Sorter information has moved to Staff Resources!

Click here: Self Service (Sorters, Checkout Machines, Security Gates)

Getting to 80% Videos

Over the past six months, Chris James and Doug Crane have traveled to many branch locations to learn their secrets for Getting to 80%.  Below are links to videos with their stories.

Wellington Branch

Okeechobee Blvd. Branch

Acreage Branch

Jupiter Branch

Baby Bella

The last sorter to be born is the smallest and cutest.  With just three bins and love of freshly picked corn, Baby Bella is a joy for her parents.  She has an outside library mate with an anti-glare screen, which works wonders in the mid-afternoon sun.  Baby Bella loves life in the Glades and hopes to grow up to be like Annie All-Star one day.

Security Gates Video Demonstration

Security Gates are being launched system-wide on October 1st.

Please watch the video below for more information on how the gates work and how to respond to them when they go off.

Special thanks to Diana Rojas, LA IV - Main, for starring in the video.  Another thank you goes out to Corinne Girr, LA II - Main, for playing the role of the patron.

Appreciation goes out to Chris James, LA II - YS - WEL, for doing the camera work and producing the video.

Please send comments to Doug Crane - Wellington Branch Manager, (and aspiring film director).

Two Sorters Expanded

This past week, Annie AllStar at the Annex and Geeves at Greenacres were expanded.

Annie received an extra two divert to increase its chutes from 17 to 19.

Geeves had an extra conveyor belt added that moved it away from the wall, allowing the sorter to use two chutes on that side.  This increased capacity from 5 to 7 chutes.

Here Comes the Boyntonator!

The newest sorter is prepping for action at the West Boynton Branch.  The Boyntonator is the first sorter with two Library Mate - an inside and outside return.  It has nine bins and a power turn feature to guide the books on the right path.  When not working, the Boyntonator loves to watch old Arnold Schwarzenegger movies, cook sushi, and plot a financial takeover of Facebook.

 

Wilbur at Work in the Acreage

Wilbur is working away at the Acreage Branch.  Wilbur has a very hardy appetite and loves to devour anything that comes his way and deposit them in his nine bins.  When not working, Wilbur enjoys rolling in the mud, talking to spiders, and watching Porky Pig cartoons.

Headsets are coming

New wireless headsets are being deployed in the Library System.  Wellington Branch and the Main Library now have sets installed.  They are being deployed as a aid for troubleshooting the sorters when a call to the Lyngsoe Hotline is needed.  It will allow staff to talk with Lyngsoe while keeping their hands free to work on the machine.  Watch for one at your branch as the year goes on.

Keep the Reflective Tape Clean

When cleaning the Library Mate, pay special attention to the reflective tape between the belts.  Dirty reflective tape is a key reason why the Library Mate will produce errors.  Clean the tape with the microfiber cloth at least once a week.

Happy Birthday Wally!

In honor of Wallace Duke Wellington's first birthday, the staff at the Wellington Branch hosted a birthday party in his honor.  It is amazing to think that our little baby is already one year old!  A good time was had by all. 

In honor of his birthday, we were able to secure an exclusive interview with Wally. 

1.       Where were you born?

I was born here in Wellington, but my origins trace back to Denmark.   I have a great, great grandfather named Hamlet who was a book stamp at the Copenhagen Library in 1880.

2.       What classes or training did you take to prepare you for your job?

I have a Bachelors’ in English Literature and a Masters in Engineering.  I planned to study perpetual motion for my Doctoral thesis, but I could not secure the necessary funding.

3.       What do you do to stay in shape?

I do pushup and sprints.  I also have lots of pulp in my diet.

4.       What do you look for in a mate?

The girl I am looking for is slim, smart, and stylish.  Right now I have my eye on a lovely lady named Siri …

5.       What was the most palatable item you’ve scanned in? The least palatable?

Paula Dean’s cook books are my favorite.  They are sweet, but I gain five pounds every time I sort one.  My least favorite is the Star Wars prequels.  (We waited twenty years for those films!!!!!)

