New dress code effective January 2020

Hello, KPLers
Over the past few years I have heard many of you wish for different dress code rules, and so, together with our leadership team, I have constructed a revised dress code that will go into effect January 2, 2020 on a trial basis.
This revised dress code has several goals:

1. A professional, yet vibrant, energetic feel to our library
2. Visual staff recognition of teams and managers
3. Staff safety and comfort
4. Alignment with community values
5. Communication of the library's strategic initiatives

This new policy is considerably more casual than before. Casual does not mean slovenly or sloppy. You should always look like you know what you're doing, you care about your job and respect the people you serve. If after several months of experimenting with this dress code we find that our appearance has negatively affected our work or our image in the community, this policy will be revoked and we will all return to business casual. So for the sake of the library and for your fellow coworkers, stay neat and clean and present yourself proudly to the public. If you personally like business casual, you are certainly welcome to remain the well dressed staff member you are!

Here's the new policy.

We will issue new t-shirts or collared shirts to you by year's end, based on your department assignment and position. The color of the shirt will be your team's color, the message will correspond with your team's primary focus. For instance, ADS will wear the Inspiring Learning shirt, Outreach will wear Strengthening Neighborhoods. 

Here's a mock up prepared by Aaron. 

Let's see how this goes!

Barb

FOL Book Store Opens This Weekend

From Michelle:

The Friends of the Kenosha Public Library Bookstore will be open this weekend to the public. Many of the volunteers have had training but not real world retail experience so this will be a soft opening with a more regular schedule to follow in the near future.

Saturday Hours : 10:00am to 4:00pm

Sunday Hours: 12:00pm to 3:00pm

There is a possibility that their credit card machine may not be up and running yet this weekend so please be patient if they send a customer to the circ desk for a purchase with a credit card. They will soon have a KPL phone with voicemail if you receive calls for them.  I will announce that number when I get it.

Please forward any questions or concerns.

Thank you!

______________________

• Uptown Library will be open on Fridays 9am to 6pm  starting January 17th. We'll throw a party at the branch to celebrate on January 15th in honor of Martin Luther King's birthday. 
• Fond farewell to Dana, our Simmons Children's Room treasure who brought delight to so many young readers over the years. Your legacy lives on! We wish you renewed health and lifelong happiness!
• Fond farewell to Traci who is transferring to Public Works. I'm sure we will see you often as we visit city hall and will be super jealous when you have a beautiful new building to work in! Thanks for all your years of service to KPL. 
• I'll be at a training event on Friday and a conference next week with a few scattered vacation days in between. While I'm out Linda and Rob are your go-to decision makers.

This week's Bright Spot goes to Martha and Jon who bravely worked  without complaint at Uptown without heat Monday morning. It got pretty chilly- into the 50s, yet there were many patrons who were glad their neighborhood library was open. Thanks for going above and beyond to keep vital library service available to this challenged neighborhood!

Bike Repair Clinic a Hit!

What a good idea from Tara to get bike repair stations. Library education diversified!

News Update

Adult Program News from Jennifer:

Hi Everyone!

We're getting back on this train. Here are four highlights in programming from ADS for the month of November! Please pick one (or a few!) of these programs to familiarize yourself with and share with our community members. Each program is linked to the entry in our public calendar, so you can read the description and get an idea of what it is about.

• Mingling Thru the Decades- 1950s & 60s
  Saturday, November 9th @ Southwest Library
  Registration is required.
  This is our final Mingling Thru the Decades!
  Contact Stephanie with any questions.
  
• Couponing and Meal Planning
  Wednesday, November 13 @ Northside Library
  No registration is required.
  This program is run by our community partner, WWBIC.
  
• Memory Café
  Tuesday, November 12 @ Southwest Library
  No registration is required, but it is recommended that first-time attendees call the Alzheimer's Association (1-800-272-3900), so they can gauge whether their progression of memory loss will make this program useful for them.
  This is a new, regularly-occurring program, run by our community partner, the ADRC.
  
• Internet Customization
  Thursday, November 21 @ Northside Library
  No registration is required. Computers will be available for the first 6 participants who need them -- it is recommended that people bring their own laptop, when possible.
  Contact Zander with any questions.

Thanks to all of you in advance for your help promoting these events throughout November - it makes a huge difference!

Best,
Jennifer

Kenosha Area Transit training and Nonprofit Tour Survey Contest!

Kenosha Area Transit Training & Nonprofit Tour Survey Contest!

Calling all Kenosha Area Transit training and Nonprofit Tour participants! All you have to do is email Linda Noyce your answers to this quiz by October 21st and your name will be entered into a drawing for a $10 Common Grounds gift card. 

1. Name four organizations that you learned about at the Kenosha County Job Center.

2. Share one programming idea that would incorporate KPL partnering with Kenosha Human Development Services or the Kenosha Achievement Center. 

3. In your opinion, what was the most impactful takeaway from the Kenosha Area Transit Training and Nonprofit Tour? 

News for the Week

The city will hold another shredding day on Saturday, October 26th from 9am to 1pm in the NS and SW parking lots and at the Kenosha Water Utility on Green Bay Rd.

Interesting article about academic libraries and how "reinvention" isn't necessary. From the text: "92 percent of the college students surveyed in a 2015 study, for example, said they preferred paper books to electronic versions. (Plus, a growing body of evidence shows that physical books and papers are more conducive to learning than digital formats are.)" 

A good reminder to those on the service desk, this short article about the value of admitting you don't know. People don't mind that you don't know as long as you're willing to find out what you don't know and ultimately solve their problem. Just saying I don't know without any follow through is not acceptable. And people have developed a real nose for when they're getting the run around. So don't be embarrassed. Find out, follow through, and you'll be ready for that question next time.

This week's Bright Spot goes to Frankie Narvaez Vega, our outstanding Custodian at Uptown Neighborhood Library. Frankie left this note for staff this past week:

Appreciate the Team
Good Morning, 
Just wanted to say Thank you to the teams at KPL, I have been getting complements on my work . It gives me encouragement and it is appreciated . As a small token i setup some flowers by the main desk at uptown. Enjoy them and have a great week.

Best regards

Frankie

Chicago Public Library eliminates overdue fees

Read all about it, and how the movement to eliminate overdue fees in public libraries is gaining momentum across the country.
Our fine income has been steadily dropping over the years, a combined effect of eliminating fines on children's materials and sending out reminder notices. For 2020, we expect $53,000 in fine revenue. That's the equivalent of a full time staff position, so it's tough to say we can do without it, especially as the city continues to squeeze our budget to zero per cent increases.
I know I often hear from the general public that the threat of fines or the accumulation of fines in the past keeps them away. But I wonder about the threat of loss or damage, which we will never eliminate? Is that as great a concern? Will eliminating fines be enough to bring people back?