LIS 7040: Case Study 1 – Si Quaeris University
Approach
As the newly appointed Library Director for Si Quaeris University, I have much to do to
manage the merger of the four colleges, particularly with regard to planning for the Library and
integrating the staff into cohesion. I used a multifaceted approach to reviewing the information
about the state of the current four college libraries and their employees to identify the problems
and develop the subsequent analysis and plans provided below.
First, I pulled out all pertinent information (such as staff information, college strengths
and weaknesses, terms to research, etc.) and wrote each item on a sticky note. Then I put the
sticky notes into relevant groupings and stuck them to my wall (Appendix A) to garner a better
understanding of the situation. Then I reviewed my old 7040 class lecture notes and syllabus to
obtain a list of germane management issues. Like the information above, I listed each one on a
sticky note and put them into relevant groups (Appendix B).
These groupings allowed me to more easily flow between the big picture (planning for
the library and integrating staff) to details (one strength of Our Lady is their ILS). It also helped
me to turn the issues into problem statements. Then given that the problems drive what
management issues are spotted, I mapped the relevant management issues to each problem
statement. The next step involved analyzing each problem, and finally drafting a plan for how to
proceed. This resulted in the following organization for the first phase of my master plan:
Problem Statement: A problem faced by the Library due to the merger.
Issues: What management issues are spotted in this problem?
Analysis: What is the problem really about? How do the issues influence this problem?
What are the pros and cons of various approaches?
Plan: How will I fix the problem based on what I learned in the analysis? What will be
done in the short-term (next four months before school starts), and what will be done in
the long-term (over the course of the next several years)?
Finally, I grouped all of the problems into two categories to better organize the plan as a
whole: planning problems and organization problems. The planning problems center on planning
for the Library and its leadership. The organization problems center on integrating the staff into a
cohesive whole at the University Library.
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Planning Problems
Problem
The Library does not have a mission statement.
Issues
Planning, Mission Statements/Visions
Analysis
The text states, “essentially a mission statement is the organization’s very longterm strategy…” (p. 149), therefore, I must look to what I know of the University’s longterm strategy and apply it to the Library. Horatio Halger’s (HH) vision for the University
is that “it becomes a program of international repute, and that it will change lives by
teaching people the important skills of self- sufficiency and sustainable farming
techniques, particularly in regions that lack access to healthy food” (Case Study).
Additionally, HH has the goal of full accreditation by Agricola et Magister (AgMag)
within two years. AgMag’s Standard 101 states, “the Library will have a visionary
mission statement that is philosophically aligned with the larger institution. The library
Director will serve as the chief advocate for this vision” (Case study). Therefore, the
mission statement devised for the library needs to incorporate the University vision and
apply it to the library, and as Library director, I will serve as the chief advocate for this
mission.
Although I may be the chief advocate, I believe in the importance of staff
involvement, particularly in terms of ownership of the mission statement. This will help
to facilitate staff buy-in and enthusiasm, which is important in proceeding with strategic
planning as well as enabling a happy, healthy staff and, therefore, Library. Indeed, “for a
strategy and/or a plan to be useful, there must be congruity between the organization’s
capabilities and its operating environment” (Text, p. 149) and given that the mission
statement will feed into and instruct the strategic plan, and that the employees help to
construct the operating environment, it is critical that they are all involved.
However, it is also essential that the mission statement be devised quickly to help
“guide [me and my staff] in all [our] actions” (Lecture Notes – Planning & Leadership)
during this transition and the Library’s initial reorganization and planning phases.
Therefore, as Library Director, I will craft a temporary mission statement based on HH’s
vision of the University at large, as well as the “four activities for an environmental scan”
(Text, p. 152) to unify the four former colleges into the single, cohesive University
Library. I will present this temporary mission statement to the Library staff as our guide
in traversing the transition. I will then request that all staff members provide feedback
and invite them to join the (voluntary) mission statement committee. This committee is
necessary to ensure staff involvement, and given that the mission statement is to address
the “long-term perspective,” it will need to be revised “periodically (in case of
environmental or organizational changes)” (Text, p. 150). Therefore, once the staff settles
into their roles and the organizational structure is resolved, it will be beneficial for the
committee to revisit the temporary mission statement. By involving the Library staff in
both the mission statement and subsequent planning process, “the final product reflects,
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or should reflect, the thoughts and input from the staff, the service community, and the
governing and advisory bodies, as well as other interested parties” (Text, p. 159).
Plan
Using the method I discussed above, I created the following draft mission
statement for the short-term (4-6 months while the Library is in transition): Promote and
provide solutions to world hunger by educating people on self-sufficiency and sustainable
farming techniques through service and technology. This statement will help guide the
library through our short-term, outward facing goals (this document addresses inward
facing goals). It will also serve as a starting point for the collectively generated and
owned mission statement.
I emailed this mission statement to the staff members, who so far have been
supportive. The email also requested staff involvement, and four of the six respondents
volunteered for the mission statement committee. At the end of the review period (this
week), I will set up a meeting to include all volunteered staff members for us to begin the
process of crafting the more permanent mission statement. The initial meeting will
mostly be brainstorming to determine what long-term goals the library has, and most
importantly identify any short-term goals and objectives needed to meet the long-term
goals. Then the committee will take a brief hiatus until everyone is a bit more settled in
our roles so that when we do regroup, everyone has a better sense of the Library.
