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6023 results in Facet Publishing

Page 133 of 302

  • 20 - Inductions

  • from Section 2 - Infrastructure
  • Tracey Pratchett, Gil Young, Carol Brooks, Lisa Jeskins, Helen Monagle
  • Book:
    Practical Tips for Developing Your Staff
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    09 June 2018
    Print publication:
    21 November 2016, pp 48-50

  • Summary

    A GOOD INDUCTION is crucial to building a relationship between the new member of staff, their immediate team and the employing organization. Many larger organizations will have formal induction events, often lasting one or two days, which it is compulsory for all new staff to attend. However, a proper induction into an organization and team needs to consist of more than this and should last longer.

    All staff have a need to understand the basics of how their organization works. This includes when and how they are paid, car parking, the aims and objective of the organization and health and safety considerations, including fire procedures and personal safety. If this information is not covered at organizational level then it is essential that it be dealt with by the line manager or a designated person. It might be useful to put together a checklist to ensure that all the basics have been covered. If you have an HR department they should be able to assist with this. CIPD and ACAS both provide useful guidance on what an induction needs to cover (see Further Reading, p. 50).

    Induction at a local level needs to cover much more than the essentials. If the new post holder will not have the opportunity to spend time with the outgoing post holder the first step to a successful induction will be the exit interview with the person who is moving on (Tip 32, p. 74). At this interview try and ascertain what the outgoing post holder wishes they had been told when they started, what they would like to share with their successor and any useful contacts. If it can be arranged for them to spend time with the new person then do this. If the post is a new one then the line manager needs to think about these questions and prepare answers for the incoming staff member. Induction will vary from post to post and from organization to organization. The following list covers some of the topics, conversation points and activities which you might want to consider, including in an induction plan for a new post holder:

  • • Organizational objectives.

  • • Service strategy and other important documents, e.g. marketing plan.

  • • What are the key tasks of the role?

  • • What are the individual's expectations of the post?

  • 16 - Shortlisting

  • from Section 2 - Infrastructure
  • Tracey Pratchett, Gil Young, Carol Brooks, Lisa Jeskins, Helen Monagle
  • Book:
    Practical Tips for Developing Your Staff
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    09 June 2018
    Print publication:
    21 November 2016, pp 37-39

  • Summary

    SHORTLISTING MUST BE a systematic and transparent process which is generally, but not always, carried out by those who are going to interview. The most common way of shortlisting is to score the application, using a grid system, against the person specification. At the most basic level the scores are added up at the end and the people who score the highest are invited for interview. The simplest scoring system to use is:

  • • fully demonstrates that they meet the criterion = 2 points

  • • partially demonstrates that they meet the criterion = 1 point

  • • does not meet the criterion = 0 points.

    • It is generally recommended that criteria are divided up into essential and desirable and essential criteria should be scored first. Those scoring highest on essential criteria are then scored against desirable criteria and the ones with the highest overall scores are invited to interview.

    You should ensure that shortlisting is completed by a minimum of two people. Each person must review the candidates’ applications alone before meeting the rest of the shortlisting team in order to avoid bias. The shortlisting team will then meet and compare their notes to decide which candidates they will invite for interview. If a decision cannot be made, ask an appropriate colleague or obtain advice from HR to assist with the process.

    Shortlisting should take place as soon as possible after the closing date. It is important to inform candidates in plenty of time if they have an interview. Depending on the number of applicants it is not always practical to inform them all that they haven't been selected for interview but do so if you can and offer feedback. It is important to remember that at this stage an external candidate will still be forming their impression of what the organization will be like to work for. For internal candidates they need to know as soon as possible if their application is to be taken forward as this could have an impact on their future commitment to the organization.

