What to do while Grandma Terry is gone...

My new grandson is due to arrive any minute now, so I'll soon be heading to Austin to meet him and help out his mommy and daddy.  If you have Time issues (forget to clock in, clock out, etc.), please let Jeri (jesander@indiana.edu) know.  Jeri will also be keeping track of subbing while I am gone.  I plan to return on Friday, Dec. 20. 

Good luck on your finals.  And have a wonderful holiday break!

Caught in the Act

Ivona was Caught in the Act of being very conscientious and paying particular attention to details.  She also shows great initiative in her work.  Thank you, Ivona!

Erin and Tyler C. were Caught in the Act of brainstorming a way for us to get rid of our big bulky red reserve binder, making our way of keeping track of reserve items much easier and simpler.  Thank you, Tyler and Erin!

These three individuals make good customer service a priority, and we're appreciative.  Keep up the good work!

New Record!

A record number of 5,963 people used the I.C. yesterday.  Pretty amazing!  To all of you who worked on Wednesday, take a deep breath, and accept our heartfelt thanks for all you did. 

I'm thinking that in addition to our daily body count, we should take a daily decibel count.  What do you think?  Was yesterday also a record high noise day?

When Terry Is Gone...

I'll be gone for a week when my new grandson arrives.  He's due on December 5, but since babies don't pay attention to due dates, I don't know the dates I'll be away.  When the time comes, I'll post a notice here or send you an e-mail.  While I'm away, contact Jeri with any concerns you may have including issues with your TIME record.

Only nine more days until the end of I-Core.  Hang in there.  We can do it!

--Terry

Spring Semester All Staff Meeting

Mark your calendars now!  Our Spring Semester All Staff Meeting will be held on Friday, January 17.  This is a mandatory meeting.  We'll gather at 6:00 when BUSP closes its doors to its admiring public.  Meeting details will come later.

November Birthday Celebration Next Wednesday

Since we'll all be gone for the Thanksgiving holiday during the last week of this month, we'll be celebrating our November birthday next Wednesday.  Stop by for your cupcake anytime.  We have one birthday girl for November:  Happy birthday, Jessica (Nov. 28)! 

TIME Delay

Remember when I told you that the new TIME upgrade would go into effect next week?  Well, that date has been pushed back until early next semester.  Clock in and out as you usually do until then.







































.................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Spirit Days at BUSP

Tis the season for basketball!  Your supervisors invite you to join them in showing some team spirit by wearing cream and crimson on the following days:

November 15
November 21
November 22
December 3
December 10
January 14
January 21
January 30
February 12
February 18
February 25
March 5

Siblings Caught in the Act

Both Sarah and Charles were Caught in the Act last week.

Charles was caught submitting the idea of posting information about our monitors' operations on the group tables and in the group rooms.  He was even kind enough to write up the needed info.  Upon implementation, his idea should result in our guests making fewer trips to the service desk to request help with the monitors.  This means less frustration for them, and less bother for us.  Thank you so much, Charles!

Sarah was caught subbing.  Normally subbing for another employee doesn't qualify for Caught in the Act, but Sarah subbed on a moment's notice on a Saturday.  Thank you Sarah!  Without your help, last Saturday would have been a long and difficult day for the other employees present, and our service to our guests would have suffered.

Thanksgiving Break

BUSP's exceptions to our usual hours for the Thanksgiving holiday are as follows:

Nov. 22 (Fri.): 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Nov. 23 & 24 (Sat. & Sun.):  Closed
Nov. 25 & 26 (Mon. & Tues.):  8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Nov. 27-30 (Wed.-Sat.):  Closed
Dec. 1 (Sun.):  5:00 p.m. - midnight

Your obligation to you weekly schedule ends at 5:00 on Friday, November 22.  It resumes at 5:00 on Sunday, December 1.  Please send a message out to the listserv for any shifts you can't cover.

Anyone subbing on Sunday, December 1, will receive a full hour added to their time bank for each hour worked. 

You are on our list of things we're grateful for, so be safe over the holiday, OK?  Happy Thanksgiving!  Enjoy it all!

