Library Administration

Procedures for Requesting Normal Office Supplies

Normal office supplies are supplies most commonly used in the office consistently, such as tape, pens and sticky notes. These items are usually stocked and in the supply closet to be dispensed as needed.

To request normal office supplies, send an email to the Administrative Assistant and DBA requesting the items you would like to have.

• It is preferred that supply requests be coordinated through one individual. For example, and per already established routine:
  • Tech. Services: Marian Salvador
  • Public Services: Adrian Mallard
  • ILL: Charis Vieira
  • Library Computer Lab: David Nguyen 

• It is preferred that you do not send one email requesting one item each time you realize you need an item but rather compile a list of needed items and then email that list. However, at times you may have to request one item and that is fine. 

Updated: July 19, 2022 - MJ

Procedures for Requesting Purchases Other Than Normal Office Supplies

Normal office supplies are supplies most commonly used in the office consistently, such as tape, pens and sticky notes. All other items require a special purchase request.

In an email to your supervisor, please provide the following information:

• Item (s): Be descriptive or provide a link to the product(s).
• Quantity
• Cost Per Item
• Total Cost: Include the cost of shipping, if any, but do not estimate the cost of taxes with your request.  We do not pay taxes.
• The purpose of the purchase and how it will benefit the University/Library.

Technical Equipment Purchasing Procedures

Library staff will need to reach out to their supervisor informing the supervisor of the desire or need for a specific resource. Supervisors may work with the Discovery Services Coordinator Librarian or Technology Librarian to research suitable options. These options will need to be submitted to the Library Director for review and approval. 

In an email to the Library Director, please provide the following information:

• Item (s): Be descriptive or provide a link to the product(s).
• Quantity
• Cost Per Item
• Total Cost: Include the cost of shipping, if any, but do not estimate the cost of taxes with your request.  We do not pay taxes.
• The purpose of the purchase and how it will benefit the University/Library.

Quotes can be obtained one of the following ways:

• Help from UHD IT
• Directly from the vendor
• Link to the website for equipment/software under $500

The Library Director may request additional information, suggest another item for purchase, or put a hold on the request. A hold can be placed on the request for various reasons, like funding or a university spending freeze. Once all information is received, the Library Director will respond with an approval or denial. Please ensure that the DBA is included in the email or receives the approval from the Library Director.

EXCEPTION: If the Library Director is out of the office, the assigned proxy or an assistant director can approve purchases up to $200. 

The DBA will process the request and work on purchasing the item(s). Depending on the cost center, dollar amount, and type of purchase, the following might be required:

• Contract in conjunction with a requisition to PO
• Requisition to PO
• Sole Source
• Purchasing Bid for equipment over $5001
• Purchase via PCARD
• Invoice and pay via voucher

• If items need to be purchased by a specific date (a rush order), require special set up by the vendor and/or IT or equipment need to be moved to make room for the purchased equipment, this information should be thoroughly communicated.
• It is best not to make assumptions that IT, DBA or Shipping and Receiving will do certain things that has not been officially requested of them.  It is best business practice to email the DBA, and/or the department and assure that what you are assuming can be done.  We should be prepared to receive all equipment and purchases the library makes.  If not, then we should hold off on ordering until we are ready.  IT and Shipping and Receiving do not "house" or "store" department purchased equipment.
• For large capital equipment that is inventoried, you should keep the Property Custodian, Lisa Braysen, informed of the ordered equipment, also.

Department Phone Equipment:

Please direct phone equipment changes, requests and issues to Library Administration.

Technology Management Librarians are not required to handle phone related issues.  Because billing is involved with phone related issues.  This should be handled in Library Administration, by the DBA or Administrative Assistant.

Updated: August 25, 2022 - MJ

Procedures for Reimbursement for Items Purchased on Behalf of the Library

To receive reimbursement for items purchased on behalf of the library for office supplies, food, equipment, etc., you will need to have the following:

• Prior approval from the library director in writing 
• Provide an itemized and legible receipt for reimbursement
• Staff will not be reimbursed for taxes paid.  The University is exempt from Sales and Use Tax in accordance with Tex. Code Ann. Sec. 151.309(4) et. al. 
  • Please print a copy of the University's tax exempt certificate below and show the certificate to the store clerk during checkout.
• The Library will not issue reimbursement for gift card purchases, even if the purchase was made for and distributed during a library event.

Please follow the above procedures each time you need to make a purchase on behalf of the library for reimbursement, even if you have done so previously, for the same item and purpose.

Important please read:

Employee reimbursement for purchases have a 60-day deadline, which begins with the date on the receipt and ends when Accounts Payable has initiated payment.  If, reimbursement to employees is not made within the 60-day deadline, per IRS regulations, the reimbursement is reclassified as "taxable income".  The employee will need to complete a Taxable Payments or Reimbursements to Employees form (Exhibit B, SAM 03.D.06).

Please read excerpt from https://www.uhd.edu/faculty-staff/administrative-reference-manual/purchase-reimbursements.aspx pertaining to this IRS regulation.

Deadline for Submitting and Processing Reimbursement Requests:

• All other requests for reimbursement, including required documentation, must be submitted to the department business office no later than 60 days after the date of purchase.

• Reimbursement requests submitted to the department after the above deadlines may not be forwarded to Accounts Payable for reimbursement, unless approved by the appropriate division vice president.

• In accordance with Internal Revenue Service requirements for an accountable plan (IRS Publication 463), all reimbursement requests submitted to the department business office after the above deadlines will be treated as taxable income to the payee. These vouchers must be routed through the Tax Department and must include a completed Taxable Payments or Reimbursements to Employees form (Exhibit B, SAM 03.D.06). On the form, "Other Taxable Wage Benefits" (Payroll Earnings Code 443) should be indicated, but the voucher should contain the appropriate accounts that describe the expense (not account 54814, Other Taxable Wage Benefits).

