Info on outsourcing/ Hawaii: #2 (Long)

[Pat Wallace <DENWALL@AOL.COM>]

Dear List Members:  Many of you, by now will have read Renee Olson's
follow-up News re Hawaii in the November SLJ.  In view of the ample
presentation (at Web sites I have already given you the urls for) of massive
problems in the implementation of the contract with B&T and the widespread
unhappiness of the staff in Hawaii's 49 public libraries with the effects of
the contract and how they were not included in conversations leading up to
it, I found Olson's article to be inadequate for keeping interested members
of the profession informed.  Thus, these follow-up posts. As you can see, the
valiant librarians
in Hawaii need our support.


TABLE OF CONTENTS (Only the first title on this table
of contents is contained in this post)

   * "How Outsourcing Has Affected HSPLS: July-October 1996
(An Informal Poll ) by Sylvia C. Mitchell

   * The Ho`ala News, October 1996

   * Opposing Viewpoints: Questions That Need To Be Answered

   * 5 Item "Hot Spot" Survey:

     1. What has been the impact of not having librarians assigned
to  classify and catalog materials ... or your not being able to do so?

     2. What has been the impact of not being able to directly order or
purchase titles in the various formats?

     3. What has been the impact of the Internet & IAC access?

     4. If you do not work in the public library system, are you
aware of the changes of the past year ? Have you experienced
any impact from these changes?

    5. If you could make a change to the current situations,
what would  it be?

   * "Press Conference on B&T Outsourcing (October 3, 1996)
and Subsequent Statements" [an open letter to be shared at
the Hawaii Library Association Conference from Pat Matsumoto, Language,
Literature, & History Section/Hawaii State Library, to Bart Kane, State
Librarian, October 16, 1996]

These documents were distributed at the HLA Outsourcing Panel, October
19,1996
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           "How Outsourcing Has Affected HSPLS:
         July-October 1996 (An Informal Poll )":
         Prepared Remarks and Handouts

                   by Sylvia C. Mitchell

        Hawaii Library Association Conference
                  October 19, 1996

Sylvia Mitchell
   Ms. Mitchell has been in the public library system for over
   20 years, as Children's Coordinator from Kauai, HSL
   Young Adult Librarian and Oahu Coordinator, and currently,
   branch manager of Liliha Public Library. She has also
   served as HLA chair for Children & Youth, secretary of the
   Hawaii Association of School Librarians, and twice
   president of Librarians Association of Hawaii.
-------------------------------------------------------
All of "libraryland" wants to know what is happening with the "first
-ever"total outsourcing experiment. When the list-serve for college
librarians announced "Death Knell for Public Libraries" the postings from the
mainland and Canada measured over 25 feet. The one for librarians serving
children and youth PUBYAC, has new material daily.

The answer is, of course, "WE HAVE BIG PROBLEMS".

Where do we get the authority to assert such a challenge?

By accident I was at an afternoon BOE meeting in July of1992.
Dr. Paul Ahr was reporting on a just-completed employee survey. I think it
was the first one. It was amazing that someone could look at test results and
know us so
well: He said in part........

   * "Your employees have high self-esteem."
   * " Your employees make valuable contributions to the   organization".
   * " Your employees feel what they do is important".
   * " Your employees like their work and plan to continue it."
   * " These people are not to be written off lightly.....they must be
listened to."

We think the combined wisdom of all of us is greater than any one decision
maker in the system. We urge you to listen, and later on, read the handout.
The cover is the standard PR sheet from the Office of the State Librarian. On
the flip side are the "OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS" we would love to have answered.
The purple pages list results of a 5 item "hot spot" survey, and finally, the
last pages contain a detailed analysis of the State Librarian's Press
Conference.

There are two librarians who made substantial contributions to this material.
I want to publicly thank Pat Matsumoto and Sandra Kolloge for their high
standards of professionalism. Pat researched the press conference facts &
figures with all the skill of a good journalist. Sandra has a passionate
interest in what is happening in other library jurisdictions. She stays
informed and passes on whatever she finds. She is responsible for the idea of
an informal field survey and the five "hot spot" issues. (Total response was
about 368 comments).

The issues are:

  1. effect of no local cataloging
  2. effect of no local selection
  3. effect of increased technology
  4. public's perception of current library service
  5. ideas for change of current situation

Starting with the positive, #4, I must tell you that people love free public
library services. They have no way to know the damage being done to
collections. They will probably not feel the worst effect for a few more
years. We cannot rely on public outcry to bring help for even our most
serious problem, selection oursourcing.

Our only weapon is the collection of facts, coupled with the courage to make
those facts common knowledge.

#3. Librarians feel Internet is a mixed bag. The small portion of the public
that use internet and IAC appreciate the free service. It really is
remarkable what the new technology can provide at the push of a button. You
know the theme of this conference is "YOUTH & TECHNOLOGY". It certainly made
me (age 64) feel young and powerful to learn so much so fast. For example, I
used the Business Index for the subject: Baker & Taylor to learn:
     a. gobbled by a conglomerate in '92
     b. reorganized and downsized in April '94.
     c. top executive resigns in May '95.
     d. Caught cheating a smaller bookstore with rates higher than those for
a big chain, July '95.
     e. Sold to the highest bidder (Follett), June '96

Baker & Taylor employees have been knocked around. It is only natural they
 have internal as well as public service problems.

We have now asked the list serve, PUBYAC, to request evaluations of B&T
services. To be fair, Hawaii Public School System uses B&T and the librarians
I spoke with were reasonably satisfied. The contract was very different.
School librarians can order from any list or any catalog. They get to select
what they need and what they want, based on their individual budget.

The B&T problem seems to be on "our side" of the contract we have negotiated.

The technology challenges seems to be cost. We have had to pay in sweeping
subscription cuts to justify technology expense. The public has not been
asked if this is what they prefer.

#1. IMPACT OF NOT HAVING CATALOGING: 96 replies

Almost every library has a pile of donations. Excellent, useful stuff with no
way to get it into the collections. A secret treasury worth thousands!

Solution: Basic in-house cataloging at every library. A core of
catalogers for more difficult problems. (Already being done in Louisiana).

#2. IMPACT of not being able to directly select, order or purchase titles in
the various formats. 84 replies

 BIG TROUBLE HERE. Fresh horror stories daily.

#5. If you could make a change to the current situations, what would it be?
98 replies from Oahu, Maui, Kauai and Hawaii.

Strange enough all of this is not new. In early 1994 Diane Eddy submitted a
wonderfully detailed document, based on a staff survey. It told what could
work. Outsourcing selection was not a consideration. If you are interested we
will share the details of "that which should have been but wasn't."

In conclusion I would like to assert once again, public library employees
have a strong talent for knowing what is best for their customers. We should
be listened to.

We are not like the folks featured in one of our training films, "The Abilene
Paradox." Four adults drove 53 miles to Abilene through a dust storm to eat a
mediocre meal because each thought the others wanted to go. Not one voiced
truth as they saw it !

Our problem is that almost everyone but the driver wants to turn around. The
person in charge of getting us to our destination refuses to stop . Some
unknown reasoning pushes him onward. He only gives promises that things will
get better in two months.. or seven months...whenever.  No turning back. No
change in the contract.

Sarah Preble will conclude with more specific details. We hope the facts we
have presented will provide a basis for understanding of some very severe
problems and a first step toward more workable solutions.
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