Spring Semester Scheduling

I hope to put the spring schedule together once we all get back from Thanksgiving.  As soon as you've registered for classes, please e-mail me (treynold@indiana.edu) the following information: 

1)  your class schedule
2) a list of other times when you cannot work because of another job, regularly scheduled meetings, etc.
3) a list of your preferred times to work
4) a list of your least favorite times to work

Once I have this information from everyone, I'll put the schedule together, doing my best to meet at least some of your preferred hours.  If everyone wants the same hours, seniority will play a role in my assigning them.

Making Room Reservations or How to Successfully Draw a Box

A look at the red room reservation notebook reveals that some of us need a refresher course in making reservations.  This is what you do when a guest says, "I want to reserve a room."

Step 1:  Ask to see the guest's I.D. 
Step 2:  Find the sheet for the appropriate day in the red reservation notebook.
Step 3:  Look to see if a room is free for the two hour time period the guest is requesting.
Step 4:  If so, use a pencil to block out the two hour section by drawing a box around it. 
Step 5:  Inside the box, very clearly write:  1)  the guest's name, 2) the guest's barcode number from his or her I.D., 3) the hours of the room reservation, and 4) your intials.

I know it's true, we are a bit anal about how room reservations are made.  OK, maybe we're even more than a bit anal about this.  But for good reason!  It prevents mix-ups.  If you've ever been here when someone's room wasn't ready for them because of our mistake while scheduling, you would become anal too.  We've let someone down, and they rightfully get upset.  They stare at us, waiting for us to magically pull an available room out of thin air.  It's embarrassing.  It's sad.  And luckily, it's preventable.  If we all record room reservations in the same manner, the chance of errors is pretty much zilch.  Good-by embarrassment and a need for magic skills we do not possess!

So let's all do it like the example below.  This shows a room reserved from 4:30-6:30.  Notice how the box encompasses "4:30" and stops above "6:30".  Notice the guest's name, barcode number, the reservation time, and my initials in the box.

Got a question (or two, or three) about making room reservations?  Ask your supervisor.

New TIME System

Remember long, long ago when I told you that our TIME system would be upgraded?  Well, that day will arrive on November 17.  Beginning with that date, you'll be using the new and improved TIME when you clock in and out.  You'll see that much remains the same with the upgrade, but the look and feel will be a bit different. The upgrade also offers some improvements that I think you'll like:
--If you forgot to clock in or clock out less than 24 hours ago, you can correct this yourself with the missed-punch function.
--If you forgot to clock in or out more than 24 hours ago, you can send me an e-mail directly from your timesheet.
--If you work multiple jobs and/or sub a lot of hours at BUSP and are close to going over the allowed 29 hours per week, you'll receive a message alerting you to this.

One thing definitely remains the same:  You must use one of the BUSP circulation workstations to clock in and out.

Have questions about the new TIME system?  Just let me know.  --Terry

Answering the Phone

Answering the phone at BUSP is a bit different than answering your cell.  BUSP is where you wear your professional hat.  This makes "hello" and "what's up" unacceptable.  Instead try something like, "You've reached the Business/SPEA Information Commons.  How may we help you?"  While we have no set script for answering the phone, your answer should always include "Business/SPEA Information Commons."  And it goes without saying that we are just as respectful and attentive to our phone guests as we are the guests who stand in front of us.

 

Ivona and Elizabeth Caught in the Act

Elizabeth and Ivona were Caught on the Act of shelf reading the reserve collection last Tuesday evening in an attempt to find the missing F260 textbook.  The book was in high demand due to an  upcoming exam.  Their search was successful!  Thank you, Ivona and Elizabeth for going the extra mile.  Your effort is greatly appreciated.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to:

Rachel P. (Oct. 2)
Matt F. (Oct. 5)
Kayla Rode (Oct. 6)

To celebrate another year older and another year wiser of these three, we'll have cupcakes next Wednesday.  Stop by BUSP anytime that day to pick up your treat. 

Hire Ed

Have a guest asking about our Hire Ed service?  Or maybe you want to know something about it for yourself? 

