#17 Playing Around with Wikis

I tapped my head to get a topic to contribute to wikipedia, but the subject matters I could think of are all there posted well and beautiful. Then I thought of a very narrow topic on library work, Desk Schedule, how to make it serve customers better. I posted in wikipedia, but it does not appear when it is searched. I guess it is because the topic and content are too trivial and not up to their standard to be published. Then I posted the same short piece on Library Success, I succeeded this time, it showed up when a search is done on it. Library Success does care about library-related things, indeed. Thanks a million to Library Success. About a week later I added "How to Make Weekly Staff Schedule" in the same page.

The original texts are copied below:

Desk Schedule

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Information Desk Schedule in a library is the schedule on who is to sit at the Information Desk to answer customer/patron's questions and serve their various information needs. It sounds and looks like a extremely simple thing to do in the day-to-day running of library information services. It is not complicated indeed, but if you put some thoughts on it, it can make the customer services better and the library employees work with more efficiency as well. The following are things to be considered when making a good desk schedule.

1. The Information Desk should be covered full time, 100%, during the library public hours. No empty seat is allowed even during slows/slack time.
2. Desk Schedule should include Floor Schedule that indicates who should be walking on the floor area looking for service opportunities.
3. Librarian's specialty in knowledge and position should be considered in the schedule. Rotating is always necessary, but the library principle of "customer service first" should be the main factor to consider.
4. No "name only, no action" desk schedule is allowed. It is not for somebody to see, it is for real-time services.
5. Break time, lunch hour should be accurate to ensure fully covered all the time.
6. The supervisor should always keep an eye on the Information Desk activities. If there is a line, non-scheduled librarians should be available to offer help any time.
7. Use the Backpack or Google weekly calendar to share your scheduling with the staff, so that they are kept posted with every single change.

How to make Weekly Staff Schedule in a library is also important to insure excellent customer services all the time. Have you ever received telephone calls or emails from your sister/brother libraries for emergency staff help? The following factors must be in your mind when working on weekly schedules to avoid staff shortage problems:

1. When library programs is coordinated into the staff schedule, who is to present/monitor which program, day or night shift, be sure to have enough staff for desk and floor for normal operation.
2. Community needs should be considered in staffing red-letter days for your district.
3. Be very careful about the first opening day after holiday breaks. That is the time when staff might call sick and also it is the peak time for returning customers. To schedule more than normal number of staff on the day after holiday breaks is wise and necessary.
4. Staff special person business needs for certain days should be submitted beforehand, together with their vacations, all keyed into the official weekly/monthly schedules.
5. Any changes on the already posted schedules must follow the motto of "customer services first". Meanwhile effective scheduling must always be prepared for staff emergencies and traffic delays or any other unexpected human/natural factors for staff absence.
6. Have a yearly draft schedule book with you and for the staff to see. In it all factors considered, you make a yearly staff schedule. All changed throughout the year are made in this book; by the time of the actual weekly schedule is due, you and the staff are ready for the official one.
7. Use Backpack calendar or Google monthly calendar (free) to share your scheduling and ideas with the staff. By using the email sharing function of the calendar to keep in touch with your colleagues and you can get their feedback in good time.

Qlsherwood 06:36, 25 November 2007 (EST)