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Date:         Thu, 27 Aug 1992 21:00:00 EDT
              <CIRCPLUS@IDBSU.BITNET>
From:         "Tom Flemming,
              McMaster University HSL" <TOMFLEM@HSCVAX.CSU.MCMASTER.CA>
Subject:      Re: not a commercial

Jonathan Miller's concern about the "Handling Difficult People"
workshop that he took was also my concern about a workshop I took
which had the same title.  The "difficult people" on whom the workshop
focussed were colleagues or co-workers -- people with whom you had a
long-term relationship -- and I had been seeking instead a workshop
for Public Services staff who had to deal with difficult patrons from
time to time.

We subsequently came to the conclusion that the closest workshop
available for what we wanted -- providing staff who work on public
desks in our library with resources to handle tricky patron situations
in person and on the telephone -- were the "customer relations" type
of seminar offered quite widely by a variety of different groups.
They aren't a great fit because they are often predicated on the
business relationship, where (if all else fails) you give the
customer his/her money back and s/he goes away happy, but they were
the best fit we could find.  They help staff to identify types of
complaints (legitimate and other), suggest ways of dealing with
patron problems and provide staff with resources for dealing with the
stress of difficult encounters.

........................................................................
Tom Flemming                Internet:  tomflem@HSCvax.csu.McMaster.ca
Head of Public Services     Bitnet:    tomflem@McMaster
Health Sciences Library     Envoy 100: mac.lib.hsl
McMaster University         LIFEnet:   TFLEMMIN@life.jsc.nasa.gov
1200 Main Street West
Hamilton, Ontario           (416) 525-9140   x2321      work
Canada   L8N 3Z5            (416) 527-2848              home
........................................................................
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Date:         Wed, 26 Aug 1992 11:12:23 -0400
              <CIRCPLUS@IDBSU.BITNET>
From:         JKMWML@RITVAX.BITNET
Subject:      Re: not a commercial

I have also taken the workshop "How to Handle Difficult People". While it is
useful and we managed to extract enough information from it to help with some
"difficult patrons", the emphasis of the workshop is on working with difficult
colleagues. It seemed to concentrate on the long term relationship rather than
the five minute interaction which make up the majority of my "difficult
patrons".

Still, I certainly have used the info provided, and it has helped.

Jonathan Miller
Circulation desk Supervisor
Wallace Library
Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester NY
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Date:         Tue, 25 Aug 1992 09:52:58 -0700
Reply-To:     "Richard M. Osen" <rosen@henson.cc.wwu.edu>
              <CIRCPLUS@IDBSU.BITNET>
From:         "Richard M. Osen" <rosen@HENSON.CC.WWU.EDU>
Subject:      Journal Use Study
X-To:         CIRCPLUS%IDBSU.BITNET@uwavm.u.washington.edu
X-cc:         LIBPLN-L%QUCDN.BITNET@uwavm.u.washington.edu

	I am posting this to two lists, so please excuse the overlap.

	A few months ago I posted a query concerning Rjournal use studies,
and received very little response.  Again, I am seeking information,
suggestions, experiences, etc.
	We are to begin conducting a journal use study at the beginning of
Fall Quarter (approx. 1 month away) to help us determine which journals
might be candidates for storage, or what titles might be subject to
cancellation or obtaining electronically.
	Our journals are shelved separately from monographs, and are not
catalogued.  (They are shelved alphabetically by title, though scattered
over 4 floor wings and 1 branch library, dependent on subject matter.)
They circulate out of the libraries only to faculty members.
	 We wish to keep track of the frequency of use.  Any suggestions on
the best way to go about doing this sort of thing, meaning both use and
frequency of use?  What sort of pitfalls should we look out for?  What do
you consider to be an appropriate length of time for such a study (we are
on a quarterly system here)?
	Thanks to any respondents.  I'd be glad to summarize responses to
me if there is any interest from List members.