Problem
The Library does not have short-term and long-term plans, and so far only a few identified goals
from HH exist.
Issues
Planning, Goals, Change management/strategic planning/SWOT planning/short & long
range planning
Analysis
As noted above, the mission statement is to address the “long-term perspective”
(Text, p. 150). However, “mission and value statements and the strategic plan are all
painted with broad brush strokes […] They do not provide enough guidance to develop
operational activities. Rather they are the pool of information from which you draw a
series of goals […]” (Text, p. 154). The draft mission statement above will help to
identify and create a framework for the short and long-term planning and goals (Lecture
Notes – Planning & Leadership (continued)), and the staff-owned mission statement will
further this initiative and generate buy-in from the staff.
“Goals must align with the mission” [Text, p. 154] and are essential to identify
and complete to “aid in the achievement of a strategy” [Text, p. 154]. Additionally, our
goals should be” SMARTER” [Text, p. 154] and then broken down into objectives which
“are the basis for achieving tactical and strategic plans” [Text, p. 154]. After the Library
has identified its goals and objectives, “it becomes relatively easy to identify appropriate
activities, programs, policies, procedures, and rules as well as the resources required to
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achieve the desired results” [Text, p. 155]. Thus, by using the mission statement as a
guide, we can break down high-level concepts into smaller (goals), and smaller
(objectives), and finally manageable, doable chunks of work (activities and their
associated tasks, programs and their associated tasks, etc.). This will allow us to fulfill
and be accountable to the Library’s mission, as all of our work will be generated from it
and work towards it.
Plan
Like the mission statement, I believe that staff buy-in is critical to make the short
and long-term plans, goals, and objectives meaningful to and thus achievable by the staff.
However, also like the mission statement, I feel that given the constricted timeline, I need
to begin this work so that the Library has a starting point. Therefore, I outlined some
internal and external-facing short and long-term goals below (not necessarily
SMARTER, and not complete, as this is only a starting point). Like the mission
statement, I will involve staff by soliciting feedback and then by creating a voluntary
committee for staff to provide input on the goals and subsequent planning.
Short-Term goals:
 Integrate staff into a cohesive whole (relocation, job redesign, org structure,
motivation, compensation).
 Begin relationship development with HH and staff.
 Develop temporary/initial mission statement.
 Begin physical and digital integration, including integration of all four catalogs into
the Wicked-Good ILS system.
 Be ready for classes to begin in four months.
 Begin technology upgrades.
 Determine staff interests within the University beyond the Library to determine
possible committee and department work.
Long-Term goals:
 Finalize mission statement and generate strategic plan with staff input.
 The Library must be fully accredited by AgMag in two years, this includes meetings
Standards 101, 202, 203, and 701.
 Continue upgrading technology.
 Create outreach programs to get in touch with people in target communities (thirdworld, inner city, etc.).
 Create programming that reflects Library’s mission statement.
 Be active members of the University community (committees, departments).
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Problem
HH is the new University President and I do not know how him well, and neither do my staff.
Issues
Know your Boss, Leadership/Followership
Analysis
HH’s directive is ambitious and demands much from all University and Library
staff involved in turning his vision into reality. Based on what I learned about him so far
(in-person observation, things he’s said, his goals, and my own research), I believe that
provided I work towards moving the library to meet his University vision, HH will be
supportive and enable me to meet my goals so the Library can attain its goals.
Additionally, I discerned that he values talent, creativity, innovation, clear hierarchies
and communication, and Drive by Daniel H. Pink (Case Study), and his values will help
to “shape strategic plans” (Text, 342) for the University, and thus the Library.
All of the above is useful information, but to inform my actions and directions as
the Library Director further, I need to understand better who HH is as a leader. To do
that, I must garner an understanding of his leadership style and approach, so I refer to my
LIS 7040 text. Per Fielder’s contingency theory, HH appears to fit the profile for a
charismatic leader (Text, p. 333). Additionally, HH seems to have markings of a
transformational leader, as he brings, “vision, self-confidence, and the ability to arouse
strong follower support” (Text, p. 334) (at least he is arousing support in me). He also
seems transformational, “possess[ing] two other factors – intellectual stimulation and
individual consideration” (Text, p. 334) as evidenced by his asking me to review Drive,
his desire to not lose talent, and his statement, “I appreciate the fact that each and every
staff member brings something unique and valuable to the team” (Case Study). Given
this, my hope is that transactional leadership will occur between the two of us, and
therefore, between him and the Library staff. This would occur with exchanges of
“valued “things”,” (Text, p. 334) which seems to be HH’s intent given that he told me,
“you have my word that I’ll support your vision of library excellence…” (Case study).
