Dartmouth College

Library Staff Association

April 2009 Dartmouth College Library Staff Association Survey Results

What do you see the primary focus of the DCLSA to be?
- to recognize and reward the staff
- I think it *should* be for professional development.
- Supporting all Dartmouth Library employees.
- To create unity and collaboration among library staff members.
- I'm not entirely sure. Things have changed over time
- social; creating and promoting positive group identity
- entertainment
- Social, keeping focus staff morale.
- social activies
- Networking library staff together for educational and informational purposes
- To support staff in professional development, to foster professional relationships between library departments and library employees and to advance a fun and supportive environment that contributes to staff retention and job satisfaction.
- Right now--social events and token programming.It should be staff advocacy.
- Social activities and scholarships
- A Social Group
- Supplying me with beer.
- to do things for the staff - either as a group -or by
- support the staff in their roles through education and networking
- show appreciation for the Dartmouth library staff
- I don't know.
- Social events
- promotion of staff welfare, morale and education
- Social opportunities, breaks from work, meet new staff, talk with people we rarely see.
- sponsoring activities for library staff to do together, either social or programmatic
- professional and personal enrichment and appreciation
- I see it now most focused on parties. Learning something new is a huge source of renewed energy and my personal interest but I see the support of social connection most important. The library will be stronger team if see one another as people who can complement one another rather than compete.
- social activities -- provide social activities during the work day that will enable staff from various parts of the organization to meet
- Social activities for employees.
- Social
- A social organization
- Educational and social (they blend)
- what is going now it perfect
- Staff advocacy and
- staff
- Awards banquet, holiday party, funding for farewell parties, and sending flowers
- Social
If you were to decide how to spend DCLSA money, do you think we should spend more on
programming. 10.8 %
social activities. 40.5%
scholarships.27.0%
Other (please explain) 21.6%
- A little on all of the above. With the stress of the economy the way it is, you need some fun offered at a work place, as well as learning
- Combination of Social and scholarships (nice of use in places like exercise or outside learning.)
- They all sound like core functions to me.
- Beer.
- Set aside an allottment of monies to be used for emergencies, in the event a staff's spouse gets laid off. These monies could be "borrowed" in an amount up to $200.00 to pay for the likes of a winter fuel bill , or a car repair, child care etc. any thing that would put an extra strain in a household budget that has been reduced due to layoffs. This fund could have a termination time frame once the spouse has found new employment or when the economy is in recovery, and reviewed in 2 years.
- I think that the balance is good now, but maybe more on programming and less on scholarships
- It seems about right. The scholarships are a noble program and I hope are not discontinued.
- .both social activities and scholarships are good points of emphasis
The best thing the DCLSA did over the past year was
- awards lunch
- Offering luncheon learn and other peer-to-peer staff training sessions, also getting equipment for library staff to use
- food drive
- Holiday party (always appreciated)
- hosted a luncheon at EBA's, and a holiday party
- EBA's
- Awards banquet & Holiday party
- Holiday Party
- Staff Development Committee Open House - Wednesday October 15th
- I can only think of one thing - the awards ceremony in 1902 room.
- Don't know.
- Wonderful holiday parties and the staff recognition lunch
- Spring Fling Party (after work)
- the beer?
- toss up between the awards banquet and the holiday party
- Service Awards
- I'm only really aware of the social events and sympathy-type activities.
- holiday party
- I like it when we all get treated to a buffet.
- Christmas party
- The awards banquet.
- Awards banquet
- holiday parties
- Gave out scholarships--but as I said, I'm not social being by nature.
- Breakfast; lunch at EBAs
- awards lunch
- Christmas Party
- The EBA's lunch and the ice cream social and the crafts fair
- All day staff conference. But diversity reading group was cool too.
- i like everything
- holiday party
- The Awards banquet-- the food was great!
- christmas party
- shake things up, try different ways of handling the holiday party and the awards lunch. The food is uninspired, the staff do all the work. The holiday party especially should be a function that all staff can attend at the same time and enjoy without having to work at it.
- Focus more on professional development and less on refreshments and social events.
- More concrete communication to all DCLS folks about what is going on...perhaps the new website could help with this
- A regular summer event for staff, such as a picnic
- not sure
- Become more visible to people so that people will understand what is available through you. I think many people are totally unaware of the scholarships
- Not to become some sort of extra training time for work.
- no ideas
- to lobby for staff welfare beyond flowers for a death in the family, etc. Form a committee to advocate with the administration for staff welfare.
- Continue the good events DCLSA already does
- Re-think the Holiday Party. No staff working it.
- to supply more beer.
- Set up a budget
- increased publicity of their events/activities - a newsletter perhaps
- more information about the DCLSA and its purpose
- More emphasis on fun and food.
- maybe once a term have a small social event, where people could come and go in half an hour, like a muffin break or an ice cream social, or hot chocolate, menu depending on the season?
- summer event -- picnic/pizza at DOC house
- 1. Be independent from library as an organization; entering on slippery slope to absorption by library. Will lose unique identity and special purpose if not careful. Although not requested: 2. Polls are a great idea but there's a need to learn to compose better surveys for more meaningful feedback. Also, explore options for sharing summary of results analysis with staff.
