TBLC News

The Director’s Chair video contest is in its final stages,
and the finalists need YOUR vote!

Ask a Librarian Mobile

We proudly introduce Ask a Librarian Mobile, which allows our users to access Ask a Librarian from their cell phones, PDAs or any other handheld device. We’ve been working hard to take our service to the next level, and we’re excited to offer just one more way for our users to take advantage of our valuable service right when they need us. Currently, only our email service is available through AAL Mobile. Our next step is to implement the live chat service. Contact Diana Sachs-Silveira at sachsd@tblc.org for more information.

"Libraries. Changing the World." T-shirts for sale T-shirts are still available for $10 each through our website. We have a limited quantity, so the shirts will be sold on a first come, first served basis. The shirts are Jerzees heavy weight 100% cotton in sandstone. The “world” image is approximately 9” wide by 7” tall and appears only on the front of the shirt. Please click here for more information or to place an order.

Delivery introduces new barcode tracking system

Earlier this month, we began implementing a new barcode label system for Florida's Statewide Delivery System. This enhancement to Delivery is essential for better tracking, more accurate statistics and vendor accountability for lost or late items.

As of Jan. 28, 2007, we need all Delivery libraries to begin using the new barcode labels. At this time, the vendor will only be scanning at libraries in the Fort Myers area, but needs all bags to have barcodes in order to work out all the kinks before implementing scanning statewide. This testing stage is a crucial next step in fully implementing our new system at all Delivery locations, and we appreciate your participation.

Please be aware of these very important items:

1.  Starting Jan. 28, you must replace all of your current labels with the new barcode labels, which you can print from here.  As of Jan. 28, our drivers will not pick up any bags from your library that do not have the new barcode label.

2.  The new barcode labels cannot be photocopied. Feel free to print as many in advance as you would like, but never photocopy them. Duplicating a barcode will throw off our tracking system.

3.  Print out an electronic signature barcode (found here) and place it with or attach it to your statistical forms. When scanning begins in your region, the driver will scan the electronic signature each time he visits your library.

4.  Do not include “courteous return labels” with your items. Barcode labels must be printed by the originating library.

For additional information, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page found here: www.tblc.org/delivery/faqs.

If our beta testing stage is successful, we will start scanning the barcodes at all of our other Delivery locations as soon as possible. Feel free to email deliver@tblc.org or call (800) 622-8252 with any questions or comments.

TBLC has added a new *optional* feature to our workshop registration process.

In some libraries, supervisors or training coordinators may need to approve staff attendance at workshops. To do so, they may register the staff themselves, or the staff member might have to wait for approval before signing up.

Now, through our new *optional* registration approval process, staff can sign up for a class and secure a spot, and then his/her supervisor will be notified and can approve or decline the registration.

It works like this:

• Library staff member John Smith completes the online registration form

• If there are available spots at the time he registers, he secures a slot in the class

• If there are no available spots, he gets his place in line on the Wait List

• As soon as he completes registration, an email is sent to the supervisor or person designated to approve

• The email notifies the approver that John Smith has registered for X class, and provides a link to the description of the class

• It asks if the approver would like to approve or decline the registration and provides a link to click on for each process

• If the approver approves the registration, everything will stay the same – John still has his slot in the class or on the Wait List

• If the approver declines the registration, John will be removed from the class and will receive an email informing him that the approver has declined his registration and he has been removed from the class.

• If the approver takes no action in response to the email, John retains his place in the class or on the Wait List

Sending registrations through the approval process is entirely up to you.  This is institution-wide, so if you choose to do this it will apply to all staff members from your institution who register for workshops.  The registration process will be exactly the same for staff members; they will not need to learn a new system or sign up for workshops differently than they do now.

If you would like to have your registrations go through approval, email cannone@tblc.org and indicate that you want to use the approval process, and include the email address and contact info of the person who will be approving the registrations. 

If at any time you decide you do not want to “approve” anymore, just let us know and we will change it to direct registration again for you.

Continuing Education introduces CE2U

During this time of budget cuts, we realize it may be difficult for you to come to TBLC for workshops and seminars. Therefore, we are bringing Continuing Education to You!

Through CE2U, we can now offer our members FREE online Palinet workshops, for which you would otherwise pay $60 to $220 per class. To ensure your free registration, simply choose “Tampa Bay Library Consortium Member $0.00” from the dropdown menu on the Palinet registration page.

We also serve as your “one stop shop” for other various free online opportunities, such as NEFLIN teleconferences and SirsiDynix Institute webinars. 

Click here to visit our new CE2U page and find out the convenient and affordable CE opportunities that await you!

(Please note that our CE2U page will always be available through our regular Continuing Education page here.)