Plan
I will use the above information, both given and inferred, to guide my actions and
directions in directing the Library and its staff. Given that HH is a fan of Drive, I will
review the text, see what is applicable to the Library’s situation, and use it. Since values
“shape strategic plans” (Text, p. 342), I will look for ways to incorporate HH’s values
(above) into the Library, from its mission down to day-to-day operations. It helps that I
also value these things, and have placed an importance (though perhaps to a lesser degree
than I will now) on them in the current Library. Understanding HH’s leadership style is
helpful to inform how to communicate effectively with him. To do so, I need to
communicate clearly to achieve desired results, as I did previously with the voicemail I
left him, which achieved and fulfilled the need I had. Finally, I think exchanges of
“valued “things”,” between the two of us, such as him providing the means to achieve
Library goals (e.g., money, support, etc.) and me directing the library so that it achieves
its goals is a good approach (at least initially) to our professional relationship. So far, this
approach has worked well. I have made several proposals as I worked through the
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problems presented in this document and HH has been nothing but receptive and
supportive.
Problem
The Library has a new Director: me, and the University has a new President: HH. I need to get to
know HH well enough to properly guide my actions, be an active follower, all while remaining a
good leader for the Library staff, and enabling them to be active followers.
Issues
Leadership/followership
Analysis
To be an active, critical follower of HH, I must focus on my leadership and
followership skill sets, getting to better know HH as a leader, and determine how best to
integrate my skills and styles with his leadership style. Additionally, as everyone does, I
must flow between follower and leader (Lecture Notes – Planning & Leadership) as my
time is divided between being a follower (of HH), being a leader (of the Library), and
being a manager (of the Library), I need to adapt and flow through each of these roles, as
followership differs from leadership, which differs from management (Text, p.331).
Based on what I have learned about HH (see know you boss section above), particularly
his desire for clear communication, I think that being an active, critical follower of HH
will be achieved by effectively following him, and also by empowering the Library staff
to be effectively followers in my Library leadership role.
Plan
For me to be an effectively follow HH, I need to be a “critical, independent,
questioning, thinking, engaged employee who will bring the most value to the
organization as a follower [… and] bring both questions and commitment to projects”
(Lecture Notes – Planning & Leadership). Given this, while I should embrace his values,
and his goals, I should also question them if they do not seem appropriate, and seek a
deeper understanding of why he wants these things accomplished. This process will not
only ensure that his agenda is the best course for the Library, but will also identify any
other related but unstated or unidentified goals or actions beneficial to the Library.
The second method for me to achieve effective followership is by using my
leadership role to empower the Library staff to be effectively followers. To do this, I need
to foster the characteristics of “confidence, courage, competence, and critical thinking
skills, and […] commit[ment] to the larger aim of the organization” (pdf1, p. 7) in the
staff. As a leader, I need to follow by example, and can do this effectively by “asking
questions instead of giving answers; providing opportunities for others to lead you; doing
real work in support of others instead of only the reverse; becoming a matchmaker
instead of a "central switch."; seeking common understanding instead of [superficial]
consensus.” (as quoted in pdf, p. 8). Therefore, achieving effective followership of HH in
1
Source: PDF - www.arl.org/bm~doc/li2.pdf
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both the Library’s staff and myself, will contribute to success by ensuring that both the
Library’s goals as well as the actions taken to accomplish them will be critically
examined, and carried out by engaged, thoughtful people who are committed to the
success of the Library and thus the University.
Organization Problems
Problem
Staff members from the other colleges are relocating to Owosso.
Issues
Change management, Orientation/Training
Analysis
The employees at the other college libraries are likely worried about working in a
new environment, fitting in, and other professional concerns, as well as the personal
concern of relocating themselves and their families to a new city. These employees must
deal with change on multiple fronts, and I must acknowledge and help them to manage
the “frequent, prolonged and consequential change - they will be feeling heightened
levels of loss and heightened levels of emotions” (Lecture Notes – Motivation and
Change Management).
Although I only have limited ability to help the relocating employees in their
personal life, I will do my best by researching and hiring a relocation consultant to assist
with the move, attempt to provide a relocation stipend, etc. Prior to finalizing moving
arrangements with HH, I will also create a quick survey for relocating staff to get a sense
of where their biggest concerns are, to help inform the relocation plans that I propose to
HH.
Plan
I drafted a short survey with questions such as “how long is your commute to the
new college,” “do you have to sell a home,” “how familiar are you with Owosso,” “what
is your biggest concern about the relocation process?” Of the nine responses, two people
will not be moving because their commute is manageable (Fred and Ollie who live just
outside of Laingsburg), but the seven other staff members do plan to move. Of those
seven, three are married and concerned about their spouses finding work, four are home
owners concerned about selling their homes in the bad real estate market, and the three
renters are worried about breaking their leases. Also, everyone expressed concern about a
moving timeline and receiving time off to pack, move, and find housing.
Based on these concerns I contacted HH and provided him with a list of top
relocation needs including:
 Hiring a consultant to coordinate relocations, realtor suggestions, and assist
spouses in finding work
 Providing a moving company to pack and move staff’s belongings
 Providing a stipend ($2000 suggested) to assist those moving with associated
costs (e.g. breaking a lease, cover realtor fees)
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
Contacting the Shiawassee county convention and visitors’ bureau to gather
information so that the movees will be more familiar with their new surroundings
HH approved these measures, and in fact made them applicable to the University as a
whole. He has hired and assigned someone to coordinate these tasks for the entire
University, and I am the coordinator’s contact for the Library staff.
