UO Libraries

Uniformed Security Officers: Training

revised August, 2009
  1. Welcome!

  2. Review work shifts for extended hours:

    • The extended hours schedule begins week 3 of each academic term. It runs from Sunday - Thursday from 11:45pm through 7:15am the next day. In addition, the library does not close from Friday of Dead Week through Sunday of Finals weeks. See the last page of this document for the current term's schedule.
    • On each day the workshift begins at 11:45pm and ends at 7:45am the next morning.
    • There are two security officers per hour. There will not be any library staff working here during your shifts (except those who come in early to work). Custodial staff will also be working during some of your hours: you can rely on them for assistance with building emregencies (such as leaks, etc.)

  3. Attitudes:
    Service to the Public in an Academic Library:
    • Be polite to all; even if they get in your face, remain calm. "I understand, sir, that you are a graduate student at the UO, but since you don't have your UO Photo ID and are not in the directory, and since I have been told not to accept any other kind of paperwork proving your current status, I cannot let you in. You are welcome to speak my library supervisor on the next business day, but these are the instructions I have to follow." (Library Supervisor: Shirien (sure een) Chappell: 346-1914).
    • Be non-judgmental. Don't comment on what people are reading or looking at on the internet, even it is offensive to you. (For an exception about child pornography, see below.) Your job is to let people into the library, check their IDs, keep obvious banquets out of the library, keep statistics, and maintain order by your uniformed presence. It is not your job to play favorites (letting some folks in without UO ID), to comment on people's attire or any other personal subject. It is not to inquire about social opportunities with library users. Polite respect is what you want to show the users. Keep it low key, helpful, and impersonal.
    • Unless you've been trained on something (and it is written in this document) do not take it on yourself to provide extra services. Example: if students have returned keys to lockable study rooms, do not then give them out to other students. Give them to the staff at opening the next day.

  4. Duties: You rotate each hour between two duties:
    1. Circ Lobby monitoring entrances and exits, counting people
    2. Wandering through the Knight Library.

    Beginning of the shift: At the beginning of the shift (11:45pm on most nights, 7pm on Friday and Saturday nights) we need an accurate base count of patrons still in the library. Both guards sweep through all floors of the library counting the number of people. They go to the 4th floor, each counting half the floor, then they meet at the circulatr stairs repeat the process on 3rd, 2nd, and 1st floors, ending in the lobby at 12midnight. Library Student staff leave soon after midnight, and I would like the officers in the Circulation Lobby before the students have to leave.

    As you take a headcount at the beginning of the extended hours shift ask all patrons to show you their UO ID. If they don't have one but say they are a current UO faculty, student, or staff and they have some form of Photo ID, send them down to the Circ Lobby to be looked up in the student or staff directory. If they don't have Photo ID or they're not a UO student, staff, or faculty, ask them to leave. Tell them these hours are for the use of UO faculty, students and staff only.

    Lockable study rooms: There are several lockable study rooms in the library which students can reserve for their use during normal library hours. There may be some students who choose to keep using the room after midnight: that's ok. Just tell them to bring the key to the officer in the circ. lobby when they're done with it. The officer in the lobby gives the key the next morning to Checkout Desk staff. The key is attached to an "Oregon Card" with a barcode on it. Please do not put these keys into the cardboard box: put them in a manila envelope and be sure to give them to the staff at opening. Also: do not give out these keys to other students: they are still checked out to the first student and if you give them to others, the first student remains responsible for them.

    Messages/updates: Check the Extended hours (file or box) to see if there are any updates that you need to be aware of. If so, read it and initial it and put it back into the box. Examples: "somebody from New York times will deliver a bunch of papers this term to the Circ Lobby. They won't have UO ID, but let them in anyway."

    Elevators not working: If an elevator gets stuck bang on the door to see if anybody's in there. If so, tell them you're calling DPS and that you'll be right back to keep them company. Call DPS and then tell the security officer at the Circ Lobby where the broken elevator is so they can direct DPS to the right location. If it appears that nobody's in the elevator and DPS declines to send anybody over, that's their call.

    We have one elevator that goes to 4th floor. It's #4. If that stops, be sure to tell DPS that it's the only elevator to 4th floor, and then go check to see if there are any people who obviously would need an elevator to get off the floor (wheelchairs, crutches), and let DPS know that.

