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Catching, Caring & Connecting:How to ensure you make it happen for
professionals in your library
Anne Murphy, Marian Kutarna,
Meg Uttangi Matsos, Marilyn Braaten
Mississauga Library System
• serves a population of 700,000+
• Central Library and 17 branches
• Collection Size: 1.5 million items
• Annual Circulation: 8 million items
Library Staff
• number of employees:
220 FT + 254 PT = 474 employees
• number of librarians:
40 FT + 15 PT = 55 librarians
• number of librarians who joined library since 2003: 16
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Our Values
• culture of two way communication
• team based approach, with significant staff input in the decision-making process
• seek to provide all librarians, full and part-time with a broad spectrum of professional opportunities
• learning organization with high emphasis on training
Catching: Outreach initiatives
• Job fairs
• Onsite visits
• Job shadowing
Job Fairs Tips
• attractive display – simple
• engaged public library staff
• attract interest
• opportunity for one-on-one chats
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Onsite Visit
• capitalize on interest
• host a site visit
• networking event with a tour
Job Shadowing
• target interests and talents
• match needs to expertise
• build networking opportunities
• coordinate and evaluate
Catching: Interview process
• capture the opportunity
• prepare very carefully
• select key interviewers
• create a strong, positive
impression
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Caring: Mentorship
• Mentoring makes a difference!
• Running a mentoring initiative
• Stories from the trenches
Running a mentoring program
• Establish clear goals & structure
• Communicate expectations
• Provide checklist
• Evaluate progress
• Celebrate success
Mentoring makes a difference!
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Caring: Training Budget
Cost:
• staff development (individual/team)
• conferences
• tuition/memberships
No cost:
• Visit other libraries
• Professional involvement
• Volunteer involvement
Training
• EI Audio Conferences
• Library Staff Conference
• Staff-led workshops
• City-led workshops
• E-learning
Connecting with other professionals
Opportunities
• staff are encouraged to join task teams
and committees
• staff exchange opportunity
• Librarians’ Group events are planned
throughout the year
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Connecting with other professionals
Librarians’ Group Steering Committee
• we actively support and provide
opportunities for the growth and
development of our professional
librarians
Connecting with other professionals
Networking and Training
• 60-70 professionals meet throughout
the year for training, sharing information
networking or to inspire our staff
Connecting with other professionals
Networking and Training
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45.80%
0%8.30%
33.30%
12.50% 0%
Networking Visit other locations
Food Knowledge sharing
Guest Speakers None of the above
Connecting with other professionals
Survey Results
• Librarians
were
surveyed to
find out what
they would
like to share
Connecting with other professionals
Sharing our knowledge
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Connecting with other professionals
Sharing our knowledge
Connecting with professional
resources
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Connecting to training opportunities
• Conference Reports
• Staff presentations posted online
• Powerpoint presentations from
Librarians’ Group events
Connecting with our Challenges
• keeping up-to-date
• keeping staff aware and interested
• keeping it innovative
Appreciating Librarians
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How do we appreciate our
librarians?
• Communicate!
• Celebrate!
• Chocolate!
Chocolate!
Communicate!
• Two Way Culture
• Employee Engagement Survey
• Orientation
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Two Way Culture Principles
• Respect
• Respond
• Empower
• Trust
• Listen
• Share ideas
• Share information
• Mean what we say
• Say what we mean
• Responsibility for our
actions
Two Way Champions
Two way steering team:
• Increases manager awareness and support
• Coaches and encourages local branch reps
• Promotes a recognition culture
• Maintains Two Way Intranet site
• Monitors succession plan
• Promotes Messenger Form
Two Way Messenger
• A form that all employees can use to share and communicate new and innovative ideas, suggestions, issues or concerns with management
• Management to provide update that gives clear direction and reasoning behind decisions within 10 business days
• Communication log provides an overview of each Messenger Form
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Employee Engagement Survey
• City initiative
• Conducted annually by HR Consultants
• Opportunity for employees to let their
voices be heard
• Managers conduct survey meetings
with staff to celebrate successes and
develop action plans to address areas
for improvement
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Library Orientation
• Connect with Library Leadership Team
• Learn about Library’s culture,
expectations, values and strategic plans
• Understand organizational structure of the
Library and its relationship to the City
• See how the employee’s work fits into the
bigger picture and how the employee can
make a difference
Library Orientation
Bus Tours
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Celebrate!
• Reward and Recognition Toolkits
• NOVA awards
• Staff Appreciation Day
Reward & Recognition Toolkits
NOVA Awards
• Dare to Soar
• Good Neighbour
• Library as Place
• Most Memorable Moment
• Survivor
• Team Building
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NOVA Awards
NOVA Awards Ceremony
Super NOVA
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Staff Appreciation DayPirates of the Caribbean - 2007
Staff Appreciation Day
Western theme - 2008
Catching, Caring and Connecting