Problem
With the four previous college libraries merging, I need to ensure that staff members remain (and
in some cases become) interested and motivated despite the changes taking place.
Issues
Change Management, Motivational Theory
Analysis
After reading the LIS 7040 text’s chapter on motivation and not connecting with
any of the theories presented, I investigated Daniel Pink’s Drive. Although I did not read
the book, I read the review on his website, and watched a video of his Ted Talk. The
notions of his motivational theory, “an approach built much more around intrinsic
motivation around the desire to do things cause they matter cause we like it cause they're
interesting because they're part of something important” (TED Video2) resonated with
me, and I think will resonate with the Library’s employees. Also, the three concepts that
his theory is built upon: “autonomy: the urge to direct our own lives,” “mastery: the
desire to get better and better at something that matters,” and “purpose: the yearning to do
what we do in the service of something larger than ourselves” (TED Video) strike me as
being at the heart of the librarian profession and in sync with the vision set forth by HH.
The merger of the four college libraries into the a single, cohesive University
Library is not an easy task, and is one that has a broad focus and needs creativity from the
staff in order to be achieved. Per Pink’s talk, this makes me hesitate to use traditional
“carrot and stick” motivational approaches as these incentive approaches “dull thinking
and block creativity,” only working “if it’s an easy task” with a “narrow focus” (TED
Video). While I will do my best to ensure good pay and benefits for the staff (per Pink,
these issues must be off the table), I will then focus on fostering and improving the staffs’
intrinsic motivation. This will involve working individually with each staff member to
better understand his or her motivators and interests, and developing a way to integrate
these into job roles. I also think the idea of 20% time would be beneficial to the library as
a way to innovate and drive new programs and better fulfill the vision set forth by HH.
Plan
My first step in managing staff motivation was to ensure that good pay and
benefits are obtained for staff members so that these issues are off the table.
Compensation is discussed in detail in its own section below, however, I raised
everyone’s salary with the exception of Tank (who will be taking advantage of tuition
2
TED Video: http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_pink_on_motivation.html
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assistance and paid time to attend class and do homework). Additionally I requested
extensive benefits, which were approved by HH.
With the concerns of salaries and benefits resolved, my next step was to address
individual staff member’s intrinsic motivation. I started this process when I met with
everyone to get a sense of what they wanted in their role (see next section regarding
organizational structure and roles). I want to use the merger as more than just a forced
change, and instead try to use it as a fresh start, enabling staff members to pursue their
interests related to their roles. For example, Tank is interested in cataloging and reference
but not acquisitions, so I modified his role to have greatest emphasis in cataloging and
some reference opportunities. Likewise, Pansy likes reference but is passionate about
teaching and program development. Therefore, I modified her role to 75% reference and
25% programming with the understanding that we’ll see how it goes, and she may be able
to eventually move over into a 100% programming role.
Finally, I contacted HH to ask for 20% time so that each staff member is able to
focus on a particular area of interest, with the Library benefiting through the generation
of new programming. HH is supportive of this so long as the interests coalesce with the
Library’s mission.
Problem
Given the merger of the four colleges, some roles will overlap and job descriptions and roles
need modification, and new hiring needs to take place. Additionally, a new organizational
structure and reporting structure needs to be created.
Issues
Organizational Structure & Culture/Committees, Training and Compensation, Decision
Making, Authority, and Org structure, Hiring/Terminating, Human Resources &
Resumes
Analysis
A strength within this merger is the wide range of professional skill sets found
amongst the employees of the four colleges. As HH said, “I know a couple of employees
may not be a good fit in their current positions. But we have a lot of needs and I don’t
want to lose talent,” (Case Study). Between the employees at all of the converging
colleges, nearly all the needed positions are covered, including traditional library services
such as reference, acquisitions, and cataloging librarians, technology services including
ILS, and security/proxy, and subject matter experts and program facilitators for the
subjects important to the new University’s mission.
These diverse skill sets will allow the new University Library to hit the ground
running, as long as motivational needs are met (see above section) and employee
integration is appropriately dealt with (see employee integration section). I think the best
use of these skill sets will be matching the staff member’s skill set to work that s/he
desires to do and is enthusiastic about. By actively working with each individual to get a
sense of professional goals and interests and then applying that information to the
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individual’s new role, for example, by “tweaking” the job descriptions (Lecture Notes –
Change Management & Motivation). The key is to keep employees enthusiastic and thus
intrinsically motivated to do their best work, and I think by ensuring they are interested in
their role will help to make this happen. Given the range of professional skill sets, a bit of
role tweaking should result in meeting the major needs of the Library.
However, review of all the staff in their current positions reveals some role
overlap. For example, both Tank and Benepace perform cataloging duties, and both Tank
and Doris perform acquisition duties. Some roles will become outdated due to
technology, such as Brother S’s creation of an in-house database, which will no longer be
needed when all the libraries’ catalogs are integrated into the Wicked-Good ILS system.
Also, combining staff from four separate colleges, including three staff members who
were directors pre-merger, a new organizational structure needs to be determined to
create a reporting arrangement. I also need to take into account the strained relationship
between Tank and Brother S, as “a certain supervisor/employee relationship may appear
broken so people are shifted around” (Lecture Notes – Decision Making, Authority and
Org Structure).