    Put an out of order sign on the elevator and be sure to fill out an Unusual Incident Report.

    Elevator 5, the one that goes from the ground floor to the Circ Lobby, has a detection system in front of it. If somebody goes through that detection system with activated books it will alarm and the elevator will not work. In fact, it will peep all night long until somebody resets it. Custodial staff do not have a reset key: call DPS and tell htem about it. Again, whenever you call DPS fill out an unusual incident report form.

    1. Circ Lobby:
      1. Work station (show location and location of 24/7 box)
      2. People entering: We allow into the library only students, faculty, and staff from the UO and from from schools with which the UO has reciprocal lending agreements.

        UO students, faculty, and staff:

        • Ask to see the UO Student ID card.
        • If they don't have one, ask for other photo ID such as a driver's licence and after verifying they are who they say they are, look them up in the online Directory.

          If they don't have photo ID, or if they're not in one of the two official directories, then tell them that they need to go get their UO Photo ID. No exceptions. If they come on in anyway, write a description of them on your log sheet (and their name and UO ID number). I (Shirien) will call them the next business day and talk about what happened.

          Looking up students in the online directory: The computer on the western end of the Checkout Desk should be set at the page for the student directory: http://www.uoregon.edu/findpeople/ If it's a student, change to the "student" tab. and then type in only the last name of the student.

          Note: On Fridays the UO's Banner system goes down for updates. It's often down between 7pm and 11pm ish. During the time that the system is unavailable, If a student doesn't have a UO ID but does have a photo ID, go ahead and let her in.

        Students, faculty, and staff from schools with which the UO has reciprocal borrowing agreements.
        • If a person tells us that they go to a college or university that is on our list of reciprocal institutions, and if that person has ID which looks like official photo ID and has that school's name on then let them enter.

      3. Food/drink: Our food/drink policy allows patrons to bring light snacks and non-alcoholic drinks into the library. We ask them to pack out what they brought in. Usually you won't see a huge dinner being brought through the doors. However, if somebody is trying to deliver pizza, tell them they cannot deliver into the building. Do write the name of the pizza delivery business and the time of the attempted delivery inside the building on the Unusual Incident form so I can call the business the next day and remind them about the futility of their deliveries.
      4. Stats: Put a hatch mark by the appropriate hour for each person you let enter the library and for each that you turn away. Also put a hatch mark for each person who is leaving the library.
      5. Detection alarms: if one goes off you do this:
        • Ask the patron(s) to come back. You'll be able to tell which gate went off, but maybe not which patron set it off. Sometimes more than one will return. That's good. Send each back through the gate by themselves. Once you figure out who set it off, say "Do you have a blockbuster video?" If yes, ask them to show it to you; they take it out of their pack, you send them through the detection corridor again, and then hand the video to them around the gate or give it to them and let them go out (by themselves) and set off the alarm. Library books: if the patron says it's checked out, put the patrons name on a slip of paper with the words: set off alarm (date/time) patron says checked out." Place the slip inside the book and put the book on a chair behind the circ desk. If the patron just forgot to check out the book, put it in the book chute.
      6. If you see a patron lugging a computer (not a laptop) through the gate, there is a 99.5% chance it belongs to the library and not to the patron. Make them come back, and call DPS.
      7. Lights: if a patron tells you there are no lights in places in the library, tell them they may be lights that turn on when they detection motion. Ask them to go into the area, and see if the lights go on.
      8. Laptops: We no longer have laptop checkout.
      9. What not to do: do not tell patrons they'll be arrested if they don't obey your orders. Do not run after patrons if they go into the library without permission. Do not leave your post in the Circ Lobby: you are the point person, the person who tells Department of Public Safety officers or Eugene Police Officers where in the building they are needed (if somebody called them). You're the one who stops patrons leaving the library with books that are not checked out, or who stops computer thefts.

