When you are assigned to watch the Ask Here Desk, you are the face of the Library and a representative of the University. All kinds of people with all kinds of questions may walk through the door. The list of things you are trained on may seem daunting at first, but it won't take long until you feel like a pro.
One of our goals is to give students and community patrons a good experience while they're in the Library. When you provide customer service, try to think how you would feel if you were on the other side of the counter. Make eye contact, ask clarifying questions if you don't understand what they're asking, and don't forget to smile! If you don't know the answer right away, that's fine! Instead of saying simply "I don't know" try something like "Let me find out".
We can laminate for patrons at $.50/page (8 1/2 X 11 or smaller only). Just fill out the green money sheet like you would for accepting any other payment.
You will also use the laminator when someone signs up for a courtesy borrower card.
Each item you are laminating needs to be in the cardboard sleeve. There are small card sized ones for the courtesy borrower cards. And most importantly - remember to turn the thing off when you're finished!!!
Students - grad & undergrad: One semester, no limit on how many they can check out
Faculty/Staff - One calendar year, no limit on how many they can check out
Community borrowers - Three weeks, may have 5 items checked out
As of April 20, 2023 these are the current printing prices per IT's student printing page.
If you are working at the Ask Here Desk, using a listening device is not allowed. You're up there to help people and we want you to be easily approachable. When you are shelving, shelf-reading, or working in the back you may use them. This also applies to Airpods, even you're not using them please don't have them in your ears.
If someone needs change (like to load money onto their print card) we will have change on hand. The cash box is in the drawer to the left of the computer nearest to the book drop. We aren't able to keep a lot of money in there so we really try not break bills larger than a $20. If you happen to make change and use the last of the small bills, let Nicole know.
If someone needs to break a larger bill or there is a no change in the drawer emergency, the cashier in the business office in the basement of McMullen can help.
There are two lap top carts on the third floor, one in 302 and the other in 311. If a professor wants their class to use the laptops they (the professor) will need to check out the key. When they return it, whoever gets the key needs to run up and make sure all the laptops are present and accounted for BEFORE checking the key back in.
We no longer have lap tops available for check out. If someone is asking to borrow one or needs a temporary loaner, they will need to go downstairs and speak with IT.
The Library oversees two large bulletin boards. One is right here by the doors next to the desk and the other is down the hall towards the LA building (across from the vending machines).
In the past posters were to be directed to the Library admin for approval. At this time posters do not require approval. People may put their things up own their own. There are push pins on each board and folks may post things on their own. The boards will be regularly monitored and any offensive/inappropriate material will be removed.
In the event you need to leave an informational note or question for a staff member, please always include your name or initials and the date you left it.
The newspapers now live on the 2nd floor just outside of 224.
Newspapers may be read in the building but do not circulate. All periodicals and journals live upstairs on the 3rd floor and are in alphabetical order. Periodicals may be checked out.
One of the tasks that someone will need to do every day is checking and refilling printer paper for both the student printer on the 2nd floor and the staff printer in Tech Services. There are green reams of paper stored in the island for the student printer. There should be blue reams of paper in the cabinet under the Tech Services printer.
If there are no reams of paper left or if there is only one left after you've refilled, let Nicole know and she will order more.
This may be one of those things that never needs attention when you check it, but the printer can throw a bit of a fit when it runs out. It's super easy to just pop more paper in there if it's low! And it's much better to do ahead of time than having an impatient student waiting on you to do it.
If the desk runs out of tissues, pens/pencils, tape etc. we should have more in the office. Check with Nicole!
Sometimes a patron will want a book that we don't have a physical copy of but we have online access to. When a search result says "Online access" that could mean it's either available through Montana Library2Go OR Ebook Central. Here are a couple examples:
I searched the catalog for "dave eggers". Without using any filters, one of the results looks like this:
When you click on the Online access link, it redirects you to Montana Library2Go. From there, the patron may borrow the title by clicking "borrow".
The site will then prompt them to log in with their NetID and password!
Some results will be listed as "electronic book" like this:
To access this one, it will prompt you to log in right when you click on Online access at a screen that looks like this:
From there you guessed it! Just log in with your netID and password and you're in! In Ebook Central, you can download a PDF of specific chapters or just read the whole book online. It's a true wonder of technology.
