Minneapolis Public Library and Information Center
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MINNEAPOLIS PUBLIC LIBRARY AND INFORMATION CENTER ANNUAL REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR ANNUAL REPORTS of DEPARTMENTS COMMUNITY LIBRARIES ATBENAEUM 1988. Volume I CONTENTS VOLUME I ADMINISTRATION CENTRAL LIBRARY SERVICES TECHNICAL SERVICES ATHENAEUM 1988 Director of the Library. 1 Associate Director 5 Accounting Office. 12 Building Staff . 15 INFORM. 20 Interlibrary Loan. 26 Personnel Off ice 32 Public Relations Office . 37 Chief of Central Library Services 43 Subject Departments Art/Music/Films . 46 Business/Economics . 56 Children's Services. 66 Government Documents 86 Municipal Information Library. 94 History/Travel 100 Literature. 110 Sociology 118 Special Collections. 127 Technology/Science . 132 Environmental Conservation Library. 145 Shelving . 147 Chief of Technical Services 150 Acquisitions. 156 Catalog Department. 168 Circulation Department 180 Electronic Data Processing Department 185 Inventory Conversion Specialist 190 Preparations Department . 193 Athenaeum 201 ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR Annual Report 1988 Operating under the first year of the Strategic Plan 1988-1992, the Library accomplished many objectives that serve as powerful symbols of change and growth with short- and long-range benefits. These actions were representative of the Associate Director's responsibility to update and achieve greater efficiency in the delivery of library services, to provide pertinent management information for optimum accountability in administering the Library's fiscal operations, to monitor personnel administration and capital and maintenance expenditures, and to supervise the operations of the Maintenance Department, Personnel Office, Accounting Office, Public Relations Office, and INFORM/ILL. I. Key retirements, personnel changes, staff reorganizations, and continued emphasis on making office procedures lean and efficient permeated the year. The Strategic Plan provided specific actions, guidelines and the general framework for dealing effectively with these changes. Staff Changes Considerable effort was made in restructuring the Personnel Office in anticipation of the retirements of Payroll/Personnel Services Assistant Evelyn Karsh and Personnel Officer Elizabeth Shelver, both long-term employees who contributed extensively to the well-being of staff and institution for decades. The Personnel Officer position, formerly Unclassified, was re-evaluated by Civil Service and became a Classified position as a combination personnel and training officer, to be filled in 1989 by Assistant Personnel Officer Barbara Hoosman. The positions of Assistant Personnel Officer and Payroll/Personnel Services Assistant were both reclassified to Personnel Services Assistant, and a new half-time Clerk Typist II position was created. These changes, to become effective in early 1989, will improve the Library's abilities to develop and maintain an effective and efficient work force. Planning for another retirement in the Accounting Office triggered examination and approval of an upgrade from an Account Clerk II to Account Clerk Supervisor, providing needed assistance for the Finance Manager in administering fiscal operations. Efforts to announce and fill this position were underway at the close of the year. -5- For the first time since Central Library moved to its new site in 1961, the Maintenance Department underwent a significant reorganization, enabling to the demands of maintaining diverse facilities and new equipment brought in by technological changes. The reorganization featured the newly fashioned positions of Central Facility Supervisor, Community Facility Supervisor, and Janitorial Crew Leader, to which Dan Drebenstedt, Dave Kirk, and Mark Gallagher were appointed, respectively. It is to the credit of the Maintenace staff under the leadership of Superintendent of Buildings Alex Wakal that scheduled and emergency maintenance projects were capably accomplished, in the midst of changes brought about by retirements, promotions, transfers and resignations, as well as the enormously time-consuming and elaborate process of reorganizing the department. Strategic Planning Published in late 1987, the Strategic Plan 1988-1992 directed much of the Library's efforts to improve services. Objectives targeted for completion in 1988 were accomplished. Four quarterly updates were published with the Official Bulletin to report on accomplishments under the plan, and supervisors were surveyed to obtain feedback on the planning process. The Executive Committee devoted a day to the annual review of the Strategic Plan, evaluating each of the Goals and Objectives for appropriateness and status of achievement and adding new Objectives for 1989. A new document, the Strategic Plan 