    2. Roaming:

      • Head count: At the end of each hour do an hourly count of people in the building and report that number to the person in the circulation lobby.
      • Walk through the building, making your uniformed presence known. Find where the people are studying and using the building, and wander through that area. If there are empty places, don't spend as much time there. Don't spend any part of your hour sitting down.
      • Disturbances: If you receive a complaint about disturbances (noise, rowdiness, etc.) approach the student or group and politely tell them that you've received a complaint about their activities, and ask them to keep it down. Note that on the unusual incident report so we know patterns of disturbances (are they increasing or decreasing, etc.).
      • Security:
        • if somebody reports that they're being bothered by somebody else, or they feel unsafe call DPS (non emergency number 6-5444) and let the person speak directly to them. After the concern has been addressed, write the details in the Unusual Incident Report form. Be sure the circ lobby officer knows about it, especially if you're waiting for officers from EPD or DPS to arrive.
        • building emergencies: Find a custodian and report it. If you can't find one, and it's serious and immediate danger (water on the floor, overflowing toilet or drain) then call DPS on the non emergency number. Fill out the Unusual Incident log. If DPS wants you to authorize overtime, tell them you cannot do that, and they should call the building manager. Fill out the log. If it's not serious or won't cause building damage (toilet that just runs and won't stop but does not overflow or leak) then fill out the log.
      • If you see patrons eating small snacks, don't do anything. If you see them with a banquet all spread out, ask them to use the Daily Grind. Then go away, and the next time you are there, if they still have a banquet spread out on the table, tell them again. Don't call DPS on them, don't tell them you're going to arrest them; just keep telling them.
      • Walk up the two stairways to Special collections.
      • Walk through Media Services and Daily Grind.
      • When you've made a complete round, start over. Don't come down to the lobby and sit with the lobby officer: your job is to make your uniformed presence known and seen; to reassure patrons that you're there.
      • Smoking just outside the building: we've gotten complaints about smoke coming into the building. Frequently the HVAC (heating, ventilation, Air Conditioning) system is set high enough that the front doors are pushed slightly open due to air pressure. Smoke from students standing right next to the doors is sucked into the library's ventilation system. On your wandering rounds, step outside the front doors and ask folks who are smoking to stand feet at least 10 feet away from the front doors.
      • Book bins: Right before you take over Circ Lobby Duty, go behind the circ desk and see if the return bins are full. If so, put them on a gray metal booktruck (they don't have to be in call number order; just right side up.)

  5. Emergencies: Evacuating the building. If the fire alarms go off we evacuate the building. Patrons are responsible for getting themselves out of the building.
    1. Circ Lobby officer: unless in imminent danger stay in the circ lobby to direct folks out. If the detection alarms sound ask the person to give you their library books -- they can get them later. You put them in a pile on the circ desk. Stay in the circ lobby until it seems like most folks are out.
    2. Roaming officer: instantly and quickly go to the circ lobby and tell the circ lobby officer that you are out front at the east front door. Then go out there and make people stand 50' away from the building, and don't let anybody else in.
    3. Circ Lobby officer: when you know the other officer is stationed at the east front door of the library, and when it looks like most patrons are gone, you go out and guard west front door. We don't have to worry too much about the west side doors since they're locked.

    If you know there are people in wheel chairs in the building, escort them to a call box and have them talk with Security. (We'll see one on the tour) Then tell the circ lobby officer where the person is. When you see Public Safety and/or EPD, tell them about the person in the wheelchair. Elevators don't work when the fire alarm goes off, and you are not to carry people or their chairs down stairs.

    Schedule: Fall, 2009

    Wk 3: Sun, Oct 11, 11:45p - Mon, Oct 12, 7:45am
    Wk 3: Mon, Oct 12, 11:45p - Tue, Oct 13, 7:45am 
    Wk 3: Tue, Oct 13, 11:45p - Wed, Oct 14, 7:45am  
    Wk 3: Wed, Oct 14, 11:45p - Thu, Oct 15 7:45am 
    Wk 3: Thu, Oct 15, 11:45p - Fri, Oct 16, 7:45am 
                total hours:  40 hours.
              
    
    Wk 4: Sun, Oct 18, 11:45p - Mon, Oct 19, 7:45am
    Wk 4: Mon, Oct 19, 11:45p - Tue, Oct 20, 7:45am
    Wk 4: Tue, Oct 29, 11:45p - Wed, Oct 21, 7:45am
    Wk 4: Wed, Oct 21, 11:45p - Thu, Oct 22, 7:45am 
    Wk 4: Thu, Oct 22, 11:45p - Fri, Oct 23, 7:45am
                total extended hours:  40 hours.
                