  • 67 - Networks – setting up

  • from Section 3 - Activities and tools
  • Tracey Pratchett, Gil Young, Carol Brooks, Lisa Jeskins, Helen Monagle
  • Book:
    Practical Tips for Developing Your Staff
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    09 June 2018
    Print publication:
    21 November 2016, pp 173-175

  • Summary

    Networks – setting up

    AS MENTIONED IN Tip 66 (p. 170), if a network which meets an identified need does not exist, either you or your team members can set one up. Many networks were created by groups who identified a gap and developed a network with the aim of addressing this. It is important that networks have a clear purpose, which can be derived from an ethos or a policy. It does not have to be static and may change over time but it is important that the purpose of the network remains clear, so that it remains organized. You may decide to set up a network with a view to developing yourself, your teams and others in the wider LKS with similar interests and ethos. Alternatively, you may be supporting individuals to set up their own networks. The following example from practice demonstrates some of the skills which setting up a network can develop.

    Example from practice: Catherine McManamon – LKS professional (academic) and cofounder of the NLPN (New Library Professionals Network)

    The NLPN (2012) was initially created to help fill a training-needs gap in the potentially stressful period between completing the Masters-level library qualification and securing the first professional library post. I was one of four students from the MMU MA Library and Information Management course in 2011/12 who felt that developing a professional network for our peers would help to strengthen our CPD and provide support in the areas where there were gaps in our knowledge and experience.

    Planning the network's events has enabled all four of the network's organizers to develop our communication skills, our organization skills and our team work. It has given practical experience that we had not had before in our roles: securing funding, managing budgets, developing a brand and a social media presence, promoting NLPN, liaising with speakers and the members of our network. It had significantly enhanced our ability to be advocates for our profession and to recognize the importance of a community of practice beyond qualification and even the first professional post.

    The network can be whatever is needed at that time, formal or informal, faceto- face or virtual or a combination of these. Some networks only exist for a short time, others may continue for a long time, and this will depend on the purpose of the network.

  • 65 - MOOCs

  • from Section 3 - Activities and tools
  • Tracey Pratchett, Gil Young, Carol Brooks, Lisa Jeskins, Helen Monagle
  • Book:
    Practical Tips for Developing Your Staff
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    09 June 2018
    Print publication:
    21 November 2016, pp 167-170

  • Summary

    MOOCs

    MOOCS ARE ‘MASSIVE open online courses’, which are often (but not always) free and have no prerequisites for enrolment other than access to a computer. MOOCs are delivered by a number of universities and other organizations across the world. Defined as ‘a course of study made available over the Internet without charge to a very large number of people’, they involve collaboration, shared resources and often have limited tutor input. These courses can attract thousands of participants from all over the world and often act as a taster course for universities, who use them to showcase courses, extend their reach and identify new audiences.

    The first UK MOOC was launched in 2012, and there are now over 54 MOOCs in the UK and even more worldwide (Higher Education Academy, 2013). Library staff can be involved in MOOCs in two ways, as collaborators in the creation of a course, or as participants, as part of their ongoing learning and development. At Leeds University, LKS staff were involved in the creation of MOOCs developed by the University and hosted on the Future Learn platform (Green and Howard, 2014). The role of the librarian was multifaceted; advising on resources, copyright issues, accessibility, open access and digital literacy and creating links within the organization.

    For the learner, MOOCs provide informal learning opportunities via courses which vary in length, from 2 to 12 weeks (Higher Education Academy, 2013). Generally, MOOCs have a defined start and end date, although some are flexible and can be accessed at any point in time. They differ from other forms of online learning in that they facilitate connections between other learners and tutors outside the ‘classroom’ rather than being a solitary process. Participants should expect a mixture of learning methods including videos, lectures, reading, assignments, evaluations and online discussions (MOOC News and Reviews, 2013).

    Flexibility

    There is some evidence that participants use MOOCs flexibly, without completing the assessed elements of the course, and completion rates can be particularly low, at around 10%. Matt Holland (2014a) suggests that com - pletion rates may not be the most appropriate evaluation for MOOCs, as is traditionally the case for face-to-face courses.

