always wear your nametags when on duty.  If you need a new one, please let Cyndii know. Thanks! Sherri

LOOK! for the CD

If a book says there is a CD inside (CD sticker), please make sure the CD is in there before checking in or out.

Names on Hold Slips

Please watch the names on the hold slips.  We have had different patrons' items accidentally hooked together and it makes it difficult to find these holds.

Computer Lab Items Pricing

Headphones - $3
USB/Flash drive - $10
CD - $1.00

Check if Items Need to be Renewed

When a patron checks out, please scroll through their items to see if anything needs to be renewed soon.  They might have forgotten about the previous due date.  *Or, ask if they have anything they need to renew.

Holds on Overdue Items

Please don't place holds on long overdue items.  Please check to see if we have other copies in the system to place on hold.

Change Date on Hold Slip

REMEMBER:  It is very important to change the "hold to date" on a hold slip if a patron calls in and you tell them we will hold it an extra day.

Staff Being too Loud

Please remember that our voices carry--there have been some complaints about the library staff being too loud.

New Patron Names

When creating new library cards for patrons, please go by what is on their ID, regardless of how they put their names.  This is so we can find them in the system if they don't have their card.  Nicknames can go in the middle name section with parentheses so we know what to call them.  Please let patrons know if they have reversed last names, we have to go by their ID.

Lost and Found

If you put something in the lost and found drawer, please date it.  If you know the person who owns that item, please put their name on the item, block their account, and put a message on their account with the date.  Items with names should be placed at the front of the drawer.