1. LAII Voices ProjectsHRLessons Supervisor Voice Revised objectivesBeginningQuestions?Schedule IIAssess III Pollak Library Phase IIIntro Schedule III Assess I FuturePhase III Cross Train Schedule IAssess II OuttakesObjectivesPeopleCurrent Those who left 1 2 2 3 4/23/2015 4 2 2 52

2. Rosemary McGill 1950-2008 This presentation is dedicated to our colleague, Rosemary, who was a guiding proponent of the flexible job description and contributed to its early success →

3. Three Years (and Counting) of Being Flexible in a Rigid World ACRL 2009 Cal State San Bernardino: Les Kong - Chair, Public Services (Moderator) Cal State Fullerton: Clay Gediman - Irvine Campus Librarian Elizabeth Housewright – Associate Univ. Librarian Ron Rodriguez – Access Services Head → 4/23/20153

4. Circulation Desk → 4/23/20154

5. Audiovisual & Curriculum Materials Center Desk → 4/23/20155

6. Reference Desk → 4/23/20156

7. Irvine Campus Library → 4/23/20157

8. 8 Pollak Library, California State University Fullerton →

9. HRHR: Library Assistant Classification LAI: Incumbents perform work that is routine and repetitive in nature. Tasks are well defined. LAII: May be expected to make decisions about routine matters and use some judgment regarding the application of general instructions; May suggest ways to improve current procedures and methods LAIII: Work assignments are complex and varied, often outside the scope of standard practices and established guidelines LAIV: Perform the most challenging, exceptional, or complex assignments in one or more area(s) of the library http://www.calstate.edu/HRAdm/Classification/R07/Library_Assistant_Series.pdf 9 → 4/23/2015

10. BeginningBeginning: Pollak Library June 2004 Transitions: Access Services Unit Head Leaves Budget cuts, hiring freezes Strategies: Acting Head Org Chart changes 10 → 4/23/2015

11. Phase I: August 2004 Phase I One description, multiple hires Supervisor:  ACC Desk Coordinator Location:  Public Services Desks at Main and Irvine Campuses Hours:  Irregular schedule; M-F & weekends Duties:  All LA II Level  Will open and/or close the library  Will work at multiple public access desks (all include circulation)  Acts as desk “supervisor” and/or works alone as primary resource  75% at desk; 25% projects 11 → 4/23/2015

12. Schedule I Desk Duties (75%)  Assist with centralizing policies & training for all public service desk students & provide direct feedback on performance to appropriate student supervisor (ALL)  Check-in, check-out, & renew general circulating & reserve materials &/or direct workflow & student assts as they perform these duties.(AVCMC, CIRC, IC)  Projects (20%)  Miscellaneous (5%)  Lead: AVCMC Head  Supervisor: Housewright 12 Schedule: M: 12-11 PM; afternoon in AVCMC/CIRC, evening includes closing ER T: 12-11 PM; afternoon including 1-2 hours in ER plus projects, evening including closing in CIRC W: 8:30AM-7:00 PM at Irvine Campus Th: flexible schedule to be arranged with Lead and including hours in AVCMC & CIRC → 4/23/2015

13. Phase II Schedule IRVINE CAMPUS LIBRARY CURRICULUM MATERIALS CENTER CIRCULATION CIRC DESK SUPERVISOR 8-101112123456-8 MON8:307:30 TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN11:30 → 4/23/201513

14. Phase III Schedule Now handled as part of Overall Schedule: Covers 11 (4 are flex team) Daily schedule: time in/time out Covers: –Circulation Desk –Audiovisual & Curriculum Materials Center Desk –Interlibrary Loan –Irvine Campus Library –Reference Desk (if needed) 4/23/201514 →

15. 2d Assessment 2d Assessment 10-30-06 Concerns from LA II’s Make schedules, procedures/processes more standardized and/or uniform Student employees should be kept to same expectations as employees in terms of attendance and being on-time Delegation should be done with trust and minimal oversight Is it better to know a lot in service delivery yet not know it in-depth? Concerns from the Section Coordinators Behavior and manifestations of independence by LA II’s is questionable The more frequent movement of LA II’s from task to task in work areas may cause disjointed service delivery 4/23/201515 →

