Updated I-Share and Alma Information

 All, 

I've updated the Alma Training on the Student Assistant Website to reflect some updated processes you all will be doing at the front desk: checking out to I-Share patrons again as well as returning items. 

Currently, we will be allowing I-Share patrons to check out material again by appointment only. This may change to allowing walk ins once keycard access ends. The process to checking out to I-Share patrons is not completely different, but requires some different steps. Please look over the training on the website to familiarize yourself with the steps. 

Secondly, since we are not quarantining books anymore, you will start accepting returns again at the front desk. The process to return items is also in the Alma Training section. Please read this carefully, as you will not be using the 'Return Items' page to return any items. 

If you have any questions on these processes, please let me know immediately so we can walk through them together. I will check in on you to see how you are doing with the processes either way. 

New Access Services Assistant for Resources!

All, 

Please join me in welcoming Olivia Mullenax to the Access Services Team! She joined us July 29th as the new Access Services Assistant for Resources. Let's all give her a warm welcome and help her ease into her new role on the Oesterle team!

Welcome Olivia! 

End of Term Due Date Stamps

 Hi All, 

As we are coming upon the end of the semester, I have some updates in regard to our due date stamps. 

Firstly, all materials will continue to be due for students on May 7th. Please use the End of Term due date stamp for these sorts of materials. 

Alternatively, faculty and staff will now have their due dates returning to the four-week due dates. That means their due dates will be changing every day instead of the static May 7th date that we've had all semester. Belinda and I have put out the 4 Week due date stamp back out at the front desk. Please use this stamp when it comes to these materials. 

Make sure to check the due dates on materials when checking them out to patrons so you can be sure of which stamp to use!

It has been some time since we used more than one due date stamp out at the desk, and we have gotten new student assistants since then! If there are any questions at all about how/when to use the appropriate due date stamps, do not hesitate to ask me or grab the available staff member when you are in the building. 

Neena

I-Share Scanning Issue

  All--

We have noticed when checking out I-Share items that Alma takes a little bit more time to process the book when you scan the item barcode. Because of this, it has happened that books aren't getting properly checked out to patrons if you scan items too fast after the previous one. 

When checking out books, particularly I-Share books, wait until the book appears on the screen underneath 'loans of this session' before scanning the next book. Otherwise, we end up with patrons having books that are not checked out to them. Work slowly and check the books to make sure they appeared on screen and that you scanned all of them before you give them to the patron! 

If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to reach out to me or Belinda. 

Thanks, 

Neena 

New Reference Services Librarian!

 Please join me in welcoming our new Reference Services Librarian - Lori Koetters! 

Lori previously worked at the Moraine Valley Community College library and has spoken excitedly about working with college students. She is joining our team on 11/16 and we are so happy for her to be here. She will be here for Monday and Wednesday evenings. 

Welcome, Lori!

Archives Access

At this time the Archives is available by appointment only. If you receive questions at the desk about using materials in the Archives, please give the patron one of Rebecca's business cards (which are available at the desk). Let the patron know that they will need to email Rebecca for an appointment, and that 24 hour notice is requested.

Extended Due Dates and Bookmarks

As libraries and library users continue to deal with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the CARLI consortium has extended due dates for all I-Share materials until February 1, 2021! Oesterle Library staff have decided to extended due dates for materials checked out from our collection as well. Any items already charged to a current North Central College student, faculty or staff member have now been given a February 1^st due date. Any items we check out to our patrons between now and February will receive the February 1^st due date. There is just one date due stamp available at the desk right now, and it is set for February 1. Please do not change that date! 

Neena has prepared some bookmarks to let patrons know that items are due on February 1^st. These bookmarks also suggest that once a patron is done with the item, they should go ahead and return it so that they don’t forget about it and lose it by February! Please include one bookmark per patron when you check items out to them and let them know the new due date.  

Please note that “white band” (interlibrary loan) books have not been given this extended due date. Please be sure to point out the due date to these patrons when you give them white band materials. 

Please let Neena or me know if you have questions! 

Thanks, 

Belinda