Hire Ed is a service BUSP provides to assist students with company and industry research as they prepare for interviews with company representatives.  Terry schedules the 5-15 minute appointments, so send interested students to her, or see her if you'd like to schedule an appointment for yourself.  So far this semester, we've helped nearly 50 students wow prospective employers.

BUSP's Fall Calendar

BUSP has just revised its fall calendar to show us being closed on Wednesday, Nov. 27.  You will all be long gone from BUSP by then enjoying your Thanksgiving break, but should a guest ask about our hours over break, you can point them to the bulletin board next to the water fountain.  Our regular hours have recently been posted there in BIG letters.  Deviations from our regular hours are also noted on that bulletin board.  In fact, you can point guests to that bulletin board anytime they ask about our hours. 

Fall Break & BUSP

Fall Break is just around the corner.  Here are the changes in BUSP's usual hours:

October 17 (Thursday)   7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
October 18 (Friday)        Closed
October 19 (Saturday)    Closed
October 20 (Sunday)       5:00 p.m. - 12:00 midnight

If you are scheduled to work during our open hours but can't be here, please post a sub request on the listserv. 

If you agree to sub for someone on Sunday (Oct. 20), you will receive one hour of credit for every hour you sub, instead of the usual 1/2 hour for each hour subbed.  This is an easy way to beef up your time bank balance.

Fall Break is very short, but hopefully it will be very sweet for all of us.  However you spend yours, be safe and enjoy every minute!

Erin is Caught in the Act

Erin was Caught in the Act of helping a guest who was having trouble using our Mac adapters.  Then she took the time to write out the steps involved, so the rest of us non-Mac people can also help guests in need.  You'll find her instructions posted in the Technology How-To section of the green notebook by the reference desk.

Thank you, thank you, Erin!

Pictorial Staff Directory Is Here!

Our new staff directory is posted on the soft-wall by the staff mailboxes.  Have trouble remembering the name of the person who replaces you at the end of your shift?  Now you can check the directory, and call him by name the next time you see him.  Wonder what the kindhearted person who agreed to sub for you looks like?  Check the directory and find out.

New Hours & Caught in the Act

 

Do you notice what's different between the hours listed here and our current hours?  It's Saturday.  Beginning next semester, we'll open at 11:00 and close at 6:00 on Saturdays.  Why, you may ask?  Because we have more guests using the I.C. later on Saturday than we do earlier in the day.  Tweaking these hours also offers consistency - we'll be opening the same time on Saturday as we do on Sunday; we'll be closing at the same time on Saturday as we do on Friday. 

Matt Fleace was Caught in the Act of suggesting this change in hours. Thank you, Matt, for voicing a great idea!

October Group Room Use

If you've been around BUSP for a while you already know this, but if you're new to BUSP you may be wondering why we have so very few or no group study room keys to check out during the day.  During the month of October, and also other times during the year, the UCSO (Kelley's Undergraduate Career Services) uses our group rooms.  Our space is occupied by recruiters interviewing Kelley students for positions once they graduate.  Since we have fewer rooms to check out when the UCSO uses our space, your job is a bit easier.  That's the happy part.  The sad part is that you have to disappoint a lot of guests who want group room space.  Be sure to give sad looking people the handout listing other places on campus where they can meet.  This little handout is near the Captain's workstation.  If you notice we're running low on the handouts, tell Terry.

New TIME!

Sometime next month, IU is going to switch to a new-and-improved TIME system. Hopefully it will eliminate some of the errors that are currently occurring.  Not much is known about the new system, but I'll keep you posted as I learn more.  --Terry

I just received word that the new TIME implementation has been pushed back until November.

I.D. Troubles

If you get an error message or can't get someone's I.D. to work when checking out materials or a room key, get your supervisor.  We can generally take care of these problems ourselves.  Please do not refer guests to Campus Card Services, as they cannot help with library barcode problems.  THANKS!

Color Printer

Because of construction and renovation, the only color printer in our building is in Kelley 101.  Please direct guests there. 

Birthday Celebration!

