Workload and Staffing Patterns Meeting Highlights Form

ALA Midwinter Meeting 2007, Seattle, WA

Sylvia Mora-Ona - January 22, 2007

The committee discussed at the committee charge vis a vis the fact that the committee felt that the whole purpose of the All committee meetings is to produce programs of interest to be presented at PLA and ALA.  It has worked for PLA.

The committee discussed past programs as well as the program which will be presented in Washington this June: “Survivor: Staff Redistribution during trying Times.”  We enlisted one of the committee members, Ruth Barefoot, to be one of the speakers in June.

The committee felt that the name of the committee should be changed to Staff Issues since most PLA members think that the committee will provide ideas on how to get more staff rather than the reality of using the staff that one already has more creatively.  I will be getting together with Ann Cousineau to develop the new charge for PLA Board Review.

The committee wants to begin working on best practices for staffing.  I will be polling the committee to see what we want to work on between now and June.

Members present: Sylvia Mora-Ona, Ruth Barefoot, Anne Haines, Joel White, Ann Cousineau

Members absent: Yuan-Shang His, Katy Curl, Claudya Muller, Gleniece Robinson

Visitors: Nathan Parker, Chicago Public; Valerie Rowe-Jackson, Richland  Public; Brian Bannon, San Francisco Public; Cindy Gibbon, Multnomah county

ALA Annual Conference, 2006, New Orleans, LA

Regina Greer Gooper - June 25, 2006

We sponsored a program on Monday June 26, 2006 from 10:30 - 12:00 noon, called "From the Inside Out: How to Sell New Service Models to Reluctant Staff."  Panelists Mary Anne Hodel, Orange County Public library; Deidre Brennan, Boston Public; and Jane Light, San Jose Public spoke to a standing room only crowd.  We have not yet heard from ALA about our program proposal.  ("Survivor @ the library: staff redistribution in Trying Times") for ALA 2007. 

The discussion group met on Saturday.  Sylvia will take over the email list for notification.  We discussed partnering with LAMA or YALSO for future programs.  Potential topics include what things do we count to be relevant, how to serve with short staffs, hiring teems for a variety of jobs.

Members present: Regina Cooper, Patrick Jones, Sylvia Mora-Ona, Claudya Muller

Members absent: Yuan-Shang Hsi, Nathan Parker, Gleniece Robinson, Terence Lynch

Visitors: Anne Haimes, Ruth Barefoot, Anne Marie Gold

ALA Midwinter Meeting, 2006, San Antonio, TX

CHAIR OR REPRESENTATIVE: Regina Greer Cooper

DATE(s) OF MEETING(s): January 22, 2006

We had an update on our PLA Boston program which is called, “Funding, Politics & Standards”, to be held March 23 from 8:30 to 9:45 a.m.   Next week there will be a conference call among Sylvia Moro-Ono who is coordinating the program and our three speakers:   Raymond Santiago, Miami Public Library; Donna Schremser, Huntsville-Madison County Public Library; & William Dietz, Queens Library, to work out final details for their presentations.  Committee members attending PLA were asked to come thirty minutes early and help set up for the program.

There was a mix-up with information about approval information for our ALA New Orleans program, so time and date is not yet available.   It has been approved, however, and Regina will email everyone the date and time, as soon as she is notified.   The program is “From The Inside out:  How To Sell New Service Models To Reluctant Staff”.  In fact, one of our guests posed this very question in the course of our meeting and we suggested that we hope it will be answered with our program.  Our speakers are Mary Anne Hodel, Orange County Library System; Deirdre Brennan, Boston Public Library; and Jane Light, San Jose Public Library.

We decided to propose a program for ALA, 2007, concerning staff redistribution to branches or departments.   Possible speakers could come from Multnomah County, the City of Los Angeles or Brooklyn Public Library.   Constance His will work on this proposal with the help of Sylvia Moro-Ono.  Regina will email the committee to ask for input for a program title and other potential speakers.

Members present (please name):   Regina Greer Cooper, Chair, Sylvia Mora-Ono, Yuan-Shang Constance Hsi

Members absent (please name):Patrick Scott Jones, Claudya Muller, Nathan Parker, Gleniece A. Robinson

Visitors (please name): JoAnn Schindler, Cindy Gibbon, Joel White, Stephen C. Klein, Lori Carson, William Dietz

ALA Midwinter Meeting 2005, Boston, MA

Regina Greer Cooper, Chair
1/16/05

Plans were finalized for the program; "Staff Design: Changing Roles for Evolving Services & Technologies" to be presented at ALA in Chicago, June 25. Jeannie Goodrich has submitted an article to Public Libraries about the results of the Workload Survey done in 2003. It will be published in September 2005.