There are several options with regard to a new organizational chart. The first
decision is whether to make the organizational structure flat or vertical. “A flat structure
with a wide span will work best in an organization where the employees are wellestablished in their roles and where there is a shared understanding of how things work,”
but “may not work in times of growth or transition” (Lecture Notes – Decision Making,
Authority and Org Structure). Thus, I have serious reservations about making a flat
structure given the immense transition the Library is going through, particularly because
“with a wide span of control might not give the employees enough access to their
supervisor,” especially because as the Director my “general knowledge might not be
adequate”(Lecture Notes – Decision Making, Authority and Org Structure). I feel its
important to recognize that realistically my general knowledge will not be adequate for a
while because I too am in transition, and have much to learn. Also, through the
incorporation of the strengths of other libraries (diversity of employees and employees
skill sets, new ILS system, etc.), I will not be an expert in many of our operations.
Therefore, I think it is important to create a system where those staff members who are
subject experts are put in positions where their expertise will guide other staff members
who are novices or less skilled in these areas.
Given this, a vertical organizational structure appears more appropriate for now.
A vertical structure will “be the most efficient report if the employee needs a more
engaged supervisor who has specialized knowledge” (Lecture Notes – Decision Making,
Authority and Org Structure). Although specializations are important, I also think it is
important for some task-sharing to occur. For example, at Our Lady, all three staff
members share reference responsibilities. I want to continue this practice as “the
Reference Desk is a richer place when the cataloging librarians work the desk,” (Lecture
Notes – Decision Making, Authority and Org Structure) and I would extend that to
include the circulation and acquisitions librarians as well.
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Finally, as staff roles shift, training takes on significant importance as staff
members may not yet have adequate knowledge and expertise to perform their new tasks.
Based upon the training needs of the staff, I need to determine if I can “use my own
skilled people to provide training, or hire it from a professional” (Lecture Notes – Legal
Issues, Diversity, Training and Compensation). Additionally, I think establishing a
mentoring program would be beneficial, although that requires consultation with staff to
determine interest.
Plan
Based upon the pros and cons of flat versus vertical organizational structure, I
decided to create a vertical structure given the state of transition that the Library is in.
Next, I needed to determine what roles were necessary and if we have the appropriate
staff members to fill these roles. When I first met with each of the staff members, I
discussed their current roles, what they liked and did not like about them, and future
career aspirations. Most of the staff are relatively happy with their current roles, with the
exception of Tank (see section on problem employees). Additionally, Benepace
expressed desire to extend her role into a supervisory capacity, Sister Agnes expressed
her love of mentoring students and “helping to provide information to those in need,”
Brother S’s passion is technology, Pansy expressed interest in developing programming
as did Fred, and Ollie actually spoke up with some enthusiasm about the acquisitions
process. Additionally, both Fred and Ollie were ambivalent about having a supervisory or
leadership role, which was a relief given their desire to maintain their current working
hours, which would be difficult given the demands of supervisory and leadership roles
under the new mission.
Given Brother S’s passion and skill set for technology, and the technology needs
of the University as a whole, I contacted HH and suggested that Brother S’s role be
shared between the library and the University, effectively making him .75 FTE in the
Library. I think this will be manageable for the Library if Britta (our current Technology
Librarian), is provided additional training and mentorship by Brother S (which he agreed
to) and two additional technical clerks are hired. HH agreed, and Brother S was thrilled
with this idea, I think in part because it gives him more autonomy, which he clearly
desired given our initial interaction. Brother S and I will work together throughout the
hiring process to create job descriptions, recruit, screen, interview, contact references,
and conclude with happy matches (Lecture Notes – HR & Hiring).
Similarly, I felt like Benepace’s role needed some tweaks, given her vast
knowledge of the Wicked-Good ILS system and cataloging combined with her interest in
a supervisory role. She also expressed interest in mentorship and sharing knowledge.
Therefore, I believe she will make a good Technical Services Head, and provide
mentorship to Tank as he learns more about cataloging and pursues his MLIS. I will work
closely with Benepace to mentor her on supervisory skills and provide her training as
needed. She will also work with Pansy to develop an internal training program for the
staff on the Wicked-Good ILS system. I think that Benepace’s experience with the
system and Pansy’s passion for programming will be a good combination, enabling them
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both to gain experience and benefit the entire staff by getting up to speed with the new (to
almost everyone) ILS system.
Finally, after taking all the staff preferences in consideration with the needs of the
library and a vertical structure, I created the organizational structure below. Like most
everything else, this is temporary in that it will be revisited as needed, which I think is
particularly important as staff needs change.
*This organizational chart only include the new to Si Quaeris University staff members (except
for me). There are additional staff members (such as the circulation and outreach librarians) who
are already staff members at Si Quaeris and are not reflected on the chart.
Problem
The four previous college libraries have different base pay structures, benefits, and work hours.
