ERIC Number: EJ701035
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2004-Feb-15
Pages: 2
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0363-0277
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
The Face of the Library: Front-Line Staff Are Crucial to Service
Patterson, Linda
Library Journal, v129 n3 p42 Feb 2004
Employees are valuable. The cost of hiring, training, and retaining staff--not just librarians, but all staff--generally makes up the largest part of a library's budget. Since library support staff usually comprise 60-80 percent of the work force, it makes perfect fiscal sense to motivate this segment of employees to stay. There is an even more important reason to motivate library staff: the front-line staff are the face of the library. They are the first people patrons see when they come in the door, and the last ones to assist them as they leave. They are the library's ambassadors. Their influence is enormous in cementing the impression of the library as a welcoming, enjoyable, and professional place to visit, instead of an unsatisfying, confusing, or negative one. Patrons come to join book groups, surf the web, do serious research, or just browse and meet friends, and children come for homework help or to attend special programs. Front-line workers are not only key to the success of the library, they are crucial to its operation. In reality, self-service has a place and is popular among some users, but many people want and need front-line attention--everything from an explanation of their fines to a good recommendation for a book.
Descriptors: Library Personnel, Libraries, Librarians, Library Administration, Employer Employee Relationship, Collegiality, Work Environment
Library Journal, 360 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10010. Tel: 800-588-1030 (Toll Free); Web site: http://www.libraryjournal.com.
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Opinion Papers
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A