Minutes of February 17, 2011 Meeting

Present:

Eric Fizur, Shirley Lewis, Barry Lipinski (coordinator, recorder), Jill Locascio, Mike Mansouri, Eugene McElroy, Dean Meister, Brian Stubbs, Joyce Watson

Excused:

Zohreh Bonianian, Marc Forster, Nita Mukherjee, Ramon Negron, Jan Reinhart

Absent:

Jennifer Dickerson, Helen Funnye, Maggie Harris-Clark

Agenda

1. Website Review and Reorganization
2. ASC Announcements—Relais D2D Implementation, Revised E-ZBorrow webpage (draft), UMDNJ Courtesy Notices (drafts)
3. Theft Prevention
4. Incident Reports
5. Information Sharing

1) Website Review and Reorganization

Jill reported that she and Zohreh would develop a few additional website reorganization options for the group to review at its March 17th (2 p.m.) meeting.

2) ASC Announcements—Relais D2D Implementation, Revised E-ZBorrow webpage (draft), UMDNJ Courtesy Notices (drafts)

Delayed a few times by software issues, Relais D2D (“Discovery to Delivery”) hopefully will be ready to go during the week of March 14th. Our users will be pleased with the more powerful, streamlined, one-search feature. Another training session will be held for staff on March 10th. The group examined Judy Gardner’s draft of a revised E-ZBorrow webpage. Changes in the document reflect the new E-ZBorrow’s ability to accept the Rutgers NetID instead of the library barcode and the improved searching capability. The group reviewed drafts of courtesy notices for various UMDNJ affiliations written by Judy and Michele Tokar. These notices, similar to ones used for recent alumni borrowers, community borrowers, and VALE users, explain to users how to renew their annual borrowing privileges.

3) Theft Prevention

Barry discussed the recent wave of thefts that had hit Alexander Library. Within a 15-day open period (12/15/10 to 1/5/11), five laptops were reported stolen. Later, a wallet and a textbook disappeared. Brian spoke of RUPD Officer Richard McGilvery’s visit to Alexander. He came by and talked with users at Alexander Library and handed out postcard-size fliers to them reminding them not to leave their valuables unattended when visiting the library. Jeff Teichman’s contact with RUPD regarding these thefts helped solicit a new RUPD poster that Isaiah Beard printed for RUL distribution. The group read Harry Glazer’s news item “Keep Your Stuff Safe in the Libraries” and agreed that it did a good job of explaining to users how important it is for them to protect their personal items. Shirley asked if we could have a presentation by RUPD on theft prevention and security matters.

4) Incident Reports

Thirty-four incidents—a high number—were reported since the December 16, 2010 group meeting, bringing the total for the year to 74. That’s only five shy of the total (79) recorded for the year in 2009/2010.

ALEXANDER

• Squirrels were observed inside the building in the Shipping Office, pipe alley mechanical room and subsequently in the Processing Lab of Special Collections and a staff member’s office. RWC Wildlife Damage Control set up traps which succeeded in capturing the squirrels. (Mon, 12/6/10; reported 12/17/10)
• Regular non-Rutgers user requested medical assistance (catheter problem) on back-to-back evenings. EMS came both times and took him to the hospital emergency room. (Mon-Tue, 12/13-12/14/10)
• Student studying for an exam that he was scheduled to take in an hour, came to the Welcome desk and said he needed help; he was sweating profusely and breathing hard. EMS arrived promptly and examined him. Student declined to go to the hospital because of the exam. EMS suggested he eat something before the exam; staff, after approval from EMS, offered him a bagel, which he gladly accepted. Student left for his exam looking more stable; he indicated he was feeling better. (Mon, 12/20/10)
• Laptop reported stolen from Reference Room when student left it unattended and went to lobby to take a phone call. (Mon, 12/20/10)
• Non-Rutgers user, possibly intoxicated, came to the circulation desk complaining that his belongs were stolen. He yelled obscenities at the staff, knocked over items on the counter (staple remover, flower pot, tape dispenser) and threw the stapler, nearly hitting another user. RUPD arrived, helped him locate his belongings, and took him out of the library. Man returned the following day and told staff he wanted to lodge a complaint, saying library staff had removed his belongings. He was told that was not the case; rather RUPD had helped locate them for him. (Tue, Wed, 12/21-12/22/10)
• Air conditioning that cools off server in SCC reported not working. (Tue, 12/28/10)
• Laptop reported stolen. Student said he left his laptop inside his backpack in a group study room on 3rd floor; when he returned the backpack was there but the laptop was gone. (Mon, 1/3/11)
• Laptop reported stolen. This time, after RUPD was called, student found the laptop in the graduate reading room in another carrel three rows away from where he had been sitting. Staff heard the Detex alarm on the door at the bottom of the staircase in the new wing go off when the student first alerted staff to the theft. Staff and the student looked to see who had left, but no one was around. (Tue, 1/4/11)
• Laptop reported stolen from the graduate reading room. Student said he left the area for 10 minutes; when he returned the laptop was gone. (Wed, 1/5/11)
• Wallet and wristlet reported stolen from a student’s unattended bag in Gov Docs stack area. Next day, two students brought the wallet and wristlet to the circulation desk, after finding the items at the bottom of the stairs in the bound periodicals stacks. Cash was missing from the wallet, but all other items were intact. (Mon, 1/10/11)
• Banned person, described in incident report of 12/21/10) is spotted in the library by a visiting LSM supervisor when the banned person sets off the exit alarm with a non-library item. User acknowledges to staff that he knows he has been banned and then leaves the building. (Tue, 1/18/11)
• Textbook valued at $200 reported stolen from 3rd floor study room; student said he had just purchased the book two hours earlier. (Mon, 1/24/11)
• Two guest patrons were observed bypassing the PC Reservation software on the public guest computers in an effort to avoid the two-hour time limit. Unit Computing Specialist spoke with the two guest patrons, reminding them of the library policy. He reported details of the bypass method to Integrated Information Systems. (Fri, 1/28/11)

