Chandler Museum closure

From Jean Reynolds, 9/13/17:

Hello all, I just wanted to let you know, if you hadn't heard already, that the Chandler Museum will be closed to the public starting September 18th and will re-open to the public in about a year. Those of you who work the public information desks or take calls may get a question here and there either about the museum, or perhaps a local history research oriented question from the public. You can let them know the museum is closed but for those with research questions, they can still contact Nate Meyers at 480-782-2877. The museum will also still be doing public programs in various locations including in collaboration with our library branches. 　

You can read about the new museum project here 　

You can direct customers interested in the museum to this page to learn about their public programs over the year.

New Arizona Driver Licenses

Arizona Driver Licenses will need to be updated by October 1, 2020 to meet new federal standards for identification. These Voluntary Travel IDs will act as both a driver license and as identification at airport security, federal buildings, and military facilities. (Drivers who do not need to use these facilities do not need to update their licenses.)

New identification requirements are also in place. See the list from ADOT for required documentation. The new licenses cost $25.

To update a current driver license, make an appointment at an MVD office by using ServiceArizona. (MVD office visits are by appointment only.) There is also a list of walk-in 3rd-party providers that can be used; a convenience fee may apply.

For new licenses or licenses that are up for renewal, visit any MVD office or 3rd-party provider. No appointment is needed.

For more information, see the AZDOT Voluntary Travel ID page.

City of Chandler Master Reference Guide

The City has published a list of numbers to call for various issues, such as abandoned property, bees, housing assistance, and so on:

Master Reference Guide
http://chanweb/directories/finditfast/default.aspx?pageid=12&deptdivid=54

More information from the 1/13/16 Quicklook:

Making good Customer Connections is now even easier with the introduction of the Master Reference Guide - the latest tool to put information about “all things Chandler” right at your fingertips!

The Master Reference Guide is an alphabetical listing of common issues. The guide lets you look up information by topic, in a variety of ways.

Find the guide on the "Find It Fast" page on Chanweb (in the Links box on the right side of the home page).

New Scanner Station

Listing tips about the new scanner station as we discover them:

Adjusting scans/copies
There is very little adjustment available. Lightness/contrast cannot be changed. Copies/scans of photo IDs or credit cards work best in color, but require $1 per page to print.

Emailing scans
When people email scans, the sender will show up as "No Reply" <public@chandlerlibrary.org>

Prescription discount cards

from Mary Sagar's email 8/8/12:

You may have noticed the display near the reference desk that contains the new Coast2Coast Rx discount cards.  I just spoke with City Hall about these cards, and they said that we can distribute these cards to anyone who asks -- whether or not they are Chandler residents.  The customers should then check to make sure that their pharmacy is participating in the Coast2Coast discount program.  

Also, here is a direct link to Coast2Coast's website:  http://www.coast2coastrx.com/index.php/faq/

Computer Lab

From Sue's email, 2/6/12:

The Quiet Lab is open to adults who need a quiet place to work (far from the maddening crowd). The rules are: no talking, no cell phones, no group work. If people want to talk or work together, they need to sit in the commons area. I'm not ready to open it up to the teens just yet. I need some feedback about whether that's a good idea or not.

On kids in the lab, 9/12/12:

It's about keeping quiet. That said, how quiet can a toddler be? I'm guessing not very. Even under the best of circumstances (sleeping). So what age can a kid be expected to remain quiet? 10? 12? It's hard to pin point that exact age but probably not before they could be in the library unattended. The teens can even be in there if they can remain quiet.

Art in the library

The art that was in the "tunnel" in the front of Sunset, before the remodel, has been moved to the Basha branch. (12/8/11)

The new public art mentioned in a City of Chandler news release is the glass enclosing the children's room. There is a plaque on the yellow wall outside of it identifying the artist.

Holds messages at checkout

Please note the following hold status in Polaris. If a patron wants to check out an item that has a hold, we can check it out if it has a status of Active or Pending. We cannot check out items with a status of HELD. This means the other patron has already been notified to pick up their hold.