Rick Osen
Access and Building Services Manager
The Libraries
Western Washington University

Tel:  (206) 676-3084
Fax:  (206) 676-3044
Internet:  rosen@henson.cc.wwu.edu
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Date:         Tue, 25 Aug 1992 13:08:10 -0700
              <CIRCPLUS@IDBSU.BITNET>
From:         Maura Pollock-Moneyhon <ICMAP@ASUACAD.BITNET>
Subject:      Reserve survey

 The size of the ASU libraries reserve collection is about 10,000.
 The entire library collection around 2.2 million.

 The reserve
 material is housed in a separate collection. The loan periods
 vary from 2 hours, 1 day, 3 day, and 7 day.

 We do not have a separate budget for buying material. Books from our main
 collection are relocated to the reserve collection.

 Our collection includes both professor's personal copies and library books.

 We do accept required texts for inclusion in the reserve collection.

 We do have restrictions-no journals or reference.

 We have no limit to the number of items that can be placed on reserve.

 Online statistics for reserve material usage is available to us.

 As part of the reserve policy we can use these statistics to limit the
 placement of material on reserve, we have not used it yet.

 Faculty members can be involved in the selection of titles purchased
 for reserve as a rush purchase through their subject specialist for
 a course they are teaching.

 Reserve is weeded for courses 4 times a year. The permanent collection
 is weeded by subject specialist or the reserve department.

 Maura Pollock-Moneyhon
 Library Supervisor
 Arizona State University____icmap  @ASUACAD
 Tempe, AZ 85287-1006
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Date:         Wed, 2 Sep 1992 13:32:12 -0700
              <CIRCPLUS@IDBSU.BITNET>
From:         Bill Kelm <bkelm@JUPITER.WILLAMETTE.EDU>
Subject:      Amnesty Days for fines

	Have any small academic libraries experimented with a day when all
books returned on that day do not get charged any fines.  We are thinking
of having a day like this to encourage book return and to also maybe
increase our good relations with the students.  Of course we would not
tell this day way in advance or otherwise everyone would hold their books
till that day.  Has anyone tried this before, and what was the outcome?
Were the patrons receptive to the idea, and how far in advance did you
tell them about the day. Thanks for any responses.  Your welcome to
respond directly to me or the listserv.

Bill G. Kelm / Circulation Supervisor
Willamette University Library
phone: (503)-370-6312
email: bkelm@willamette.edu
fax:   (503)-370-6141
************************************
"For every complex problem there is
a simple answer, and its wrong."
			H.L. Mencken
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Date:         Fri, 28 Aug 1992 12:49:26 EDT
              <CIRCPLUS@IDBSU.BITNET>
From:         Pamela.I.Ploeger@DARTMOUTH.EDU
Subject:      Automated circ. organization
X-To:         "CIRCPLUS%IDBSU.bitnet"
              <CIRCPLUS%IDBSU.BITNET@dartcms1.Dartmouth.EDU>

Have any of you in multi-branch library systems reorganized your "main"
circulation desk staff (job descriptions, etc.) in response to the automation
of your circulation functions?  I am particularly wondering whether anyone
has noticed a centralization of circulation responsibility and expertise as a
result of automation and has considered rewriting job descriptions (and
classification) to reflect this.  This, of course, in an institutional
context where no new positions can be created.

Specifically, I am considering transferring responsibility for routine
hardware and software troubleshooting and repair away from me (Circulation
Services librarian) to the staff at the "main library" circulation desk.
Circulation problems from other libraries would be referred first to this
circulation desk and only come to me if the circulation staff can't solve
them.  Has anyone does this, either formally or informally?  And if you have,
could you send me job descriptions or otherwise describe the changes?
Thanks.

Pam Ploeger
Baker Library
Dartmouth College
Hanover, NH  03755
(603) 646-3547

pamela.ploeger@dartmouth.edu
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Date:         Fri, 28 Aug 1992 15:57:54 -0500
              <CIRCPLUS@IDBSU.BITNET>
From:         SHONTZ%ATHENA.DECNET@UTHSCSA1.BITNET
Subject:      Re: re>overdue notice file

The specific regulations of one's state and campus determine when you can throw
out records referring to fiscal transactions.  At the University of Florida we
did not keep paper records of fine notices, but we did keep records of payments
for lost books.  We had several instances of patrons returning books 7 or 8
years late and asking for refunds!  At the University of Texas Health Science
Center at San Antonio we have placed a 6 month limit on refunds for lost items.
If your campus has a records management office they can tell you which regulatio
   ns cover your files.