  • 87 - Twitter

  • from Section 3 - Activities and tools
  • Tracey Pratchett, Gil Young, Carol Brooks, Lisa Jeskins, Helen Monagle
  • Book:
    Practical Tips for Developing Your Staff
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    09 June 2018
    Print publication:
    21 November 2016, pp 231-235

  • Summary

    Twitter

    TWITTER IS A microblogging service that was launched in 2006. In January 2014 it was reported that 80% of world leaders are using Twitter (Scherr, 2014) and according to Taylor & Francis (2014) it is the second most popular social media tool used by LKS.

    Twitter is a communication channel; it allows you to write short 140- character-long messages for the people who are following you to read. Being able to use Twitter will enable staff to develop skills and knowledge in areas of the PKSB that cover communication, networking and media and PR skills (CILIP, 2014. Sections 12.5, 12.6 and 12.7).

    Many people believe that Twitter is all about what people had for lunch, pictures of cats or finding out ‘who did what to whom’ at a celebrity shindig. However, there is a large and enthusiastic community of LKS professionals out there who are sharing their knowledge, best practice, interesting articles and useful tools with each other. They are hosting library chats and journal groups, or they are helping each other to become Chartered. A number of useful hashtags are listed below. There is a lot of great (but informal) CPD out there that staff can get involved in. Encouraging your staff to use Twitter means they will be able to access all sorts of information useful for their professional development, including sector knowledge and informal learning. If you can't afford to send staff to key conferences, they can follow what is happening from the office for free!

    Networking

    Twitter is a great tool for networking. There are all sorts of librarians on Twitter and if you and your staff follow them, you can join in any conversation that interests you. You can ask questions or organize meetings with people who might be involved in similar projects. A librarian on Twitter starts to develop a wider knowledge of their profession as they start to connect with a broader range of people. Staff will get to know LKS professionals from other sectors, which is fantastic for cross-pollination of ideas. Twitter is gaining in popularity and lots of people are using it. Ensuring that your staff know how their LKS users are accessing information is key.

  • 60 - Meetings – chairing

  • from Section 3 - Activities and tools
  • Tracey Pratchett, Gil Young, Carol Brooks, Lisa Jeskins, Helen Monagle
  • Book:
    Practical Tips for Developing Your Staff
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    09 June 2018
    Print publication:
    21 November 2016, pp 154-157

  • Summary

    CHAIRING A MEETING is a good opportunity for individuals to develop a number of important and transferable skills. These include, but are not limited to, time management, negotiation, active listening, questioning and summarizing. The example from practice here outlines the skills developed by one individual as a result of undertaking a chairing role.

    Example from practice: Jane Roberts – LKS professional (NHS)

    When I was first asked to become co-chair of the LIHNN Trainer's Group it felt quite a daunting task, as I had never chaired a meeting before. It was reassuring that I shared the job with a colleague from another North West library who was also new to chairing, so we could learn together. The role gave me the opportunity to develop my organizational skills, I had to book meeting venues, arrange catering and sort out the agenda for each meeting – which included booking guest speakers. Chairing meetings increased my confidence in addressing a large group of people and leading discussions whilst ensuring all group members had their say on a particular item. I also used the experience for evidence for my Chartership portfolio.

    If a member of your team is required to chair a meeting then you will need to think about what is required in advance and plan, with them, how to get the most out of the experience.

    Role of the Chair

    As Chair they should agree the agenda in advance of the meeting with the note taker and check that it, along with any other relevant papers, is circulated to all of those invited to attend the meeting. It is the responsibility of the Chair to ensure that the right people are invited to the meeting and that they are clear about why they have been asked to participate.

    At the first meeting of a group the Chair needs to agree ground rules and any matters of confidentiality with attendees. Written terms of reference can be a useful tool, as they give group members something to refer back to, which clarifies the purpose of the meeting and what the group is aiming to achieve.