At BUSP we celebrate birthdays on the last Wednesday of each month.  That means there will be cupcakes here for everyone next Wednesday.  Stop by any time that day to get yours.  We've got some birthday backlog because of the summer months, so next week we'll be celebrating these people:

• Cesar (July 12)
• Drew (August 2)
• Tyler C. (August 27)
• Terry (September 1)
• Kjersten (September 15)

Happy birthday to all those who are another year older and another year wiser!

Displays

When a guest asks you if he/she can leave flyers or put something on an IC bulletin board, have them talk to Terry.

If you have something you'd like to share with the staff, post it on the bulletin board by our refrigerator.  And if you have words of wisdom and wit, by all means, do write them on the "express yourself" white board.

Printer Problems

What do you do when a guest comes to the desk and tells you there is something wrong with the printer?  Here are the steps:

If the printer that is down is inside the I.C.:

• Put an out of order sign on the printer in question.  You'll find the signs on the bottom stack tray on the reference desk.
• Find Jeri, and let her know there is a problem.  If Jeri isn't here, get your supervisor.

By placing a sign on the printer before you do anything else, you avoid frustrating other guests who will try to use the inoperable printer before we can get it back up and running.  It's also easier to fix the printer if there aren't a lot of print jobs waiting for release.

If the printer that is down is the one just outside the I.C.:

• This is a UITS printer, and we're not really responsible for it, but since people see our faces through the glass when they're trying to use it, they will come into the IC and report problems to us.  When this happens, pick up the phone and dial 5-3802.  Let the technician that answers know that you're calling from the Business/SPEA IC to let them know a problem has been reported with the printer in PV199. 

Thanks for all!

Caring for the Supply Table

Much thanks to all you 1st Mates who have been dutiful in filling out the task sheets.  One of the tasks on the sheet is checking the supply table and replenishing as needed.  When you do this task, please open up the staplers on the table to make sure they have staples inside.  Refill them if they are low.  Also check the slotted wooden box on the table.  It should be full of golf pencils and paper clips.  If you need to refill pencils and paper clips and there are none under the service desk, you'll need to get into the supply cabinets in the break room.  You'll find pencils in the orange cabinet below our microwave.  Paper clips are kept in the orange cabinet above our almost-antique fax machine.  Need help finding things?  Please ask your supervisor.

Caught in the Act

Jelena was Caught in the Act of successfully and easily directing lost students to their C204 research drop-in sessions.  How did she know where these sessions were being held?  She took the time to check the desk log in the Reference Portal.  While not all information recorded in the desk log is of importance to PSAs, some is.  Glancing at it when you begin your shift can help you help our many guests.

Thanks, Jelena for providing great customer service!

Wanted: Smiling Faces for Photographs

If you're new to the BUSP staff, your picture will be taken this week for our staff directory.  (You can view last spring semester's directory on the soft wall above the staff mailboxes.)  If you are a returning employee and would like to have your picture retaken, let Terry (treynold@indiana.edu) know.

Your Feedback is Needed

If you did not work at BUSP last spring semester, you may disregard this post.  If you did work for BUSP last spring, I need your feedback.  We broke from our traditional way of scheduling hours and tried a new method.  The old way of first come, first served just didn't seem fair to employees who had early morning classes.  With the new method, you submitted your class schedule to me, along with a list of hours you preferred to work and ones you absolutely could not work. 

I'm curious...How did the new method work for you?  Is the new way of scheduling a winner?  Let me hear from you.  --Terry

Caught in the Act

Rachel O. was recently Caught in the Act of jumping in to help train a new employee when we were short staffed.  Clayton was also Caught in the Act.  He noticed we were short staffed and asked if he could clock in early to help out. It was a Monday morning, no less!

Our hearty thanks goes to each of these employees.

Important! New Procedure: What to Do with Materials for Reserve

A professor has just handed you a textbook she wants us to put on reserve for her class.  What do you do? 

---You smile (of course). 
---You make sure you note the course number and the professor's name and put that information with the book. 
---Then you put the book on the shelf marked "Reserves" in the bookcase to the left of the Express Yourself whiteboard.  Not sure where this is?  Check with your supervisor.

