Procedures

Absences

CATALOG record problems

If you encounter a CATALOG record with either bibliographic or holdings information problems please report those to the TSD Help Desk, or contact Donna King at x5-9339. The simplest method of reporting problems from the CATALOG is to email the record to TSD-help@umail.umd.edu. This can be done by clicking on the EMAIL RECORD button on the CATALOG record. Please be sure to include comments describing the problem/or question, sign the message, and include your email address or telephone number in case follow-up is necessary.

Cataloging queue

To pull library materials from the cataloging queue for a patron, contact Arlene Klair at x5-9302.

Comments and Complaints from Users

Cindy Todd would like to talk with users who want to comment (or complain) to "someone" about the service from the Information Desk. Please see if Cindy is available to talk with the user, or give them her business card (in the usual spot behind the desk) or office telephone number.

Computer Hardware Problems

If there is a problem with the HARDWARE only, please let the Core Staff member on duty know and they will follow through with reporting. An out-of-order sign needs to be placed on the machine. IF no Core Staff member is available, please follow the Troubleshooting Problems instructions on the SIRS/Library Information page. For ITD you will need the following information: the workstation # and a description of the problem. ITD will also need your name and the phone number for the Information Desk. ITD will give you a work order #. Please pass that information on to a member of the Core Staff.

Computer Use Policy

Our Service Plus computers are intended to support the academic work of UM students, faculty, and staff. When other users are waiting to use these computers to do library research, we may ask patrons to leave their workstations if they are engaged in activities not essential to their academic pursuits, including personal e-mail, participation in chat rooms, and playing games. When asking patrons pursuing these activities to leave, please refer them to the nearest WAM Lab. Furthermore, the Libraries follow the University's Policy on the Acceptable Use of Information Technology Resources which we all should be familiar with. For additional information, see also the FAQs on that policy.

Computers behind the Information Desk

ETIC

The ETIC has been dismantled, however there are still items in the Catalog with this location code. This material is shelved by call number inside the SIRS office.

Holding Circulating Books for Users

The Circulation Desk has a 24 hour hold shelf where users can leave circulating books and then return to pick them up. Refer users wanting us to hold circulating materials for them to the Circulation Desk.

In Process Requests

Laptops in McKeldin

Service Desks have available a handout called "Your Laptop and the Libraries." The handout includes information about wireless access in the libraries. See also the McKeldin floormap handout which includes information about the location of Ethernet/DHCP jacks in McKeldin. See the * (astrisks).

Library Instruction Classes/posting for the public

Viewing and Printing Daily Events using Corporate Time.

Loans, Special Permission Loans Policy Guidelines

Lost and Found

Mutilated material

Report mutilated reference material to Debbi Stefany. Give her either the piece itself or a CATALOG printout annotated with the problem. Make sure that you sign and date the message to Deb so that she can get back to you if she has questions.

Give mutilated non-reference bound journals to staff at the Periodicals Desk.

Opening and Closing procedures/responsibilities

Copies of the opening and closing procedures and responsibilitities assigned to this desk are in the RED Security Notebook which is at the Information Desk.

Other Work at the Desk

Being at the Information Desk is important work. Our goal is to provide excellent service and to be fully approachable at all times. In order to do this we should remain aware of our surroundings, avoid turning our back on patrons, and look around periodically. Our attitude and body language should be welcoming. We should initiate contact with patrons, and keep other work as unobtrusive as possible. During slow times, SIRS recommends that desk staff rove in the electronic research area. Students assistants may also use this time to shelve, interfile, or do other tasks away from the desk.

Panic Button

Pay-for-Print

We have four networked printers (three black and white and one color) on the first floor. All work stations on the first floor are networked to all four printers. For printing instructions, see How the Pay-for-Print System Works. For proctoring instructions (moving print jobs, etc.) see PHAROS proctor instructions.

Pharos Proctor Instructions

Use these instructions for opening pharos, the pay-for-print system, for moving print jobs from spool queue to spool queue, for moving print jobs from spool queue to printer, and for rebooting the pay-for-print stations.

Photocopiers

Staff machine in SIRS office: We are responsible for the general maintenance of the MFD located in our unit. This includes adding paper, toner and staples and clearing paper jams. Generally, we should try to resolve equipment maintenance issues whenever possible. When we cannot resolve the equipment maintenance issues, contact the ITD Help Desk. During regular business hours the Help Desk can be contacted by phone at 5-9188 or email at helpdesk@itd.umd.edu. At all others times, the ITD Help Desk should be contacted by phone only for emergencies and by email for non-emergencies. An emergency is defined as a widespread network problem. During non-business hours, we are encouraged to check with other units/branches to determine if the problem is a widespread network problem before calling the emergency number. For supplies of toner, contact Copy and Print Services at 5-9057 or photocopy@itd.umd.edu.