  • 80 - Social media

  • from Section 3 - Activities and tools
  • Tracey Pratchett, Gil Young, Carol Brooks, Lisa Jeskins, Helen Monagle
  • Book:
    Practical Tips for Developing Your Staff
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    09 June 2018
    Print publication:
    21 November 2016, pp 206-210

  • Summary

    Social media

    Social media allows people to create, share or exchange information, ideas, and pictures/videos in virtual communities and networks.

    Wikipedia, 2015

    SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS and tools such as Twitter, Facebook, blogs, YouTube, Flickr and Slideshare allow you to discover, disseminate, organize, collaborate and even curate information. It provides news from around the world at a speed that is incomparable with news dissemination 20 years ago. It empowers,

    democratizes and has even brought about regime change. LKS staff can use it to promote their services, engage with their customers, stream content (Taylor & Francis, 2014), create professional networks and update current awareness.

    Social media is included in CILIP's PKSB (2013) section ‘IT and Communication’ (Sections 12.4–12.7). The PKSB describes an information professional who understands social media tools in a variety of ways – not just for communication and networking but also using them to create usergenerated content, and as part of media and PR skills.

    It is important that managers help staff to foster an awareness of social media in this information age. Staff need to know how their users are discovering and using information, so they can answer questions about it and exploit tools to promote their service. Here are a few handy tips for using social media:

  • • Starting out? Try a Twitter account first – it's very quick and easy to create. It also will help with you and your staff's current awareness.

  • • Finding out about new stuff? Have development meetings. Get each member of staff to research a new and different social media channel and bring it to present at the meeting.

  • • Librarians involved with children and young people should explore Snapchat, Instagram and the latest craze for following vlogging and vloggers.

    • Being open to social media in the first place is important, so if you want to develop this in your staff, have your own accounts in at least a couple of tools. You can then encourage staff to do the same. Even if you are only using a couple of social media channels, an awareness of functionality will make it easier for you and your staff to learn how to use new tools. Leading by example in this way shows staff how important social media is to you, and having a Twitter account will help you to find out about new social media tools.

  • 46 - Conferences – posters

  • from Section 3 - Activities and tools
  • Tracey Pratchett, Gil Young, Carol Brooks, Lisa Jeskins, Helen Monagle
  • Book:
    Practical Tips for Developing Your Staff
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    09 June 2018
    Print publication:
    21 November 2016, pp 115-117

  • Summary

    PRESENTING A POSTER at a conference is a great way of delivering information on a new project or initiative and can be a good starting point for individuals who are not ready to deliver a formal presentation. Posters raise awareness of an individual's work or an LKS project and are often less intimidating than presenting a paper. This is an alternative opportunity for a member of staff who wants to gain presentation experience in a ‘less scary’ environment.

    What is a poster?

    A poster should be attractive and pleasing to the eye. Its primary function is to advertise and be decorative. People often use conference posters to present brief information about a project they are working on. During the scheduled poster session, the designer of the poster should be beside their poster to answer any questions that people might have. For this reason, a poster can also be considered as a means to generate discussion.

    What should your staff consider when producing a poster?

  • • Any poster should be prepared in accordance with the conference guidelines, which will advise about acceptable size, orientation, structure and format.

  • • It should make an impact and use credible and professional images and fonts. Avoid Comic Sans and cartoon-like images.

  • • A poster full of text will not attract people. They will not be able to see quickly what it is about and a poster loses impact if people have to get really close to read it.

  • • Text must be clear and concise and broken up using headings and bullet points.

  • • Information must be illustrated visually using charts, graphs and photos to get the message across.

  • • Encourage staff to try using free graphic design tools such as Canva (2016), which can help to produce something professional-looking.

  • • Interactive posters can make an impact. Electronic posters can link to multimedia content and QR codes can enable your staff to link to videos or web-based content.

  • • Follow-up information can be provided via handouts or flyers that people can take away with them.

  • • Offer to proofread the poster before sending it to the printer.

  • • Consider giving your team member a small budget to get a professional to help design their poster. It could become a marketing tool and if accepted at more than one conference would provide a return on investment.

