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Page 17 Vol. 67, No. 1, Spring 2003 Mississippi Librariesdepartment, by format, or even a combinationof both. Work or special projectscan be assigned according to the expertiseor experience of the employee.Some libraries with relatively large staffsmay divide the workload by subject, perhapsin workgroups or teams with subjectexpertise. Medium-sized libraries maydivide work primarily by format, assigningall subjects in one format to an individualor team with experience in the form, suchas videorecordings or serials. Catalogersin small libraries must be complete generalistsin cataloging for all subjects in allformats. Another way to divide labor isby function: cataloging at point of order;copy cataloging; and edit and original catalogingaccording to the volume of materials,the expertise required, and/or therate of delivery expected.Carefully written job descriptions spellout the expectations for staff and shouldbe reviewed annually and updatedpromptly as tasks and assignmentschange, or when technology impacts theway things are done. Job or desk auditsmay be warranted when significantchanges are made. The introduction ofautomation and software applications willlikely alter workflow and present newchallenges and training opportunities incataloging. Software applications thatmake work easier and less labor-intensive,usually reducing the workload, will alsoallow for new assignments to be made,which should be reflected on job descriptionsas soon as possible.DOCUMENTING THE WORKWell-run departments in technical serviceshave documentation for every policy,every task, every process and every procedure.Keeping departmental documentationup to date is a challenge, but withoutwritten policies and procedures, there areno standards established to maintain consistencyin daily practice. Much of the frustrationamong staff can be resolved withwritten procedures that clearly explain howto perform routine tasks. The best way toprovide departmental documentation is bycreating and maintaining a Web page.Web pages are easy to maintain, and areaccessible by everyone in the department.Whenever a new employee is beingtrained, see it as an opportunity to improveupon the written procedures or policies, ashis/her questions will elicit a little moreclarification that needs to be incorporatedin the documentation. Periodically evaluatethe policies and procedures performedin routine tasks and question if they are stillrelevant. You might be surprised that youcannot justify every one of them in light ofnew technology or new rules that willchange cataloging procedures and processingof materials.Writing monthly and annual reports isan excellent method of documenting whatyour department has achieved, why it wassuccessful – or not. Statistics explain betterthan words, particularly when comparedmonth-to-month and year-to-year.Statistics of work performed may justifyadditional training, equipment and staffsupport. They also back up your claimsthat you have an outstanding, well-trainedand productive department. Statisticsdocument your failures too, which is ultimatelyyour responsibility as a manager;whereas the success you achieve is successshared by those you supervise.SUPERVISORY SKILLSNo one was born a supervisor, butthere are attributes of a good supervisorthat can be learned. Professional readingof general works on management andsupervision is a good place to start. Theattributes of good supervision apply to anyworkplace, and a cataloging departmenthas the same need for good supervisorytechniques. Supervision of others can bechallenging and gratifying at the sametime. It takes a special kind of courage towant to supervise and motivate otherstoward a common goal. It is communicatingthe departmental vision and goals firstthat will guide others to follow a design. Amanager must constantly remind himselfand others of the primary purpose of thedepartment and not be sidetracked bypolitical or economic distractions.Leadership in management involves settingthe example for the department as aOUR SERVICE ISUNSURPASSEDBinding periodicals and rebindingbooks in quality bindings is ourbusiness, and has been since 1912.Less expensive Adhesive Type Bindingsavailable upon request.We take pride that our workmanship,materials and service are amongthe best in the industry.100 Hembree Park DriveP. O. Box 428Roswell, GA 30077-9998Telephone 770-442-5490 FAX 770-442-0183An Equal Opportunity EmployerNational Library Bindery Co. of Ga., Inc.A CERTIFIED LIBRARY BINDERY
Mississippi Libraries Vol. 67, No. 1, Spring 2003 Page 18whole. If the manager is late each morning,in a foul mood, and habitually barkingat everyone, the cataloging staff will correspondinglybecome undisciplined in time.Providing a standard through one’s ownwork ethic is important: as the saying goes,“talk the talk” and “walk the walk.” Providingleadership also means being the singlemost vocal advocate for the department’sneeds and resources. These resourcesinclude a well-trained staff and equipmentthat is in good working condition in anergonomic work environment, and they arethe foundation of a productive workplace.Communication is the key to overallsuccess in any kind of group who worktogether. It begins with the manager settingpriorities that are consistent with the visionand goals of the library and department.Regular meetings, shared governance, writtendocumentation, electronic mail andmonthly reports are all methods of keepingyour staff informed about events, policies,and new procedures that impact their workdirectly. Failure in these areas of communicationis the primary reason for a breakdownin successful supervision.Invite continual evaluation for and byyour employees. Every day there is anopportunity to ask, “How can we do thisbetter?” or “How can we do that more efficiently?”Addressing the quality of thework or task rather than the individualkeeps the focus on the end product and notthe personality of an employee. Most peoplewant to perform their best, want toplease others, and want to be recognizedwhen they are successful. A manager isresponsible for identifying an employee’sweaknesses and then doing somethingabout them. This may mean career counseling,providing additional training, oradjusting the workload to provide an opportunityfor a more productive but realisticperformance. It is never enough to pointout a fault; some specific remedy should besuggested. On average, the department asa whole will produce the required results.Employees will never be entirely equal intheir skills and expertise. More seasonedemployees will simply know more than anew employee for a time. However, thereare tasks appropriate for every skill set, andgiving work assignments accordingly willensure success of the whole.Trust and respect for others is essentialto a harmonious workforce. As in anywork environment, the golden rule is anexcellent guideline for all who worktogether. Practice it daily.SERVING PUBLIC SERVICESA service orientation is key to gainingthe respect and appreciation of public servicesin your library. Service to the enduser is the single most important reasonfor all the work performed in the catalogingdepartment. Although not in directsight of public service units or the libraryuser, cataloging managers and staff shouldhave the users’ best interests in mind withevery priority, every decision, and everyitem cataloged and processed. Be awarethat the public services staff is on the frontlines providing and mediating information;they are only as successful as the onlinecatalog is well-designed and maintained toperform access and retrieval of information.Their success or lack of it is thereforea reflection of the services the catalogingdepartment provides. A strong serviceorientation to both public services andthe end user should be fundamental to ourjobs in cataloging.SOURCES:Maxwell, John C. Developing the Leader WithinYou. 2nd rev. ed. Nashville: ThomasNelson, 2000.Maxwell, John C. The 17 Indisputable Laws ofTeamwork: Embrace Them and EmpowerYour Team. Nashville: Thomas Nelson,2001.Walton, Mary. The Deming ManagementMethod. New York: Perigee Books, 1986.
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