Public copier (MFD): We are responsible for the general maintenance of the MFDs located on the 1st floor of McKeldin East. This includes adding paper, toner and staples and clearing paper jams. Service + Core Staff have received training in these activities. Generally, we should try to resolve equipment maintenance issues whenever possible. When we cannot resolve the equipment maintenance issues, contact the ITD Help Desk. During regular business hours the Help Desk can be contacted by phone at 5-9188 or email at helpdesk@itd.umd.edu. At all others times, the ITD Help Desk should be contacted by phone only for emergencies and by email for non-emergencies. An emergency is defined as a widespread network problem. During non-business hours, staff are encouraged to check with other units/branches to determine if the problem is a widespread network problem before calling the emergency number. For supplies of toner and paper contact Copy and Print Services at 5-9057 or photocopy@itd.umd.edu.

All Other Public Copiers: The Libraries Copy and Print Services unit is responsible for maintaining the public MFDs, copiers and printers. We may assist in this effort, as well. If we are aware of a public machine that is not working, they may place an “Out of Order” sign on the machine. If a patron reports a problem with a machine to the staff at a public service site other than the Information Desk, the staff at that site may either report the problem to the ITD Help Desk directly or to the Information Desk. We will contact the ITD Help Desk to report the malfunctioning machine. During regular business hours the Help Desk can be contacted by phone at 5-9188 or email at helpdesk@itd.umd.edu. At all others times, the ITD Help Desk should be contacted by phone only for emergencies and by email for non-emergencies. An emergency is defined as a widespread network problem. During non-business hours, staff are encouraged to check with other units/branches to determine if the problem is a widespread network problem before calling the emergency number.

Photocopy Refunds

Patrons should be referred to the McKeldin Copy Shop from 9am-5pm M-F whenever there are problems with photocopiers, or cards jammed in pharos printer card readers. When the Photocopy Center is closed, patrons should be given a Report of Equipment Trouble form (yellow form kept in labeled drawer at Information Desk). Patrons must turn the form in to the McKeldin Copy Shop within 3 working days.

Photographs

Photographing or filming inside the Libraries requires authorization from the Public Services Office (301-405-9251).

Pick-up tray

The pick-up tray is located behind the Info Desk on the book shelf that is sitting under the clock. The purpose of the tray is primarily to provide a place for us to leave materials that others will pick up. In general, please use common sense in leaving library materials in the pick-up tray. Once library materials are there, they are not accessible by other potential users. Debbi monitors the tray to clear out material that is one week past its "pick-up by" date. Please make certain that the item left in the tray has this information on it: 1) your name, 2) the date that you place the item in the pick-up tray, 3) the name of the person who will claim the material, 4) the date that the item should be picked up.

Printer Problems

We are responsible for paper jams, filling paper trays, toner, and basic maintenance on our printers. Core Staff have received training in solving many of the problems that we routinely encounter. IF no Core Staff member is available, please follow the Troubleshooting Problems instructions on the SIRS/Library Information page. For details on our responsibilities in this area please see Administrative Memo #3 on the Libraries' website.

Printing at the Information Desk

From computers on the desk we now have the option of choosing to send print jobs to the color printer, the P4P printer, and the existing (free) printers. SIRS agrees that we will minimize the amount of "free printing" for patrons. We agree that in the interest of service it is occasionally desirable to "free print" such things as online Catalog records, World Cat records, and subject guides. Limitations of our desk printer and the complexities of the printing set-up mean that we should avoid printing long documents and pdf files at the Desk as they can take a very long time to process and may delay colleagues who are trying to print.

Printing behind the Information Desk

Reference Reserve Collection

Referrals

Research Port Problems

Staff should report urgent problems M-F 9-5 to the ResearchPort Triage Team (x5-9122). DO NOT give this number to users. For non-emergency problems or at other hours, call the ITD Help Desk at x5-9188 AND send an email describing the problem to MDLhelp@itd.umd.edu.

Security

A copy of the Library Security manual is in a red binder on the bottom shelf of the shelving unit under the big grey flipper book out at the desk. That binder also contains copies of the unit's Opening and Closing procedures.

Statistics

Beginning with Fall 2000 the Library is collecting its reference transaction statistics on special sampling days. The calendar is in the front of the big-grey-flipper-book at the Info Desk. Please remember to mark each informational/reference question in the appropriate time slot. A description of what should be counted on the yellow sampling sheets can be found at http://www.lib.umd.edu/MIS/LARC/reference2.html

Telephones

Time spent with patrons

Troubleshooting instructions are on the SIRS/Library Information page.

return to top