Public Services and Youth Services proposal, June 2008:
As Janet Boss is leaving the position of Co-Children’s Librarian this July, this proposal addresses the question of who will handle the duties she performed (in her job-share with Nora.) It also draws on the earlier concept which Janet and Kathy developed (approved, though not implemented by the Board) creating the positions of Public Servises and Programming Librarians. This plan consolidates much of the information and programming staff into a public services department.
The (only slightly) reconfigured organizational structure would look like this (note further description of duties below):
Public Services Librarian: Kathy
Youth ServicesLibrarians: Nora and Ruth
Programming/Information staff: Deborah, Brenda, Josh
Young adult assistant: Bailey
· YA and Older Adult: Hiring Ruth to fill Janet’s position as Co-Children’s Librarian at 25 hours leaves open Ruth’s current 36 hour position (18 YA and 18 Older Adult – these hours include ACPL, Friends, and temporary Dept. of Health funds for Chimera.) We have had some discussions about the wisdom of splitting up her duties between programming and selection and finding in-house staff who could handle each of these. However, this would leave the planning for both areas back on Ruth, which isn’t the best solution. These duties need not be handled all by one person as they are now. Because Ruth is currently doing both of these positions, it is tempting to have the new holder(s) of these positions report to her. We will need to discuss if this is reasonable given her reduced hours and new position.
· Savings: this proposal does not represent a large savings. While it is probable that Ruth will not make the same salary as Janet, not having Janet’s work experience, and that we might fill the YA and OA positions with non-professionals who would be paid less than Ruth, this is still not a major savings.
· Budget: Our goal has been to imagine an effective way to continue to provide the programs and services currently offered by the library, at the same time moving us closer to the goal of having one public service department. If the library is facing major cuts in its budget, we will have to make much greater cuts than eliminating one position. We prefer to wait until and unless these cuts are necessary to propose major changes.
Duties and responsibilities of Public Services staff:
Public Services Librarian: Supervise Youth Services Librarians; schedule, train and supervise Information Station staff. (Supervise means: handle Adult Services assistant timesheet and annual review, provide input on reviews for other PS staff who work at Info Station but are reviewed by Youth Services Librarians, and conduct Info Station meetings.) Supervise library volunteer program, including Americorps member. Supervise adult materials selection. Provide leadership in committees, task forces, public presentations and other library-wide activities.
Youth Services Librarians: together they would be responsible for managing the planning and conducting of all library programming, hiring, supervising and evaluating all programming staff, preparing related budgets, timesheets. Handling in-house p.r., ordering supplies. They would also be responsible for collection development of childrens and young adult materials (the latter in a supervisory capacity only.) Participate in committees, task forces, public presentations and other library-wide activities. Nora and Ruth will be expected to make a proposal for the new job share, outlining which of these duties each will handle.
Childrens Assistants, Young Adult Assistant and Adult Services/Programming Assistant: while these staff would specialize in service to a particular age-group (and the YA Assistant may have selection responsibilities) all would receive an orientation in service to the other age groups, and each would provide official backup to another area, receiving training in that area, as well. Programming is overseen by the Co-Youth Services librarians, planned at meetings of full programming staff, and conducted primarily by assistants.
ACPL_reorg chart.ppt