David Shont
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Date:         Fri, 28 Aug 1992 19:24:27 PDT
              <CIRCPLUS@IDBSU.BITNET>
From:         Mary Minow <minow@NETCOM.COM>
Subject:      Re: not a commercialr
X-To:         CIRCPLUS%IDBSU.BITNET@pucc.Princeton.EDU
              Aug 28, 92 12:48 pm

--
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Newsgroups: bit.listserv.circplus
Date:         Wed, 2 Sep 1992 16:35:12 MST
              <CIRCPLUS@IDBSU.BITNET>
From:         Dan Lester <ALILESTE@IDBSU.BITNET>
Subject:      Re: Amnesty Days for fines
              2 Sep 1992 13:32:12 -0700 from <bkelm@JUPITER.WILLAMETTE.EDU>

On Wed, 2 Sep 1992 13:32:12 -0700 Bill Kelm said:
>	Have any small academic libraries experimented with a day when all
>books returned on that day do not get charged any fines.  We are thinking

We did this at the last library I worked in....200k volumes, 4k students.
We set the date in the spring, not too long before finals.  Kept absolute
secrecy until the announcement of Amnesty Week, which was set to be
two weeks later (all books had three week checkout).  All books brought
in during AW had NO fines for being late.  We did not cancel any charges
for damaged or lost items, but a book declared lost that week would
have the accumulated fine cancelled.

We had arranged with the local McDonalds that each overdue book returned
would be traded for one coupon for a free Big Mac, which added to the
incentive.  It also would have added to the incentive for people to
intentionally keep books overdue.  8-)

We made some nice, colorful posters and spread them around campus, using
some artwork provided by McD for a part of them.  Over 500 overdues were
returned, with up to 25 books per patron and some books that were more
than ten years overdue, which we found surprising, as it was a four
year undergraduate-only school.  Guess some take longer to graduate
than others.

A few people objected to the commercial tie-in to "world-rapists who
use styrofoam and imported beef from Brazilian forests that they chop
down and.....and.....".  Those were actually not a big problem and we
told those folks they could pay the fine if they preferred, and they
certainly did NOT have to take or use a coupon if they preferred not to.

The local McD manager informed the region about it and apparently got some
good PR from that arena, as well as good publicity on campus.  We DID
check with campus officials before doing the tie-in with the offcampus
business, and it was no problem there.

dan

*****************************************************************************
* Dan Lester                          Bitnet:   alileste@idbsu              *
* Associate University Librarian      Internet: alileste@idbsu.idbsu.edu    *
* Boise State University                                                    *
* Boise, Idaho  83725                 BSU and I have a deal: I don't speak  *
* 208-385-1234                        for them and they don't speak for me. *
*****************************************************************************
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Newsgroups: bit.listserv.circplus
Date:         Thu, 3 Sep 1992 08:12:00 PDT
              <CIRCPLUS@IDBSU.BITNET>
From:         Valerie Rom-Hawkins <ECZ5STX@UCLAMVS.BITNET>
Subject: (COPY) Re: (COPY) Reserve survey

>
> What is the size of your reserve collection?  your entire library
> collection?

All answers for GRS only. All UCLA Lib units have own reserve sections.  Size
of our reserve collection at any given time during academic year = 9-10,000.
URL = 2 million?

> Are your reserve materials housed in a separate collection? loan
> period?

Separate area. New loan periods when become reserve items.

> Do you have short-term-loan books integrated into the stacks?
> loan periods?

No. Building too large.

> Do you have a separate budget for buying reserve materials?  Do
> you relocate books from your main collection to the reserve
> location?  Or both?

Both.

> Does your reserve collection include instructors' personal
> copies? library books? both?

Both.

> Do you accept required texts for courses for inclusion in the
> reserve collection?

Yes.

> Are there restrictions to the type of material you accept for
> reserve?

Accept UCLA-owned or professor-owned items only. No items from non-UCLA
libraries. (This specifically excludes any ILL items.)

