[LM_NET] HIT: Job Descriptions for Library Assistants

[Shonda Brisco <sbrisco@GMAIL.COM>]

Thanks for all your ideas, suggestions, comments, and responses
regarding my questions about job descriptions and duties for clerical
assistant / library assistants within the school library.  I will be
updating our library assistants' job descriptions to include more
responsibilities which will assist me since I'm doing many clerical
duties that could be done by them instead.  When they are able to take
on more of these responsibilities, I will then have more time to work
with students and teachers.

I have no problem with these experienced individuals assuming more
responsibilities, I just think that they have not done so because of
lack of training and a fear of technology.  My goal is to provide
training and to advocate for additional salary increments based upon
their level of expertise within the district (something that isn't
done at this time, but could be an incentive to increase their
educational training relating to libraries).

I will post links, my new job descriptions for library assistants, and
other information regarding library clerks / library assistant job
descriptions on my wiki within the next few days and I'll send an
email to the list letting you know when it is available (since many of
you were also searching for job descriptions to create or update your
own documents).

Some of your responses are listed below (as well as my original request).

MY QUESTION:

I'm updating the job descriptions for the library assistants / clerks
in our district and am considering adding some duties /
responsibilities that they have never had; however, I feel that
because there is such a limited amount of time for me to work with
students and teachers during the day, that some work must be taken by
the clerks in order to allow me to actually perform some instructional
duties (I serve and supervise three campuses---each without a
full-time librarian.  I am the only certified librarian in the
district but I do have three clerks with between 4-17 years of
experience working in the school library.)

Some of the duties that I am considering assigning the library assistants are:
*  creating bibliographies of materials for students and teachers
*  updating library webpages (adding basic information to a relatively
simple program----no HTML required, just word processing)
*  updating online catalog records---checking for consistency in call
numbers (upper case) and adding content provided by the librarian
(records will be placed in a "holding" area online for my review
before importing them into the system)
*  managing periodical subscriptions online (keeping records online
and locating companion subscriptions via our online databases for use
by students / teachers)
Are these duties beyond what you might ask from a library assistant?
At this time the library assistants check books in and out, cover
books, and shelve books.  Aside from book fairs or other extra
activities that might happen during special events, they aren't
involved in other aspects of the library program.  I'd like for them
to be trained in areas of technology, library programming ideas (to
help with short-term goals and programming for students), and to
become more aware of what our mission is within the curriculum (to
learn more about what is being taught in the classroom to help with
identifying materials we have, what we need, and to create
bibliographies for use---or subject ideas for future purchases).
What duties do you include that aren't listed here and what duties
that I have listed would you not allow?

YOUR RESPONSES:

Here's a link to our county's media services webpage, which includes a
job description for media center paraprofessionals (our term for
"library assistants.")
You'll find that it includes some of the responsibilities you're
seeking to include, but not all of them.  As a media parapro who's in
the last stages of getting my MLIS, I think my media specialist may be
a little "spoiled." I prepare all of the new materials for our
collection, (including MARC records from LOC, BCCLS or Sunlink),
manage the inventory for the Book Fairs, and handle many other
seemingly "higher level" tasks because I'm able to do those things and
that frees her to do the important things - collection development,
collaborating with teachers, teaching the students, etc.  It's great
experience for me, although I'll have to reassess the parameters of
the parapro job description when I'm the "boss" so that I don't expect
too much!
In looking at your list, I wouldn't hesitate to add all of the items
on your list to the job responsibilities for library assistants,
particularly since they are not "newbies," and should have a good
handle on all of their other responsibilities.
Good luck with your quest for information –

********************

I'm attaching the assistant's job description for my library. Maybe a
high school library is different. We run a "bookstore" and sell
pencils, etc., which means I need somebody just to run the front desk.
Having worked in schools where I came in behind professional school
librarians who left terribly muddled catalogs, I would have to say
that I would be surprised to find a clerk who could handle anything
catalog-related. Even with, or maybe because of, the availability of
online cataloging, many people, even trained librarians, don't seem to
"get it" about the principles of cataloging--the need for uniformity
and the need to create as many access points as possible. Just because
good records are available online doesn't mean a clerk will be able to
adapt them for local use or understand the principles.
Also, mine have been nervous about being responsible for technology
beyond basic troubleshooting and word processing because they're
afraid they'll "break" something expensive.
Maybe it's just me or the abysmal pay scale for assistants around
here, or maybe I just haven't figured out how to train them right, but
the assistants I've had, with their high school educations, were
skilled at dealing with people and things, but not with ideas.
Maybe if this SKILLS law gets passed, your district will have to put a
credentialed librarian in every school! Hang in there!