Active—When a hold request is first placed it will have an Active status. The overnight job may change this to Pending if the item is on the shelf.

 Cancelled—Cancelled requests can be reactivated. They will automatically be deleted per a setting in System Administration.

Expired—If a hold is not satisfied within the specified period of time, the status automatically changes to expired.

 Held—An item has been trapped to fill the hold and has been placed on the hold shelf for pick up by the patron.

Inactive—Inactive holds have an activation date into the future. The future date has been set by a staff member in the staff client or the patron through the PAC.

Pending—This is the RTF (Request to Fill) list that needs to be printed out, items gathered and checked in to either capture the hold or put in transit for hold.

 Unclaimed—If the requesting patron does not pick up the held item within the specified period of time, the hold status will automatically changed to unclaimed. These items should be pulled from the hold shelf and checked in to either return them to the shelf, branch or shipped to fill another hold.

 Shipped—Is in the process of being shipped to another branch to satisfy a hold.

Collection development - Holds

Copied from Marybeth's 8/12/11 email, "More than 4 holds"

Basically we follow a 4:1 holds ratio for our print materials. Four holds for each copy of a title. When the number of holds exceed this ratio we buy more copies. I monitor a report every day that provides this information so we can get the additional copies ordered so we can get the holds moving. We have found that this system allows us to be more conservative in our purchasing (especially as our collection budget has been reduced) without sacrificing popular materials and what our customers are requesting. It is important to note that when the system is calculating the hold ratio it uses the unique ISBN. Therefore, for those titles that have circulating copies AND PopPicks, both are included to determine the ratio.

Holds for CD music and DVDs are monitored a little differently. Our holds ratio is higher (usually 6:1 or higher) primarily because of the 7 day checkout. We also use the "rotten tomato" rating guide to determine additional purchases.

I would ask those staff members who work with the Friends (Used Books) to review the procedure for adding items to the collection. Donations of some of the latest bestsellers have really helped with some of these long hold lists.

Teen volunteers

Update from Elisia, Summer 2016:

If you receive teen volunteer applications, please put them in my box, not on my desk. I have applications on my desk that I have already processed, so it will help to keep them separate. Any teen interested in volunteering this summer MUST attend a volunteer overview. They will need to register for this event. Because it is a training, the teen will have to be there, not the parent. They do not have to submit an application before the training. This is for working the SRP table and youth programs. Dates can be found at http://evanced.info/chandleraz/evanced/eventcalendar.asp?ag=&et=&kw=summer+teen&dt=mo&mo=5/1/2016&df=calendar&cn=0&private=0&ln=2.

We will NOT be having our regular Library Lovers weekly volunteering in June and July. This means that pink tapes (excluding adult), holds, recycle and other things that the teens take care of will need to be picked up by staff. Regular volunteering will pick back up in August.


Update from Elisia, July 2015:


Our current volunteer types are:
Library Lovers - pull holds, shelf read, fill children's displays, pull pink tape, other duties as assigned
Arts & Crafters - create felt storyboards and prep for crafts
AR Book Stamping - Stamps AR levels in JF and Reader
Minecraft - Helps with setup, troubleshooting, and breakdown
Book Reviewer

In the past we've had STEAM Club volunteers and other help, so please let me know if you have a certain program or series July-October that you would like volunteers for.


Absences:

If a teen comes to you and says he or she has missed their shift (either earlier that day or sometime in the past) and would like to make up the time, please inform them that they need to contact Elisia to make arrangements. All volunteers have specific scheduled assignments, and it is unfair to staff as well as other volunteers for a teen with a missed shift to make their own time to come in. It adds additional stress for staff who are trying to find something for teens to do, and it possibly takes away from duties assigned to another volunteer.

Volunteers may call in from time to time to let us know they won't be able to make it, so please pass on those messages when you can, even to leave me a note when I am not here, so that we can make arrangements or log the absence.  