    
    Wk 5: Sun, Oct 25, 11:45p - Mon, Oct 26, 7:45am
    Wk 5: Mon, Oct 26, 11:45p - Tue, Oct 27, 7:45am
    Wk 5: Tue, Oct 27, 11:45p - Wed, Oct 28, 7:45am
    Wk 5: Wed, Oct 28, 11:45p - Thu, Oct 29, 7:45am
    Wk 5: Thu, Oct 29, 11:45p - Fri, Oct 30, 7:45am
                total extended hours:  40 hours.
    
    
    Wk 6: Sun, Nov  1, 11:45p - Mon, Nov  2, 7:45am
    Wk 6: Mon, Nov  2, 11:45p - Tue, Nov  3, 7:45am
    Wk 6: Tue, Nov  3, 11:45p - Wed, Nov  4, 7:45am
    Wk 6: Wed, Nov  4, 11:45p - Thu, Nov  5, 7:45am
    Wk 6: Thu, Nov  5, 11:45p - Fri, Nov  6, 7:45am
                total extended hours:  40 hours.
    
    
    Wk 7: Sun, Nov  8, 11:45p - Mon, Nov  9, 7:45am
    Wk 7: Mon, Nov  9, 11:45p - Tue, Nov 10, 7:45am 
    Wk 7: Tue, Nov 10, 11:45p - Wed, Nov 11, 7:45am  
    Wk 7: Wed, Nov 11, 11:45p - Thu, Nov 12, 7:45am Vet Day but not UO 
    Holiday
    Wk 7: Thu, Nov 12, 11:45p - Fri, Nov 13, 7:45am
                total extended hours:  40 hours.
    
    
    Wk 8: Sun, Nov 15, 11:45p - Mon, Nov 16, 7:45am
    Wk 8: Mon, Nov 16, 11:45p - Tue, Nov 17, 7:45am
    Wk 8: Tue, Nov 17, 11:45p - Wed, Nov 18, 7:45am
    Wk 8: Wed, Nov 18, 11:45p - Thu, Nov 19, 7:45am
    Wk 8: Thu, Nov 19, 11:45p - Fri, Nov 20, 7:45am
                total extended hours:  40 hours.
    
    
    Wk 9: Sun, Nov 22, 11:45p - Mon, Nov 23, 7:45am 
    Wk 9: Mon, Nov 23, 11:45p - Tue, Nov 24, 7:45am
    Wk 9: Tue, Nov 24, 11:45p - Wed, Nov 25, 7:45am 
    Wk 9: Wed:  we close at 5p  No security shift
    Wk 9: Thu: Thanksgiving:  closed  No security shift.
    Wk 9: Fri, day after Thanksgiving: holiday so we'll open at 8a
          This does not affect Security Schedule.
                total extended hours:  24 hours
    
    
    Dead Week:
    Wk 10: Sun, Nov 29, 11:45p - Mon, Nov 30, 7:45am   
    Wk 10: Mon, Nov 30, 11:45p - Tue, Dec  1, 7:45am
    Wk 10: Tue, Dec  1, 11:45p - Wed, Dec  2, 7:45am
    Wk 10: Wed, Dec  2, 11:45p - Thu, Dec  3, 7:45am
    Wk 10: Thu, Dec  3, 11:45p - Fri, Dec  4, 7:45am
    Wk 10: Fri, Dec  4,  7:00p - Sat, Dec  5, 11am
    Wk 10: Sat, Dec  5,  7:00p - Sun, Dec  6, 11am
                total extended hours:  72  hours.
    
    
    Finals week:
    Wk 11: Sun, Dec  6, 11:45p - Mon, Dec  7, 7:45am 
    Wk 11: Mon, Dec  7, 11:45p - Tue, Dec  8, 7:45am
    Wk 11: Tue, Dec  8, 11:45p - Wed, Dec  9, 7:45am
    Wk 11: Wed, Dec  9, 11:45p - Thu, Dec 10, 7:45am
    Wk 11: Thu, Dec 10, 11:45p - Fri, Dec 11, 7:45am
                total extended hours:  40 hours.