Bio-Med Library Access Services Blog

Hi All,

Customer surveys for the IADS Customer Service Training Project are being distributed at Bio-Medical, Magrath, Walter, and Wilson service points. The survey will run over a 7 day period beginning Monday, March 24, 2008.

Purpose of the survey:

* Gather data regarding current user perceptions of service. The goal is to provide current data against which progress can be measured from baseline data collected in April 2006 & 2007.

Dates administered:

* Monday, March 24 through Sunday, March 30, 2008

Where distributed:

* Bio-Medical Library - (2 locations) 2nd floor Circulation desk; 3rd floor Circulation/Copy Center desk

How to distribute:

* When assisting users at one of the listed service points, staff should ask if the person is willing to fill out a survey. If they decline to fill out a survey, that is okay. There is no limit to the number of surveys users can return. If the person is in the Libraries for multiple purposes, they can fill in more than one survey. A stack of surveys should also be left at the service point for customers to fill out without prompting.

If more surveys are needed:

* Let a supervisor know if the supply is running low.
* Jerrie or Steve will collect the surveys and boxes on March 31.

--
Steven Llewellyn
Head, Access Services
Bio-Medical Library
University of Minnesota
(p) 612.625.7940
(f) 612.626.2454

Posted by Emily Reimer at 11:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Working at Bio-Med means being part of an organization that is committed to great customer service. Though we are already doing a good job, it's doesn't hurt to review some basic expectations: - Make eye contact and smile when users approach the service desk. - Greet approaching users (“Hello, how may I help you?”). - When explaining policies and procedures, provide enough detail so the user fully understands. (e.g. borrowing options, Get It!, ILL). - Ask if users found everything they needed. - If unable to assist a patron, call in a co-worker for assistance or refer to a supervisor. - When giving directions to other locations, supply a campus or library map. - If possible, offer to walk patrons to nearby locations in the building. It can also be as simple as going with the person to get them started in the right direction ("Let me show where the Reference section is located").

Your efforts have made our library known for its helpfulness -- keep up the good work!

Post your initials to the blog to confirm you've read and understand this post. Bonus: If you post a reason why customer service in the library is critical, you'll get a surprise treat!

Thanks,
Emily

Posted by Emily Reimer at 11:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (16)

Yes, we do take Credit Cards (remember only for fine, nothing else).

However only a full time person (Melissa, Emily, David, etc) may actually give the form out to people. This is because the forms deal with private and very sensitive information.

So if someone wants to pay via credit card, please find Melissa, Emily, David, etc and have them deal with the Credit Card Payment Form.

If for some reason, a full time person (Melissa, Emily, David, etc) is NOT available you may have the library patron fill out the form (they must do this themselves). Then immediately after you are done helping them, place the Credit Card Payment Form on Melissa's chair (please turn it over so that no one can read any information on it). DO NOT leave the Credit Card Payment Form anywhere else, but on Melissa's chair.

Please respond to this entry with your initials.

If you have any questions please ask.

Thanks,
Melissa

Posted by Melissa Aho at 03:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (16)

OVID Technologies is moving to its new OvidSP platform as the default in
February 2008 - this is a major update to the user interface, which retains
classic search functions combined with enhanced usability and natural
language searching which allows for searching across databases.

The University Libraries will be migrating to OvidSP the morning of Tuesday,
January 15, 2008. Ovid users with saved searches or AutoAlert SDIs will
received an Ovid system generated e-mail with their user names and temporary
passwords to access their saved content. New users wishing to save their
searches or to customize the user interface will have to create a new user
account.

Posted by Melissa Aho at 12:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

FYI...

Yesterday (10/29), Wilson library staff encountered a patron who seemed drunk or high. He wasn't threatening, but seemed incoherent. The natural reaction of staff was to help him out of the building. Instead, they called 911. When the police showed up, after questioning the patron for a time, it was determined the patron was having a diabetic episode. Paramedics were called and the patron was treated.

Remember: Always call 911 when a patron is acting oddly, even if the patron is non-threatening. This is the appropriate response rather than trying to assist the individual. Let the police decide how to deal with the situation.

Posted by Melissa Aho at 09:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

New Library Policy!!

Starting Monday, November 12 anyone that wants to checkout headphones will be required to show a UM UCard. Headphones will be just like any other circulating library item. Remember that everyone must present a UCard to check out library materials. If there is a student from another college/university with their college/university ID please see Melissa, David, Pat, Emily or Steve.

I have posted a sign at the Circ Desk and until Monday November 12, please give a handout to anyone that requests headphones (this is so people learn about our new policy before November 12).

Also the computers in the lower 'pit' area will require UM authentication to login.

Finally, the internal speakers in all Dell PCs have been disabled. Headphones on the Dells will work.

Please respond in a comment with your initials with any feedback or questions you have so I can confirm you've read this post.

Thanks,
Melissa

Posted by Melissa Aho at 05:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

Here's what we know:

1. PubMed Find It links are down.
2. There is no estimated time frame for a fix.
3. Both PubMed and Ovid Medline search the Medline database. Let the patrons know that the Ovid Medline database's Find It Links are working.
4. The scripting error is on the PubMed side and is affecting multiple campuses across the country.

We'll let you know as soon as anything changes.

Thanks,
Emily

Posted by Emily Reimer at 05:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)