Mary Jane Conger and Christine Fischer March 2011

Repurposing:New Activities for Established StafforWhat you do today may not be what you do tomorrow Mary Jane Conger and Christine Fischer March 2011

Our Environment • University of North Carolina at Greensboro • Enrollment: 17,500 • Doctoral-granting, research-intensive institution • Established 1891 • Over 100 undergraduate, 61 masters and 26 doctoral programs • University Libraries • Includes main library (Jackson Library) and a separate Music Library • Affiliates: University Teaching and Learning Center, Teaching Resources Center, Multicultural Resource Center and Interior Architecture Library • Current holdings 3.3 million items • Subscribes to approximately 4,000 serials • Access to 44,000 journals electronically • 61 support staff and 34 librarians

Cataloging Department • Fully staffed we have: 5 librarians 9 support staff 4-6 student assistants often have one practicum student per semester • Enhance library for monographs and scores • Length of service is 1 to 34 years

Acquisitions Department • Currently fully staffed 9 support staff (including 3 in serials) 1 library faculty 4 student employees • $3.2 M collections budget • Length of service is 3 to 37 years

The Process • Staff reallocation • Stress on employee and colleagues • Sense of loss of control • Grief over loss of former role • Opportunity to learn new skills • Sense of contributing to library goals • Chance to work with a variety of colleagues

Managing the Changes • Provide support • Open communication & listening • Involving staff in the process • Setting clear goals • Training • Recognizing staff by showing that their work contribution is valued

How to do more with the same (or fewer) number of people • Faith and confidence in your staff • Willingness to troubleshoot and tweak work flows • Lots of chances to have feedback • Know when to move on with not much looking back

Cataloging doing more with the same number of people • The Cataloging Dept. took on the cataloging of four smaller libraries not under the auspices of the University Libraries. 2002 Teaching Resources Center (TRC) 2005 Multicultural Resource Center (MRC) 2006 University Teaching and Learning Center (UTLC) 2008 Interior Architecture Library (IARC)

Then doing more with less • Vacant Music Cataloger position • Two staff members • Librarian as resource person

…and in Acquisitions • Ebooks / print serials to e-resources • Patron driven acquisitions • ILL purchase on demand [pilot project] • Entertainment DVDs • Lease plans – popular titles / audiobooks • Journal cancellation projects / reductions in binding freed up some staff time for other activities

Relay what you know • Be up front about what is coming or what you think might be coming • Encourage staff to ask you or the administration about rumors • Listen to staff concerns and ideas

Change is going to continue to happen • Help staff manage in an environment of constant change • Volunteer or volunteered

…just right?

Goldilocks and the Three Bears • Too big – don’t overwhelm the person with too much detail at once • Too small – don’t be limited to giving out only tiny tidbits of information or direction • Just right – will vary from person to person, enough to have pride and ownership, not so much as to feel it can’t be accomplished

The straw that breaks the camel’s back Too many changes too fast What’s a supervisor to do?

One size does not fit all • Your staff is made up of individuals of different ages, backgrounds, personalities, etc. • Some are working because they have to, this is just a job • Some are working because they really enjoy what they do • Some like variety and change and challenge • Others want everything to stay the same and feel threatened by change

Nudging, handholding, and whoa As you approach new responsibilities: • For some: nudge and encourage gently to move into something more challenging or different. • For some: hold their hand, giving more detail and encouragement • For some: find they take the ball and run in a different direction

Making It A Success • Training • Developing integrated workflows • Resolving issues & troubleshooting • Improving efficiency • Ownership

Contributing our skills • Institutional Repository • Acquisitions staff copy cataloging • ILS system management • Digital Projects • Processing collections for University Archives • Transfer of Entertainment DVDs to library • Technical Services staff serving at Public Services desks

Next Steps Review process at UNCG

University Libraries • Trends and Emerging Concepts • Skills assessment • Contingency plans • Departmental job/task analysis • Task prioritized • Unit of measurement = hours • Skills Development • Options provided • Training documented • ClimateQUAL • Implement late spring • Action plan dev in early summer • Performance Management Plans • Catalyst for changes • New work plans for Fall 2011

Resources Chimato, Mary Carmen. “How an Economic Crisis May Improve Your Management Skills: Strategies for Making It Through Uncertain Times.” College & Research Libraries News 70.6 (2009): 342-344. Morrissett, Linda A. “Library Staff Reallocation: A Humanistic Management Approach.” The Southeastern Librarian 44.1 (1994): 12-15. Taber, Anne Marie, and Mary Jane Conger. “Relevance Recognized: Value-added Cataloging for Departmental and Digital Collections.” Cataloging & Classification Quarterly 48.6/7 (2010): 585-601.

Thank you Mary Jane Conger mjconger@uncg.edu Christine Fischer cmfische@uncg.edu

Mary Jane Conger and Christine Fischer March 2011