[Circulation] IMPORTANT: Desk Etiquette, Finding Subs, Emergencies, Warnings

Sat Sep 13 11:48:58 EDT 2014

Hello All, 

This is an important one so please read thoroughly and ask me if there
are questions. 

DESK ETIQUETTE:

1.While it is ok to do your schoolwork when there are no other
assignments, I DO WANT YOU TO LOOK UP from your work as patrons enter
and exit the desk. Smile, nod, make some form of acknowledgement.
Besides being friendly and approachable we are doing this for security
reasons to know who is coming in and out of the building. 

2. ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY NO CELL PHONES AT THE DESK. THIS MEANS YOUR
PHONE IS TO BE SET TO SILENT AND YOU ARE NOT TO TEXT OR PLAY GAMES WHILE
ON DUTY. I will issue warnings to students who continue to use their
phones after being asked not to. If you are expecting to take an
important call during your shift please let the staff person on duty
know beforehand, and then walk away from the desk before answering the
call.

3. Please sit up straight at the desk, not slumped over, and though it
is comfortable please do not rest your head on your arms while working
so that it looks like you are asleep. Also, please do not sit with your
feet and / or legs resting in the return bin. 

4. No eating is allowed at the desk. Covered drinks are ok. If you must
have a snack during your shift you may eat it quickly at the counter
across from the InfoBar. This is also where I ask you to eat if you have
to have a meal on the weekend when you are the only student working. 

5. PLEASE DISCOURAGE FRIENDS FROM VISITING YOU WHILE YOU ARE WORKING! 
Saying a quick hello is ok, engaging in conversation for more than 5
minutes to the point that you look busy to patrons is not. And friends
are not to be sitting with you behind the InfoBar, even on the weekends
when staff are not here. 

FINDING SUBS / ACTING AS A SUB:

1.When you know in advance that you will not be able to work a shift,
post to the circstaff list and list the date, day, and time of your
shift in the subject line. PLEASE POST FOR A SUB EVEN IF THE SHIFT IS
NORMALLY DOUBLED UP!  The person that you work with may have already
checked with me or Courtney to take the shift off. 

2. If it's been a few days and no one has taken your shift post again.
You may have to start asking people personally to cover for you. IF NO
ONE TAKES YOUR SHIFT YOU ARE ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR WORKING IT! 
Posting to the list does not take you off the hook - the shift is yours
until one of your coworkers claims it. 

3. WHEN RESPONDING TO SUB REQUESTS, ONLY TAKE SHIFTS THAT YOU KNOW YOU
CAN WORK.  ONCE YOU RESPOND TO A SUB REQUEST THE SHIFT IS NOW YOURS, AND
YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR FINDING COVERAGE IF YOU DISCOVER A CONFLICT WITH
YOUR SCHEDULE AFTER THE FACT. 

4. Once we see a sub request and a response, either Courtney or I will
log the sub arrangement on the list on the bulletin board behind the
InfoBar. Please do not log subs there yourself. We do it to prove that
we've seen the sub request and that this is our way of saying ok to it.
PLEASE NOTE THAT WE DO NOT SEND REMINDERS TO YOU WHEN YOU AGREE TO SUB. 
MAKE SURE YOU KEEP TRACK OF THE SHIFTS THAT YOU AGREE TO WORK FOR
SOMEONE ELSE!  

EMERGENCIES: 

1. If you encounter an emergency and will be LATE FOR A SHIFT call the
INFOBAR AT 413-559-5440 to let the person who is already there know that
you are on your way. DO NOT EMAIL OR CALL OR TEXT ME OR COURTNEY
DIRECTLY.  WE MAY NOT GET YOUR MESSAGE RIGHT AWAY, IT IS MORE IMPORTANT
TO CALL THE INFOBAR.  YOU MUST CALL EVEN IF YOU WILL BE 5 MINUTES LATE -
WE NEED TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE DEFINITELY COMING! 

2. IF THE PERSON RELIEVING YOU DOES NOT COME IN ON TIME: CALL THEM, AND
IF NO ANSWER EMAIL THEM. IF YOU CAN STAY FOR A WHILE POST TO THE LIST TO
FIND SOMEONE TO RELIEVE YOU.  

DO NOT EVER LEAVE THE LIBRARY UNATTENDED!!!

3. IF YOU HAVE SOMEWHERE TO GET TO AND CANNOT STAY MUCH LONGER. START
CALLING YOUR COWORKERS UNTIL YOU FIND SOMEONE TO COME IN.  ALSO CALL
SUZANNE, AND IF YOU CANNOT REACH HER, TRY COURTNEY.  THE STUDENT CONTACT
LIST WILL BE UPDATED AND DISTRIBUTED TOMORROW.  BESIDES BEING EMAILED TO
YOU IT WILL LIVE PERMANENTLY ON THE LIBGUIDE.  

WARNINGS / DISMISSALS: 
Now that you have all been properly informed of procedures and policies
regarding attendance and expectations of behavior at the desk, warnings
will be issued when necessary. Tardiness will not be tolerated at all
this semester. After speaking with Janel in Student Employment I was
advised to create an additional document formalizing the job
expectations I outlined in this email. I will be drafting that soon and
having all students sign it, in addition to the work contract. 

Please ask me or Courtney if you have any questions about anything
addressed in this email. 

Thank you, 

Suzanne 

 -- 

Suzanne Karanikis
Circulation Supervisor
Harold F. Johnson Library
Hampshire College
893 West Street 
Amherst, MA 01002
phone: 413-559-5762
fax: 413-559-5419

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