HPL Mobile App is now live!

The HPL Mobile App is now available to download for both Android and Apple devices. Simply visit the App store for your device, search for the app (I was able to find it for the iPad by searching HPL TX and Houston Public Library for Android devices) and download the free app.

Here is a link for the HPL app in the Google Play Store.

For Blackberry/ Windows users search for Open browser and enter the URL: hpltx.boopsie.com/m

Amazon and Nook coming soon.

They are doing a "soft launch," but you may begin telling customers about it and how to download it starting now. The official launch will take place at the beginning of July.

Thanks,

Laurie

Overdrive & Internet Explorer 9

Greetings - As per Judith's email below, please share with staff and customers having issues with IE9 & Overdrive.

Shammi

Overdrive apparently made changes to their website recently that have made it impossible for customers to check out items if they are using Internet Explorer 9. If you encounter customers with this problem, please ask them to use IE8, Google Chrome, or Firefox. Overdrive is working on the problem but it may take a few days to correct.

Judith Hiott


Judith Hiott, Chief
Houston Area Library Automated Network
500 McKinney
Houston, TX 77002
832-393-1476

Literacy

Hi, I am requesting your suggestions and ideas on how we can promote literacy programs to customers who do not have the ability to read. Thanks! Mary

Staff Summer Reading Club

Do you like to read and want to expand outside what you normally read or want to improve your abilities to do reader's advisory?

Please join us in participating in the 2012 Staff Summer Reading Club. Besides being lots of fun, the purpose of the club is to make the participants better readers’ advisors. The guidelines are meant to encourage participants to read books from categories they might not normally choose. Past participants have been known to form new reading interests this way.

Participants must complete five books between June 1 and August 31. One or more titles must be nonfiction. You may either read the book or listen to the unabridged audiobook. Five of the books you read must be from five different categories out of the twelve listed in the guidelines. In 5 lines or less, tell us about each book you read using the SRP Reader Online Access on the Reference page of the Intranet. Rate the book on a scale of 1 to 5: (1) Recyclable; (2) Tolerable; (3) Readable; (4) Memorable; (5) Phenomenal.


The dues are only $3 (sent to Chris Hu in LMS), which goes toward the Celebration in the fall. Please see attachments for all the details.

Let the summer reading begin!

SSRC Guidelines
SSRC How To
FAQs

Thanks,

Laurie

Seth's Blog

Hi,

This blog posting was shared by Suzy with me. It generated an interesting discussion. What is your opinion?

Thanks. Mary

What do you think?

Hi, Suzy shared this posting from Seth's blog. http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2012/05/not-everyone.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+typepad%2Fsethsmainblog+%28Seth%27s+Blog%29



What do you think?



Best regards,

Mary

EPE Due Date Reminder

Please remember to submit your non-supervisory Performance Plans no later than Friday, May 25th to the HPL-HR Office.

Thanks,

Laurie

Hillendahl closing for improvements

Hillendahl NL will close down for roughly two months for improvements. The last day of operation is Saturday, June 2nd, 2012. The plan is to re-open late summer 2012.

The staff will be working at Ring NL with possibility of staff assisting at Collier and Kendall NL. The Workforce Solutions will move to the Ring NL while HIL remains closed.

Holds at HIL not picked up by close of business on June 2nd, will be routed to Collier for pick up due to the proximity and extended hours.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks,

Shammi

Family Literacy Night

Please help us promote Literacy Advance of Houston's Family Literacy Night at Scenic Woods!

Scenic Woods Regional Library
FAMILY LITERACY NIGHT
Pre-K— Fourth Grade
Wednesday, May 23
5:30 — 7 p.m.

Registration starts at 5:15 p.m.
Event begins at 5:30 p.m.

Come learn new strategies to help you and your children
develop a love for reading and enjoying good books!

Reading is the key to success in school.

Let’s work together to help your children reach
their full potential!

Free books for the children!

We hope to see you there!
Thanks!
Mary

After Hours GSD, Johnson Controls, Security, & Emergency Numbers

I have added the After hours GSD, Johnson Controls, Security and Emergency phone numbers to the Resource page under Location information.

Here is the link here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FQzZO6ArhLRxMDJzS93NZKMKiF_973lsU2j8ux34flw/edit

You can print it out or save the numbers into your cell phones so you have them when you need them.

Thanks,

Laurie

Houston Area Survey 2012

For more than 30 years, the Kinder Institute for Urban Research at Rice University has conducted the Houston Area Survey to measure the area's ecomonic and demographic transformations. It is unusual for such a long term and comprehensive survey to be conducted in a metropolitan area.

The latest highlights can be found at http://has.rice.edu/uploadedFiles/Houston_Area_Survey/2012%20Kinder%20Houston%20Area%20Survey.pdf

It is an interesting look at our community.

Thanks,

Laurie