Minutes of April 18, 2013 Meeting

Present:: Zohreh Bonianian, Eric Fizur, Kristen Ko, Barry Lipinski (coordinator, recorder), Mike Mansouri, Eugene McElroy, Grace McGarty, Dean Meister, Ramon Negron, Gill Newton, Jan Reinhart, Joyce Watson
Excused:: Nita Mukherjee
Absent:: Shirley Lewis, Theresa Macklin, Brian Stubbs

Agenda

Courtesy Notices and Diploma Holds
Stress Relief Sessions
Access Services Committee Updates
Incident Reports
Information Sharing

Barry began the meeting by welcoming new group member Grace McGarty.

1) Courtesy Notices and Diploma Holds

Courtesy notices went out to 178 barred students scheduled to graduate in May, reminding them of the need to return long overdue material or pay bills to avoid having a hold placed on their diploma. This year there were 10,114 May graduating students; only .02% had library billing issues. Courtesy notices were sent out as well to graduating students who have checkouts but are not barred, asking them to return material. At the end of April, Integrated Information Systems will run a report to see how many barred graduating users remain, and then diploma holds will be placed.

2) Stress Relief Sessions

In New Brunswick, Access Services has contacted two student organizations: the Stressbusters (Gentle Touch Back Rubs) and the Seeing Eye Puppy Raising Club (Pet a Puppy) and offered them dates for visiting the libraries during the reading and exam period. These stress relieving activities were a big hit with our students last Fall.

3) Access Services Committee Updates

Integration activities with UMDNJ are ongoing. IIS has run user records. The catalog is populated with Robert Wood Johnson (New Brunswick) and George Smith Library (Newark) holdings but they are currently shadowed—until July 1st. Medical school library books will circulate for six-week loan periods with unlimited renewals. Coming soon—Guest user due dates will be expanded from the current four weeks to six weeks. At ASC, it was agreed that all is working well with book barcodes now on the front cover.

4) Incident Reports

Since the last CPSG Meeting on January 31, 2013, another 22 incident reports have been submitted. Eight more laptops were stolen from Alexander Library, bringing the total stolen this year to 22. Ten wore reported stolen in 2011-2012. IPhone theft has now been reported a few times at both Alexander Library and Kilmer Library.

Alexander Library

Red backpack left unattended for several hours on a chair in the East Asian Library; RUPD inspected the bag and took it back to head quarters. (Fri, 2/1/13)
Laptop stolen from a student’s backpack when she left the undergraduate reading room for a few minutes to pick up her printing in the computer lab. (Mon, 2/4/13)
Laptops stolen from two students, one using the undergraduate reading room and the other the reference room. (Fri, 2/8/13)
A person is observed stealing a laptop and is questioned by another student who had been watching it for a friend. The person taking the laptop then gives it back to the student who questioned him and leaves the building. Description is given to RUPD. (Sun, 2/10/13)
Man is observed masturbating in the ENG/SOC stacks of the Graduate Reserve Room. RUPD arrives and takes statement from witness but cannot locate the man. (Mon, 3/4/13)
Male and female arguing loudly and aggressively outside the library near the bike racks; RUPD responded and talked with them. (Sat, 3/9/13)
Man standing naked in bathroom and reported masturbating; RUPD arrives but does not locate the man who was observed or the student who reported the incident. (Sun, 3/10/13)
Two library staff members are trapped for five minutes in elevator #4 (new wing); Fire Lieutenant arrives promptly and frees the staff members. (Thurs, 3/28/13)
Laptop stolen when student leaves the government document stacks area to use the restroom. (Wed, 4/3/13)
Laptop stolen when student leaves 2A study area to use the restroom. (Sun, 4/14/13)
Laptop stolen from table in the Reference Room; student said he had asked another student to watch it for him. (Wed, 4/17/13)

Art Library

Non-Rutgers user complains again that his print jobs are being taken by Rutgers students; staff point out to him again that student printer and public printer are different. (Tues, 4/2/13)

Douglass Library

Racially offensive graffiti found on the wall of main floor men’s restroom; RUPD arrives and takes pictures and contacts Facilities; wall repainted the following morning. (Sun, 2/17/13)
Laptop, wallet, keys, and backpack stolen from computer lab in Information Commons when student leaves them unattended to go to the restroom. (Mon, 2/18/13)
Female student reports that a man is making her uncomfortable, following her around the library; man leaves the building; RUPD arrives and interviews the student. (Mon, 2/18/13)
Non-Rutgers man displays aggressive behavior toward Facilities staff member; RUPD speaks with him and he leaves the building. (Wed, 3/20/13)
Arrest made when Access Services staff member recognizes suspect in laptop theft whose photograph had been distributed by RUPD entering the library. (Fri, 3/29/13)
Graffiti found on wall of 3rd floor men’s restroom. (Mon, 4/8/13)

Kilmer Library

Lower-level Instructional Alcove light switch not working. (Sat, 2/9/13)
IPhone4 reported stolen from first floor table when student leaves to use the restroom; when student borrows a friend’s cell phone to call her number, the thief sends back a picture from her stolen phone and then shuts it down. (Mon, 4/1/13)
IPhone5 reported stolen when a student takes a brief nap in a second floor study carrel. (Thurs, 4/11/13)

Library of Science and Medicine

Two staff members report that furniture and computer wires had been moved in the office area; RUPD inspects the area and finds nothing unusual. (Sat, 3/2/13 and Wed, 3/6/13)

5) Information Sharing

Gill N.—Edible Books, put together by Megan Lotts, was a fun success. Alexander is busy.
Zohreh B.—Elevator #4 at Alexander continues to break down.
Eric F.—Renovation of the second floor continues at Robeson; asbestos remediation has been completed; the second floor will include librarian offices and multiple large study rooms.
Joyce W.—Dana has an interim director (Jeanne Boyle); there have been retirements; staff are taking on new duties.
Mike M.—Mold problems at Physics continue; in six locations water leaked from the ceiling that had been repaired.
Kristen K.—Exit counts at Art have risen over the past three years; printing capability has been a large part of the increased usage; the recent installation of compact shelving has been well received by users; space has been increased by 66%; because Art is a non-circulating collection, browsing and item usage inside the building has not diminished; staff preparing for Rutgers Day, where Art will be a major site.
Grace M.—Email requests from ILL have been working well; Illiad will introduce a software update at the end of May; PALCI has a new logo on its book bands; ILS checkouts to Alex will increase from six weeks to seven weeks.
Ramon N.—Shifting of the Douglass collection is more than half done; PN film books have been transferred from Alexander.
Jan R.—New multi-media technology has been installed in the Seminar Room downstairs; Douglass will close at 6 pm, rather than 8 pm, Monday through Thursday this summer.
Barry L.—Installation of new doors will begin at Kilmer on June 26, 2013; construction has been scheduled for six weeks; users will enter and exit via the side emergency doors facing the Kilmer Classroom Building. Student Coordinator Priscilla Lee continued the enthusiastically enjoyed tradition of doing theme photos of the Kilmer Library student staff and then having the students post dialogue boxes. This year’s theme was Rock Stars. Previous years’ themes: Pirates, Wild West, and Tropical Paradise.