The lost & found shelf is on the back side of the island. If a custodian finds wayward items, they'll bring them to us and let us know where they were found. If you discover a lost item, go ahead and grab it and put it on the shelf. If someone is looking for a lost item, have them describe it. "Non-valuable items" (water bottles, notebooks, mittens etc.) are kept on our lost & found shelf for approximately two weeks. "Valuable items" (phones, wallets, etc.) are to be sent over to University Police right away. If we can contact the person, I'll tell them it will be kept here until the end of the day and then sent to University Police. I think it's easier for folks to go back to where they were if they lost something than to have them run around campus looking for it. If we don't have something someone is looking for, they can also contact the non-emergency UPD number (657-2147).
Sam put together this very cool info sheet to help you with ILL requests! Please make sure you're familiar with it and if you have further ILL questions just ask Sam!
Here are some Super Important ILL hot-takes:
Additionally, if you do encounter having someone's personal info lying around just shred it.
Confidentiality also applies to not telling other people what books who has checked out. Like, don't be looking up your roommate's ex-boyfriend's account or your ex-roommate's girlfriend's info. We don't want it to be like someone knows someone else has a book checked out and tries to hound them to get them to return it or poke fun at what they're reading, etc. etc. Please let Chandra know if you have any questions!
Fielding phone calls is an important part of manning the circulation station. For the most part, people calling have fairly easy to answer questions (example: "what time does the library close today?").
When you answer a phone call, remember your customer service skills and put a smile in your voice. Say "MSU Billings Library, this is [your name]".
If you need to transfer a call:
If you need to take a message:
If a patron asks to use a phone, direct them to the courtesy phone located in the red phone box directly opposite the desk on the 2nd floor. There is an additional courtesy phone down the hall, opposite of the Jazzman's sandwich shop.
From time to time we will have some temporary reserve items by special request.
They have limited check out times for accessibility by all students who need them. If it's a super short check out time, the KIC scanner is available for them.
They are located on the back side of the island by the paper timesheet bin.
When a student comes up to request one they might say something like "my professor has books on hold". You can either ask them their professor's name or what class they're in.
Fall Semester 2023 we have some books on reserve for:
If the book they are looking for is not on the shelf, it may be that their professor hasn't contacted us yet.
Every morning, one person will be assigned to check the book drops. We have one outside of the north entrance (facing the park) and one downstairs on the south (facing the science building). The keys are in the island and are clearly labeled. Each chain has two keys which both need to be used at the same time. The book drop downstairs will also have the day's newspapers which go to Sam.
When you check in books that came in from the book drop, always change the return date to the previous day. All you have to do is put in the proper date in the box that says "Override return date and time". (If it's Monday morning, put Friday's date. If it's Tuesday morning put Monday's date.) Then scan the books like normal. Once you set a return date the rest of the items you scan will have date, you won't have to change it for each item.
One of the daily tasks everyone will do at some point is collecting the books that have been requested through holds or resource sharing. Here I've called it Pick From Shelf because that's what Alma calls it.
First, hover over Fulfillment at the top and select Pick from Shelf in the drop down.
Here is an example when there are items to be "picked":
When there are books here, write down the call number, let your coworker at the desk or Chandra know you're leaving your post, and go hunt them down!
Once you've found them, go to Fulfillment > Scan In Items. Once you've scanned it, Alma will tell you its destination. Here's an example of a resource sharing item:
Where it says TRAILS in the "Destination" means it's being shared to another institution, this example being Bozeman. Since it's going somewhere other than our Library, you'll select a blue resource sharing slip to write its destination. Then it goes on the Resource Sharing shelf for Sam to ship off!
If it shows a patron name, you'll select a pink "hold" slip and write the requester's name. The expiration date is one week from when you scan the item. The system will send them an email letting them know the item is ready. Last thing for you to do is place the item on the hold shelf to await its check out.
These are the codes for resource sharing items you might encounter -
you will only need to list the "code" on the resource sharing slip but here's the list in case you encounter something that doesn't look familiar.
OK, this might be the most informative & important link on this whole LibGuide! Click here for more!