***************
The duties you mention fall within the job description of the library
paraprofessional. If you are thinking of assigning them to unpaid
volunteers, you will likely get complaints from the paraprofessionals
union.

*******************
I do not think the duties you are thinking of adding are unreasonable.
 My aid also keeps are patron records current (adding and deleting new
students).  I request for her to do some of the prep work for
projects, although that rarely happens.  I would definitely be
interested in a HIT.

********************

Some of the duties that I am considering assigning the library assistants are:
 * creating bibliographies of materials for students and teachers
I don't believe my clerk has any idea what the word bibliography means
and I would have to train her. I believe she would compile lists
without really checking them. Like for New York, she's pull up
everything for New York and thinks she's finished, when she's pulled
up a lot of false hits. I think this falls more into the librarian's
domain.
* updating library web pages (adding basic information to a relatively
simple program----no HTML required, just word processing)
My clerk wouldn't have a clue.
* updating online catalog records---checking for consistency in call
Again, no clue...she can't even put the books on the shelf well by call numbers.
 numbers (upper case) and adding content provided by the librarian
Maybe
(records will be placed in a "holding" area online for my review
before importing them into the system)
What records? My clerks never touch records. I do importing from vendor or LOC.
 * managing periodical subscriptions online (keeping records online
and locating companion subscriptions via our online databases for use
by students / teachers)
Don't have them.
 Are these duties beyond what you might ask from a library assistant?
I think so.
 At this time the library assistants check books in and out, cover
books, and shelve books. Aside from book fairs or other extra
activities that might happen during special events, they aren't
involved in other aspects of the library program. I'd like for them to
be trained in areas of technology, library programming ideas (to help
with short-term goals and programming for students), and to become
more aware of what our mission is within the curriculum (to learn more
about what is being taught in the classroom to help with identifying
materials we have, what we need, and to create bibliographies for
use---or subject ideas for future purchases).
Be careful...you don't want to do yourself out of a job...just my 2 cents

*******************
I don't think any of those things are too much for an experienced
library aide. If you have some really good ones, adding some of the
more fun things will help keep them interested in the job, just like
the fun things help bring you back day after day.
For example, last year I had a young, energetic aide that really liked
to read and related well to our junior high kids – especially the
goths who were just too cool to come to the library. I encouraged her
to come up with lists of books they might like, and to even do some of
the book talks. And by golly they decided the library was a "cool"
place after all. Those that are still in our building this year have
continued to come in even though Karron isn't with me this year (job
lost to budget cuts). And she really enjoyed it as well.
She also checked book lists (from LM_NET and other places) against our
collection to see what we already had. Then I would mark what I wanted
added to TitleWave or Mackin and she would enter those for me. I would
edit the list to make the actual order of course, but her data entry
saved me a bunch of time. And she was "helping build the collection" -
another fun thing to do.

***********************
how about:
•       making thematic notice boards of students interests
•       updating board of posters posting activities of other libraries
/public libraries

***********************

You mean watching TV during the day, talking on the phone, IM with
friends and personal email are not in your clerks job description?  I
wish my clerk would get out of her chair.  She does nothing besides
check books in and out.  The rest of her day is spent on personal
items.  I have reported her to my principal who is responsible for her
but he is not sure what to do.  She has a hard time walking due to
weight therefore cannot easily get out of her chair.  My principal has
asked me to give her jobs to do that she can do while sitting at her
computer, when I do she doesn't do those.  She has been there 15 years
and me 3, so this has been going on for a long time. I created a
library handbook over the summer, but she doesn't follow it.  I feel
bad for her but something needs to be done.  I have moved a desk out
in the library so that I am available to help students find books and
easily assist them with library needs because she can't or won't.
Please send your job descriptions as we are working with our
administration to make our libraries more efficient.