Patent and Trademark Viewing

The US Patent and Trademark Office website apparently uses a special format for their searchable database of images, and it requires a plugin that we don't have to view the images. Paul is going to install the plugin on computers 1-6, so anyone who wants to do patent searching should use one of those computers (and make sure to use Internet Explorer, not Chrome or Firefox). The plugin will be added to the next image of the computers, which won't be re-imaged for a few months.

New library in Pinal County

Jo at Basha informed me that there's a new library in San Tan Valley in Pinal County: the Johnson Community Library. For those Pinal County residents who don't want to pay $40 to use CPL or $50 for MCLD, and who are too far away to use the Pinal County libraries in Coolidge and Florence, they can get a card for free there. (Actually, residents of any county can get a card, although they do require a social security number to apply, and must show proof of physical address, no PO Boxes.)

Johnson Community Library
968-1 E Hunt Hwy
Queen Creek, AZ 85143
480-353-2770
Mon - Thurs 9am - 8pm
Fri - Sat 9am - 5pm

Service Animals

From Brenda's email, 3/31/11:

There seems to be some confusion about animals in our libraries. Pets are not allowed. Service animals are.

See ARS 11-1024 regarding service animals in public buildings.

People with disabilities who use service animals may often be easily identified without any need for questioning. If you can tell by looking, you should not make the person feel uncomfortable by asking questions. If you are unsure whether an animal meets the definition of a service animal, management may ask the person with the disability the following two questions in a discreet and non-threatening way:

• Is the animal required because of a disability?


• What tasks or services has the animal been trained to perform?

You may not ask questions about the person's disability. You may not ask to be shown certification or a special ID card as proof of the animal’s training. You may not ask a guest with a service animal to use a specific entrance, exit or area of the business.

You may expect the animal to behave appropriately and be under the control of the owner/partner/trainer. You may expect the person to clean up after the animal if there should be an accident, but that is highly unlikely as most service animals are trained to "go" on demand and only in specific locations.

Noncounty users

Some tips from George on how to verify which county a patron lives in:

Addresses in cities like Queen Creek, which can either be in Maricopa or Pinal counties, should be verified through either usps.com or mapquest. Once verified, please put a note in the customer's account to note that it has been verified.

To verify county through usps.com, go to "Find a ZIP code," enter the address, then on the result page click Mailing Industry Information to look up the county. Mapquest will show a map with the county borders.

Exceptions: If the patron works, goes to school, or otherwise does official business in Chandler, staff should assign them a NONCOUNTY (or PROB-NCNTY) profile. (They need to show a paystub, paperwork from their school, etc. as proof.) We should give them the correct profile (NONCOUNTY or PROB-NCNTY), allow the bill to accrue, then FORGIVE the privilege fee, with a comment on the account as to why the fee is waived. Next year, when the patron has to renew, they should prove again that they qualify for the waiver, or pay the automatically assessed fee.

Call center info

The main library number, 480-782-2800, is directed to the call center. The call center is staffed during Downtown's normal hours.

Our busiest day of the week is Monday and the number of calls declines each day to our slowest day, which is Sunday. Our busiest time of day is between 9AM and 5PM.

Here are the top 4 types of calls:
Renewals (17.60% of all calls)
Holds (17.35%)
Reference (15.28%)
Account info (10.21%)

We've worked hard to clarify when to transfer a call and to whom. Here are some calls we've received that have been and will be transferred:
- A parent is trying to locate a child
- A customer thinks they left their library card/phone/flash drive/keys at the library
- A customer has questions/wants to reserve a meeting room
- A customer has a very involved reference question that's time sensitive
- A customer wants to speak to a manager

See the phone list for direct extentions to branches/departments. They're listed in the gray boxes or at the top of department listings. Requests to speak to a manager are transfered to the manager's direct line.

Where old computers go

From Deidre's email 10/22/10, and CityScope Jan 2012:

You might be getting questions from customers about where our old computers go (I have been!). According to Dan and Janet at Central Supply, the old computers are offered to the schools, then to local nonprofits and then whatever's left goes to auction. Office equipment, furniture, and vehicles are also auctioned.

