Transcript Slide 1

STUDENT
ASSISTANTS 2.0
Utilizing Your Student
Assistants’ Capabilities
History
• Our Profession has been using Student
Assistants since the 1800’s
• Increasing responsibility
• From basic library processes to PseudoLibrarians
History (Cont.)
• Knowledgeable of current assignments, easily approached by other
students, the student “face” of the library
• Numerous publications available on student assistants
• Use them or no?
• How to train
• Horror Stories
Intro/Background - Delta
• Work as a team “managing” student
assistants together
• One librarian coordinates hiring and
training
• Get referrals from Student Employment
Office
• Students work at Reference desk and/or
Archives
• Also have students working in
Circulation but hired/trained separately
by another staff member
Intro/Background - CSC
• Previously - every student who wanted a job,
Got One
• Since Jan ’10 - cut the student staff by 35%
• Every student does every job
(Exceptions: ILL & Technical Services)
• What do other Institution’s students do?
(Regardless of Department)
• How much time is involved in training?
The Survey
• We used Survey Monkey with Total of 524 Respondents *
• The Survey was Divided into the Following Categories:
• General
• Circulation
• Interlibrary Loan
• Reference
• Technical Services/Acquisitions
* Not every respondent answered every question
The Survey (Cont.)
• We Sent the Survey to the Following Listservs:
• ACQNET-L (Acquisitions)
• CIRCPLUS (Public Access)
• AUTOCAT (Cataloging)
• ILL-L (Interlibrary Loan)
• COLLIB-l (College Libraries)
• CJC-l (Community / 2-year Colleges)
- Results Who Answered
23.8% (123)
43.1% (223)
33.1% (171)
2-year College
4-year College
University
- Results Satisfaction With Student Workers
Are they worth it?
Training & Supervision vs. Returns
5.2% (27)
Yes
No
94.8% (497)
Student Job Performance
11.7% (61)
0.2% (1)
24.5% (128)
Excellent
Good
Fair
Poor
63.6% (332)
88%
Tips
• 20% of comments: Performance directly related to quality and
amount of training
• Hire students as Freshman as their value & worth increase over
time
• Give responsibility and ownership
• Treat the position as a REAL job
• Behavior has to be modeled
• Expectations made clear
• Stringent interview process
• Test filing and call number reading abilities
• Be willing to weed out underperforming students
Discussion Of Overall Results
HANDOUTS
List Of Jobs From Survey
White
Sheets
General Student Tasks - Handout Info
Low - %
Medium - %
High - %
N/A -%
Q8. Student assistants independently operate public service desks
(without direct staff supervision)
4.7%
42.2%
39.2%
13.9%
Q9. Adds holds and recalls of items
9.2%
29.7%
16.2%
44.8%
Q10. Answer telephone at the service desk
24.3%
44.2%
21.4%
10.0%
Q11. Answer directional/informational questions for patrons (ex.
where is the computer lab; explain general library policies)
25.6%
48.0%
20.6%
5.8%
Q12. Library greeter
35.7%
14.8%
10.8%
38.8%
Q13. Help patrons find items on shelves
11.9%
62.1%
17.7%
8.3%
Q14. Supervise special rooms (library lounge, art gallery, music
listening room, etc)
11.1%
15.8%
6.3%
66.8%
Q15. Accept completed item request forms from patrons
(interlibrary loan form, storage retrieval, etc.)
19.1%
31.8%
13.0%
36.1%
Q16. Book and/or schedule study rooms/carrels
11.1%
20.8%
7.0%
61.2%
Q17. Light tidying of building (push in chairs, pick up trash, dust,
bulletin boards)
65.3%
11.7%
10.4%
12.6%
Q18. Clean stacks and books (dust or vacuum)
58.4%
13.1%
8.4%
20.1%
Q19. Clean equipment (computers, microfilm units, monitors,
keyboards)
48.2%
22.6%
8.6%
20.6%
Q20. Operate security desk
3.9%
10.0%
6.8%
79.3%
Q21. Student assistants independently supervise operation of
library detection gates (without direct staff supervision)
10.5%
33.0%
15.0%
41.6%
General Student Tasks - Handout Info (Cont.)
