Library Managers, November 1, 2006
9:30 am, Porter 428
Present: Eric Boyd, Jane Forgay, Betty Graf, Jennifer Haas, Mark Haslett (Chair), Michele Laing, Sharon Lamont, Susan Mavor, Richard Pinnell, Susan Routliffe, Mary Stanley, Linda Teather, Melanie Watkins, Annette Dandyk (Recorder)
Regrets: Shabiran Rahman, Debbie Tytko
Guests: Alfrieda Swainston, Alex McCulloch, Charles Woods
Managers meeting on staffing, October 11, 2006
Library Managers reviewed a number of ways to address staffing needs. No notes were taken. Here is a brief synopsis:
Discussions in 2005 and earlier this year identified an immediate need for an Associate University Librarian, IT, and a Liaison Librarian for Psychology and Sociology, and these positions have since been filled. The Provost has provided permanent funding for an additional position and it will be used to hire a GIS Librarian located in the Map Library. Other decisions included: secondment opportunities in Acquisitions and Musagetes will be posted soon; both ISR departments will hire Western Co-op placements from January to August; a vacancy in Cataloguing will be filled, and a vacancy in Circulation Services will be filled. Decisions in several other areas are still pending. In order to maintain some flexibility in our budgets to meet potential future budget cuts not all vacancies can be filled. Sharon will send a message detailing recruitment activities and decisions to staff.
November 1
- Career Paths
Alfrieda Swainston, Manager, Salary Administration in Human Resources spoke to the Managers about career path positions.
The Library has one of the longest standing career paths in UW with the Librarian’s professional advancement process as outlined in the Librarians’ Employment Handbook. The Librarians career path has been used as a template for several other areas on campus. Career path positions have two or more grade levels. Career paths work best when there is a group of people doing the same job and the differences in the level of work can be readily seen.
The process for defining and implementing career path positions was outlined. When developing a clerical career path with two or sometimes three levels, a Manager would identify skills required for entry level work (trainee), working level, and possibly, expert level. In this process the Manager normally would consult with one or two staff already working in the job as well as with HR. Criteria for defining the levels would include education needed, time needed to learn the job, working experience, level of problem solving, ability to work independently, creativity, people skills and leadership (leadership is often required at the expert level). Language should be kept generic, and not include specifics, e.g., the name of a specific automated system. By looking at the varying skill sets required in the position the levels can be defined.
When a career path is being developed, the head of the unit and the Director, Organizational Services would need to look at how it relates to the rest of the Library to ensure that it would not create inequities, and that the grades are comparable to other jobs in the environment (Library and campus). Human Resources approves the grade levels.
When recruiting, a Manager can recruit at any level depending on what the need is, e.g. a trainee with minimal or no experience, or someone who could step in at the working level.
Unique positions with only one incumbent typically are not feasible as career path positions unless similar positions exist elsewhere on campus. They are more likely to be handled as reclassifications as the incumbent gains additional experience and skills, and carries out higher level job tasks.
Levels within a career path need to be clearly delineated, for Managers and also for the people in the jobs. Staff should be able to see what skills they require to move to the next level. When there are more than two levels it is recognized that not everyone will necessarily move beyond the working level to the expert level. Once a career path has been established and graded it is the responsibility of management to ensure that employees on the career path have opportunities to acquire new skills or experience to progress to the next level.
Managers were advised to consider the implications for their department in creating career path positions. Further discussions will continue at Library Managers about the implications for the Library.
- Chair’s Remarks
Updates
Sharon gave an update on progress made since the October 11 staffing meeting, and outlined a communications plan.
- Sharon will send a message to staff outlining the above. It will include a brief update about Pharmacy and Optometry. Action: Sharon
- The job description for the GIS Librarian will be finalized soon and distributed to the Managers Group and Librarians for comment. Action: Richard
- Secondment opportunities in LAU and Musagetes and a Security Supervisor position in Circulation Services will be posted concurrently at the end of this week or early next. Action: Annette
- Davis ISR will not hire a Western coop placement as reported at the October 11 meeting. Instead, a Liaison Librarian will be hired on a one year contract (assuming that no qualified library staff is interested in a secondment). Jennifer will send an FYI to staff prior to the posting. Action: Jennifer
3M implementation, Davis – work on the glass wall and gates is proceeding and may be completed by late Thursday (November 2).
The 6th Decade Plan was submitted to the Board of Governors on October 30 and was approved. Next step – a UW communications plan.
The Annual Performance Indicators report was also submitted at the Board meeting. Linda will review the Library section at the next Managers meeting.
Faye Abrams has sent a note thanking Library staff for the “wonderful send off”, the gifts (U of Waterloo clock, and AGO memberships), and collegiality and friendship.
The Musagetes Library official opening is scheduled for this afternoon.
The launch of John English’s book Citizen of the World is scheduled for November 3.
Mark is scheduled to meet with the University Ad Hoc Space Planning Group (Adel Sedra, George Dixon, Dennis Huber, Bruce Mitchell) on November 2 to discuss library space and the urgent situation in Porter. He will report back at the next Managers meeting.
An event to officially open the Murray C Shepherd Learning Lab (LIB 428) is scheduled for November 14, 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. The event will be open to all staff. Murray spearheaded the idea of a learning lab. The project included the purchase of a new overhead projector, furnishings (lectern, ergonomic chairs, tables), whiteboards and flipcharts, and 10 notebook computers. Funding was provided by the Harold Crabtree Foundation.
A Media and Mobility Network Project has been established to provide communications, media access, mobile computing and network services for students living in UW residences. The project has two teams: Chris Gray is the Library’s representative on the operational team; Mark is on the steering group.
- Business Arising from October 4
There was no business arising.
- User Satisfaction Survey Preliminary Report
Alex McCulloch and Charles Woods (on behalf of CNAC) reviewed the highlights of the draft report. In early 2006 CNAC conducted a web survey to assess patrons’ level of satisfaction with Library services, resources, and facilities. 8,000 students, faculty, and staff were randomly sent an email message inviting them to participate in the online survey. The survey was also available through the Library’s web site.
The preliminary report makes a number of recommendations, of which the most significant is the need to make improvements to:
- Library environment
- Study space
- Photocopiers and printing facilities
- Library hours
The report also found that there was no appreciable difference between randomly-selected responses and those that came from the Library website.
Next steps: CNAC will revise the report further, and there will be further discussion at a future managers meeting.
- Porter Main Floor Renovations
The Porter Main Floor Renovations Group has met numerous times, and has interviewed users from various groups to try to determine what needs to be located on the main floor. Roger Farwell and Marie Marx from The Walter Fedy Partnership (TWFP) have prepared a concept.
Copies of a preliminary floor plan of the 2nd floor were distributed and reviewed. TWFP will submit a final report in mid-November. The Renovations group would like to provide Library staff with an opportunity to comment in an open forum on November 13.
- New Study Carrels for the 3rd Floor of Porter
Calstone Inc. provided the study carrels in the Davis Library. Mary and Sharon have discussed the Keystone campaign with representatives from Calstone and they would like to contribute to the Kresge challenge. Details about the arrangement have not been finalized.
Narrow isles and space issues on the 3rd floor and the upper floors dictate that we are unable to install wider carrels. Calstone Inc is willing to create a prototype for this library that will fit in the same space as our current carrels. While not wider, the prototype would be equipped with other features including higher shelf, plug-ins, and better lighting. The prototype will be made available to students to allow them to comment on it. User feedback will be carefully reviewed before any decisions to move forward are made.
Next meeting: November 15, Davis
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November 16, 2006
