CASE STUDY: Whose Job Is It, Anyway?

Moran was determined to keep the cuts from impacting service as much as possible. Like a good general, she allowed her MLS-trained troops to bear most of the burden. When several of them were lost in the fray, she called up replacements from the rank and file of paraprofessionals on staff, several, but not all, of whom were enrolled in library school.

"Bernzi, can I speak to you a minute?" Moran said.

"What can I do for you?" Albert Bernzweig answered, putting down books he was reshelving from an overloaded cart.

"Since we had to let Louise go, I'm going to need you to start manning the reference desk for a few hours every afternoon. And Stella," Moran said to Stella Dembowski, pushing her own cart, "can you help the patrons learning to use our computer resources such as the OPAC and the databases and searching the Internet?"

"Okay, I guess," Bernzi said.

Dembowski simply shrugged her shoulders.

"Good. I'll have Maggie set up a schedule for you. Thanks." Moran smiled and went off in search of other support staff for reassignment.

A week later, Assistant Director Margaret Mott entered Moran's office looking none too happy.

"We need to talk," Mott said, collapsing into the chair facing Moran's desk.

"What's up?" the director asked.

"The natives are revolting," Mott said. "I've been trying to put the support staff through their paces in their new duties, but there's a lot of grumbling about it. They had it out with me yesterday."

"What happened?"

"Well, Bernzi, Stella, and a few of the others feel that they're being taken advantage of," explained Mott. "Albert doesn't know how to work the reference desk and feels stupid when he can't give people the right information. Stella doesn't really know anything about the databases we have, and her Internet searching abilities are pretty much limited to using Google, which isn't the most reliable resource. Patrons also can do that at home."

"Aren't both of them enrolled in MLS programs?" Moran said, surprised. "I thought they'd love to get more hands-on experience."

"Albert is in library school, but Stella isn't. She's happy being a paraprofessional and doesn't have any interest in pursuing a master's," said Mott. "Besides that, they feel they're being forced to do work they didn't agree to when they were hired and aren't getting paid for. It's pretty well laid out what paraprofessionals are supposed to do here, and they feel they're being overburdened with duties they're not trained for because we had to fire librarians."

"Wow, that's a mouthful," said Moran, a little in shock at Mott's report.

"They were pretty upset," Mott said.

"I can sympathize," Moran said sincerely, "but both of them have been here for a few years now. Doesn't every job change and expand after someone has been around a while? Aren't most employees expected to take on more difficult and important duties as they gain experience? Our paraprofessionals don't hold master's degrees, but is that any reason not to expect and depend on them to grow into positions of greater responsibility, or am I wrong here?"

By John Alita, Assistant Director, San Bruno Public Library, CA

While Moran is obviously trying to staunch some big budgetary wounds at the Wyeth Public Library, her haste in doing so may cause even bigger problems with staff if she's not careful. Bernzweig, Dembowski, and others may very well need to step into some new roles to help the understaffed facility serve its customers, but Moran's military approach to the process is hindering rather than helping the situation. She needs to spend some more time on shepherding the changes, instead of issuing battle plans, if she wants a successful outcome.

It is true that as employees gain experience, they should be given more challenging responsibilities but not without the proper guidance and training. Instead of having an on-the-fly conversation with employees and taking their indifferent assent as permission to forge ahead, Moran should take the time to have a staff meeting and explain the effects of the budget and staff cuts on customer service. By doing so she will be improving the situation in a number of ways.

First, by bringing staff on board early in the process, she will have buy-in from the start and perhaps hear some ideas for dealing with the service cuts that she has not already considered. Secondly, she will be able to assess better the skills and talents of the staff who are left and find suitable roles for them. It may make sense to rely more on the MLS students on staff who want to gain professional experience than to assign duties arbitrarily.

