Library Hotline (and Palos Verdes) -- PERSONAL & VERY, VERY LONG

[Trupiano, Anna]

> The Library Hotline (January 19, 1998) has put together an article on
> what has happened as far as Palos Verdes Library District Outsourcing 
> (Technical Services to Brodart and Automation to LSSI).  I'm only
> writing about the Automation to LSSI part of the article. 
> 
> If you have no interest in "outsourcing" or it's effects on staff,
> then delete this message!
> 
> To all who wish more information on what has "transpired" regarding 
> LSSI and "outsourcing" Automation at PVLD.  As the ex-System
> Administrator (of a Library District that has 100 microcomputers,
> Dynix HP Host, Sun Internet Workstation including a firewall e-mail
> home pages, a 28 drive CD-ROM Tower, all networked together....
> and also of a Building Door Control System, and a Library District
> Telephone system), I wish to add to the brief paragraph published 
> in the Library Journal on January 19, 1998.  
> 
> All of what follows is from my personal experience with one specific
> company (LSSI).  You may have other experiences that are fine.  
> You may treat this however you wish.  I know only what happened 
> to me, and that is what I'm going to report.  I will use no names.
> LSSI may be completely satisfactory to you and to others... again
> this is only my personal experience.
> 
> Also, please understand I worked for PVLD for 10 years (Sept 87
> through Nov 97) and it was only since December of '95, that I worked
> with the Dynix system and the networking as a whole.  Prior to that
> time, PVLD had an aging Geac 8000 system, the same Telephone
> System and an old building.
> 
> In July/August of '95, we moved the old Geac 8000 from a temporary
> location, to a new expanded and renovated building.  I'll get into the
> "new building" problems, only to the extent of saying.... the building
> problems (and the pending lawsuits) were part of the reason that I did
> 
> NOT encourge PVLD Administration to provide me with either part-time
> or full-time staff to support the systems there.  FOR THE LAST YEAR
> OF 1997, I WORKED ON HARDWARE SOFTWARE OF ALL THE
> SYSTEMS AND I DID IT ALONE; the only help was the Deputy
> Director (who no longer works at PVLD) and the Head of Adult Reference
> (a current PVLD employee).  These two people knew how to do the
> daily operations... run Day-End, do Backups, Print Notices, etc.
> And both of these people, had authorization to call Ameritech and 
> get help with "emergencies" if I were not available.
> 
> Prior to the Deputy Director's leaving (end of Sept '97), she
> approached
> me and asked me to "consider outsourcing as a viable alternative for
> me."  
> In essence, LSSI was supposedly to hire me as Systems Administrator 
> for PVLD, and LSSI would provide people for me to train as backup.  My
> 
> job was not supposed to change at all, except I'd working for LSSI and
> 
> training their people that they send to PVLD.  It (obviously) did not 
> happen that way.
> 
> By the end of Sept '97, an RFP was put together and sent out to four
> "sources"  (these four names/addresses of where the RFP was sent to 
> originated from LSSI -- and nobody expected responses from anyone
> other than LSSI).  LSSI did respond within the alloted time and 
> the only other response was from one of the other three, who
> essentially
> said that they do not "handle" that type of work.
> 
> LSSI and I had been talking over the phone... and the conversations
> were not going according to what I had been led to believe would
> happen.
> In essence, LSSI was telling me that my job at PVLD should not be
> a 40-hour per week job.... that 3 days I'd work there and 2-days I'd
> work in Riverside (LSSI has made Riverside, California their "base" of
> operation).   Well, anyone who has worked/lived in Southern
> California,
> knows that Riverside is a two-hour drive (one-way) under the BEST
> of circumstances from the PV area.  In other words, without rain, 
> I'd be spending at least 4 hours of my day ON THE ROAD.  Two 
> days a week.  If I moved, I'd still have to find someplace between 
> the two sites, and I'd end up making every day, a TERRIBLE drive.
> 
> The other side of the coin, is that I KNEW that the job at PVLD is
> MORE THAN A 40-HOUR PER WEEK JOB.  And indeed, for the 
> last two years, I can look on past receipts and tax forms to know
> that I have worked an average of 5 to 10 hours extra per week.
> 
> Other experiences with LSSI were not going well either.  An interview
> was set for a 11 AM one day... and that time came and passed without
> word.  Finally at 2 PM that afternoon, I received a voice-mail message
> from the LSSI person who was to have interviewed me... saying, in
> essence:  "I just got back to the office.  I know we were to meet at
> 11.
> An emergency came up.  I'm sorry.  Can we reschedule?" He could 
> have left me the message at any time of the day or night, he just did 
> not do so until returning "back to the office."
> 
> Another person at LSSI was to have sent me an "employment"
> package.  I did receive the package, but it excluded things that were
> supposed to have been included... a return envelope to return a
> 4/5/or 6 page employment application, a letter I was supposed to
> sign and return.  I was promised a copy of the Employee MOU or
> Policy Manual... and that was never sent.
> 
> Ultimately, my experiences with LSSI were not working out, and 
> Administrative Staff (Current Director and Deputy Director) were
> not listening to me.  I had the opportunity to speak at the Board
> of Directors meeting one night... and I did.  I made known my
> concerns and on the first BOD meeting of November 13th,
> they stated that in essence, they'd negotiate a contracted based
> on LSSI coming to a "mutually beneficial labor" agreement with
> me.
> 
> The Monday following that meeting, I sent a voice mail to LSSI saying
> in essence that I'd quit both PVLD and LSSI rather than work with
> them.  I did not feel that they had either my best interest at heart,
> nor the District's.
> 
> The next Board meeting, November 21st, the BOD (or 4 of the
> 5 Board Members) voted to "abandon" my position and contract
> with LSSI.  PVLD is now paying considerably more $'s, for 
> considerably LESS service.  PVLD sent me 30-days layoff
> notice, that was to have begun December 1st.  I have not 
> "worked" at PVLD since November 21st.  
> 
> I will not speak about any of the problems that PVLD has encountered
> since my leaving... you can speak with any staff members to arrive
> at a very close clue as to how things are going.  Speaking with 
> Administration means that you speak with people having a vested
> interest in "making it work."  My suggestion, is as always, speak
> with the staff who deal with the problems to find the real truth.
> 
> As far as me personally, I have been working at Newport Beach
> Public Library since December 8th.  Things are going great here
> now... and hopefully things will work out for PVLD too!  
> 
> I could not be in the middle of the fight between PVLD and LSSI.
> I could not be in two different places and work effectively at both.  
> And  finally, I could not work between the two conflicting interests
> that I
> was experiencing.... help for Riverside and help for PVLD.
> 
>