• The department should make every effort to submit vouchers for reimbursements to Accounts Payable as soon as possible but no later than 5 days following receipt of all required documentation. Vouchers submitted more than 5 days after the receipt of all documentation must include an explanation in the Voucher Comments section.

Updated: July 21, 2022 - MJ

This procedure is effective immediately and must be adhered to at all times until updated or replaced with new procedures.

Procedures for Requesting Gift Cards

• Submit an email request to the Library Director (cc’ing the DBA and your supervisor) to purchase gift card(s). Include with your email the amount of gift cards to be purchased, the dollar amount of each card, reason for the gift card giveaway and how it benefits the library.
• Once the Director gives approval, the DBA will prepare a Gift Card Request Form (via DocuSign).
• The Gift Card Request Form is forwarded to VPAA for approval.
• If VPAA approves, the form will be returned to the Library with signature approval.
• The Gift Card Request Form is then forwarded to the Purchasing Department via email.
• The DBA will purchase the gift card(s) only after Purchasing reviews and confirms receipt of a submitted Gift Card Request Form.
  • Prior to purchase, the list of gift card recipients will be given to the DBA who will contact the recipients and confirm that they do want the gift card. 
  • If gift cards are for student participation, the DBA must verify the student was enrolled at UHD during the time of participation. This can be verified through Campus Solutions. The student's schedule must be printed and attached to the Gift Recipient Form.
  • Physical gift cards must remain in a locked drawer in the DBA’s office in Library Administration until distributed.  The Administrative Assistant will be made aware of and have access to the locked drawer for checks and balances. Each gift card distributed must be documented to include the date of distribution, name of the recipient, and recipient's signature. This is done by completing the Gift Recipient Form (see form below) for each awarded gift card. 
    • The Administrative Assistant will be instructed by the DBA to call the recipients with hours for pickup. Student ID must be presented at the time of pick up. 
  • For electronic gift cards, the DBA will email the recipient the Gift Card Recipient Form. Once a completed form is returned, the DBA will purchase and send the recipient the e-gift card.
• For each monthly billing cycle that gift cards are purchased, a Gift Card Inventory Form must be completed (see form below).
• After all gift cards have been distributed, all forms and records must be uploaded to PeopleSoft as back up to the voucher or PCARD associated with the charge(s).
• Assist Dir of Library Planning will review the gift card records once a month to verify that all distributed and undistributed gift cards are accounted for and report discrepancies to the DBA and the library director. However, keeping gift cards on the unit for more than a month is discouraged. Due to the accountability issue of gift cards being treated as cash by the University.
• If the gift card is awarded to an employee, the gift card becomes a taxable benefit in accordance with UH-System Policy SAM 03.D.06. and must be reported to the Tax Department. The DBA is responsible for coordinating this with A/P and or VPAA.

Updated: July 19, 2022 - MJ

Procurement Card (P-Card)

A P-Card is a charge card issued to a university employee for the purpose of making authorized purchases on the university's behalf with local funds only. The State of Texas contracts with a bank to issue P-Cards to state agencies and universities that wish to use them. The University of Houston System uses P-Cards, which are billed to the university, to increase the efficiency of the procurement process and reduce out-of-pocket reimbursements for purchases that do not require a purchase order or contract. The P-Card cannot be used for personal or non university purposes, travel-related purposes (hotel, car rental, meals, etc.) items exceeding $5000.00, and HEAF funds. The P-Card can be used to purchase office supplies, registration fees, coffee supplies, reference materials, etc.

*Library staff who need to request a purchase via department P-Card must follow Purchases Outside of Normal Office Supplies procedures.*

FAQ's

• All P-Card transactions must directly benefit the university and be in compliance with university, state, and federal rules and regulations. 
• Prior to making purchases over $500, the cardholder must confirm that the vendor is not on "Vendor Hold" with the State of Texas.
• When making purchases from Texas vendors, the cardholder must claim exemption from State of Texas sales tax using the university's Tax Exemption Certificate.
• Gratuity exceeding 20 percent of the transaction amount on transactions that normally require gratuity, such as business meals is not permitted.
• The cardholder is responsible for obtaining an itemized receipt or other form of supporting documentation for each purchase.
• Gift cards or certificates may be purchased if they are approved by the appropriate College/Division Administrator on the Gift Card Request Form (linked below).

Expense Reports

Each month, the P-Card Coordinator/Administrator for the university will send out an email for cardholder's to review and sign the Expense Report. The expense report is a listing of all transactions charged to the Cardholder's P-Card account through the end of the monthly billing cycle. The report allows the cardholder to review transactions, assign account and cost center, and add a purpose/benefit for each transaction. Failure to complete and submit monthly expense reports will result in sanctions. 

The cardholder or designee will need to log in to the Global Card Management System (Citi Bank) and for the most recently completed billing cycle:

A. Enter account and cost center into the online bank system for each card transaction. 

B. Verify that items charged to grants are allowed by sponsor, and approved by ORSP. 

C. Ensure that purpose/benefit information is properly documented for each transaction. 

D. Verify that all transactions are supported with the receipts or other supporting documents (i.e., invoice, packing slip, etc.). Obtain any missing receipts or additional documentation/information needed from the Cardholder. 

E. Ensure that the full credit card number is not visible on any receipts or backup documentation before they are uploaded to the Finance System. Only the last four digits of the card number may be displayed on uploaded documents. 

F. Print Citi Bank Expense Report and obtain signatures from the Cardholder and certifying signatory on the Citi Bank Expense Report. 

G. Upload the Expense Report and backup information into PeopleSoft.