ART

• Alarm in Voorhees Hall activates the sprinkler system in the Art Library. A corroded area of the sprinkler pipe bursts and water leaks onto the 3rd level and to three locations on the first floor. RUPD, NB Fire Department, RU Emergency Services, and RU Risk Management all respond. (Fri, 1/21/11)
• Front door found ajar and several students were already in the building before the 11 a.m. delayed opening (snow). Lock had been set but a pebble on the ground prevented the door from being completely shut, allowing a gap for entry. (Wed, 2/2/11)
• Upon opening, it was discovered that a ceiling tile had fallen on the circulation desk due to a leak from a pipe. (Mon, 2/14/11)

CHANG

• Staff discover at 5:10 p.m. that front entrances to Foran Hall are locked; entrances are supposed to be open until 10 p.m. when the Chang Library closes. (Tue, 12/21/10)
• Again, the Foran Hall front doors are found to be locked at 5:10 p.m. (Wed, 12/22/10)
• Side entrance to Foran Hall is now locking automatically at 5 p.m. although the Chang Library is open until 10 p.m. (Tue, 1/25/11)
• Manager is interviewed by RUPD regarding a female student who had filed a complaint with RUPD about being approached by a male outside the library. (Mon, 2/14/11)

DOUGLASS

• Vandalism reported by custodians to RUPD; paint found spilled on the hallway and wall outside the elevator neat the custodial office. (Tue, 12/21/10)
• Freshly painted men’s bathroom was marred with graffiti in three areas. RUPD inspected. (Wed, 1/26/11)

KILMER

• For the fourth time in six days, the second floor men’s bathroom became flooded. Overflow problems with urinals and toilets have become chronic. (Thur, 12/16/10)
• Water began leaking at a rapid rate from a mechanical room pipe; water escaped the room and got under the corridor tiles. (Thur, Fri, 1/20-1/21/11)
• For the third time in the past year, water overflowed from the second floor custodial room and cascaded through the first floor ceiling onto the aptly named “Ark” sculpture on the first floor. (Fri, 1/21/11)
• Water still leaking steadily from a mechanical room pipe. A large custodial trash can emptied only three hours previously, is 75 percent full at 5:45 p.m. Floating engineer is called; he creates a Rube Goldberg device made up of overhead light covers to funnel the water into the floor drains. (Mon, 1/24/11)

LSM

• Student sets off the exit alarm with a vandalized book valued at $257. Letter is sent to the student conduct officer regarding the incident. (Thur, 12/16/10)
• Patron and staff member both report a suspicious person walking stiffly around the LSM dumpster with a CD and cell phone in hand. RUPD arrived and spoke with him. He said he was looking for a CD that his friend had thrown out. (Sat, 12/18/10)
• Water leak in the wall near the ventilation shaft by the circulation desk dripped onto the fire alarm box in the basement, activating the alarm and then disabling the system. RU security personnel perform an active fire watch in the building while the alarm is disabled. (Thur, 1/20/11)
• Again, water leak drips directly onto the system circuit board sensors, sounding a piercing alarm at 11:45 pm. (Sat, 1/22/11)
• Royal Sloan flushometer valve sticks and flushing in urinal keeps running. Floating engineer is alerted and he makes the repair. (Sat, 1/29/11)

MATH

• When staff arrive for delayed 11 a.m. opening due to snow, they discover 15 people studying in the library. Apparently, custodial staff had inadvertently left the entrance unlocked when removing trash earlier in the morning. (Tue, 2/2/11)
• Power went off at 8:35 p.m. Users were asked to move to the area where emergency lights were on. Power was restored 15 minutes later. (Mon, 2/7/11)

ROBESON

• Public user was removed from the library by RUPD due to the viewing of child pornography. (Tue, 1/25/11)

Information Sharing

Barry— A reminder: Viewing adult pornography on public computers is not grounds for approaching users and asking them to stop viewing or seeking to have users removed from the building. Only the viewing of child pornography is prohibited and grounds for calling RUPD. These policy matters are addressed on the RUL webpage under Public Services Policy Memo 1: Access to Library Resources and Services / Appendix 4: Intellectual Freedom Principles for Academic Libraries.

Dean— Roof leaks have occurred in the Annex. Staff is busy now with transfers from the East Asian Library and the Douglass Library.

Eric— Construction for a future computer lab at Robeson is ongoing.

Joyce— Dana’s designated Quiet Reading Room has been refurbished with new, comfortable furniture.

Mike— Three-quarters of the stacks have been shifted at the Physics Library.