● When monitoring Stacks requests, frequently refreshing the screen may be necessary. Good practice is
refreshing the screen every 5-10 minutes to ensure the screen is up to date, keeping in mind that even though the window is supposed to refresh, it seems to refresh at its leisure.
● Please observe the Notes field for any special instructions (range of dates, customer
waiting, etc.) Mark items as FOS after checking each item against the request on the webpage. After you have double checked and marked the items FOS, then send the items to the floor requested to avoid mistakes.
● Microfilm, microfiche, government documents, sheet music, and reference books are
sent to the 3rd floor. Please include a wrapper with the customer’s name and a hold date
for three business days. Using the online template for larger items may be ideal, especially when assisting with
a large order.
● Circulating books are sent to the 1st floor. Please place a hold on the item using the
customer’s Power Card and a Millenium-generated wrapper. If the customer does not
have a Power Card, place on the icen icen account and create a wrapper with the
customer’s information using the supplied template. Placing the holds via icen icen assists with retaining and updating our collection. Consider if the same item is requested by two people at 2 different times of the day, the librarian can check the record and see it is already on the hold shelf or checked out, making our catalog more accurate, lets the customer know they need to look elsewhere and doesn't send us on a hunt for an item that is not there.
● Western Americana: Please note reel and number in the Notes field. If this information is
not stated, please call requesting Reference staff for clarification. Keep in mind Western Americana has been moved to the newspaper microfilm area behind the Washington Post/US Weekly file cabinets and is labeled "W. Americana".
● Sheet Music: This is now treated as a Reference/Locked Case item. Please wrap item with patron’s name
and send to the 3rd floor.
● Government Documents
○ Please use a flag to mark the place from where the item was pulled. The difficulty you had finger-walking through 3 million fiche to find the fiche requested is double when they are ready to be refiled. Adding in a slip of paper to note the spot could be the difference between 5 seconds and 5 minutes when reshelving.
○ For assistance retrieving, please call Cindy Page, Katie Tomfohrde, or an LST
supervisor.
● If there is a need for clarification or the retrieval is more complicated or taking longer
than anticipated, please call or Vocera the Reference staff in order to keep the customer
apprised. Just like the call slip screen refreshes when it feels like on our end, it does the same on the Reference side. In order to maintain a quick and efficient service, we must open a line of communication by calling down to the desk whenever there seems to be a hiccup or misprint on call slips, whether on our end or on Reference's end, we must strive to get the items out to the customers as quickly as possible and this means calling for clarification when needed.
● Missing items
○ If the request originated in TR, and the item is missing, please call the customer
so that alternate arrangements may be made; if the customer needs assistance
with ILL, connect the call to x31313 option 2 (Reference)
○ If the request originated on the 3rd floor, please call the Reference staff (x31527
or Vocera) so alternate arrangements may be made.
○ If the item is a book, please mark the book as missing in Millenium.
○ If the item is a newspaper or periodical, please alert Sylvia Espinosa. We are in the process of making a Stacks NOS list, which will register newspapers/periodicals not found so we can search for them again. We must try to maintain our collection to prevent future confusion and discomfort.
○ If the item is a government document, please alert Katie Tomfohrde or Cindy Page.
If there is an issue with finding an item or a need for more assistance, please call an LST
supervisor.
Reference
● Verify holdings in the OPAC, especially to ensure that HPL owns the years in question
and/or the book is currently available.
● Fill out the form as completely as possible, including patron contact information and
Power Card number
● Newspapers and Periodicals
○ Central does not own any newspapers prior to 1901. A complete list of titles and
date runs is available here.
○ Houston Chronicle issues from January 2008-present are available digitally with
a 3 month embargo.
○ If the request is for Houston Post and Houston Chronicle for the same date,
please make a separate request for each title. If the request is for the same title,
but a close run of dates, you may add the list of dates in a note
○ When in doubt, place a separate request for each item to avoid confusion
● Western Americana: Because the call number is MICROFORM, please include in the
Notes “Western Americana, reel xx, no. xx." This is generally found in the Reproduction
or Series field.
● Sheet Music: This is now a Reference collection. The item will come to the 3rd floor. It
should be stored in the TR room in a pan box. When the patron comes, hold his/her ID
until the item is returned.
● Gov Docs: Before requesting, view the OPAC record; many government documents now
have purls that may be accessed directly from a database computer.
● In TR
○ Encourage the patron to request items ahead of time; if they are not coming in
the same day, advise the patron to call before coming in to reduce wait time.
○ Encourage the patron to bring a USB to save money on printing
○ Encourage the patron to bring cash (especially dollar bills) if s/he will need to
print.
○ Remind the patron regarding parking fees.
● In Person
○ Advise the patron that when requesting an item, wait time can range from 20-30
minutes. This time may be increased if lifts/elevators are out and/or staff is tight.
○ Please request no more than 12 items (item = reel or bound item) per patron.
○ If the list is long, you may wish to notify the person on Stacks retrieval duty. If you
cannot reach them (or do not know who that is), please call the Sorting Room or
an LST supervisor.
○ If the customer is waiting, please add “Customer waiting” in the Notes field.
○ If you continue to see a red box by an item after 5 minutes, please call the
Sorting Room or an LST supervisor.
○ Whenever possible, try to keep customer apprised of status/arrival of materials.
If there is an issue with delayed or incorrect retrievals, please contact an LST supervisor.
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