3 Caught in the Act on Tuesday Evening

Ross

Drew

Drew and Ross were Caught in the Act of coming to BUSP's rescue last Tuesday evening when staffing was minimal.  Ross, who just happened to be in the IC at the time, was willing to give up his evening's plans to help cover the service desk.  Drew willing took on the task of helping train Ivona, who was here for her very first shift.  And Annie was Caught in the Act of picking up stray newspapers and sprucing up BUSP after a busy (and very messy) second day of classes..

Annie

Thank you Drew, Ross, and Annie! 

Memorial Day

BUSP will be closed for Memorial Day on Monday, September 2.  Enjoy your holiday!

About Clocking In and Out

Whenever you have trouble clocking in or out, send Terry (treynold@indiana.edu) an e-mail and let her know the day and hours you worked.  She will add your hours to your timesheet.  It's not unusual for employees (especially new ones) to be unable to clock in at the beginning of the semester. 

Be aware that you may only clock in and out on the two workstations at the service desk and the workstation at the reference desk.  Clocking in or out from any other location is a super giant no-no that will result in you leaving the BUSP work family. That would be very sad, so please don't do it.  Stick to using the BUSP workstations when logging your hours.

The New "29" Rule

Here's the deal concerning this now important number:  You CANNOT work more than 29 hours per week for Indiana University.  If you only work at BUSP, this is not a problem unless you do a tremendous amount of subbing. But if you hold several campus jobs, keep in mind that you cannot work more than 29 hours total between all positions you hold. 

Have questions about this?  See Terry.  She'll be glad to explain it to you in more detail.

The Reference Portal's New Look

Job security...it brings peace of mine.  You can help ensure your job security by faithfully recording each guest's question in the portal.  If you were at BUSP previous to this semester, you will notice that the portal looks different.  Make sure a supervisor introduces you to it.  Important:  After you record your question, click "submit," then click on the arrow box.  Your question will not be recorded unless you click on the arrow box.  And we want all the questions we answer to be recorded.  We need all the questions we answer to be recorded.  Click on the URL below to see a demonstration.

http://screencast.com/t/oAnUJrkxOJyL

All-Staff Meeting: 6:00 on Friday, Sept. 6

If you haven't already, make a note of the BUSP All-Staff Meeting on Friday, September 6.  This meeting is mandatory for all BUSP employees.  We'll begin when the IC closes at 6:00 and end by 7:30 at the latest.  While you are here, you will be paid to eat pizza, play a game, and have some fun with some really cool people (your co-workers).  Not a bad way to start your weekend, right?

If another obligation (such as another job) will keep you from this meeting, you must clear this with Terry by noon on Sept. 5, the day prior to the meeting.  I will want to hear your voice, so come see me or give me a call (812-855-8552). 

Eek, a Mouse!

A mouse has left behind numerous calling cards in the IC.  The creature is cute, but it belongs elsewhere.  To discourage our visitor, please carefully clean up after yourself when eating, and throw all trash that is related to food (even potato chips bags and candy bar wrappers) in the round metal can by the staff printer in our break room.  That can is emptied daily, whereas most of our trash cans are only emptied once a week.  I will catch our uninvited guest in a live trap and move him/her into the woods, but by being fastidious we may discourage other four-legged (and six-legged) guests from coming.

Thanks for your cooperation!

Summer Reading Fun

It's true...things are mighty slow at the service desk this summer.  Want something interesting to do while you wait for that next question, checkout, or book return?  Become a part of the BUSP staff's summer book club and join our discussion.  It should be fun.  Learn all you need to know about it here: http://iub.libguides.com/IUBSICreads

Scheduling for Second Session

Time to schedule for 2nd Summer Session.  So that I assign hours, please send me these three things by next Tuesday, May 28:

--your class schedule
--other times when you cannot work (another job, weekly meeting, etc.)
--your preferred work hours

Thanks!

Terry
(treynold@indiana.edu)

Welcome, Cesar!

Have you met the latest addition to the BUSP staff?  Cesar, our new Public Service Assistant, is a Junior from Indy.  He comes to us with a strong public service background, and is quickly learning service the BUSP way. 

 

Welcome, Cesar!

 

We Have a Winner!