  • 61 - Meetings – note taking

  • from Section 3 - Activities and tools
  • Tracey Pratchett, Gil Young, Carol Brooks, Lisa Jeskins, Helen Monagle
  • Book:
    Practical Tips for Developing Your Staff
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    09 June 2018
    Print publication:
    21 November 2016, pp 158-159

  • Summary

    Meetings – note taking

    MOST OF US have been in a meeting where the first question the Chair asks is, ‘Will someone volunteer to take the minutes?’ At this point everyone looks down at the table until someone gives in and volunteers. Whilst this is a better situation than the one in which someone asks, either halfway through the meeting or at the end, ‘Who is taking the minutes?’ and it turns out no one is, it is not ideal. Taking the notes at a meeting can be a valuable development activity but it requires some thought and preparation in advance if the note taker is to get the most out of the experience and if the notes are to provide a useful record of the meeting.

    Note taking develops a number of skills including time management, written communication and active listening. Note taking can be a particularly good development activity for junior staff as a means of enabling them to understand how meetings work and how things get done within their organization.

    Good practice

    It is good practice to agree a note taker in advance of the meeting. The Chair and the note taker should then get together, either face-to-face or virtually, to agree the agenda and the type of notes required. The agenda needs to be clearly laid out and it is a good idea to include timings and who is leading on each item. The most important items should appear first on the agenda. The agenda, along with any other papers and the notes from any previous meeting, should be circulated well in advance of the meeting. The note taker should bring along spare copies of all papers to the meeting.

    The note taker needs to be clear about how much detail is needed and how the notes are to be used by both group members and other stakeholders. Do they need to be a verbatim account of what is said or just a summary? Can only decisions and actions be recorded? Would a separate action plan be a useful document? The more detailed the minutes, the harder it is for the note taker to contribute anything else to the meeting. This is one of the reasons for deciding in advance of the meeting who the note taker will be and the format the notes will take.

  • 23 - Appraisals – preparing

  • from Section 2 - Infrastructure
  • Tracey Pratchett, Gil Young, Carol Brooks, Lisa Jeskins, Helen Monagle
  • Book:
    Practical Tips for Developing Your Staff
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    09 June 2018
    Print publication:
    21 November 2016, pp 54-56

  • Summary

    CIPD (2015) DESCRIBES performance appraisals (or performance reviews) as an opportunity for an employee and their line manager to discuss their performance, future goals, development needs and to identify any resources or training which they need. Typically, the appraisal is an annual event, although some organizations may undertake these more regularly. It usually ends with both parties agreeing a number of personal objectives for the coming year which are linked to both departmental and organizational core objectives. The appraisal provides an opportunity to bring together organizational, LKS and individual aims into one place and the meeting should be a two-way conversation between the employee and their line manager.

    To ensure that both parties get the most out of an appraisal meeting, it is essential that both the individual employee and their line manager prepare in advance. Here are a number of tips which can help your meeting to run smoothly:

  • • Agree a date and a time that is mutually beneficial allowing enough time to prepare.

  • • Book a room that is comfortable and suitable for both of you. Your office may be the easiest place to meet, but may be intimidating for the appraisee. You could meet in a coffee shop or somewhere more informal, but ensure that you can maintain confidentiality.

  • • Ensure that the individual understands the process and that they have a copy of last year's appraisal and the new documentation.

  • • Read last year's appraisal documentation and complete the documentation for the coming year:

  • —how do you rate their performance?

  • —have they fulfilled last year's objectives?

  • —if not, do you know why?

  • • Review the job description. Are they fulfilling the requirements of their job description and does it still represent their role?

  • • Ensure that you have a good understanding of your organizational mission, values and goals so that you can link these to the appraisal process.

  • • Prior to the meeting identify those key objectives which are clearly linked to your LKS's overall plan. These may change during the meeting, but it is good to have a clear idea beforehand of what you would like the team member to achieve in the coming year.

