Personnel Administration Minutes - 10/17/14

Present: Karen Brodsky, Michael Maziekien, Lina Podles, Adele Puccio, Dale Spindel, Selwa Shamy, Pat Tumulty.

Programs for the NJLA Conference

Dale

• Service Animals in the Library. She got  Les Cameron to do the program. He may need money for a car service. He has a seeing eye dog and the dog is amazing. There is an organization in NJ that trains dogs as service animals for veterans called Semper Fido.  Dale is waiting for them to call her back.

• What Do Library Directors Really Do?  Panel with various directors and follow it up with a survey about tasks directors actually do, for example, shoveling snow, doing payroll, etc.  The survey can be used for a trustee training. This would bring to light the various tasks that directors do that are not part of their positions, especially understaffed libraries of all sizes, but especially smaller libraries. Unveiling the true cost of the director cleaning the bathroom.

Debate on whether this would be better as an online survey instead of a program. This  will be tabled for now.

• Positive Communication Techniques for Asserting Yourself. This would be between colleagues, not interacting with the public.  This is a Reference section idea and we would co-sponsor with them, along with possibly the Professional Development Committee.

• Resume Speed Dating - Still in the process of asking directors and assistant directors to do the reviewing. This program would be on the evening of Monday, April 20, after the President’s program, around 5:30-6:30 p.m.  This will hopefully encourage people to stay at the hotel Monday night into Tuesday.  It would be emphasized that there are lots of reasons to have an up-to-date resume, not necessarily to get another job - this will hopefully help ease the mind of someone concerned that their employer would question why they would attend the program.

• Mentor, Motivate and Maintain:  the How’s and Whys of Staff Development - Adele will conduct the program with Candace Brown Clifton and possibly co-sponsor with the Professional Development Committee. Pat Tumulty wondered how many libraries close for staff development.  

**There was a discussion that the NJLA Executive Board could make a statement encouraging libraries to close for staff development, emphasizing the importance of continuing education.  

• Possible co-sponsorship with these Member Services proposals

  • Mock Interviews - Michael is willing to do this with them. Limited by time, but maybe propose a double slot. Dale suggested getting a volunteer to be interviewed in front of the audience and have it critiqued.

  • Morale, Confidence and Conflict Resolution

• Poster Session ideas - submission deadline is January

• Lina will propose a session on best library staff training programs - gather them from a survey.

• An alternate idea is to gather contact information for resource people who do staff development trainings. - maybe a joint venture with Prof. Development.

Webjunction Core Competencies for NJLA

Michael said it is very good and it is a lengthy document. We could propose that sections be adopted where relevant.

Discussion on what does “core” mean? Pat discussed that NJLA has approached Rutgers to express the competencies that libraries require. These competencies are up for debate, and they are different depending on the type of library.

Michael said that some states have adopted the Webjunction book in its entirety. It can be a tool to convince library boards that training needs to be done. The Professional Development Committee drew something up about 15 years ago.  This should go to the Professional Development Committee because PAC cannot take this on this year.

Dale said we really need to work on the Model Personnel Manual first.

Model Personnel Manual

Dale - NJ State League of Municipalities manual ended up not being useful.  Instead, take the manual that Pat did in the past and use that as our baseline. A lawyer would need to get involved with the development. Pat suggested that the manual goes out of date quickly because of changes in the law. It could be an online publication that could be changed more easily, but who would oversee the updating process?

How do we proceed?  A lawyer needs to be secured. Pat will ask someone who has done work for NJLA. Maybe NJLA should make recommendations for what should be included in a manual instead of creating a model manual.

Karen will go to the League of Municipalities workshop and Dale, Michael and she will propose ideas on how to proceed.

Dale suggested that PAC could provide a template instead of a manual.

Review Minimum Salary Recommendations

Should there be an increase? The minimum has not be increased in 3 years. The concern in making an increase recommendation is that most libraries will not be able to make the minimum. This will affect posting the position on the NJLA website.

Discussion on part-time vs full-time positions. Hourly rates need to be addressed - Pat argued that hourly rates need to be higher because people are working two jobs in order to make a living wage and that insurance should be factored into the salary.

Adele said at least 70% of the BCCLS libraries are not paying the recommended minimum.

The recommendations were created as an Incentive to encourage boards to pay the minimum.

• Karen will get the NJEA survey for the last 3 years as a reference point.

• Adele will speak with Dan O’Connor at Rutgers about salaries.

Benefits is another big issue. Some libraries no longer provide health benefits for family members. Dale emphasized that this puts libraries at a disadvantage in the marketplace when trying to hire. Michael stated that more and more money is going to insurance companies instead of personnel and services.

Increase of funds going to health benefits have gone up 79%.

Increase of funds going to salaries has gone up 24%.

Executive Board Liaison

Nothing to report. Strategic plan is still in progress.

Public Policy Committee is looking at legislation that will allow citizens to vote, in a referendum, on funding the library more than ⅓ of a mill.

Member Committee Liaison

Apple Picking - Sunday, October 26th in Princeton.

Anyone who would like to volunteer to work with Michael on the NJLA site or the PAC Google Group should email him.

Next meeting at Springfield Library on November 21 at 10:00 a.m.