On Monday, March 17, at the Libraries All-Staff Meeting, Dean Lowry and the Awards Committee took the opportunity to present certificates to eighteen employees for the second quarter Leadership-Initiative Awards. Each recipient will receive a cash gift of $150.00.
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR RECIPIENTS!!!
The following is an account of the initiatives and contributions of our 18 winners whose efforts and commitment reflect true leadership.
Emma Beaven, LT II, Access
Services (ILL)
Johnny Bernard, Library
Assistant, ILL
Victoria Lees, ILL
Hubert Steward, LT II, Access
Services (ILL)
Charles Wright, Coordinator,
Access Services (ILL)
These individuals instituted a new service for desktop electronic document delivery for specific faculty who require articles from multiple campus libraries. The result has been another example of outstanding service, done quietly by competent staff, that brings kudos to the Library from faculty. The stage for this project was set by the dean and several department liaisons, and following that these individuals set up procedures, installed and learned to use necessary equipment, and began seamlessly providing service to this test group of faculty members without sacrificing their normal duties. Requests are reviewed daily, and while article delivery was promised within 48 hours faculty often find that they can receive them much more quickly. To this date, several hundred articles have been delivered and the participating faculty have shown great enthusiasm for the service.
Hans Breitenlohner
Jamie Bush
Janet Evander
Dave Kennedy
Young Kim
Jean Phillips
Yalan Qi
Ben Wallberg
For demonstrating outstanding commitment to the Libraries’ mission and customers with innovative approaches to problem solving under substantial pressure. Each of these employees worked extended days, even during our holiday break, in order to meet the January 6, 2003 switch-to-production of the Aleph integrated library system.
Ben Wallberg, in the last days before January 6, was able to fix two problems with the record loader that were reported in the weeks before switch-to-production but still had not been resolved by Ex Libris.
Hans Breirenlohner discovered just before switch-to-production that the bursar transfer didn’t include all transactions. It took Ex Libris over one year to provide their version, it took Hans only three weeks to make it work.
Jamie Bush, working fourteen days straight, adapted the functionality for the web reports to better suit our needs. He also feverishly tested and retested the patron placed holds feature.
Yalan Qi prepared staff for the support desk, readying them through extensive training and hands-on exploration with an ever-changing system.
Dave Kennedy coordinated the installation of the Aleph client software across all participating libraries. He also took responsibility for developing and troubleshooting in almost every area: circulation, the catalogue, serials, acquisitions, and backups.
Heidi Hanson and Janet Evander worked tirelessly to prepare the public Web catalogue, making sure that changes in other parts of the system did not negatively affect the user experience in the catalogue.
Young Kim invested four days, including a weekend, to upgrade the MARC validation tables which determine the appropriate use of specific MARC tags and sub-fields.
Jean Phillips must be singled out for her patient coordination and supportive perseverance toward achieving this important library goal. She has worked endlessly with representatives from across the USMAI libraries to bring this to pass. Her efforts at building consensus and translating functional specifications into technical details are worthy of note
This Leadership-Initiative Award is presented to Bill Hess for taking the lead as Project Manager for the installation of security equipment for both McKeldin and Hornbake Library. Both libraries were two of the largest and most difficult buildings on campus to install. Bill continually pressed Building Security to complete their installation while equipment failures, renovations, reorganization of Building Security from Facilities Management to Police Department, staffing changes, construction projects taking priority (Comcast Center), and budget cuts caused delay after delay. The project is finally complete. Each building has digital recorders, panic buttons, card access readers, electronic locks, and miles and miles of line tied to the police department. Thank you, Bill for your continual perseverance and management of this substantial project.
This group demonstrated singular leadership and initiative to improve customer service in the midst of change and disruption in Technical Services. Atalanta Grant-Suttie, Erin McKinney, Huyen-Tran Nguyen and Brenda Semeleer pulled off two moves, combined Periodical Adds and Bindery workflows, identified and eliminated duplicate procedures, cross-trained staff and students, and caught up with End Processing backlogs, despite losing four full-time staff.
This Leadership Initiative Award is presented to David Wilt and Graham (Jamie) Bush for the implementation of the ALEPH Circulation System. Their unfailing and tireless commitment to providing staff with the operations necessary to manage the daily workflow behind all UM Libraries’ Circulation departments have made the implementation possible. Together, Dave and Jamie spent countless hours reading available documentation, testing, finding problems, and implementing solutions. Without their efforts staff and patrons would not have the access to the new system they enjoy today.
Dave and Jamie have been the movers and shakers who made the implementation of the ALEPH Circulation system feasible, possible, and a “done deal” for the USM libraries.