> How many titles/copies of personal copies and of library
> books do you accept from each instructor per course?

No limit on titles, dammit. Just now started limiting to 2 copies per title
for courses submitting more than 25 titles. Due to space limitations.

> Are usage statistics for reserve materials available to you?

We can make them available at considerable expense of time. Have to look at
items individually.

> Do you use usage statistics to limit the number of copies placed
> into the reserve collection?

We try, but have no authority to limit for that reason.

> Are subject librarians involved in the selection of titles
> purchased for reserve?  How?

Only if we have questions about availability/need for certain editions.

> Are faculty members involved in the selection of titles purchased
> for reserve?  How?

No.

> How often and how do you weed the reserve collection?

Perm items pulled each summer by use statistics. Nonperm items pulled at end of
term of reserve use (1-2 quarters).
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Newsgroups: bit.listserv.circplus
Date:         Wed, 26 Aug 1992 10:55:02 CST
              <CIRCPLUS@IDBSU.BITNET>
From:         "Todd M. Mundle" <MUNDLET@MAX.CC.UREGINA.CA>
Subject:      Current and Backfile journals
X-To:         libref-l@kentvm.kent.edu, pacs-l@uhupvm1.BITNET,
              circplus@idbsu.idbsu.edu

Please respond to me directly at mundlet@max.cc.uregina.ca
as I am not necessarily a member of this list.

I apologize for any cross-posting as this message is going
out to more than one list.

The University of Regina Library is at present reexamining
its space and how our materials are arranged within that
space.  We are toying with idea of moving to an all journals
floor; at present our floors are designated by call number
with one sequence for monographs and one sequence for
journals.

We also at present separate out the 'Current Issues' from
the backfiles.  A rule of thumb for 'Current Issues' usually
implies the current year, i.e. 1992, although sometimes it
is longer.

I think this is a typical situation.  However, I would like
to know if there are any libraries out there that are
placing current issues immediately with the backfiles, be
those backfiles bound or unbound?  How do the clients like
this?  Do you think they would prefer the current issues
separated out?

So could you please answer the following questionnaire:



Do you immediately file current issues with backfiles?



How long have you been doing this in this manner?



How has the reaction been from your clients?  Are they
happy?  Would they prefer the current issues be separated
out?



If you have recently changed (within the last two years), to
put both together, why did you change?



Approximately how large is your collection?



How many students?

How many faculty?


Any information would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you for
your time.

Todd M. Mundle
University of Regina Library
Regina, SK  Canada
mundlet@max.cc.uregina.ca
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Newsgroups: bit.listserv.circplus
Date:         Wed, 26 Aug 1992 18:44:02 CDT
              <CIRCPLUS@IDBSU.BITNET>
From:         kendall <KSIMMONS%UKANVM.bitnet@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject:      Re: SAVING OD NOTICES
X-To:         "CIRCPLUS@IDBSU - LIBRARY CIRCULATION ISSUES"
              <CIRCPLUS%IDBSU.bitnet@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
              26 Aug 1992 14:42:45 -0700 from
              <LRCDRL%LUA6.LU.EDU@LUGATE.LU.EDU>

Several questions:  1)  do your overdue notices have an effect on your
fines; 2) does your automated system keep a record in the fines (or book)
record that a notice was generated; 3) what was the purpose in the first place?

Our overdue notices are sent as COURTESY notices only - the due date is the
date from which fines are calculated, not receipt or date of an overdue notice
(since when did any of us have any control over snail mail??).  I think that
this is the most important factor.  If, for some fines reason, you DO need a
record that a notice was generated (a copy in your files only means that it
was generated, not that it was ever sent), then a flag in your automated
system should be sufficient.  As for the last question I had, since we never
had to deal with it, I can't offer an alternative...but, if we HAD had to deal
with it, we would have decimated the Amazon rain forest in our desire for paper
pulp!

Good luck with getting rid of an obsolete tree-destroying bureaucratic file.