1989-1993, was fashioned and will be implemented with the same high-caliber commitment and enthusiasm generated during the first year. Marketing The Library's interest in using a marketing approach to the design of products and services was demonstrated this year when a consortium of Central and Community Library childrens' librarians and public relations staff began planning and implementing strategies for the Year of the Young Reader--1989. The marketing planning and budgeting techniques developed through this effort can be applied to future major, system-wide campaigns and public relations projects, as well as to the design of products and services based on customer needs. Finance The Accounting Office began implementing ways to provide decision makers timely financial information. More complete and thorough financial reports were generated this year, as both Trust and Operating budget restructuring were recommended and five-year projections were created. -6- INFORM/ILL INFORM and Interlibrary Loan activities over the year proved to be challenging due to soaring usage rates coupled with uncharacteristic instability brought about by staff vacancies. While no additions to the staff complement were acheived, INFORM kept up with its customer demands through use of substitutes and streamlined its office operations using the personal computer. II. Notable achievements and accomplishments for the Personnel Office, Accounting Office, Public Relations Office, INFORM/ILL, and Maintenance and Buildings are indicated below. Personnel Although Elizabeth Shelver retired at the close of the year, she left a rich legacy of effective stewardship in resolving numerous personnel issues, grievances and union settlements. Her last experience with collective bargaining was memorable because it dealt with pay equity as well as contract concerns. Despite eleven months of protracted labor discussions, agreements were reached with Local 99, AFSCME, PLUM, unrepresented supervisors and chiefs. Specifically, these agreements called for a two-year contract or agreement continuing the 37 1/2-hour work week, no dental benefits, and pay equity settlement set at 96% of the Library's all class pay line. Agreements reached with LACE, unrepresented administrative managers and the Director for a thirty-month duration featured a 40-hour work week, dental benefits, and pay equity settlements based on 96% of the City's higher all class pay line. Back pay configuration was begun at year end and will carry into 1989. Distribution of new pay equity increases, back payments, slightly higher benefit payments and dental coverage to appropriate staff was expected to begin shortly after the new year. Other accomplishments enriched the performance appraisal system, revised the Personnel Manual, documented the Payroll/Personnel Office procedures, initiated training through the development of a needs assessment and follow-up analysis, created a new vacation scheduling program involving supervisors, and implemented a new staff training program. All MPLIC staff completed job analysis questionnaires as the prelude to the Mercer-Meidinger-Hanson city-wide classification study. Another remarkable milestone in the recent history of MPLIC was the Staff Development Day of 1988. -7- Accounting Office New from the Accounting Office this year was the combined furniture and equipment budget control program. Each Chief was given an agreed upon sum of money to purchase furniture and/or equipment, and these total dollars were to be spent in either account code so long as the expenditures did not exceed the total amount provided. Budget updates were provided by cost center periodically during the year to assist the Chiefs in budget control. A specific dollar figure was set for supply requests by cost center. Equipment inventory procedures were installed at the request of the State Auditor's Office which will require additional administrative work to fully complete this coming year. Performance measurement reports sent to the Budget Office annually were revamped. As a result, these reports more effectively reflect the high degree of accomplishment of MPLIC goals and the richness of planning for the future. Laura Dahlen, Manager of Finance, assisted the Library Board's newly formed Finance Subcommittee by preparing for the first time a five-year Trust expenditure budget. Budget projections and planning of this type are highly valued by the Board, administration, and City support offices. Additional budget controls stemming from the strategic planning process shows the materials budget of $1,724,186 was 13% of the total budget and personnel costs of $9,029,583 were 69% of the total; both were well within the planning parameters of 12-13% and 73-75% respectively. Public Relations Marketing planning has left an indelible mark on operations this year. Development of a