Issues
Motivation, Hiring/Termination, Compensation
Analysis
The four former libraries have entirely different compensation structures. The
librarians and the director at Our Lady all make $35,000/year, the staff at HCC all make
different salaries, ranging from $45,000 for support staff to $60,000 for the director, and
the two employees at FuFoo make $38,000 and $37,500 working different hours based on
the time of year (50 hrs/week during the winter and 20 hrs/week during farming season)
(Case Study). Despite these variations, it is critical that I determine a base salary that tries
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to “balance equity and market,” (Lecture Notes – Legal Issues, Diversity, Training and
Compensation) particularly given the vast salary ranges of the four former colleges. I
need to determine if I will use a system with “overlap and compression” or one with
“rigid demarcation” (Lecture Notes- Legal Issues, Diversity, Training and
Compensation). Additionally, I believe that salaries need to be extremely competitive
given that all staff are being asked to undergo a huge transition, and we need to retain as
much talent as possible per HH.
Since there are a broad range of salaries, the “overlap and compression” scheme
seems to be the best option for the current situation given “seniority” issues and the
“depressed job market” (Lecture Notes – Legal Issues, Diversity, Training and
Compensation). Additionally, I want to ensure that no one’s salary is lower than what it is
now, and that the librarians with lower salaries receive wage adjustments. Also, I think
the establishment of an annual market adjustment to salaries is needed, as well as a wellthought out merit systems. Two options of merit systems would be an annual merit raise,
“awarded for past behavior,” or a bonus to reward excellent work (Lecture Notes – Legal
Issues, Diversity, Training and Compensation).
In addition to monetary compensation, other factors like benefits, or “indirect
compensation” (Lecture Notes –Legal Issues, Diversity, Training and Compensation) are
important to employee happiness and motivation, so I must consider those as well.
Plan
To establish a pay scale, I first created a range of Librarian (professional)
positions and a range of Clerk (paraprofessional) positions. Then I made two charts of
compensable factors with rankings (1-3, 1 is the lowest, 3 the highest) (Lecture Notes –
Legal Issues, Diversity, Training and Compensation), and finally mapped then the
positions to the appropriate compensable factor rankings:
Librarian Positions
Position & Salary
Range
Librarian I
$55,000 - $64,000
Librarian II
$60,000 - $69,000
Librarian III
$65,000 - $74,000
Degree*
Judgment
Independence Specialty**
Supervisory
3
1-2
1-2
1-2
0-1
3
2-3
2-3
2-3
1-2
3
3
3
3
3
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Clerk Positions
Position
Degree*
Judgment Independence Specialty**
Clerk I
1
1
1
1
$35,000 - $44,000
Clerk II
2
2
2
2
$40,000 - $49,000
Clerk III
2 and 5+ years of related
3
3
3
$45,000 - $54,000
experience
*Degree: 1 = High School, 2 = Bachelors Degree, 3 = MIS/MLIS
**Specialty: Refers to the specialty of the librarian such as cataloging, technology, outreach, etc.
To determine the salary ranges I took into account the current College’s budget,
the funds available from the vacant positions across the four colleges ($250,000), and the
current salaries of the librarians and support staff. I also wanted to ensure that the
librarians received equitable compensation, and that no one’s salary was lowered because
of the merger. I reviewed each staff member’s prior work history as well as their new role
(see organizational structure section above), to determine each staff member’s salary.
Most staff members’ starting salary will be the bottom of their ranking’s range, to
provide ample room for growth. The one exception is Benepace, who I am ranking as a
Librarian II since this is first supervisory role. Since she will have more responsibility
than the other Librarian IIs, I am starting her pay in the middle of the range to make her
pay reflective of the additional responsibilities, but still at a number that gives room for
growth until she is promoted to a Librarian III. The resulted in the following positions
and salaries:
Staff Member Positions and Salaries
Person
Position
Benepace
Librarian II
Menghali
Librarian II
Doris
Clerk III
Sister Agnes
Librarian III
Brother S
Librarian III
Salary*
65,000
60,000
45,000
65,000
65,000 (as .75 FTE, Library’s
portion is 48,750, University’s
portion is $16,250)
Pansy
Librarian I
55,000
Tank
Clerk III
45,000
Fred
Librarian II
65,000
Ollie
Librarian II
65,000
New Technology Hire Clerk I or II
40,000 (Hire max)
New Technology Hire Clerk II or III
45,000 (Hire max)
*Total pooled available funds equal $250,000. The salary adjustments plus two new hire max
salaries equal $227,250. This leaves the Library with an additional $22,750 to use as needed for
additional salary supplements or to hire part-time or student staff.
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I prefer the idea of a yearly market-adjustment raise, with discretionary bonuses
based on exceptional work. I proposed this idea to HH, and he was receptive but wants to
hold off on any firm decisions until the major components of the merger are complete as
this decision has ramification for all University employees and does not need to be made
immediately.
With regard to indirect pay and benefits, I wanted to insure that staff members are
well provided for, and are enabled to focus on work while they are at work, rather than
spending time worrying about personal issues. Therefore, I proposed an aggressive
benefits package for full-time employees, which is prorated to employees working 21
hours or more (year round, as none of the Librarian or Clerk roles are academic year
appointments), and includes the following:










15 paid vacation days/year
10 paid sick days/year
Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), one for healthcare, one for dependent care
(including elder care)
Life Insurance
Short-term and Long-term disability
403b with 10% employer matching funds
Tuition assistance
HH has agreed to this proposal and has made it applicable University-wide.