Normally, auctions are held the first Saturday of the month. You can see the auction schedule on http://sierraauction.com/ Items can be viewed at Sierra Auctions, 3570 NW Grand Ave, Phoenix, one day prior to the sale. For more info, call Central Supply at 480-782-2417.



And speaking of recycling old computers:

If a patron wants to know where they can donate/recycle their own computer, refer them to
http://www.azstrut.org/

Computer use and library cards

From Sue's email 5/20/10 and updates 11/3/10, 12/30/10; 2/23/11 per Peter, 3/2/11 per George:

Guest passes

Guest passes are $2. Ring it up as Membership. A guest pass can be issued to anyone for $2 who requests one, including:
1) those who don't want to get a library card, or don't have proper ID to get a card,
2) those with blocked/barred cards who don't want to bring their account into good standing,
3) non-county residents who don't want to pay the $40 annual fee (although this may be more cost-effective),
4) those who forgot their cards and have no ID for us to look them up,
5) those who forgot their cards, have ID, but are past their 2 lookups (although buying a replacement card may be more cost-effective).

Guest passes are good for one day at one branch. (Downtown may send guests to other branches if they're unable to extend their time, and staff will initial and date the pass; the next branch will issue a new guest pass at no charge.) We must charge for an all-day guest pass even if the user only wants to use a computer for 10 minutes.

Special circumstances may call for waiving the guest pass fee, but these cases should be rare and should be shared with supervisors so that all staff handle these cases consistently. (The Remuda and Hazel House girls are another exception at Sunset.)

---

Computer cards: We can no longer issue computer cards to people who don't have current address; everyone must have ID and proof of current address to get a card. (Exceptions may be made for the homeless or others without verifiable address.)

Out-of-county residents must pay $40 to get a full library card. They may also get a computer card by request if they do not wish to check out, but this still costs $40 and requires ID.

$40 out-of-county cards can be issued to anyone living outside Maricopa County, whether in Pinal county or Dublin, Ireland.
Computer cards can be requested by patrons who do not want checkout privileges or want to prevent their child from checking out.

We will be strictly adhering to the 2 lookups when people don't have their library card. Their record needs to be noted when we do look them up and we need to remind patrons that they only have 2 chances, otherwise they can buy a new card or pay $2 for a guest pass. You can suggest that they put their card number in their phone if necessary, write it on a piece of paper and keep it on them but if they have 2 lookups and they don't have their card, they can't get on the computer.

---

Computer use and fines: Cards with $25 or more in fines, whether for lost materials (which get sent to collections) or overdues, will not be able to use the computers. The fines must be paid below $25. These cards may or may not be in BARRED status, so check the fines if someone can't get on the computer.

Collection Management - floating, weeding, suggestions

Polaris updates 7/24/14 and 7/31/14:

We will no longer check items out to the user accounts LOST, MISSING or DISCARD.

For Lost items, highlight the item in the Patron Status-Items Out screen. Then click on the "Declare Lost" icon (or CTRL+L). You will get a pop-up that itemizes the replacement and processing fees. Click OK and it will bill the patron for this amount.

Move TO another location:
Staff may send extra copies to another location using the following procedure:
· Check out item to user ID REFLOAT. DO NOT CHANGE HOME LOCATION TO REFLOAT.
· Put items in the appropriate courier bin.
· Check-in/discharge items at receiving library.
**Sending more than 2 bins Downtown? Call Peter or circ to let them know.

REMOVE an item from the collection due to condition or during weeding:
Any staff member may withdraw a damaged item, even if not originally from your library:

• Check in all the items. This brings up the items in the check in window.
• Highlight all the items to be withdrawn.
• Click the Manage Item icon, Circ Status, and Withdraw. Save.
• Mark through the barcode with a Sharpie and direct them to FOL.
• Do not worry if it is the last copy of the item. Marybeth gets a report of last-copy discards and will decide whether to reorder. 

**Sending more than 2 bins Downtown? Call Peter or circ to let them know.

REMOVE a Pop Pick copy from the collection:
(We only retain Pop Picks for 3 months.)

