At this morning’s staff meeting, I introduced a list of skills that I think all JPL staff who work at a public desk should have. The list includes things like making and renewing library cards, running the cash register, and printing, faxing, and scanning (see the complete list via the link below). Myself and other department heads are currently gathering relevant documentation. We’ll then work with PS, YS, and circulation staff to schedule the trainings. The process will take some time. The goal is to help staff provide better service by increasing their knowledge of other departments’ more routine tasks. Once trained, the expectation is that staff, if available, can step-in to help another department when they need it. If there’s a line at the circulation desk, for example, PS staff can help checkout and will be able to handle the issues that commonly popup during that process–expired accounts, overdue fees, etc. If PS staff are helping a patron on a computer, circulation staff will be trained to help a patron release a print job. This does not mean that staff will be abandoning their desks for long periods of time to work at another desk. It does mean that if another department calls for help (with something you’ve been trained to do) and you’re not busy assisting other patrons then you’ll be expected to pitch in and then go back to your regular work.
Please let me know if you have any questions or if you think of things that should be added to the list.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1g7ucseDxBaHdhJsVwCKRnjhL9LLJPecDyXSE_AHjptQ/edit?usp=sharing