Additionally, tuition assistance will cover one class per semester at any institution related
to a staff member’s career path, or one class at Si Quaeris University regardless of subject
matter, and include up to ten hours per week for class time and studying.
Problem
Employees need to integrate amongst each other to form good working relationships and come
together as a cohesive staff.
Issues
Diversity, Training/Orientation
Analysis
If I attempt to put myself in the shoes of staff members, the issue of greatest
concern, aside from job security, is echoed in the remarks of one of my staff, Mildred,
“the other staff, those people from the other schools. How are they going to fit in?
They’re so….Well, they’re so….They’re so exotic. They’re not like us” (Case Study).
Everyone is understandably concerned about how this merger will affect him or her. The
employees currently at Si Quaeris are concerned about how the new (to us) employees
will change their environment, their jobs, etc. Similarly, the employees at the other
college libraries are likely worried about working in a new environment, fitting in, and
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other professional concerns, as well as the personal concern of relocating themselves and
their families to a new city (see relocation section above).
I must manage and assist with the adjustment to the new and changing work
environment and employee integration, for both my current employees, and the
employees currently at the other colleges. My goal is to effectively manage the change to
have as smooth integration as possible, with staff members respecting and (eventually)
appreciating each other’s differences and strengths, so that we can all work together as a
cohesive whole in achieving the Library’s goals and carrying out its mission.
This diversity is a huge strength to the library and is featured in many different
ways amongst the employees, including nearly all the levels listed in the LIS 7040 text:
“national,” “regional, ethnic, religious or linguistic affiliation,” “gender,” “generational,”
“social class,” “work socialization” (Text, pgs. 56-59). Although diversity can be a
challenge, particularly with respect to employee integration, it is definitely a strength
both internally and externally with users.
Internally to the Library, diversity is a strength as it makes individuals unique.
This will ensure that the staff brings a variety of opinions, backgrounds, insights and
strengths to the Library. These differing and sometimes opposing points of view
encourage discussion and help to determine the best course of action, making the Library
better as a whole. Additionally, by valuing diversity, there is the creation of a “collegial
environment” which “encourages staff to become members of a team” and “optimize[s]
both the potential of individuals and their productivity” (Text, p. 54). Diversity also helps
the Library to draw and retain the “best talent among staff” (Text, p. 54) and will help the
Library to meet Ag-Mag standard 202: “seek to hire a staff that reflects the strengths of
today’s diverse society” (Case Study).
Externally facing to the Library, diversity is a strength for Library users.
Retaining a diverse staff helps the Library to reflect the community it serves as “in an
ideal situation, a service will be staffed by people who together reflect on a diverse
composition of the community served” (Text, p. 67). Additionally, HH’s vision for the
University includes, “…it will change lives by teaching people the important skills of
self-sufficiency and sustainable farming techniques, particularly in regions that lack
access to healthy food […] this includes abandoned inner cities, the rural poor in the
United States, and countries that other people dismiss as third world” (Case Study). The
diversity amongst the Library staff reflects some of the included regions as well as staff
who have outside interests in these areas of the vision. This will benefit users in terms of
collection development, both the acquisitions policy as well as collection access issues
such as “subject headings,” “multilingual signage and OPACS,” “marketing,” and
“displays and exhibitions” (Text, pgs. 73-75).
Plan
To achieve a smooth transition, staff integration and appreciation for one
another’s differences, first I need to address how to appropriately manage the changes
that this merger brings. Given the extent of the changes, I think the “emergent change”
model is the most appropriate, and I need to “think in terms of an open-ended process in
which unexpected turns/events are normal” to help myself and the Library staff to “ cope
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more effectively with the complexity and uncertainty” (Text, p. 112). Additionally I need
to be prepared to help staff through change resistance and stress (Text, p. 113-115). To
help implement the change I will hire a trained consultant in organizational development
as the text suggests that this is appropriate given the situation, and my limited knowledge
of the subject (Text, p. 115). Other methods that I will employ to help the employees
adjust to the change include the use of committees to help foster working relationships
and innovative ideas, and training programs to ensure that all staff members are
“receptive to cultural diversity” (Text, p. 69). Also, to ensure that communication is clear
and nonbiased, I will “use the skills of observation to help assess the comfort level of
colleagues” (Text, p. 70), and try to ensure that communication is clear and well
understood by everyone.” My hope is that by using clear communication and observation
as well as techniques to address staff differences, in conjunction with the help of a change
management consultant, I will be able to effectively manage this major change in the
staffs’ lives.
Problem
Some employees (Tank in particular) appear to be problematic.
Issues
Change management, Motivational Theory, Training
Analysis
I see three options for dealing with Tank: give him the option to pursue a
buyout/termination, retain him in the same role, or retain him but put him into a different
role. Of the three, the first option, a buyout, is likely the easiest in terms of not having to
deal with him and his problem behavior in the long-term. However, according to his
attorney, HH only wants “fair and equitable buyouts and terminations if absolutely
necessary,” and HH has made it clear that he does not “want to lose talent” (Case Study).
Tank could also cause legal issues given his comments about the “clause in the handbook
that implies continuous appointment” and his previous job with the UAW (Case Study).