• Check in all the items. This brings up the items in the check in window.
• Highlight all the items to be withdrawn.
• Click the Manage Item icon, Circ Status, and Withdraw. Save.
• Mark through the barcode with a Sharpie and direct them to Margaret in Processing (DT).

MARK ITEM MISSING when it can't be found on the shelf:

• Copy the barcode number and check it in. If the item is on the holds list, say NO to "route to fill request" and say YES to "reinstate hold for user."
• Click to highlight the item in the list of check-ins. Use the Manage Item icon to change the circ status to "Search in Progress." 
• Save.

MARK ITEM LOST when a patron reports it lost or DAMAGED when it's returned damaged beyond repair:

• In the Patron Status display, use the Items Out view.
• Click the item to be marked lost or damaged, then click the Declared Lost button.
• In the billing window, under both the Replacement and Processing columns, drop down the arrow for Actions and select Charge. Leave the Overdue column at “Leave as is” if the amount is zero. (If the amount is greater than zero, use the Actions drop-down to select Waive.) Click OK.

SUGGEST an item be purchased for the collection:Customers and staff can request a purchase, but no longer than 3 months prior to the publication date (including bestsellers and media items).***
From Marybeth's email 7/29/14: Hopefully you have discovered the new, handy-dandy suggest a purchase form that is in the catalog for customers to use. Once submitted, this form comes directly to me.  Unfortunately, staff is unable to view this request queue like we were able to in Workflows but we are working with the tools that Polaris provides in the patron record that are easily accessible to customers to learn about the status of their requests (and staff can see it too!  Bonus!)

If I am able to order the suggested item, a hold will be placed on the customers account and they will be notified when it is available for pick up. (you can see the list of requests/holds in the patron status).  We will NOT send a message if we are able to order it - simply look to see if they have it on hold.

If I am unable to order it because it is out of print, not available through our contracted vendors, outside of our collection criteria, beyond our purchasing cycle etc., I will leave a a patron message.  When the customer logs into his/her account they will be alerted that they have a message and have the option to delete it once they have read it.  Staff can see this message on the patron status screen and see if the patron has read the message or not.  The message will go away after 14 days.

Requesting Ebooks: One of the great things about the 3m Cloud Library is how to request a title. Directly from the app, click on Search (the magnifying glass).  Under "advanced search" make sure "Include books not in library" is checked.  If you search for a title that is not in our collection you will have the option to "add to wish list" (ask library to purchase the book).  This title will show up on a report that I look at daily.  If  I choose to purchase it, a hold will automatically be placed for you! We use the same collection criteria to evaluate ebook requests. We will not be purchasing ebook bundles - single titles only - so patrons should suggest the individual titles. (While I welcome suggestions through the suggest a purchase form via the Polaris catalog or a direct email from staff, I am unable to place customer holds for ebooks.)

***If the publication is more than 3 months out, advise the patron to place a request closer to the pub date.

What doesn't float
Popular Picks
magazines
board books
Downtown "storage" books (Hamilton also still has a "storage" collection)
reference materials

Test Proctoring

CPL has discontinued test proctoring at all branches. Refer students to:

Mesa Community College
Chandler-Gilbert Community College

Please read details at the college's test proctoring page. There is usually a fee for this service.

Meeting rooms

NEW: Effective 7/1/12, there is a $40/hr charge for meeting rooms, or $20/hr for non-profits with a valid 501(c)(3) form. All meeting room applications are done online and are mediated by a staff member at each branch. The staff member will contact the user; reservations are not finalized until payment is received.


Chandler Library locations
See our Rent a meeting room page for details, room capacties, and to place a request for a room.

Police building, 250 E Chicago St
* Meeting room holds 98. Call Rhoda x4520 or front desk x4000

Vision Gallery
* Meeting room seats 49. There is a fee. Call 480-917-6859

Community Center
* Meeting rooms available at various locations. There is a fee. See more at:
www.chandleraz.gov/community-center