16. 3d Assessment 3d Assessment 8-7-07 SWOT Method Utilized Strengths Grouped desks in one room promotes collaboration among colleagues and facilitates problem solving Cross-training is paying dividends in scheduling, “back-up” duties, standardization, team spirit and responsiveness to changing situations Weaknesses “Jack of all trades and master of none” still apparent The need for strong and consistent communication is more critical, i.e., when changes in schedule made or changes in procedure The section coordinator’s support or non-support of the flexible team concept has a real effect on LA II’s 4/23/201516 →

17. 3d Assessment 3d Assessment continued Opportunities Improvements in areas of communication, coordination, professional relationships Increased perception of job satisfaction, i.e. learning new duties, increased professionalization, resume building opportunities Ability to deal effectively with changes is evident Threats Too few flex team members reduces ability to respond in widest possible manner Standardization and streamlining workflow can be problematic in a workforce with various points of view and can cause flex team frustration Traditional dedicated staffing can look appealing at times 4/23/201517 →

18. 4/23/2015 18 Assessment Uncertainty principle: –It is meaningless to ask about the frequency spectrum at a single moment in time, because the measure of frequency is the measure of a repetition recurring over a period of time. Observer effect: –the measurement of position necessarily disturbs a particle's momentum, and vice versa →

19. 4/23/201519 Another way to look at it…. An episode of the popular Matt Groening cartoon Futurama features the crew of the Planet Express at the horse races. Professor Farnsworth exclaims angrily after his favored horse loses in a "quantum finish" "No fair! You changed the outcome by measuring it!". Futurama →

20. Sample of Early Cross-training statusCross-training LAII's Experience Circulation Audio Visual Electronic Resources Irvine Campus A.M. C.S. C. G. D.M. D.D. E.K. J.H. No experience Current semester One semester Two or more semesters 4/23/201520 →

21. 21 Projects: Sample Phase I Library Goal: Cross-train staff to schedule desks, work with student payroll Project: Scheduling/SBCS: Draft or finalize schedule for section service points/tasks as appropriate. Learn payroll process in SBCS at least at backup level. Skills: Ability to work with complex scheduling and within allocation parameters and legal guidelines Status: Ongoing Responsibility: All LAIIs should learn, may be assigned as occasional or ongoing task as time and expertise permits → 4/23/2015

22. 22 ProjectsProjects: Samples Phase II Library Goal: Use data to inform future directions of services Project 1: Millennium Statistics Skills: Analyze information available and value of information to various sections or projects, document the process and create an ongoing schedule Status: NewResponsibility: Anh/Dan Project 2: Millennium Statistics Skills: Create succinct and useful monthly reports for Circulation Status: NewResponsibility: Anh/Dan → 4/23/2015

23. Sample project “grid” used in Phase III CirculationAVCMC Facilities/Safety Specialist Study Room specialist and consultant Lost and Found Specialist CSO/Police Liaison Building Marshal Report and survey maintenance issues → 4/23/201523

24. Objectives Need staffing across unit Want to preserve flexibility for new Head to be hired Cross-trained, flexible staffing for public service desks –Promote standardization of services, processes –Provide backup where needed –Streamline training, create documentation –Better able to respond to changing needs Security concerns: staff in the building nights/weekends Task and project support: documentation, training, data collection and analysis, etc. 24 4/23/2015 →

25. Revised Objectives Revised Objectives of the Mobile Access Team (Access Flex Team) Maximum flexibility for public service desks Responding to changing needs; providing service where needed Standardization of services, processes, etc. Tasks and project support Security at night Cross training/back-up 4/23/2015 25 →

26. 2009 Objectives2009 Objectives: a work in progress Offer maximum flexibility for public service desks and projects Respond to changing needs; provide service where needed Continue to increase standardization and streamline workflow As work becomes more routinized and standardized allow reasonable flexibility for occasional exceptions Provide assistance to security at night Take advantage of cross training/”back-up” training → 4/23/201526

