Red Shirts

Greetings,

If anyone is interested in purchasing more red shirts or smocks, they are available through the Business Office at Marston.  You are welcome to go to Marston to purchase shirts on work time.  However, we do ask that you notify your supervisor in advance of when you would like to go to Marston.  Your supervisor will either approve your request or look for a more convenient time for you to visit Marston.  This is necessary so that supervisors can ensure adequate levels of staffing and remain aware of where supervised staff are throughout the day.  Prices for shirts and smocks should be coming to the Intranet in the near future.

Thanks,

Mike VC

Funeral Arrangements for Diana Morales

Greetings all,

Below is information on funferal arrangements for Diana Morales:

Rosary service: Friday, 5/22/09 beginning at 7 pm Forest Park Funeral Home--Main Chapel 6900 Lawndale Houston, TX 77023

Church service: Saturday, 5/23/09 at 10 am Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church 4015Sherman Houston, TX 77003

Her obituary is in today’s Houston Chronicle and can be found online at:

http://www.legacy.com/houstonchronicle/DeathNotices.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=127538148

Sincerely,

Mike VC

Phone and MetroLift

Greetings,

A while back, a decision was made to not provide a phone for use by the public.  This remains the case.  However, an instance has emerged where we need to make exceptions and accommodate folks by making a call for them or allowing them to use a staff phone.  This is when someone needs to call MetroLift.  Since we no longer have a pay phone and there are very few near us, we do need to place a call for the customer in this instance.  Unless someone is able to call MetroLift to come pick them up, they will have a difficult time getting a ride from the library.  The rule stands that we do not have phones for the public but in the case of MetroLift, we can place calls for customers or allow them to use a phone.    

Thanks,

Mike Van Campen

Thanks!!

A great big thank you to the folks who worked during the day Saturday to get ready for the Party in the Stacks and the volunteers who came in to assist at the party itself.  I was really impressed by how hard folks worked and how well everyone worked together during the afternoon.  Your hard work and dedication is truly appreciated.

Thanks again,

mvc

Card Catalog Blinds

Greetings,

Is this the solution to the blinds issue in the Telephone Reference room?

http://www.boingboing.net/2009/05/15/blinds-made-from-car.html

Mike VC

Posting and Comments on Social Networking Sites

Greetings,

I have been hesitant to address this because social networking sites should be independent of work.  However, when negative comments are made on these sites and multiple staff come to me upset about what has been posted related to work, it becomes a work/morale issue.    While I encourage use of these sites and recognize that to some extent they are the equivalent of personal conversation, I think it behooves us as professionals to consider carefully what we post and who will read it.  Where this is different than a personal conversation is that these comments are broadcast to your colleagues at work--if you opt to be friends with them.   Comments about schedules, meetings, customers, etc. have truly upset some of your hard-working colleagues. While I cannot tell you not to make such comments on your personal time and computers, I would like to appeal to your professionalism and respect for your colleagues and our customers to avoid such actions. However, if these comments are being made on staff time or using library equipment, this does become a work-related issue that has to be addressed.

In closing, I ask that we all be aware of how what we say, do, or post online impacts those around us.  

Thanks,

Mike VC

Apple Computers

Greetings again,

The pilot test of the Apple computers (desktops and laptops) is officially over today.  The folks from Apple came to remove the computers this morning.  As a part of this project, we need to get input from staff on the Apples:  How useful were they?  Did customers prefer them?  Was battery life better on the Apple laptops?  Did folks seem to opt for Windows or MacOS? and other questions.  

Please submit any observations--good or bad--to me so that we can share them with our IT department and assess the usefulness of having Apple computers at HPL.

Thanks,

mvc