******************
I took on the job of Librarian at a small private Christian school 5
years ago.  I do not have a degree in library science.  I do have a
degree in Economics, love books, and consider myself a fairly
intelligent person.  When I arrived here there wasn't a catalog and
only one computer hooked up to the Internet.  Since then I have
catalogued all the books in Follett, installed a Windows 2003 network
in the school, put 30 student computers and 30 teacher computers on
the network and Internet, created a webpage for the school and library
and many more things too numerous to mention.  What I have done has
been so successful that now they are going to be doubling my library
and creating another lab this summer.  Very  exciting  times.
I say this not to boast, but to let you know that I think your
assistants can probably do a whole lot more than you think.  Give them
more responsibilities, ask for their opinions and let them try new
things.  You might be surprised at what they can do.
Thanks for listening and keep up the good work (you're an inspiration
to me and I read all your posts),

****************

I work in an Elementary and a Junior High/High School Library.  In the
Elementary I provide the Lesson Plan then an assistant reads and
presents to the classes.  It saves my voice.  I also have them read
shelves and present me books of concern that may need to be weeded.  I
also have them compile lists of book requests from teachers and
students that I may want to purchase.  I train them to mend and
process books, however I push that their first responsibility is to
serve the patrons that come into the library.  They must stop what
they are doing and help a student or teacher find a book.  Sometimes
they would rather process a book than provide help to patrons because
they have to stop what they are doing and get up out of a seat. I
basically train them to be independent of me, because sometimes I am
at the other library.
You are probably going to get flack from those "professionals" who
don't believe that library clerks/assistants are "professional" too.
Attached is the job description for our libraries.  You could also
look at the U.S. occupational titles list.  Good luck.

******************

I would like to add my two cents regarding your post about library
assistants.  I am a firm believer in having a "certified" librarian
available in each school library - I taught in Rhode Island for 29
years and this was the case.  All public schools, elementary and
secondary, must have a school library staffed with a certified
librarian. Larger schools and all secondary schools must also have a
library clerk and additional librarians for each 500 increment of
students over a base of 500 students. Some communities may have very
small populations in their elementary schools and they are allowed to
share librarians or employ them part time, but they must have a
certified librarian for part of the day.
I am now working in Massachusetts where staffing is recommended, but
not enforced, by the Department of Education. Many communities rely on
volunteers or library assistants for staffing in their elementary
and/or middle school libraries.  Almost all secondary libraries are
staffed by certified librarians and have clerical help. (This is
because of national certifications requirements of the NEASC)

I am now in a regional vocational-technical high school with a
population of about 1350 students.  I am certified and the only staff
person in the library - there is no other help at all.  I have noticed
that the informational literacy of our students varies a great deal -
this seems to be primarily dependent on what the staffing of their
previous school library was.  Most of our students come from our host
city where school libraries are abysmal and staffing is mostly
non-existent.

One of the major weaknesses with library service in Massachusetts is
the dependence on non-certified personnel.  Library assistants do not
have the needed training and education in library science.  I feel
that it is unfair to expect them to perform professional duties when
they do not have the needed professional preparation and do not
receive professional compensation.  I realize that you are trying to
improve library services for your students.  I feel that the duties
you mention that are presently performed by the library assistants are
appropriate.  Your community should hire certified librarians if they
wish to raise the level library services. You get what you pay for. I
am sure that your community employs professional administrators and
does not train the administrative assistants (secretaries) to perform
the administrative duties.

**********************

My aide does all of the downloading of MARC records for book fair
books and other books that don't come with records- of course I know
she can handle it, too, it depends on the person.  She has always
shown a lot of initiative and has excellent problem-solving and
critical thinking skills.  Is that what you mean by this?
I think 3 of the 4 duties make sense.  The one I question is the
creation of bibliographies.  I feel I use a great deal of professional
judgment in just about any bibliography I make in terms of determining
appropriateness of reading level, quality of the materials, and such.
I do sometimes use my Library Aide to compile a list of books on a
subject, but actually determining which ones would be appropriate to
use feels like an important way I interact with the students and their
reading interests or the teachers and their curriculum.


**************

~Shonda

-- 
Shonda Brisco, MLIS
District Librarian
Peaster ISD
Weatherford, TX 76086

Currently reading:  "Tested: One American School Struggles to Make the
Grade" by Linda Perlstein

Digital Bookends wiki / blog:
http://digitalbookends.pbwiki.com
http://shonda.edublogs.org/
sbrisco@gmail.com

Resources for Texas School Librarians:
http://txschoollibrarians.ning.com/
http://txschoollibrarians.wikispaces.com/

"Digital Resources" columnist
School Library Journal

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