Low - %
7.7%
Medium - %
25.2%
High - %
11.8%
N/A -%
55.2%
Q23. Assist with emergencies (fire alarms, evacuation of building)
10.4%
27.5%
20.5%
41.5%
Q24. Respond to problem patrons in building
Q25. Maintain and organize Lost and Found
Q26. Assist patrons with using computers and printing
10.2%
35.9%
12.1%
18.8%
26.8%
53.4%
26.5%
6.8%
22.6%
44.6%
30.5%
11.9%
Q27. Assist patrons with using photocopiers
Q28. Maintain equipment (ex. refill paper for computers, photocopiers,
coin, etc)
16.8%
35.6%
55.5%
37.4%
17.3%
15.2%
10.5%
11.8%
Q29. Opening/closing the building with staff supervision
14.0%
40.6%
21.3%
24.1%
Q30. Open/close building without staff supervision
3.6%
13.8%
30.0%
52.6%
Q31. Open and distribute departmental mail
Q32. General departmental photocopying and collating
12.3%
29.3%
28.9%
34.2%
7.1%
9.2%
51.7%
27.3%
Q33. Record "Hours" voice mail message
Q34. Monitor departmental email account
Q35. Review & suggest changes to library procedure
9.1%
5.9%
12.8%
7.1%
5.2%
22.0%
1.4%
4.8%
21.5%
82.5%
84.1%
43.7%
Q36. Record statistics (gate count, etc)
Q37. Senior student assistants formally supervise other student assistants
28.9%
3.8%
28.5%
7.7%
12.3%
26.9%
30.3%
61.6%
5.9%
13.3%
32.7%
48.2%
Q22. Oversee library detection gates and respond to alarms - alarms are
physically isolated from staff populated areas
Q38. Senior student assistants formally train new student assistants
Circulation Student Tasks - Handout Info
Low - %
Medium - %
High - %
N/A -%
Q40. Shelve stacks and periodicals collections
7.7%
63.2%
26.9%
2.2%
Q41. Shelve other collections (media, unbound periodicals,
reserves)
6.9%
65.8%
25.3%
1.9%
Q42. Sort and pre-shelve materials for shelving
18.4%
58.5%
20.1%
3.0%
Q43. Shifting
18.2%
49.2%
27.1%
5.5%
Q44. Tidy/straighten stacks and other collections
49.2%
37.1%
12.4%
1.4%
Q45. Search for books and other items (missing, lost, claimed
returned)
7.4%
59.5%
29.2%
3.9%
Q46. Shelf reading (automated or physical)
10.8%
59.4%
26.2%
3.6%
Q47. Building pick-ups /In house collection of materials
38.9%
30.3%
10.3%
20.6%
Q48. Create new book display from scratch
9.7%
17.7%
15.5%
57.1%
Q49. Sort and maintain new book display
14.3%
28.4%
8.3%
49.0%
Q50. Retrieve items from book drop
58.8%
18.0%
12.4%
10.8%
Q51. Deliver/retrieve library materials to faculty/departments
across campus
20.8%
16.0%
4.8%
58.4%
Q52. Deliver/retrieve library materials from storage facility or
branch libraries
7.2%
11.9%
3.9%
77.0%
Q53. Retrieve library materials from open stacks for patrons
21.9%
50.6%
8.6%
18.9%
Q54. Retrieve library materials for patrons from closed stacks
8.9%
22.7%
7.8%
60.7%
Q55. Check out/renew/check in library materials
13.0%
60.4%
22.2%
4.4%
Q56. Sign out equipment to patrons (digital cameras, etc)
7.7%
40.9%
17.4%
34.0%
Circulation Student Tasks - Handout Info (Cont.)
Low - %
Medium - %
High - %
N/A -%
Q40. Shelve stacks and periodicals collections
7.7%
63.2%
26.9%
2.2%
Q41. Shelve other collections (media, unbound periodicals,
reserves)
6.9%
65.8%
25.3%
1.9%
Q42. Sort and pre-shelve materials for shelving
18.4%
58.5%
20.1%
3.0%
Q43. Shifting
18.2%
49.2%
27.1%
5.5%
Q44. Tidy/straighten stacks and other collections
49.2%
37.1%
12.4%
1.4%
Q45. Search for books and other items (missing, lost, claimed
returned)
7.4%
59.5%
29.2%
3.9%
Q46. Shelf reading (automated or physical)
10.8%
59.4%
26.2%
3.6%
Q47. Building pick-ups /In house collection of materials
38.9%
30.3%
10.3%
20.6%
Q48. Create new book display from scratch
9.7%
17.7%
15.5%
57.1%
Q49. Sort and maintain new book display
14.3%
28.4%
8.3%
49.0%
Q50. Retrieve items from book drop
58.8%
18.0%
12.4%
10.8%
Q51. Deliver/retrieve library materials to faculty/departments across
campus
20.8%
16.0%
4.8%
58.4%
Q52. Deliver/retrieve library materials from storage facility or
branch libraries
7.2%
11.9%
3.9%
77.0%
Q53. Retrieve library materials from open stacks for patrons
21.9%
50.6%
8.6%
18.9%
Q54. Retrieve library materials for patrons from closed stacks
8.9%
22.7%
7.8%
60.7%
Q55. Check out/renew/check in library materials
13.0%
60.4%
22.2%
4.4%
Q56. Sign out equipment to patrons (digital cameras, etc)
7.7%
40.9%
17.4%
34.0%
Interlibrary Loan Student Tasks – Handout Info
Low - %
Medium - %
High - %
N/A -%
Q76. Pull books and other items for ILL
16.4%
55.1%
16.8%
11.7%
Q77. Check out ILL materials to patrons/borrowing
libraries
6.7%
40.6%
20.9%
31.9%
Q78. Renew ILL materials
4.4%
23.0%
13.9%
58.7%
Q79. Communicate (by telephone, email, etc.) with
other libraries on circulation related issues (overdues,
etc.)
