1984-06-07O City of Beverly, Massachusetts
Public Meeting Minutes
Board: Library Trustees
Subcommittee: Personnel Committee
Date: 06/07/1984
Place: Beverly Public Library
Board members present: Nancy A. White, Katherine L. Fanning, Kathleen M. Henriehon, and
Neil B. Olson
Board members absent:
Others present:
Recorder: Nancy Abetman
Personnel Committee Report
Meeting: June 7, 1984, 4:30 p.m.
Present: Nancy White, Neil Olson, Kay Fanning (5:00 p.m.) Kathleen Henrichon, Esther Calish.
Mrs. Calish distributed the attached summary and job description which outlines the optimum
qualifications, duties and responsibilities of the Circulation Department Head. The duties and
responsibilities now being carried out by Bernice Gilman are in the last paragraph of the summary.
Mrs. Calish explained that the union contract stipulates that remuneration at department head level
must be paid to the staff person assuming such responsibilities for more than five days. However, no
full time position can be filled without permission from the Mayor and Board of Aldermen.
The Personnel Committee recommends, since Bernice Gilman is performing the supervisory duties
previously described, the Board of Trustees forward a request to the Mayor and Board of Aldermen
for permission to appoint Bernice Gilman as Temporary Circulation Department Head beginning July
1, 1984, until the position is permanently filled.
The committee discussed at length the duties and responsibilities of the Circulation Department Head
position, as listed in the job description. All but one of these are professional library skills acquired
in library science courses.
To meet the challenges of contemporary library service, a majority of the Personnel Committee,
Nancy White and Neil Olson, believes the Circulation Department Head position requires professional
training as well as experience, and recommends that the Board of Trustees request permission from
the Mayor and Board of Aldermen to fill the Circulation Department Head position with a
professional librarian at Grade 16. Kay Fanning dissented.
Mrs. Calish brought to the committee's attention that Frances Penta is entitled to sick leave buy-back
mounting to $5,879.28 (88 days @ $66.81). Mrs. Calish wanted to inform the Board of Trustees
before sending the request to City Hall.
To get these matters "into the legislative hopper", Board Chairman Neil Olson set the next regular
meeting of the Board of Trustees for Tuesday, June 12, 1984, at 7:30 p.m. This enables the Board
of Trustees to forward any proposals to City Hall in time for consideration at the June 18 Aldermanic
meeting.
CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT HEAD POSITION
A. The creation of a vacancy in a major department head position is an opportunity to evaluate the
potential of the position with a fresh perspective. Should we preserve the status quo or should we opt
for change and growth that could benefit the library's operations?
The Yager Classification Report adopted by the city in 1967 cites the Master's Degree in Library
Science as one of the qualifications for this position.
It is more than likely that to obtain a candidate with the skills, experience and training deemed
desirable, the person would have obtained an M.L.S. The duties and responsibilities outlined in the
attached job description call for expertise in automation and computer services as well as reader's
advisory skills.
Current professional training for public library service also emphasizes community analyses and
responsiveness to community needs. The circulation desk provides an excellent forum for an aware
department head to draw upon experience and background and to offer insights into the delivery of
service.
The opening of this position gives us the opportunity to advertise nationally and to discover whether
there is a candidate out there who can bring fresh ideas to the library based on experience, knowledge
and enthusiasm for public service.
The sum budgeted for Head of Circulation in the 1984/85 budget was $17,370.60 (Grade 11 at old
rate plus longevity bonus). The Grade 16 at the new rate for the first year would be $17,849.00, a
difference of $478.40.
We recommend requesting of the Mayor and the Board of Aldermen permission to fill the position
of Head of Circulation temporarily at Grade 11 and subsequently at Grade 16 if we can recruit a
qualified candidate.
Although the temporary Grade 11 Circulation Department Head assignment filled from within could
not provide the additional skills we are seeking, the department must be supervised. There is a
sizeable contingent of part-time aides and pages responsible for ongoing service to the public of
charging out and checking in books, overdues, reserves, renewals and shelving books. This work flow
can be maintained only if there is a department head over-seeing these operations.
B. Circulation Head
Position requires ALA-accredited M.L.S.; flexibility, good interpersonal skills; knowledge of
library operations, automation and library networks, contemporary literature.
Duties include but are not limited to:
1 ) Supervision of Circulation Department
2) Training of pages and part-time staff (2 full-time support staff)
3) Work at circulation desk
4) Management of automated circulation system
5) Selection of fiction and other materials
6) Scheduling
7) Readers' advisory
2 weeks vacation; work some evenings and 1 weekend per month; 15 days sick leave; 75% BC/BS.
Salary--S336.87375.16 per week in 4 steps, 2 1/2 years. Raise anticipated.
Application deadline September 14, 1984. Send resume to Esther Calish, Director, Beverly Public
Library, 32 Essex Street, Beverly, Ma. 01915