  • 98 - Writing newsletters

  • from Section 3 - Activities and tools
  • Tracey Pratchett, Gil Young, Carol Brooks, Lisa Jeskins, Helen Monagle
  • Book:
    Practical Tips for Developing Your Staff
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    09 June 2018
    Print publication:
    21 November 2016, pp 261-263

  • Summary

    Writing newsletters

    NEWSLETTERS ARE ISSUED periodically, and can be powerful advocacy tools for connecting with LKS users, promoting new services or marketing activities. It is also worthwhile exploring whether any internal newsletters are published within your organization and submitting articles about your service to these. Organizational newsletters or bulletins often have a wider reach than the traditional LKS newsletter and can be useful to get your messages out; the communications or media teams will be able to advise you about the internal publication routes available and the processes involved.

    For staff who want to develop their experience of writing for an LKS audience, recommend that they look at special-interest groups, as these often provide opportunities to submit short articles. It could be just the opportunity that your team member is looking for! The CILIP Health Libraries Group Newsletter (CILIP, 2016) is one such newsletter, which encourages health librarians to submit article and book reviews, or share reports from meetings with its readership. There may be other opportunities for staff to submit articles to LKS professional newsletters, where they can report on conference attendance or share their work-based experience with their peers.

    Target audience

    Whichever type of newsletter your staff are writing for, it is important that articles consider the target audience. To some extent, the structure, format and style of the article will be dictated by the editor, so for external newsletters it is worth getting in touch prior to submitting your content. Articles within your LKS newsletter should be linked to your marketing plan as an extension of your promotional activity and be written in an engaging and less formal style than a journal article, for example. Spend some time thinking of catchy titles for newsletter articles to draw the reader in and ensure that articles are short, clear, informal and accompanied by images or photographs.

    This approach will make content more engaging and keep your audience interested. A range of articles on different topics by different authors will serve a wider audience. With publishing tools being widely accessible, and including a range of pre-set templates, the e-mail newsletter has taken over from the printed version to some extent. Electronic newsletters are easy to create as a simple pdf file and disseminate to a wide range of users; archives can simply be stored on the library website or VLE.

  • 95 - Writing case studies

  • from Section 3 - Activities and tools
  • Tracey Pratchett, Gil Young, Carol Brooks, Lisa Jeskins, Helen Monagle
  • Book:
    Practical Tips for Developing Your Staff
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    09 June 2018
    Print publication:
    21 November 2016, pp 251-254

  • Summary

    Writing case studies

    ROBERT K. YIN defines a case study as

    a story about something unique, special, or interesting – stories can be about individuals, organizations, processes, programs, neighbourhoods, institutions, and even events

    Yin (2003), cited in Neale, Thapa and Boyce, 2006, 3

    There are many definitions of case studies for research, but this quote shows how diverse the case study can be, which is also true of their application in LKS. They can be used to provide detailed information about a single case or can be used across a sector, e.g. public libraries, to describe and compare events or services in a number of settings.

    Approaches

    In research, Davey (1991) describes a number of approaches to designing case studies which include illustrative (a description of events), exploratory (an investigation of events), cumulative (an ongoing collection of data to make comparisons and draw conclusions) or critical (designed to examine a particular cause and effect). Case studies designed for research purposes are often localized and are developed to learn about a situation by collecting and evaluating data with a view to making recommendations and drawing conclusions. Davey (1991) highlights a number of challenges with the case study as research methodology, as they can be selective in their use of data, less analytical than other forms of research, lacking in rigour, difficult to generalize and difficult to control variables when comparisons are being made.

    Uses

    Despite these pitfalls, case studies provide an opportunity for LKS staff to become involved in research and to develop their writing skills. Although much of what is written about the case study design and process comes from the research perspective, because they can be descriptive and less analytical they enable staff to present information in a simple and easy-to-read format. Case studies can also be used to view a project retrospectively based on an evaluation of the literature and analysis of the data. This may not be a highly rigorous approach to research per se, but can be useful to identify challenges or mistakes, to highlight lessons learned and make recommendations for future change and service development.