We have submitted a program proposal for PLA in Boston, 2006, "Funding, Politics & Standards-Realities In Public Libraries". We began planning for a program;"From the Inside Out: How to Affect Changing Roles with Reluctant Staff". We also will start an email notification list for the discussion groups meetings at Midwinter & Summer ALA.

Members present: Regina Greer Cooper, Yuan-Shang, Constance Itsi, Patrick Scott Jones, Sylvia Moro-Ona, Barbara Norland, Bruce P. Schauer, Peggy A. Skotnicki.

Members absent: Nathan Parker, Craig Shufelt

ALA Annual Conference 2004, Orlando, FL

Susan Hildreth, Chair
6/27/04

Several committee members reported they would be attending the discussion session sponsored by the committee at 11:30.

Committee members asked about next year's chair. Susan reported that Jean Tabor, Cluster Chair will be making the appointments. Several members indicated that they would be interested in remaining on the committee for another term.

Peggy, Elleene and Cindy briefly described their program from the day before, which led to a discussion of the program proposal by Bruce for ALA, 2005 (copies given to all). This 2005 program proposal is not yet accepted by the Program Committee.

The committee as a whole discussed whether we want to present a program at PLA 2006. No decision was made, although many commented that people are very interested in this topic and seem hungry for information.Sylvia More-Ona agreed to assist in developing the program.

Bruce explained the history of the committee's survey and consultant Jeanne Goodrich spoke to her analysis of the results. Susan asked if Jeanne would write an article for Public Libraries about the survey results. Jeanne said she would pursue with PLA office.

Susan urged members to use the Discussion List and Barbara agreed to be the moderator of that list for the coming year.

Members present: Bruce Schauer, Barbara Norland, Elleene Morgan, Peggy Skotnicki, Sylvia Mora-Ona and Susan Hildreth

Visitors: Cindy Gibbons, Jeanne Goodrich

ALA Midwinter Conference 2004, San Diego, CA

Susan Hildreth, Chair
1/11/04

Bruce Schauer reported on workload measures/staffing patterns survey conducted in fall 2003. Data has been compiled and is being analyzed by Jeanne Goodrich, who will present findings at Annual.

Made final plans for Seattle program, "Staffing for Results-A Reality Check"

Confirmed plans for Orlando program cosponsored with Metropolitan Libraries, "Just the Facts: Analyzing Workload Measures".

Brainstormed ideas to engage listserv subscribers

Discussed plans for 2005 conference program on impact of new service models on staffing.

Talked about possible choices for next year. Elleene Morgan and Bruce Schauer formulated the discussion group.

Members present: Regina Cooper, Susan Hildreth, Elleene Morgan, Barbara Norland, Nathan Parber, Bruce Schauer

Members absent: Yuan-Shang Hsi (stopped by but was at another mtg.), Sylvia Mora-Ona, Yvetter Shevey, Craig Shufelt, Peggy Skotwicki

Visitors: Michael Clegg

ALA Annual Conference 2003

Susan Hildreth, Chair
June 22. 2003

We have established a listserv and formulated a survey on staffing patterns per PLA's Long Range Plan. We are planning a program for PLA Seattle and for Annual in Orlando. The Committee will focus on promoting the survey and analyzing results in the next few months.

Members: Susan Hildreth, Regina Cooper, Deborah Grodinsky, Elleene Jones Morgan, Nathan Parker, Bruce Schauer, Peggy Skotnicky

Absent: Joanne Hazelden, Valerie Kilmartin, Yvette Shane, Christine Gramm, electronic

Visitors: Barbara Norland - member 7/03, Thad Hartman

Annual Conference 2002

Irene Blalock, Chair
Sunday, June 16, 2002

The Workload Committee met during the PLA All Committee time slot at the Hyatt Hotel. We had a lively discussion of where the committee would head in the foreseeable future. The Committee will focus on developing a listserv and hosting a meaningful discussion at ALA Midwinter and ALA Annual and plan programs for PLA National conferences where they will have a greater impact. We will publicize the issues to be discussed at our discussion meeting and will try to recruit people to attend who have specific expertise in the advertised topics of discussion.

The discussion session which followed the committee's business meeting was well attended. All together we had a bout twenty-five people at the meeting. As usual the discussion was mainly centered on technology and its demands on staff and the changes needed in traditional work patterns to handle the demand.

Members Present: Irene Blalock, Chuck Koutnik, Bruce Schauer, Susan Hildreth, Rebecca Teasdale, Peggy Skotnicki, Deborah Grodinsky

Members Absent: Bonnie Birman, Janice R. Bradley, Sandra Gillman, Ellene Jones Morgan, Louise Sevold, Christine Gramm

Visitors: Issues & Concerns Liason-Donna Joy Burke, Scott Firestine, Nathan Parker

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