Headphones Policy for Teens/Childrens

This post is taken from an e-mail sent by Melissa, the Children's Librarian Supervisor.

How to handle requests from teens for headphones to use on the MAC computers in the teen space:

Headphones for the children's room computers are NOT to leave the Children's Room. (These are the ones with the bright animals on them).

When a teen comes to Children's and asks if they can have a set of headphones to use

1) Tell them they may purchase a pair for $3 at the second floor reference desk. a. After they have purchased a pair they have the option of having us store them in a Ziploc bag in the Children's Room office. We will put their name on the bag and they can request it from us. If teens wanted to go in together to buy a pair we would put all their names on the bag. This way they do not have to keep track of them or carry them around etc. And of course, if they want to just keep them they are theirs to do with as they wish. We do NOT store headphones that teens have purchased elsewhere.

2) There is a pair of earbuds that can be given to teens to borrow if they are not able to purchase their own. a. Teen must have a library card with their photo in the system in order to borrow them and in compliance with fines etc. b. If they do not return them, they lose the privilege of borrowing earbuds from Children's. c. Staff will need to keep a list of the teens that have lost this privilege so other staff members are kept informed.

Clearing Your Screen Between Transactions

It is very important that you clear your screens after each patron and transaction. This helps us to avoid the possibility of one patron's items being checked out on another patron's account. Make sure that you are reading your screens and DO NOT override messages without careful review.

New Card Registrations

If a new card has been started but cannot be completed for any reason, such as not having current address information, please tear up the registration and delete the borrower. Do not hold the registration in the box waiting for the patron to return; we may never see them again.

Rental Gift Certificates

When a patron is using a Friends of RPL Gift Certificate to pay for a rental; please treat the gift certificate as cash. If you have any questions, please contact your supervisor

New Library Cards - Check by Birth Date

When creating a new library card for a patron, please check to see if they are in the system by their birth date. When checking library card registration slips behind a co-worker, please also check by birth date. Please do not type in the library card number from the registration slip. We need to be careful of duplicate library cards in the system.

Procedure for Friends Free Book/DVD Rental Coupon

1. Enter the Book/DVD rental in the system.

2. Treat the coupon as cash and mark the charge PAID.
Mark the coupon with staff initials and write "used (current date)"

3. When turning in money to administration count the coupon as $2 and send with money.

Marian has approved the above procedure, please implement ASAP

Definition of a Reference Question

A reference transaction is an information contact which involved the knowledge, use, recommendations, interpretation, or instruction in the use of one or more information sources by a member of the library staff. It includes information and referral services. Information sources include print and non-print materials or records, and through communication or referral, other libraries and institutions and people inside and outside the library. The request may come in person or by any other means by a person of any age.
Do not count directional transactions or questions of rules or policies.

That's a whole lot of jargon, but what may help more is to determine what is not a reference question:
•Messages (to pull hold requests) 
•Renewal of items checked out 
•Checking items in/out 
•Creating guest passes 
•Looking up library card numbers 
•Directional assistance (where are the biographies, bathroom, etc) 

If you have any questions, please contact your supervisor.