5.1%
8.7%
14.2%
72.0%
Q80. Work with staff on ILL problems
5.5%
30.6%
26.7%
37.3%
Q81. Preliminary processing of ILL request forms
5.1%
28.7%
22.8%
43.3%
Q82. Pack/unpack ILL shipments (OCLC or other)
19.6%
36.5%
14.5%
29.4%
Q83. Order ILL materials
3.9%
7.5%
17.6%
71.0%
Q84. Photocopy/scan ILL articles
18.6%
41.5%
17.0%
22.9%
Q85. Process and send ILL articles electronically, fax,
mail
4.7%
26.8%
24.0%
44.5%
Q86. Process physical ILL books and items
9.1%
31.2%
23.7%
36.0%
Q87. File ILL paperwork
12.2%
26.4%
12.6%
48.8%
Reference Student Tasks – Handout Info
Low - %
Medium - %
High - %
N/A -%
Q90. Answer directional questions
34.3%
42.6%
12.5%
10.6%
Q91. Assist patrons with online catalog
7.5%
52.8%
24.2%
15.5%
Q92. Assist patrons with database usage (print or
save, etc.)
7.2%
40.8%
33.2%
18.9%
Q93. Assist patrons with basic reference questions
6.0%
33.6%
27.5%
32.8%
Q94. Answer a detailed and involved reference
question
6.8%
2.3%
29.1%
61.9%
Q95. Help patrons find materials in open stacks
14.3%
58.9%
14.7%
12.1%
Q96. Teach patrons the basic use of a specific
database
5.7%
24.6%
29.5%
40.2%
Q97. Maintain listing of periodical holdings
5.7%
11.0%
8.3%
75.0%
Q98. Assist in distribution of a collection (organize
items, pull items requested by others, etc)
10.6%
33.6%
9.4%
46.4%
Q99. Assist patrons with microform units
6.8%
28.5%
14.4%
50.2%
Tech Services/Acquisitions Student Tasks - Handout Info
Low - %
Medium - %
High - %
N/A -%
Q102. Add tattle tape to materials
28.7%
36.2%
8.7%
26.4%
Q103. Add book covers to books
14.7%
39.1%
11.3%
35.0%
Q104. Basic book repair (taping a book, etc)
10.2%
36.0%
15.9%
37.9%
Q105. Advanced book repair (tipping in pages, gluing a
binding, etc)
4.9%
11.7%
26.5%
56.8%
Q106. Receive/process purchased materials
5.7%
34.3%
16.2%
43.8%
Q107. Pack/unpack shipment to outside bindery
14.7%
24.2%
6.4%
54.7%
Q108. Pull unbound periodicals for bindery/discard
14.1%
30.8%
11.4%
43.7%
Q109. Weed/recycle newspapers
30.6%
30.9%
10.2%
28.3%
Q110. Alter records in online catalog
3.0%
6.8%
28.5%
61.6%
Q111. Alter records in OCLC
3.0%
1.1%
13.6%
82.2%
Additional Jobs
Yellow
Sheet
Summary of Tasks not Listed in Survey – Handout Info
accept donations (1)
maintain packing/workroom supplies (2)
activate holdings in SFX (1)
maintain website (2)
authority control (5)
make photo ID cards for students (6)
building rounds (1)
manage guest computer use/log in (2)
call in building problems (1)
monitor group studies (1)
call/email patrons regarding overdue ILL (2)
organize book sales (1)
check in periodicals (1)
organize office supplies (1)
check returned laptops for damage/problems (1)
physical processing of items: labels, stickers, stamps, due date slips (23)
cleaning items: CDs,
pre-processing: duplicate checks, finding bibs, etc. (5)
DVDs (2)
preview trials (3)
clerical/filing (3)
rearrange furniture/rooms for events (1)
copy cataloging (17)
remind patrons of rules (1)
count patrons in building prior hourly prior to closing (2)
research articles in electronic databases for patrons (1)
create and pay purchase orders/invoices (3)
creating training material for other students (1)
scanning: reserve materials, items for digital repository, for
staff/faculty/students (4)
search catalog/databases for local holdings for collection development
(4)
sort recyclables (1)
distribute surveys (2)
special projects (7)
create flyers/brochures for library events/services (1)
gift book processing: unpacking, cleaning, search/see if library owns (5) statistics (7)
government document processing (3)
take lost items to campus safety (1)
inventory (6)
water plants (2)
laminate items for patrons (1)
weeding/packing discards (6)
Future Research
• Conduct a survey with a random sample
• Focus a survey on a school type (community
college, 4-year college, university)
• Focus survey questions on a type of library
student assistant (circulation, reference,
technical services)
• Conduct a survey of library student assistants
regarding their satisfaction with library
employment
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Carla M. Gruen, MLIS
Public Services Librarian &
Student Assistant Manager
Chadron State College
308-432-6271
[email protected]
Anne M. Wooden
Government Documents / Reference Librarian &
Technical Services Manager
Delta College
989-686-9560
[email protected]