  • 78 - Secondments

  • from Section 3 - Activities and tools
  • Tracey Pratchett, Gil Young, Carol Brooks, Lisa Jeskins, Helen Monagle
  • Book:
    Practical Tips for Developing Your Staff
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    09 June 2018
    Print publication:
    21 November 2016, pp 201-204

  • Summary

    Secondments

    A SECONDMENT IS a temporary transfer of an individual from one part of the organization to another for a short period of time, usually for up to a 12-month period (CIPD, 2014). On occasion, secondments can also be arranged between different organizations. A defining feature of the secondment is that the employee's substantive post will be held for them until the end of the temporary contract, but it can be filled on a temporary basis until the secondment ends and the employee returns to their original position. Arrangements such as this can be beneficial for the employee, the original employer and the new employer.

    A secondment can provide a short-term opportunity for an individual to gain experience in a different role. In the case study below, both employees had worked in the same role for a number of years, but there were limited opportunities for promotion within the LKS. This short secondment enabled them to use their skills in a different way and to gain experience in a different role. Secondments can also provide opportunities to develop skills in new areas such as project management, leadership or web development which would enhance their future career prospects. Finally, the secondment offers security, enabling the employee to try out a different role for a short period of time, with the same terms and conditions and the knowledge that they will return to their original role at a later date.

    In the current climate, there are fewer opportunities to promote existing employees, and a secondment arrangement can accommodate this to some extent. If the post which the seconded staff member leaves remains vacant, you may save money in the short term. However, careful consideration should be taken to ensure that remaining staff are not placed under additional pressure to cover the vacant post. In the case study below, the original secondment was for three months, but was extended, placing extra pressure on the remaining staff who covered the vacancy. Consider whether the temporary vacancy could be filled by other team members, providing development opportunities for other staff. Alternatively, the short-term post could be filled from someone outside the existing team, thus encouraging new ideas, approaches and perspectives.

  • 13 - Job descriptions

  • from Section 2 - Infrastructure
  • Tracey Pratchett, Gil Young, Carol Brooks, Lisa Jeskins, Helen Monagle
  • Book:
    Practical Tips for Developing Your Staff
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    09 June 2018
    Print publication:
    21 November 2016, pp 33-34

  • Summary

    THE JOB DESCRIPTION outlines the main tasks and responsibilities of a role. It should provide you with a clear outline of the role you wish to recruit to and give potential candidates a good understanding of what would be expected of them if they were successful in the recruitment process. It is an important document, as it forms part of the contract of employment with the successful applicant.

    If you have a human resources (HR) department they will usually help you with this. Very often they will have a procedure for you to follow and there might be a standard layout which you will be expected to use. The job description forms the basis for the person specification which is outlined in the next Tip (p. 34). The job description should make clear the following (the headings may vary depending on the organization):

  • • the job title

  • • the name of the employing organization

  • • the department or division in which the job is based

  • • the title of the person the role is accountable to

  • • the title(s) of the roles the person is responsible for

  • • the main purpose of the role

  • • the main duties and responsibilities associated with the role

  • • information about the legal requirements of the role, such as responsibilities around health and safety, risk management, confidentiality, data protection and freedom of information

    • Best for

  • □ Clarifying for both the applicant and the employer the main tasks and responsibilities of the role.

    • More

  • □ In addition to forming part of the legal contract between the employer and employee the job description is one of the building blocks for the psychological contract which will be formed between the successful applicant and the employing organization. The psychological contract is the ‘expectations of an employee or workforce towards the employer’ (Chapman, 2014).

  • □ Once you have written the job description, and the accompanying person specification, it will usually have to be approved by HR or, in some cases, a panel. It is often at this stage that a salary and/or grade is attached to the post. It is important that the description makes it clear at what level each of the tasks should be performed to assist in this process.

