Director's Chats

To: All Staff




From: Rhea Brown Lawson, Ph. D. Director

Date: July 10, 2012

Subject: Director’s Chats





We are in the beginning of a new fiscal year and I am happy to report that the state of the Houston Public Library is stable. Fiscal Year 2013 promises to be a better year than FY2012 in that, with a relatively flat general fund budget, we are able to maintain our current levels of staffing, services and programs, and hours of operation.



One of my primary goals (or new fiscal year resolutions) - is to create a new way to share with you and receive from you fresh new ideas, information, opinions, and suggestions to enhance both our work experiences and our customer’s experiences. To that end I have decided to host once a month “Director Chats.” Here is how I see the chats working as I launch them - but I am always open for suggestions as the chats progress:



1. The Director Chats will be held for one hour in a variety of locations including my office, spaces in Central Library and/or the JIB, neighborhood libraries, and special collections.



2. Director’s Chats involve all levels of staff – full and part time



3. Staff members will be randomly selected - I actually have a jar containing folded slips with every full time and part time staff members name in my office. Each month, I will invite someone to reach in the jar to select the next group of chatters.



4. The times, locations of the chats, and size of the groups will vary – some small enough for my office but never more than 20 people.



5. If your name is selected (pulled from the jar) you will be notified well in advance to provide you with time to handle scheduling adjustments and to allow you time to think about questions or suggestions you would like to chat about.

Because the invitees to the Director Chats will be selected randomly, it allows for us to have a great mix of individuals with varied experiences, lengths of time with HPL, and job responsibilities which should make for very interesting, fun, informative and thought provoking conversations. I am also hopeful that you will find these chats a way of learning more about me and your colleagues. As the conversations flow I am hopeful that together we will identify ways to address any staff concerns and, perhaps, identify creative ideas for enhanced services and programs to improve the total customer experience with HPL. These will be power chats so come ready to jump right in.



The first in the series of Director Chats for this year will be held on July 24th. Look out for your invite!