Actually, we're all winners on the BUSP staff, but this post is about Matt, who recently received the Religious Studies Department's Independent Thinker Award.  Here is a portion of what they had to say about Matt:

Matthew has an uncanny ability to turn class conversations into lively debates.  He is allergic to conventional assumptions and easy answers, never backs away from an argument or debate, relishes difficult problems and controversial topics, and works diligently to refine and clarify the ideas he endorses.

Congratulations, Matt!  We've long known that you're a winner.

 

  

Closed for Memorial Day Weekend

BUSP will be closed on May 26 & 27 (Sunday & Monday) for the Memorial Day holiday.  Enjoy the long weekend!

Building Construction & Computer Labs

The front portion of the Kelley undergraduate building is now off limits due to construction.  This means we can no longer direct people to the computer labs in Business 101 and Business 415.  I don't think this will be much of a problem as I anticipate our lab here at BUSP will meet the needs of summer students.  If our lab is full, we can always direct students to the SPEA lab across the hall from us (SPEA 151) or to the Information Commons in Wells.

The real downside to the closure of the Business 101 and Business 415 computer labs is that there is no longer a color printer available in our buildings.  If a guest needs a color printer, the closest one is in the Information Commons in the Wells Library. 

Important! New 29 Hours Per Week Policy

E-mail me so I know you have read and understand this: treynold@indiana.edu

Indiana University has just created a new ruling that prohibits student employees from working more than 29 hours per week.  If you have multiple jobs at IU, the total number of hours worked at all positions combined cannot be more than 29 hours per week.

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns about this.

E-mail me so I know you have read and understand this:  treynold@indiana.edu

Caught in the Act Award Winners!

Matt Fleace and Charles Sim are this semester's Caught in the Act Award Winners.

Matt is completing his second year on the BUSP staff.  He is a friendly presence whose demeanor makes him easily approachable by guests, and he has shown himself to be very dedicated to helping them.   Matt made directional questions easier for all of us to answer by locating the IU Architect Office's files online. 

Charles also shows a genuine concern for our guests, and looks for ways to make BUSP better meet their needs.  He is able to deal with problems effectively at the desk and works extremely well under stressful conditions.  The All-Staff Meeting sprung from Charles' idea.  He is also completing his second year on the staff. 


Along with our thanks, each of them has received a Target gift card in appreciation of the attention they have given our guests.

Goody Bags!

If you haven't yet picked up your goody bag, it awaits you on the tables in our break area. 
May all your finals be easy!

E-mail Terry when you have read this...

NEW LOST & FOUND POLICY FOR VALUABLE ITEMS

If you find or are given a billfold, cell phone, laptop, tablet, credit/debit card or any other item you deem valuable, give it to your supervisor. 

If a guest comes to claim a valuable item, tell your supervisor and he/she will retrieve the item.  Valuables will no longer be housed in the file cabinet with other lost & found items.  For greater security, only supervisors will have access to valuable lost & found items. 

E-mail Terry (treynold@indiana.edu) when you have ready this post.

Caught in the Act

Matt F. was Caught in the Act of answering the reference desk phone when it rang before scheduled reference desk hours.  Not only did he answer the phone, but he took the time to look up the book information the caller requested.  Thanks, Matt!

Policy Reminders

Just a couple of policy reminders:

Use of personal cell phones, iPads, tablets, laptops, etc. at the desk is not permitted.  Should you need to make a call, please go to our break area.

Eating is not permitted at the desk, but BUSP has a small kitchen facility and break room that you may use when you are hungry.  We are our own kitchen crew, so please throw away your trash and clean up after yourself.  Covered drinks are allowed at the desk; keep them under the desk, not on the desk counter.

Your compliance and contribution to the professional atmosphere at BUSP is needed and most appreciated.

Celebration on Thursday, April 25!

You are cordially invited to attend
BUSP's End of the School Year Celebration!

We did a great job taking care of our guests this year.
Join us at BUSP next Thursday, April 25, from 12:00 noon - 1:30
as we celebrate our accomplishments.

We'll share pizza, cupcakes, stories, and laughter.
This semester's Caught in Act Award winners will be announced.
Our graduates will be applauded.  
Staff members with birthdays in April, May, June, and July will be recognized.
Finals Week survival goody bags will be available.