Therefore, prior to any termination or buyout attempt, consultation with a site such as
HRLegisState.com or HRTools.com is critical (Text, p. 361). Therefore, I do not think
this is the most appropriate option.
The second option is to retain Tank in his current role. This is problematic for two
reasons, one, his role and its responsibilities, and two, his behavior (based on what I have
seen so far). His cataloging role is within the context of HCC’s Library, which does not
have a systematic library catalog, instead using a “good enough” catalog of an “Access
database and Precise Subject String Indexing” (Case Study). The reality is that with the
four colleges converging into a single entity, it makes sense to wherever possible replace
the weaknesses of one library with the strengths of another. HCC’s non-standard
cataloging system is weak compared to that of Our Lady’s Wicked-Good ILS system.
Therefore, at the very least, a significant part of Tank’s current role will change, and need
to modification based on Benepace’s role. An additional aspect of Tank’s current role is
ordering and paying for books, the later he is behind on, and is likely not adequately
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performing his job. Additionally, his attitude problem became clear in the way in which
he handled the vendor calls. Therefore, I do not think this is the appropriate option either.
The final option is retaining Tank and modifying his role. This will require a lot
of effort on my part, and some on the part of his direct supervisor (whether that remains
Brother S, or someone else). The role will need to shift given Benepace’s role and her
knowledge of the Wicked-Good ILS system. Additionally, I wonder if part of Tank’s
behavioral problems such as “volatility” and “defensiveness” (Text, p.321) are due to his
lack of happiness in his current role. Of course, it could also not be typical of him, and
instead a change in behavior due to stress, such as “the service […] going through a
period of change” (Text, p. 321). I need to have a chat with his current supervisor,
Brother S for clarification. That will help me to decide how to approach the situation, and
fix it using a combination of intrinsic motivation, job design (Text, 368) (with Tank’s
input), and training, both “specific job-related skills and career development
competencies and opportunities” (Text, p. 384) to assist in his new role. Perhaps he has
lost some of intrinsic motivation due to job boredom or lack of satisfaction. Additionally,
I wonder if we could incorporate some of his interests, like his previous role with the
UAW or some personal interest that I am yet unaware of, that would make him happier.
If his behavior and performance do not improve after the changes, I will use “corrective
action” (Text, p. 388) methods. Of the three options, I think this is the best one as it
actually addresses the problem, whereas the first option just gets rid of the problem
without addressing it, and the second ignores the problem.
Plan
After deciding to tackle this issue head-on, I scheduled separate meetings with
Brother S and with Tank. Brother S told me that Tank “has always been an issue,” and
that they have gotten into numerous arguments in the past over HCC’s cataloging system.
According to Brother S, Tank has gone so far as to call the system “stupid,” “inefficient,”
and not “standard.” Tank also does not enjoy the acquisitions aspect of his job, and has
told Brother S that he finds it “boring” that he has to spend his time ordering books and
paying vendors. Brother S also said that their professional relationship is “strained at
best.”
After my initial meeting, my second discussion with Tank went much better than I
expected. He seemed shocked when he realized that the purpose of the meeting was not
for me to fire him, but instead to better understand his role, and how he would like it to
change in the upcoming transition. Tank told me that he has:
“been frustrated for years, thought that this job would mean learning
cataloging systems which interested me because of my hobby of
programming BASIC on old Commodore 64s. I was also told that I would
get to spend time on the reference desk helping people to find informationlike how I researched policy to assist in grievance cases at the UAW But
instead all this job wound up being was typing titles and authors into a
rinky dink database and making phone calls. Now I’m stuck. I’m 51 and I
don’t have an MLIS and with the job market the way it is I don’t have the
option to find a new job, and I don’t have the money to get a degree. And
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now on top of all of that there is a merger! And I have to move! But I can’t
risk losing my job…”
This made me think that Tank has a genuine interest in cataloging and
reference, but has not been given the opportunity in his current role to really
explore it. Also, further discussion indicated he is interested in obtaining his
MLIS. I explained to Tank how the new (to us) Wicked-Good ILS system will
give the Library a standardized catalog, and that Benepace is the expert in this
system, not Brother S. Also, that I plan to continue to have the reference librarians
(Menghali and Pansy) do the bulk of the reference work, but that nearly everyone
will share time on reference duty, so he would get a chance to perform that duty.
Finally, given the new tuition assistance benefit, the Library would help to pay for
Tank’s education, and give him up to 10 hours a week towards school (out of a
40- hour workweek) should he decide to return to school to pursue his MLIS.
Tank seemed receptive to all of this, except the 40-hour workweek
schedule since he is currently only working 30 hours a week. He did seem more
open to it when I brought up 10 hours per week towards school, and told me that
he felt excited about his job for the first time in a long time. I will monitor his
progress and keep in close contact with his new direct supervisor, Benepace who
will work closest with him. Given the (thus far) positive reception with this
strategy, I will use it will other “problem employees” in the future. I hope that I
will manage to intercept employee issues before the employee becomes a
“problem employee.”
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Appendices
Appendix A: Pertinent Information about the Merger
Appendix B: Management Issues
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Alexandra Orchard – Hildur, I did the write ahead option, this document is intended as
the full analysis and plan.
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