  • 45 - Conferences – organizing

  • from Section 3 - Activities and tools
  • Tracey Pratchett, Gil Young, Carol Brooks, Lisa Jeskins, Helen Monagle
  • Book:
    Practical Tips for Developing Your Staff
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    09 June 2018
    Print publication:
    21 November 2016, pp 112-115

  • Summary

    GETTING INVOLVED IN organizing a conference is a great opportunity for all levels of staff. They will develop a range of skills, including networking, marketing, communication, presenting, negotiating, managing people, troubleshooting and budget management, to name but a few. In addition, they will find that creating something people enjoy and find useful is incredibly rewarding. If this is something you or your staff are interested in you can either look at joining the organizing committee for an established conference, such as the ones listed in the Further Reading section at the end of this Tip, or you could consider setting up a conference of your own if you can identify a gap in the LKS conference market.

    Getting involved

    If members of your staff are thinking of joining an established committee it is a good idea to think about the skills that they already have and identify any areas that they need to develop when allocating roles and tasks. Some areas that individuals can be involved in are:

  • • Chair

  • • Treasurer

  • • bookings

  • • call for papers

  • • sponsorship

  • • programme (what the delegates receive in their packs on arrival, brochure, badge, useful information, etc.)

  • • marketing and communications (website, social media, etc.).

    • Organizing your own conference

    If you and your team decide to organize a conference yourselves there are a number of considerations to take into account. These include planning the programme, organizing the venue and attracting people to the conference, not just as attendees but also in terms of presenting papers and running workshops.

    The theme of your conference should be relevant and informed by the target audience and their expectations. Once the theme is agreed the programme can be designed with a view to attracting attendees and interesting speakers or experts in the field can be invited to speak or present. It is usual to put out a general call for papers on the agreed theme which outlines the criteria for inclusion. It is not unusual for high-profile speakers to charge appearance fees or expenses and this should be factored into the planning process.

  • 35 - Apprentices, graduate trainees and work placements

  • from Section 3 - Activities and tools
  • Tracey Pratchett, Gil Young, Carol Brooks, Lisa Jeskins, Helen Monagle
  • Book:
    Practical Tips for Developing Your Staff
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    09 June 2018
    Print publication:
    21 November 2016, pp 85-88

  • Summary

    THIS TIP IS not about the technicalities of setting up apprenticeships, graduate trainee schemes or placements. It focuses on the quality of the experience which participants in these schemes should expect during their time working within your team. If you are involved in setting up one of these schemes then you should be following the Tips laid out in Section 2 (p. 27) of this book to ensure that the relationship between the individual and the service/ organization is beneficial to all interested parties. Additional information on apprentices, graduate trainee schemes and work placements are available by following the links in the Further Reading section below (p. 88).

    Work experience

    The principle behind apprenticeships, graduate trainee schemes and work placements is to provide real work experience for individuals, most of whom will either be studying for further qualifications or using the experience as a basis to apply for further study. Generally speaking, apprentices and graduate trainees will be paid an agreed salary during their time with your organization. Individuals on work placements might or might not receive payment. Either way, the onus is on the employer to ensure that the experience for individuals is meaningful and a valuable use of their time.

    Advantages

    Advantages to individuals of such schemes include the opportunity to develop practical skills, knowledge and behaviours through real-life experience. From an employer's perspective they are contributing to ensuring that the future workforce is trained in the skills, knowledge and behaviours that will ensure that their organizations can meet future challenges and take advantage of opportunities that will enable them to grow and prosper. The example below shows how the experience of undertaking a graduate traineeship led to a successful start to a career in the profession.

    Example from practice: Catherine McManamon – LKS professional (academic) and former graduate trainee

    My graduate traineeship was based in one of Manchester Metropolitan University's site libraries. The trainee programme aimed to provide a broad introduction to the different aspects of HE library services as well as practical experience of supporting the staff and students of the university in a front line capacity, prior to embarking on a Master level LIS qualification.

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