Providing a forum for concerns will also allow Moran to create the appropriate backup structure in order for staff to feel comfortable in their new roles. There may be fewer librarians around, but Moran and Mott can at least try to schedule so that librarians are in the building in case there is a particularly difficult question that needs to be referred. Additionally, losing staff is a traumatic experience for those who are left behind as well, and allowing existing staff to voice their feelings about the changes can help to bolster morale, which is probably faltering in such an economic climate.

On a practical note, Moran and Mott need to take a close look at the job descriptions for Bernzweig, Dembowski, and others' positions and make sure that they are not working outside their classification. It is unfair to ask employees to do work for which other employees are typically paid more, and if there is an organized labor environment at Wyeth, this is critical.

It is always important, but especially in tough times, to foster a cooperative and collaborative environment within an organization. A good idea only goes so far if it isn't shared with, and molded by, everyone who will be affected. Each person must have the opportunity to be heard. Even if their wishes can't be accommodated, they will at least be able to hear the rationale and know that their opinions have been considered.

It seems that management, particularly Mott, has a good relationship with staff. If staff members are willing to voice negative feelings to her, they are probably willing to discuss ways to change the situation as well. Some regularly scheduled staff meetings over the next month, focused on how responsibilities will be redistributed, may be all that is needed. If executed properly, the plan may not only be a success but could serve as a model for staffing during flush as well as lean times.

By Sue Knoche, Medical Library Assistant, Cataloging/Acquisitions, East Tennessee State University, James H. Quillen College of Medicine Library, Johnson City, and LJ's Paraprofessional of the Year 2003

Moran and Mott may have been premature and shortsighted in their analysis of this situation only one week after implementation. For example, if one works at NASA in any capacity, do we assume that he/she would have the ability to participate in a shuttle launch just because they have worked there a while? Obviously not. So, why would Moran think her library staff would transform into instant librarians by working a few years in the library?

Mott also seems condescending in her account to Moran when referring to staff as "the natives." That terminology is not only unprofessional but makes me wonder how sincere she is in her efforts to train both Bernzweig and Dembowski to succeed in their new responsibilities. Moran sounds disappointed and hurt that the staff doesn't share her feelings of enthusiasm, or recognition that a problem exists.

Moran's first mistake is the mode of communication she uses to get the ball rolling. A staff meeting should have been scheduled to explain the budget facts and the librarian layoffs instead of the very brief encounter Moran has with Bernzweig and Dembowski while working in open public areas. Paraprofessionals may not hold an MLS degree, but we can understand budget constraints and plans and perhaps suggest an idea or alternative solution to the problem. A staff meeting would also have afforded detailed information, perhaps choices not demands, and a question/answer period that may prevent confusion or feelings of being taken advantage. The second mistake is that Moran assumes being enrolled in an MLS program would instantly qualify any staff member to replace a librarian without experience or extensive instruction on databases. It is basic human nature for anyone to "feel stupid" like Bernzweig does or "frustrated" as Dembowski when we do not know what we are doing and "grumble about it." No one wants to be thrown into the deep end of a pool when they have not yet learned how to swim.

Given adequate time, training, and knowledge from an experienced professional librarian, Bernzweig and Dembowski will join the ranks of numerous highly qualified paraprofessionals already in place who are invaluable to the libraries they serve. I understand that the Wyeth Public Library is trying to save money; however, library administration should be aware that if you use staff in this capacity and expect a similar level of service and expertise, the issue of compensation must be addressed. A small increase should be allocated from the salary savings, or the feelings already expressed will continue to plague the library for years to come.

The library board should also decide if retaining an assistant director is viable and review the job description and salary of the director before any other cuts are made. Perhaps researching grant programs to help support the budget, assist existing programs/services, or create new ones may be a possibility. Paraprofessionals can be a tremendous asset, allowing librarians to execute special services/programs that were not possible in the past such as outreach/ consumer health, instruction, literacy, children's services, etc.

Imagine the immense possibilities of what could be attained by applying our best effort each day, working together no matter what our title or responsibilities, for the good of any library and the communities we serve.