27. Assessment IAssessment I: Summer 2005 Assessment 3 sessions; 1 with LAIIs only What we tried/what we did Training (for all Access) Patriot Act; Emergency Procedures; Branch Campus; Reference Changes Project definitions Assignments by semester New Assignments for Fall Schedules, supervisors, projects change 27 4/23/2015 →

28. Future 4/23/201528 Will likely hire more into LAII flex team as budget permits: faster mobility as changes keep coming Have extended concept to other LAII jobs, just starting implementation: Acquisitions, Serials and Interlibrary Loan Depending on projections of future needs (in Reference, in ILL, at AVCMC desk) description may need to be revised →

29. Current 4/23/2015 29 Have 4 who have moved on to other jobs (2 as librarians, 2 outside of libraries) Currently 4 actively working in Access Flex Team Circulation; AVCMC; Reference; and Irvine Campus Added 2 LAI, CIRC only jobs – depth in key desk, gives us a “feeder” from student assistants to LAII jobs →

30. How have objectives evolved? How have objectives evolved? Aka stuff happens… New Media Commons debuted in 2008; designed to be administered minimally by staff 24/7 digitized access to media phased out due to company folding in late 2008 Student budget cut 17% beginning in summer 2008 Loss of one Library Assistant II in spring 2009 ARES debuts in spring 2009 as the new reserves management system → 4/23/201530

31. Phase II summary 31 Dates:April 2006-2007 Supervisor: Ron Rodriguez Title: MAT (Mobile Access Team) Major Changes: Requisition form What do supervisors need? What do LAIIs want to do? Empowerment (schedules, projects) 4/23/2015 →

32. Phase II Phase II Assignments: Fall ‘06 MainBack-up Student Coordinating SpecialistCSEK Fines / Material Damage Assessment SpecialistJHCS Data Base SpecialistEKCG Patron Privilege SpecialistAMJH Facilities / Safety SpecialistCGAM Library Promotion and Outreach SpecialistAM, CG Material Management and Placement SpecialistJH, AM Reference Desk Support SpecialistEK, CG, AM AVCMC Public Service Desk SpecialistJH, CSAM AVCMC Student Coordinating SpecialistJHCS IrvineAM, CG, EK Circ SupervisorEveryone 4/23/201532 →

33. Phase III summary 33 Dates:2007 - current Supervisor: Circulation Section Head Title: Access Flex Team (AFT) Major Changes: Centralized office Matrix assignment sheet updated yearly 4/23/2015 →

34. Lessons Learned The idea is good; accepting the challenge of working in a flex environment can be difficult for LAIIs and section heads. Office grouping is beneficial for collaboration and teamwork, but at the expense of privacy Early empowerment of this group has made them more free to experiment for the benefit of the organization; level of engagement is extraordinary. Is attention from administration good or bad? Cross-training really does make it easier to weather changes →

35. LAII Overview Unit HeadCGJHDMDDCSAMEKDPGV# Jun-04TL0 Sep-04EH 3 Dec-04EH 3 Jun-05EH 4 Mar-06EH 7 Jun-06RR 6 Jun-07RR 5 Dec-07RR 4 2008RR 5 2009RR 4 →

36. Those who left…. Some Pros: Flexible schedules (closing/opening shifts, 4 day weeks) Able to answer questions and problems at all desks (AV as well as Circ questions) Choice of location which provided us with unique experience and skills. (ILL, Irvine Campus Library) 36 →

37. Those who left…. Some Cons: Crazy desk schedule (one hour in AV, next hour in Circ) Inconsistency in schedule. One or two hours in a certain location per week wasn’t enough to get fully trained Student workers didn’t tend to view LA II's as supervisors Some, not all, LA II's were placed at the reference desk All LA II's were not necessarily given equal skills. For instance, only some LA II's were given the privilege to handle billed books. Inconsistent Desk hours. Sick LA II's forced a scramble to cover the desk. 37 →

38. 4/23/201538 Thanks for coming!