Kendall Simmons
Univ. of Kansas
Home of the Almost-Bowl Bound Jayhawk Football Team  (I can dream, can't I?)
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Newsgroups: bit.listserv.circplus
Date:         Tue, 25 Aug 1992 11:21:17 -0700
              <CIRCPLUS@IDBSU.BITNET>
From:         Metta Nicewarner <METTA@NEVADA2.BITNET>
Subject:      Re: not a commercial
X-cc:         Holly Huckeba <HUCKEBA@NEVADA2.BITNET>,
              Maria White <MWHITE@NEVADA2.BITNET>
              25 Aug 92 09:50:27 -0700.
              <199208251600.AA29821@redrock.nevada.edu>

Your message dated: Tue, 25 Aug 1992 09:50:27 MST
--------
> Several days ago I was asked about training for staff on how to work with
> difficult patrons or other staff.  I mentioned that the State Personnel
> Department did some classes, that our Employee Assistance Program did
> some classes, and that we also used an outside vendor.  At the time I
> didn't recall the vendor, but here is the information from fresh "junk
> mail" that just crossed my desk.  I have not personally taken this class,
> but several colleagues have; all have reported it to be worth the money.

> "How to Handle Difficult People"     800-258-7246   (National Career Workshop
       ***s)
I've taken this class and it is very helpful.  Well worth the $69!

---------------------------------------------------------------
Metta Nicewarner                Internet  metta@nevada.edu
Head, Access Services           BITnet    metta@nevada2
Library                 Voice     702-597-4622
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
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Newsgroups: bit.listserv.circplus
Date:         Wed, 26 Aug 1992 09:23:10 PST
              <CIRCPLUS@IDBSU.BITNET>
From:         ljmaclean@UCDAVIS.BITNET
Subject:      Dan's reply on difficult people class

I went to this class.  What a waste of time and money!  This class
didn't really deal with the non-business sector -- and much time
was wasted (I thought) on promoting their tapes, books and other
classes.

On top of this, I am now receiving an unbelievable amount of junk
mail as a result of this class; it is all being sent to me a work
and all has the same (wrong) address (but it gets here anyway...).

When we discussed difficult people before on this list, I got a really
nice handout put together by Deborah Carver, Appalachian State Univ.
and passed on to me by (OH! I can't remember. Sorry) ?.

Anyway, my 2 cents worth.

Lucia MacLean
U C Davis
LJMACLEAN@octavo.ucdavis.edu
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Newsgroups: bit.listserv.circplus
Date:         Thu, 3 Sep 1992 08:35:44 EDT
              <CIRCPLUS@IDBSU.BITNET>
From:         Mary Kay Ball <R1MKB@AKRONVM.BITNET>
Subject:      Re: Amnesty Days for fines
              2 Sep 1992 13:32:12 -0700 from <bkelm@JUPITER.WILLAMETTE.EDU>

At the U of Akron Law Library we tried an "Amnesty Week" this past year.
I did most of the preparation--wrote up the regulations, etc... I sent the
revised regs around to our staff and student assistants to look over. We wanted
to make sure that no "loopholes" could be found or misunderstood.

We had our "Amnesty Week" during National Library Week. We promised to
cancel fines for books, etc. that were long overdue, lost you name it. We set
a deadline--once we started to advertise for it, we said we would not grant
"amnesty" for overdue materials after the promotion date.

We said "no questions asked" and promised to clear records for patrons
returning materials late.  We advertised in the campus paper, the local
newspapers--(a little blurb appeared in the Akron Beacon Journal and Cleveland
 Plain Dealer)...We also notified the various Bar Associations, etc.
One of our talented student assistant drew a sketch of a book shackeled to a
dungeon wall--which was our advertisement in the library.
The patron had to return his/her long overdue materials and we asked that
in return for Amnesty the patron donate some non-perishable food items which
were donated to a local food shelter.

Unfortunately we did not get many takers. It wasn't for lack of trying either.
I'm not sure if I'll do it again for a while. But it is good PR and the
Good Neighbors of Akron received two box loads of food in time for Easter.
If you have any other questions about our procedures, feel free to ask.

Good luck!!!!

******************************************************************************
 Mary Kay Ball                         ****
 University of Akron Law Library       ****
 r1mkb@akronvm.bitnet                  ****
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