All in all, it promises to be a good time.
It will be an absolutely wonderful time if YOU are there! 
Please join us.
RSVP to Terry (treynold@indiana.edu).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Congratulations, Lindsay!

Lindsay Johnson, one of this year's Senior Circulation Assistants, is graduating with a Library of Science degree with a specialization in Library Technology Management. 

Lindsay came to us from Bethesda, Ohio, a town so small it is officially classed as a village.  After graduation day, she will return to Ohio to marry the special guy in her life.  (Lucky guy.)  Her long term plans center on finding just the right place where she can make an impact on the community and contribute to lifelong learning.

Lindsay's favorite thing about working at BUSP this year is YOU!  You impressed her from the very start.  In addition to the people she leaves behind, what she will miss the most is Mother Bear's Pizza.  Her addiction is serious, and she anticipates a painful withdrawal period.

Before the withdrawal symptoms kick in and while she is still clear-headed, she wants to give you this advice:  "Don't let self doubt stop you from pursuing opportunities or going after the things you care about.  Just go for it, because you're awesome!" 

You're awesome too, Lindsay!  You've been a faithful and fearless leader of the late night and Saturday crews.  The care you've taken with our guests, our staff, and our facility are greatly appreciated.  No doubt about it, you will be missed.  We congratulate you on your achievement and wish you the very best in the years ahead.  May your future be filled with every happiness, including really good pizza.

Terry Needs Your Class Schedule

Remember to e-mail me (treynold@indiana.edu) your class schedule as soon as you have registered for fall semester.  I also need to know any other hours you cannot work (because of another job, etc.) and your preferred hours to work.

Caught in the Act

Jelena and Drew were both Caught in the Act of providing excellent customer service to our guests...each working long hours alone because of  a staff shortage last Sunday.  And during I-Core, no less!

Thank you Drew and Jelena for your stamina, good spirits, and commitment to our guests.  You are appreciated!

Congratulations, Emily!

Emily McGlynn, a senior from Indianapolis, will be graduating at the end of this semester with a major in Apparel Merchandising and minors in Business and Spanish.  She will also have a certificate in the Liberal Arts and Management Program.  (Way to go, Emily!)

She came to BUSP as a sophomore and quickly became a valuable member of our staff.  Over the years she has had her share of odd encounters with some of our guests, and these incidents form some of her valued memories of her college years.  If you see her before she leaves, ask her about dealing with the intoxicated guests…or how she handled the time a guest asked her out on a date while she was working at our service desk. 

Emily will be trading Bloomington with its unique small college town atmosphere for the hustle and bustle of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where her future includes working as an analyst in the buying office of Kohl’s Corporate Headquarters. 

She leaves you with these words of wisdom, “Enjoy your time here because it will go by way too fast.  Go to every ethnic restaurant you can (hit up 4^th St., basically), and make sure to branch out of what you are used to.  Your time will be much better spent!”   She also wishes to express her gratitude to you, her co-workers, especially those of you kind enough to have laughed at what she considers her bad jokes.   (They really were good jokes.)

Congratulations, Emily, and thank you so much for what you’ve done for BUSP.  Know that although you’ll be in Wisconsin, a part of you will remain here… in our hearts.  May Life bring you its best offerings.

Extended Hours

To accommodate our guests, we have extended our hours this Friday and Saturday (April 12 & 13) to 9:00 p.m.  We will extend hours until 9:00 p.m. again on April 26 & 27 (Friday & Saturday).

We do this to help people through I-Core and finals week.

A Celebrity at BUSP?

Got a minute?  Check out the new IUAnyWhere video to see which one of your co-workers is featured.  And you can learn about IUAnyWhere while you're at it.  It's all pretty good stuff!

IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING FALL SEMESTER SCHEDULING. READ CAREFULLY!

I am grateful that several of you have pointed out to me that our current way of scheduling hours is unfair to those who have morning classes.  I agree with this assessment, and have devised a new way of scheduling for fall semeser, which I outline below:

Once you have registered for fall semester classes, send me an e-mail (treynold@indiana.edu) containing the following information:

1)  your class schedule
2)  a listing of any other hours when you cannot regularly work (because of another job, etc.)
3)  a listing of the hours you prefer to work

I need your e-mail containing these three elements no later than Saturday, April 27.

