Service Quality Improvement Council

Minutes
November 3, 1999

Present: Katie Bauer, Suzanne Eggleston, Kenny Marone, Danuta Nitecki, Sandy Peterson, Martha Smalley, Andy Shimp, Paul Stuehrenberg (Chair)

Absent: Sue Crockford-Peters, Emily Horning, Rich Richie, Joan Swanekamp

The meeting commenced at 3:15 p.m.

I. Announcements

1. In the interest of learning how best to capture user comments, Danuta Nitecki asked whether there were active suggestion boxes in any of the libraries. It was learned that

• the Medical Library has one located at the Circulation Desk;

• the Divinity Library has one, but it is not active. [Paul Stuehrenberg added that patron suggestions were generally received through the Divinity Library Web site];

• the Engineering Library has one, but it is not active.

2. Danuta distributed copies of the ARL "Managing Print Services" survey. She inquired whether any library locations offered printing services other than task printing. Sandy Peterson reported that SSL will offer ITS-run printing services starting on Monday, 8 November. She and Kenny Marone will take a look at the ARL survey and offer comments. Other SQIC members were asked to review the survey and send any comments via email to Jeong.

3. Danuta presented a brief update on the future of Circulation.

• The movement of materials to the LSF will likely require major shifts and stack maintenance. As a result, discussions are underway to explore whether separating the management of the Mudd stacks from its circulation services will improve services in both areas. Exploration has included Mudd, SSL, and LSF staff.

• In anticipation of the expected increased demand for document delivery as Recon increases awareness of the library's holdings, Danuta has focused attention on improving library-wide document delivery services. She has proposed creating a department for document delivery [to initially include the core ILL staff in SML]. She invites comments from members on the job description for the head of the department from the Document Delivery Group, and will send Kenny a copy of it before their 4 November meeting.

II. Policy Statement on Workstations

Paul announced that the policy is now accessible through the public LMC site at

http://www.library.yale.edu/lmc/public/index.html

Implementation issues that require further elaboration by SQIC include:

• Printing

• Monitoring use (to include ascertaining the number of workstations needed to meet demand)

• Signage for workstations (to include signs noting accessibility to persons with disabilities)

Sandy reminded SQIC that the Staffing Issues Group is working on policy, procedural, and staff training recommendations with regard to the "problem patrons" issue. The Group will define "inappropriate behavior" (including clear cases of misuse of the workstations).

Suzanne Eggleston suggested that the overuse of email on public workstations also be addressed in this context. Danuta rejoined that the conclusions of a recent survey of public workstation use in the SML nave [conducted by Ethelene Whitmire] seem to indicate that email overuse may be less of a problem than is commonly believed.

Paul charged the Assessment Group  to recommend methods to monitor use.

Paul and Danuta will charge a task force to look into the issue of printing from workstations. Danuta suggested we manage printing as a library-wide service similar to photocopying services, considering service standards and cost recovery.

III. CAD map

Sandy presented her findings on the CAD map offered by the Office of Facilities:

• A heavy-stock map that can be mounted to a wall is available for purchase. Facilities offers the options of having the map laminated and/or framed and a variety of map sizes.

• An address map is also available, but the present version lists Facilities identification codes only. An address map that uses conventional addresses and building codes will be available at a later date.

IV. Staff Recognition Program

Sandy presented a revised draft of the Staff Recognition Program proposal. The Staffing Issues Group placed more emphasis on service quality improvement and proposed a budget for the award. The categories for recognition are to include

• Student assistants

• Staff who have worked for less than 2 years

• Staff who have shown outstanding achievement and have served the library for more than two years

The criterion for eligibility in all categories is exceptional quality of service.

Andy Shimp suggested that M&PSA may be an appropriate committee to handle the implementation of this program. Sandy, and others on the Staffing Issues Group, felt very strongly that all levels of staff have the opportunity to be reviewed for recognition. A committee like M&PSA is elected and membership tends to favor centrally located staff. Hence, it is not truly representative of library personnel; a more representative body may be able to conduct the review process with a library-wide perspective that encompasses all staff levels.

Suggestions from committee members follow:

• Danuta urged that the award recognize contributions beyond good job performance to include areas of service quality improvement. She observed that the proposed program appears to place more emphasis on time of service rather than quality of service.

• The titles of the awards should vary from year to year while retaining the three categories for recognition. A winner will be chosen from each category.

• The award ceremony should be planned for the Spring when there is a gap between library staff functions.

Sandy will take the recommendations back to the Staffing Issues Group and the proposal will be revised. The SQI Council is eager to recommend the program to LMC.

V. Future topics

Paul informed the committee that Audrey will attend the next meeting to speak on patron empowerment modules. Danuta will speak further on the future of circulation.

The meeting was adjourned at 4:05 p.m.