Acq Folks: we don’t know anything definite about relocation, of course, but we do know the dept. is moving off-campus eventually. During our last dept. meeting, we began early discussions on things to consider or processes to discuss as we lay plans for a move. In the next few months it would be helpful for everyone to share and add to a checklist document that includes questions & details:

1) office furniture – What willl be budgeted by the library for furniture & equipment?
– will we have all new modular furniture, some new and some old, or will we have to use our current furniture?
– will the dimensions of the new space – whatever the configurations of the offices we share end up being – affect the furniture selection or layout?
2) transportation – will we have to rely completely on Facilities vans to get back & forth?
– it would make sense to access our own library van to speed the transportation of staff and materials – is this budgeted?

This quarter’s department meeting and birthday celebration will happen this Thursday, November 12th. As usual, we’ll meet here in room 200, first for the department meeting (10AM – 11AM+), then for the birthday celebration. Please feel free to write down what you intend to bring on the sheet posted on the door to rm. 200, and also please send agenda suggestions to me, or post them as comments on this entry.

Thanks–
Paul on behalf of the Monographs Unit

Update, 11/10/2009: Agenda (in progress)

1. Possible relocation to 13th St. & 23rd Ave. – open forum (Steve)

2a. 2009-2010 FY Department and Unit Highlights and Objectives – all

2b. Jul. – Dec. Unit and Department Highlights for Rachel – all

3. Website cleanup (and Staff Guide?) – Steve and Raimonda

4. Raimonda to work as partial back-up for Paying Unit activities – Jack and Steve

5. Reorg (Steve, Paul & Raimonda)

6. News from AGRSSR and T&SS Chairs meetings – Steve

7. Announcements – all

If there are other items anyone would like to add to the agenda, please post them as comments or email them to me.

Hi everybody, three Acq folks will be attending the Charleston Conference and be out all day Wed., 11/4, through Sat., 11/7: Steve, Jack, and Chris.

Paul Lightcap has agreed to sit in as Chair. Thank you Paul. Raimonda is also here to assist anyone with schedule conflicts, problems, etc., if Paul is away from his desk.

Paul & the Monos Unit will be hosting the next Dept. Party next week. They’ll post more on this date and the agenda for the meeting soon…

See you Monday.

Good morning Acquisitions folks. In my capacity as member of the library-wide ERC (Employee Recognition Committee), I’d like to:

1. provoke some thought in the Department, specifically about nominating someone for a recognition award, and then

2. to direct your attention to links which will facilitate your thinking and nominating.

Here’s a general statement from the Committee as to what would qualify as far as whom to nominate: “if you know of any event, milestone, or accomplishment that you think may be worthy of recognition by the committee then please encourage those involved to put forth a nomination.” We all know folks in Acquisitions who are doing good things. Here’s your chance to get them noticed.

To nominate someone, follow the link to the ERC website at :http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/committees/recognition/ and scroll to the bottom of the page. Click on “Recognition Suggestions? Click here to email the committee,” to put forth a nomination.

Also at the bottom of the ERC home page, there’s a link to Resources. If you follow that link you will see links to two lists of recognition ideas, and a link to a statement of criteria that will help you make a decision and frame your nomination.

The ERC sponsors library wide recognition events such as Convocation, the Holiday Party and Spring Picnic, but also provides funding for individual and group recognition events for those that go above and beyond their usual job description or who have achieved certain accomplishments or milestones.

So, knowing that someone deserves the spotlight for what they’re doing, why not point that out to the ERC?

Thanks and happy Friday,

Jack

I’ll be out of the office from Oct.16th to Nov. 2nd. Chris will be in charge of the dept. Thanks, see you all next month. Steve

1. IT report: implementing a new Grover feature for web-based email that is derived from users and routed to an individual staff. How this will work if that staff person is out of the office; or how it the Grover ticket can be routed to shared email boxes, such as the e-resources problems box – is unclear. More discussion will take place at the next Middle Managers meeting. Chris may want to attend.
2. HR report: lots of open positions are out there; some due to a very large grant that will require a few librarians and staff from MSL and HSCL to work on it full-time; the grant will be used to pay for temporary positions to fill in for our staff. (issue that is unclear: wouldn’t it make more sense to hire temporary people to work on the grant itself?)
3. Facilities report:the stairs in East will not be repaired until 2010. Swine Flu precautions – alcohol hand-cleanser and cleaning materials are being routed to the depts. for staff to use to keep their hands and stations as antiseptic as possible.
4. Budget: because of ongoing budget problems at UF, the Libraries may have to give $277,000 back to the University; Judy is working with the Provost to explore ways we might be spared having to return the entire amount. The hope is we would not have to dip into our materials budget.
5. Emerging Technologies: video cameras are available for patrons to checkout; Michele & John Ingram are working with Springer to have e-books available on Kindles for patrons to use and checkout.
6. Cathy M. did a short but nice presentation on the e-books created from our brittle books by the company, Internet Archives. These e-books are cataloged and accessible through our OPAC and are really impressive.
7. More on Swine Flu: staff in all the depts. might be called to work desk shifts if outbreaks of flu get bad. Acq. folks, especially those with public service desk experience, should be prepared to receive calls from branch libraries if the branch circ or reference areas need replacements.

Please feel free to ask questions or give your comments. Steve

Hello everyone. I’ll be out of the office Monday 9/14 through Friday 9/25. Back in the office Monday 9/28.Any fund transfers that arise ought to be forwarded to the funds transfer mail box or directly to Kerstin. Acquisitions matters that would come to me from Paying Unit folks ought to be referred to Steve. Raimonda has graciously offered to do Peoplesoft time approving for Paying Unit until I return. Since I won’t be here for the next pay period end, I ask that supervisors have all time approved Thursday 9/17 so there are no last-minute approvals Friday morning 9/18. See y’all in 2 weeks. Jack

Yesterday at Library Council, Judy brought up the issue of workshops, especially those being offered by UF HR that now have costs associated with enrollment (e.g. the Office Suite training classes). Those classes now cost around $75 to take and the library will be charged for the ‘tuition’. Her view is this: staff can take the classes when it is justified for their duties; but, staff will have to get approval from their supervisors and dept. chairs, and ultimately from the division director. Yes, it’s complicated now to take a class that costs the library money. I’ll back any staff who has a good reason, so please don’t let this policy deter you from requesting a workshop if it’s important for your job.

The other thing Judy stated as a reminder was that staff needed to check with their supervisors before they enrolled in any workshop, whether the library is charged fees or not. Judy says this policy is not intended to keep staff from taking workshops; she just wants to make sure staff are taking workshops appropriate for their duties. Again, don’t let this policy keep you from taking useful workshops. Thank you, Steve

Ben Walker, Chair of ERC, is sending out requests for new members for this committee. He would be pleased to have someone volunteer to serve from Acq. The committee’s objectives, charge, and past awards are posted on the ERC Web page:
http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/committees/recognition/

This would be a 2 year appointment; the group meets monthly; and the committee is involved with employee excellence awards, recognition fund, holiday, spring picnic, and convocation.

Please contact me a.s.a.p. if you are interested. Thanks, Steve