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

[Sue Bowser]

This reminds me of a patron who asked for the librarian.  When the circulation clerk tried to direct her to the reference staff, she said That wasn't the librarian.  Next she was directed to the Director.  That wasn't the librarian.  "I want the REAL librarian."  Just at that time, Regina, a very pleasant circ clerk, came back from break.  "That's her.  That's the REAL librarian."  

Circulation clerks are the library to many people.

Sue Bowser
Manager, Adult Services
Lancaster Public Library
125 N. Duke St.
Lancaster, PA 17602
(717) 394-2651 x117
Fax (717) 394-3083
sbowser at lancaster.lib.pa.us

---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: "Anita Scholtens" <ascholtens at hinsdale.lib.il.us>
Date:  Thu, 14 Jun 2007 14:07:44 -0500

Thank you from all the Circulation staff out there in library land!  Well
said and very much the truth. 

 

Anita Scholtens

.

 

-----Original Message-----
From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org [mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org]
On Behalf Of Owen Maloney
Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2007 7:35 AM
To: toccara porter; publib at webjunction.org
Cc: Ann Biron
Subject: RE: [Publib] Circulation Desk Workers - aka "dummy worker"
or"dummydesk"???

 

June 14, 2007

 

Good Morning Publib Folks,

 

Touche! for Ms. Porter.

 

When a library user thinks of the their library, they do not think of books
and computers.  They think of the face behind the  Circulation Desk who
welcomes them and serves them patiently and competently.  Those who staff
the Circulation Desk are the public face of the library.  What they do and
how well they do it are for more important than the efforts of even the most
indefatigable library director.

 

OWEN MALONEY

Library Director

Clapp Memorial Library, Belchertown MA 

 

  _____  

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 f 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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