Recently in KEEP Category

Some of you should have received in your UMN email a notice about:

This program has been developed to help workforce members and volunteers on all campuses of the University of Minnesota learn about securing University data. Since you all work with ALEPH and have access to sensitive patron personal information, you are required to complete this training as part of the criteria for maintaining your job standing.

The training consists of three primary courses (Data Security in Your Job, Securing Your Computer Workstation, and Using University Data).

Please follow the instructions for completing this important training (you have a particular window of opportunity to do so, but I encourage you to complete it in a timely manner. Don't put it off ~ each section will only take about 15 minutes of your time.

If you have any questions, please badger the full-time staff (who may or may not have answers). Some of you may have already completed this training during the course of the year. If you think you have already done so, check your training history at the Human Resources Self Service web page.

Everyone, please respond to this post to indicate that you have read it. Thank you!

I'd like to take a moment to clarify why we ask those scheduled at the Desk to do Periodicals work. It's been brought to my attention that there is some confusion and concern about this.

Since Fall 2006, we have scheduled less "Periodicals" hours for student workers. We make up this difference by asking one of the two students at the Desk to do Periodicals tasks when needed - particularly during slow periods in the afternoon and evening. This mostly affects students scheduled at the Desk between 1-3 PM and 5-9 PM.

The expectation we hold for all student employees is to come to work with the willingness and readiness to complete whatever tasks are needed, regardless of whether one is technically scheduled as "Periodicals" or "Desk." We expect that these tasks will be attended to immediately, without distractions of personal work (email, homework, etc) at the desk getting in the way.

My hope is that this provides a useful framework and understanding about why we are asking Desk workers to do necessary Periodicals tasks more often than in the past. If you have any questions or further concerns, ask away! Use the Blog, or I'm more than available to chat as always.

I've changed the publically posted schedule to include a reminder stating "Students scheduled for "desk" hours will be asked to do Periodicals tasks as needed."

All students please comment that you have reviewed this post. Thanks!

Please review the following, the Libraries policy in case of an emergency closing like happened last week:

http://www.fpd.finop.umn.edu/groups/ppd/documents/policy/Emergency_Closing.cfm

All students please comment that you have reviewed this post. Thanks!

You may have noticed that we (finally!) have a plethora of new nametags. Now that we have enough, please get back in the habit of wearing them during all shifts -- desk, periodicals, special projects, whatever.

You'll notice that we have a nametag for every employee, to help keep the nametags from "walking off." We've gone through over 15 nametags since the start of the year, so I need everyone to try harder at remembering to leave their nametag here at the end of their shift.

All students please comment that you have reviewed this post. Thanks!

This is a reminder of our policy about breaks at work, from the "Protocols & Expectations" that each student employee has reviewed and signed.

Breaks:
• Students receive one paid 20 minute break when working a block of four hours.
• Students must take an unpaid 30 minute lunch break when working a shift of eight hours or more.

This means that if you work a block of less than 4 hours, there is no break, unless absolutely necessary.

When working the desk, take your break
1) only when there is coverage
2) NOT when ther is an upcoming shift change between desk students
3) after you have checked with full-time staff & the other student at the desk

All students must comment that you've gotten this info. Thanks!

In the past couple of weeks, 3 patrons have been sent upstairs to negotiate fines for reserve or periodical items. Library staff at Borrowing Privileges and FInes upstars have to tell the person to turn around and go back downstairs. Obviously, this is not the best customer service.

If someone has a fine for a reserve or periodical item:
1) They can only negotiate the fine with full-time staff in our unit, not upstairs (e.g. if they want the fine waived or reduced)
2) To pay a fine (of any type), the patron must go upstairs to the Borrowing Privileges & Fines window.

All students must comment that you have read this. Thanks!