When I have all your schedules, I will divide up the hours, doing my very best to give each of you some of your preferred ones.  Should several employees want the same hours, they will be given to those with the most staff seniority. 

I ran this method of scheduling by most of the PSAs who worked during the day last Thursday and Friday.  The overwhelming majority approved of the new method and thought it more fair than the old method.  Even so, please know that this new way of scheduling is on a trial basis.  If it does not work well for us, we'll come up with another plan for next spring.

If you have any questions about scheduling, please let me know.  I look forward to getting your e-mail by April 27. 

Thanks for all you do.     --Terry

Anna Wins a 2013 IUB Libraries Student Award!

Anna Brinegar has been chosen to receive a 2013 IUB Libraries Student Award in recognition for her outstanding contributions to BUSP.  Anna, a SLIS graduate student, has been an integral part of our reference staff since August, 2012.  In addition to her usual task of helping our guests find the information they need, she contributes to our unit's blog InformU on a regular basis, and she has developed a citation guide which is housed on our website.

From Christina's nomination: In all things, Anna has demonstrated reliability, initiative, and leadership.  Much of her knowledge about resources and patron information use and behavior has been developed by self-directed efforts.  She provides excellent customer service to our patrons and executies at a high-quality level without constant supervision.

Anna's contributions to BUSP will be highlighted at the Libraries Retirement and Recognition Reception held at the Wells Library on April 24.  She will receive a $100.00 award.

Congratulations, Anna, and thank you for all you do for BUSP and its guests!

Edible Books, Yum!

I think it's fair to say that the Library's Edible Books contest was great fun for everyone who concocted an entry and also to everyone who stopped by to vote on the entries and eat a cupcake.

In case you weren't there on April 1, you should know that Terry's The Three Musketeers (three candy bars on a paper plate) did not take any honors.  Neither did Jeri's There's a Hair in my Dirt (Does that title sound familiar?  It's housed in our reserve collection).  But winning this contest isn't important; what matters is the fun that was had in participating. 

The big winner this year was Hairy Potter, a pun on...well, I probably don't need to spell that out for you.  If you'd like to take a look at Hairy Potter and all the other entries, you can do that here. 

Bon appetit!

New Date for Fall Semester Scheduling

It has been brought to my attention (thank you, Jessica!) that not all of you will have registered for classes by April 16.  For this reason, I am shifting the date for fall semester sign-up to Wednesday, April 24. 

Caught in the Act

Zoe was Caught in the Act of going the extra mile to help a guest retrieve her lost items.  Losing your phone, your ID, and your credit card can be very scary.  Zoe made sure the guest knew her lost items were at BUSP, then gave them to Terry for safekeeping.  The guest claimed them quickly and was so relieved.

Thanks for providing such good service, Zoe!

Room Reservations to End for This Semester

From April 8 until the end of the semester, all rooms will be on a first-come, first-served basis.  This means we will not accept reservations for rooms 154, 156, 158, and 160 during this period of time.

Oftentimes guests ask why we've stopped accepting reservations.  Maybe you're wondering this yourself.  It's a reasonable question, to which we have a reasonable answer:  Rooms are heavily in demand during these weeks (I-Core and finals).   Reserved rooms generally have some dead-time between reservations.  For example, if room 154 has a reservation from 2:30-4:30 and another reservation from 5:00-7:00, there is a half hour when the room is vacant.  By eliminating reservations, we eliminate dead-time and open the rooms to full use.  During these busy times, we want to make the rooms available to as many groups as possible.

Should any guest have special needs or become upset over the inability to make a room reservation, get your supervisor.

Smiling Faces

Ever wondered the name of your co-worker who comes in just as your shift is ending?  Wonder no more!  Take a look at the Smiling Faces of BUSP posted on the wall above the staff mailboxes. 

Not sure where the staff mailboxes are located?  Just ask your supervisor.  He/she will be glad to point them out to you.