Open Campus Students

The records for all open campus students have been loaded in ALEPH. Open campus students have full borrowing privileges like any other UWI Mona student at the UG or PG level. Their IDs will look slightly different as they have an orange background colour.

Staff Movements

Colleagues all,

I have only recently returned from leave which is why I have not been able to update you on the recent happenings in the loan and reference section. Well now that I'm back, let us catch up on new and not so new developments since our last post.

Staff movements

There are now 3 new staff members attached to the section (1 clerical, 2 attendants). They are Miss Tracey Edwards, Mr. Kendrick Wray and Mr. Aldean Forrest. Mr. Forrest who is presently working in the Medical Library will be back in the Main Library in December. As of December 1, Mrs. Brown-Housen will be assigned to Loan and Reference. Mr. Albert Stephens is a new student assistant assigned to Loan and Reference since September. His working arrangements are different from the average student assistant and he is giving invaluable assistance at the circulation desk and at the RBC window.

Ms. Andrea Robins is back with us again. She will be in charge of the periodical section until December 2008. Mrs. Karene Bourne has resigned since November 3rd and Mrs. Vaunette Neil is now in charge of the extended hours night shift from Monday to Friday. We wish Mrs. Bourne every success in her career. Congratulations Vaunette.


Cheryl

What's happening for the new school year

Police patrols
Since July the police have been visiting library during the night. A multicoloured book has been placed at the circulation desk for them to sign each time they they complete their patrols. Please note that telephone numbers for the campus police may be found in the cover of this book.

Cashless system
The library has been selected to be the pilot for a cashless system that will be introduced for the start of the new school year. Students will use a swipe card instead of cash to pay for fines, printing etc. Some staff members have begun to receive training for this. When we have more details as to how it will work, we will let you know so keep checking the blog.

Staff meeting
The section will be having the usual beginning of term staff meetings for all staff working in Loan and Reference. You will be informed of the date and time and we are seeking the co-operation of Heads of Sections in allowing their staff to attend these important meetings.

That's it for now folks. As we look forward to the new school year, let us continue to work together to provide exceptional service to the users of the library.

Cheryl

'Richie'

By now all staff should know that our dear colleague Richard Rowe alias 'Richie' has been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. We are asking all library staff to remember him in your prayers as he faces this difficult period in his life. He is in need of 20 units of blood which has to be given at the UWI hospital.

Kudos to Loan and Reference Staff !

I think that the Loan and Reference staff are to be commended for continuing to maintain a high quality of service to the University community despite some of the challenges which they have had to face on a daily basis.

I would like to make specific reference to the absence of a functioning air conditioning unit since the start of the year, making the working conditions very uncomfortable. There were times when the heat was unbearable and the fans provided were few, but the quality of the service to the public did not diminish in any way.

This is a team that the library is proud of. This is a team that understands the importance of delivering service in spite of the conditions of work.

Maximum respect to the Loan and Reference Staff !

Cheryl

Wishing Dennis a speedy recovery

Please remember to keep Dennis "Gary" Samuels in your thoughts and prayers. Dennis was involved in a serious accident over the Easter Holidays. Thankfully he received no major injuries and is recuperating at home. We wish him a speedy recovery and hope that he will be back in action soon.

Meet our Night Librarian

Meet our night librarian Mrs. Kareen Bourne. We see her perhaps only once per week just before we depart our 2-10 shift. Kareen along with her able team of staff and students has been holding the forte, ensuring that everthing is running smoothly from Monday to Friday, while we are all asleep in bed. Who is the couragous young librarian who boldly goes where few have gone before?

Kareen worked at the Northern Caribbean University as Technical Services and Audio Visual Librarian in August 2004 and graduated from the MLIS programme in November 2004. She left NCU and began working with the International University of the Caribbean, South Middlesex Region as Centre Administrator/Deputy Librarian in October 2005. She managed the business operations of the Region as well as oversight for the library at that location. In September 2006, she was promoted to Director, Library and Media Services and began working from IUC’s head office in Kingston. After a year at the Head office her post was further upgraded to Senior Director Library and Media Services. While at IUC she received two plaques from IUC for outstanding services rendered.

Kareen has been married for nearly fifteen years and has three children.

Just a few changes

Post Graduate reading room
Most of you probably know by now that the post graduate reading room is now located where the Academic Staff room used to be and the Academic staff room has been relocated to the old Post Graduate Reading Room.

Post graduate reading room keys
These are now being issued from the periodicals section. Two things we need to remember -
a) On the 2 - 10 shift, the periodicals staff member should take this box of keys down to the circulation desk when he/she goes to supper, and collect them when they return.

b) Before issuing the keys please ask the students and faculty if they know of the changes and advise them. Some students still do not know and are going to the wrong room!

Z collection
'Z' books are now located in Reading Room 2 on the second floor. These books relate to the discipline of library and information studies and used to be filed across from the old academic staff room.

Laptop Bags
Clear laptop bags are now available for loan at the circulation desk. They are located in the cupboard in Mrs. Pearce's office. Please also pass on this information to our users.

Cheryl

Student indebtedness and the Saturday late shift

Please be informed that the library will no longer be overriding blocks against those students who come in to pay their fines on the Saturday Late shift (4pm – 12midnight). We know that some staff members have been giving the students a “bligh” out of sympathy, especially when they claim they did not know that they could not pay fines after 4pm and they come with money in their hand. It has been brought to our attention however, that some students are taking advantage of this and deliberately come in every Saturday to pay fines after 4pm, hoping that they may be given the override. The end result is that the fine never gets paid since many students have discovered that they are no longer blocked from sitting exams or getting their exam results because of overdue fines. Thanks to your keen observation, we have caught on to the ‘scam’.

We are therefore requesting all clerical staff who work this shift, not to override the fines block. Students have several other days in the week in which to settle their financial debts and must do so during these times. This policy has been approved by the Campus Librarian.

Student workers and RBC borrowing

It was brought to our attention at a recent staff meeting that some staff members were issuing RBC items to student assistants inside the work room. We are asking all clerical staff to desist from this practice. Student assistants are only allowed to borrow RBC material at the end of their shift and they must collect it with all other students on the other side of the RBC window. Some staff members are trying to comply with this regulation, but when their own colleagues do not comply, it makes them seem unreasonable. Furthermore, it encourages the students to flout the rules by asking only those members of staff with whom they may be friendly and who will break the rules for them.

Please remember that the reason that student assistants are not allowed to borrow RBC items on the inside is to ensure the security of the collection. They are also not allowed to take books (personal or library) into the Section. I am appealing to all staff members who work both day and night shifts to ensure that student assistants follow the rules.