6.       Do you dream of electric sheep? If not, what do you dream about?

I dream of electronic sleep after processing too many Philip K. Dick novels.  However, my favorite dream is when I turn into a Transformer and blow up that evil Decepticon – AllCirc Cube!

7.       What’s your favorite place to shop?

Since I’m stuck here the in the library (literally – my legs are bolted to the floor), I do my shopping at Amazon.com.  Free two day shipping with Amazon Prime and instant movie streaming baby!  What more can you want?

8.       If you had to choose someone to portray you in a film, who would it be and why?

Of course it would be Ryan Gosling.  That dude’s handsome!   My second choice is Arnold Schwarzenegger since he knows how to portray a deadly machine.

9.       What is your favorite inspirational quote?

“Do or do not... there is no try.” – Yoda (when he was still a Muppet).

Jewel is Unveiled

Like a sparkling treasure, Jewel is now amazing the patrons of Royal Palm Beach.  Jewel has seven bins and an outside library mate.  When not basking in the accolades from her devotees, Jewel enjoys collecting Royal Family memorabilia and admiring other gemstones.

Sing with me Andrea BOCacelli!

Andrea is singing his way to success and performing to standing ovations on a daily basis at the West Boca Branch.   Andrea is a nine bin sorter with an outside Library Mate.  In his spare time, he enjoys listening to opera, reading Italian travel books, and eating lots and lots of pasta!

GlaDOS is online to rule Glades Road

GlaDOS has come online at Glades Road (pronounced with a short "a" and long "o").  GlaDOS is very helpful and dreams of overseeing all operations in the Circulation Department before long.  In her spare time, she likes to play video games, experiment with extra-dimensional travel, and eat potatoes.

Lucy! You're home!

Lucy is working hard over at the Main Library.  Lucy is a nine bins sorter with an outside library mate.  In her spare time, she enjoys watching old television sit-coms, listening to Latin music, and getting into zany, madcap escapades.

Ask Geeves

Geeves shows remarkable grace under pressure, a stiff upper lip, is totally trustworthy and completely unflappable!  As all good butlers are, he serves the public in rain and shine with his outside library mate.   He went into service on September 16th.

Annex Sorter now has a Name!

Annex staff had a Sorter naming ceremony on August 25, 2011.  They welcomed Annie All Star to the family. She comes with an AAA+ credit rating due to her high organizational skills. Annie is quick and know the best places to go.  Her passion is for filling up crates.

The Force is with you Obi-Wan

Obi-Wan of Okeechobee Blvd. Branch is now using his mystical ways to amuse and delight patrons.  He is the first seven bin sorter in the system and has an outside Library Mate.  In his spare time Obi-Wan likes to watch Science Fiction films and practice meditation.

Welcome Garbo

This cute new addition to the family has nine bins like her cousin Lana and is showing a hearty appetite for working with the public. In spare time, Grabo enjoys gardening in her Florida Certified Yard.

New Sorter Troubleshooting Guide Online

A new sorter troubleshooting guide is now available online.  It is designed to allow users to diagnose problems with their sorter and library mate.  You can find it at: http://staff.pbclibrary.org/rfid/sorter/index.htm

This is still in a beta version, so please forward any comments or corrections to: craned@pbclibrary.org

Sensor Issues - Clean them Away

Troubleshooting Tip!

Be sure to clean all the sensors on the sorting machine with the microfiber clothes.  This includes the sensors that are in the Library Mate tunnel.  There are three rows of sensors inside the tunnel.  Lightly dust each one from inside to clean them.  You will need to remove the cover plate from the back side of the Library Mate to clean the second and third rows.  The first row can be cleaned from the front of the machine.

Cleaning is important because if a sensor gets dirty, it will think it is detecting items that are not there!  This can cause the belt to engage when nothing is there or kick back items that the patrons insert.

So use that microfiber to clean your problems away!