Access services students

Hello!

This note is for the access services students: your sections are up on your schedules.  If you don't have a section and do have an access service shift it means you are shifting when you have an open shift.

Your section is the area of the library that you are responsible for.  You are to make sure that the section is in order, looks nice and there aren't sections with too many books on one shelf.  Also, you should make sure that the signs at the end of the rows are accurate.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Heidi

Response to suggestion that we offer longer work shifts

During the Assessment Activity at the Student Assistant Orientation, it was suggested that we should allow students to work in longer shifts during the academic term. Although I can respect that longer shifts may be appealing to some, I do not feel that it is feasible for us to offer this option.  Here are a few reasons why:

*Many of you have indicated that you like the fact that we don’t hassle you or expect you to get coverage for your shift when you are ill, have an emergency situation, etc. We try to respect your need for time off when we can, but the bottom line is that we need to make sure we have enough staff in the building to maintain normal operations. This is sometimes challenging for a 2-3 hour shift, but each hour added to that shift makes it increasingly difficult to cover your duties when you are unexpectedly absent.  

*Perhaps one of the most common responses we received during the assessment activity was that you like that we are flexible enough in our scheduling to accommodate most of your schedule preferences. And let’s face it, some of your schedules are pretty crazy! Assigning your work schedules for the term is a complicated process, and our ability to honor most of your schedule requests is very directly related to the length of our work shifts. Allowing longer work shifts would make this process even more challenging, and we would lose some of the options that accommodate busy schedules.

*We are legally required to give any staff member who works 4 consecutive hours a 15 minute unpaid break. If we were to allow 4 hour (or longer) shifts, we would need to plan for coverage during break times. This would add one more factor to that complex scheduling matrix, and flexible scheduling would again be at risk.

Always feel free to share ideas for improvement!  We can’t always act on those ideas, but every suggestion will be heard and considered.

Assessment Activty Results

Thanks to all of you who took a few minutes during the Student Assistant Orientation to give us some thoughtful comments and suggestions about how we are doing with the student assistant program and library services. While we may have spent the first few days chuckling over some of your humorous suggestions, we have since been contemplating ways we might incorporate or implement some of your great ideas. Throughout the next several weeks I will be using this blog to share with you both suggestions that we will be able to act on as well as explanations for why other great ideas are not feasible at this time. Please feel free to use the comment section to share other thoughts or ideas as appropriate.

To get us started, I want you to know that we are in the process of purchasing a number of wall chargers (both Apple and Android) and two power banks that will be available for loan for short term use. Patrons will be required to leave an ID at the desk while they have these items.

We appreciate the suggestion to add these items to our services. Once we have the items ready for use, we will need to get the word out to students to let them know they are available.  Please use the comments section below to give us ideas on how best to advertise this service!

Picnic Pictures!

Uh, there are some amazing pictures from last year's picnic.  I just have to share them.  Thank you Tom for the awesome pictures!

Schedules are up!

Hello!

The schedules for the rest of the term are up on the website.  Please be sure to take a look and let me know if you have any conflicts by Thursday.

Thanks!
Heidi

Staff Update

A number of staff changes occurred over the summer, and I want to make sure you all are up to date on current staffing:

Emily Prather Rogers left North Central at the end of July.  I think most of you were aware that Emily was leaving.  Our new Technical Services Coordinator is Amanda Kaiser.  Amanda's first day will be on Tuesday, September 15th.  As you all settle in to a new school year, please be sure to welcome Amanda as well!

Nancy Kamrath's retirement was official on June 12th.  We have not yet hire a replacement for this position.  Hopefully once Amanda gets settled in to her new role we will be able to move forward with this position as well.

Many of you may not be aware the Aimee Walker has also left North Central.  Aimee moved to a position at Joliet Junior College in mid-August.  We are currently seeking a replacement for this position and hope to have an announcement of a replacement in the next few weeks.

Welcome Back!

Hello!

Welcome back!  Please remember that your schedules start Monday, September 14th.  Please come in and see me or Belinda sometime between 7:45am and 4:30pm on Monday, September 14th to check in and go over a few things.

Looking forward to seeing you!
Heidi