[Publib] Circulation Desk Workers - aka "dummy worker" or "dummydesk"???

[Rebecca Bronson]

You bring up excellent points Toccara. Every job and every worker, whether
it's in the library or the wider world, deserves respect. If that function
didn't matter, my guess is, cash-strapped institutions (and businesses
focused primarily on the bottom line) wouldn't cough up the dough to pay
someone to do it. And that's true from the janitor on up. Imagine if no one
was cleaning the toilets every day in your place of work, or anywhere else
you go out in public for that matter. Pretty gross, huh?

Rebecca Bronson
Reference Librarian
Handley Regional Library
P.O. Box 1300
Stephens City, VA  22655

540-869-9000 (voice)
540-869-9001 (fax)

www.hrl.lib.state.va.us

  -----Original Message-----
  From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org
[mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org]On Behalf Of toccara porter
  Sent: Wednesday, June 13, 2007 6:55 PM
  To: publib at webjunction.org
  Subject: [Publib] Circulation Desk Workers - aka "dummy worker" or
"dummydesk"???


  Hello Publibbers,

  As a current circulation worker, whose ultimate goal is Reference (in
essence, I'm a passerby in Circulation), I have to vent on the issue of
circulation work and workers-which, judging by some of the responses
regarding para-professional work, and the treatment (conscious or not) by
Information Staff at my library-- are AKA "dummy worker" or  the "dummy
desk."

  How do you create the Circulation Desk Recipe?  3-4 mixes of physically
able bodied individuals, 1 teaspoon of a circulation study guide, bake for
about one month of trial by fire on the desk experience=The Circulation Desk
Worker.

  I am amazed at the lack of respect given to circulation workers as if to
say the work is elementary.  As if the work of circulation or any other
routine clerical work is far below that of a professional librarian.  I've
experience this kind of snobbery in library school, so this is not
surprising.  In recalling the metaphor used by Eldridge Cleaver's in Soul on
Ice, in his summarization of the relationship between whites and blacks,
states that the African American is seen as the body, whereas, the Caucasian
represents the mind.

  In this case of Circulation (or Page Work), the Information Desk is the
mind, consisting of the use of creativity, vast knowledge of source
location, reference interviewing, readers advisory, etc.; with the
Circulation Desk being the body: shelving reserves, lifting up to 25lbs of
books and bins, etc.  Of course, it does not take much brain power to do
those things, right?

  But, Circulation is not limited to those things but represents:

  1. The first point of contact for most library users
  2. The ability to perform collection development of damaged items.
  3. An awareness of the library's collection which promotes the ability to
provide efficient reference assistance which, is especially important if
Info. Staff are busy with patrons and it reduces the number of referrals
  4. Merchandizing
  5. Searching Capabilities

  The list can go on on, but could we have a little more respect for
circulation workers, pages, or other.  Every position in the library is of
value that helps each worker perform their job efficiently.

  Not everyone came out of the womb a seasoned professional.

  Toccara Porter, Graduate MLS student
  Kent State Univ.
  Columbus Metropolitan Library

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