- Work to encourage attendees at social events to interact with someone they don't know. Make people wear name tags. Encourage departments to break up and not all sit together. Maybe include games that make us meet a new person. (I'd be the first one to run out of the room -- if I'm being honest ;-) ) The library organization is spread out and there are people that you never know where they come from and you don't see them again until 6 mos. DCLSA could help us with ice breakers to get to know workers form out side our departments or building.
- For scholarships- allow each member a per year amount (maybe $80.00 or $100.00) so that if they take a class that cost $100.00 maybe they could get reimbursed for it. I took a class that was $100.00. I was able to get help for $40.00 even though I had never before asked for scholarship money in the nine years I had worked for the libraries.
- Become fabulously endowed and allow each member to live in luxurious surrounds learning each craft and academic subject that occurs to us to study.
- To have social events every six weeks or so, to bring staff together more.
- n/a
- ?
- Get rid of the scholarships and use that money for staff farewell parties
- summer party
I would consider serving on the DCLSA board or on a committee.
Yes. 29.0%9
No. 71.0%22
I have attended at least one DCLSA-sponsored event this year.
Yes. 86.8%
No. 13.2%5
What types of programming would you like to see the DCLSA sponsor in the future?
- Don't duplicate what the college, computing already has
- More peer-to-peer training and professional training. Consider surveying staff to find out what topics they would like training on. Possible topics: current trends in library management; current trends in library services; more "Web 2.0/Library 2.0 software and services, and how our patrons are using these and how we might be able to use them to help us in our work.
- not sure
- Events that draw people together at times that they would be able to attend, intercessions, etc
- Social including friends and family. (How about a bus to take folks to a music event?)
- I'd like to attend a discussion with staff members that have gotten their Masters Degree in LIS or taken another degree program while working for the library. Especially people who have done their classes online. Also maybe a discussion regarding library building history or architecture (Especially Baker, Sherman and Rauner). Including if possible old film that preservation has restored - like what Barb Sagraves had at the "Reel Life: Film Preservation and Digitization" session during the 3/18 Conference.
- Workshops exploring the work of various departments in the library
- Don't know.
- Beer programming.
- education on library topics: intro level for new employees or subjects outside their work area
- educational
- Drop by a library for coffee and donuts and chatter.
- .the programs that Goodie has done have been terrific
- Guided trips for education and fun; steam tunnels was a very good idea
- None other than the semi annual meetings.
- Include the staff development committee and/or the Library diversity committee to try to combine the money being spent to benefit the staff in more that one way (maybe include food from other countries at the awards luncheon).
- Talks given by DCSLA members about the interesting support they have recently given to their areas of life/work interest -- eg. Pam Bagley's trip to Vietnam Fri,
- More hands on workshops like the Valentines or the campus tours.
- Goodie has done a great job with programs/walks--keep it up! Topics at all day staff conference were a good start. Issues in the larger library world? Future of cataloging
- ?
- more parties
What types of social events would you like to see the DCLSA sponsor in the future?
- It would be nice to have at least one event that everyone is able to attend at the same time. Every other department on the campus closes for a holiday lunch or even, why can't we?
- One annual party is enough. If the DCLSA could offer a speaker series with refreshments served that would be fine but I don't think the focus of DCLSA events should be social.
- A regular summer event, such as a picnic
- ice cream party (summertime) Thu
- ice cream social, a tea, a breakfast bash
- Bus rides to events, friends and family included. The Boston Flower show was wonderful. Maybe involvement with the Sunday outdoor concerts at the Cornish colony, the golf tournament, a fun hat day, working out something with the college's film society. Oh and yes, I did check "no" to serving on a committee as I did that for a number of years. I always make a point to nominate new staff as I found the committee an excellent way of getting to know other staff people. And w/ fresh blood come fresh ideas.
- mini golf ice cream social
- no ideas Wed
- Don't know, seldom attend them. Wed
- Consider a summer "lemonade/ice tea" break for all of us on the Baker lawn (Baker main hall as a rain location).
- Beer events.
- more parties.. bigger sprint event.. maybe something once a term.. $$ for department parties..
- Sometype of Talent Show
- Any social gathering marking the progression of the year or successes of the library Tue
- any
- Frankly, I have no interest at all in DCLSA. But perhaps it is meaningful for other people.
- Same as in the past
- I'd like a bus trip to Montreal. Mon
- Drop by a library for coffee and donuts and chatter.
- smaller events more often, instead of big, pricey events -- like ice cream social or muffins and bagel break or hot chocolate and cookies
- 1. Guided museum trips at hood, boston, nyc, etc. 2. Anything away from library institution itself.
- Scavenger hunt throughout the library system? Have it go over a few days so everyone can make it to Matthews Fuller and back?
- A better Holiday (Christmas) Party
- international pot luck
- Chocolate Tasting. Curling (ice sport) introduction and lesson. Visit a winery.
- Milk and cookies break, a trip to the Montshire, a movie night at the Nugget or a Hopkins center event.
- Holiday party is a nice tradition and doesn't need to be a sit-down meal. Pot-luck desserts/hors d'oeuvres are fun
- awards ceremony
- ?
- Staff breakfasts or staff lunches
- more parties Fri, 4/10/09 6:33 AM