[Web4lib] Library Staff Scheduler

Wed Sep 5 16:49:07 EDT 2007

Initially I'm just focusing on full-time and part-time staff
schedules, but I agree that volunteer schedules are a necessary
enhancement.

On 9/5/07, Gillian Wiseman <gwiseman at ci.waco.tx.us> wrote:
> I'm a reference librarian in a 4-location city/county library system. We have several part-time and temporary staff who are rotated through the whole system covering staff shortages. We also have a van driver/courier who travels between all the branches and also does scheduled pickups of donations for the annual Friends Booksale.
>
> Another feature we might use in a tool like this is staffing of volunteers - our system has about 5-7 homework tutors, a dozen or so volunteer/community service shelvers, and a small number of other volunteers who work in several departments and locations throughout the system.
>
> Being able to handle their schedules easily would probably help staffing quite a bit.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org
> [mailto:web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org]On Behalf Of Sharon Foster
> Sent: Wednesday, September 05, 2007 11:02 AM
> To: Deb Bergeron
> Cc: Code for Libraries; web4lib
> Subject: Re: [Web4lib] Library Staff Scheduler
>
>
> Gotcha! My library is in a consortium as well, and there is a courier
> service, although since we are such a small state, it is actually a
> state-wide service, not just for our consortium.
>
> My initial reaction is that the application I have in mind *could* be
> used to set up a courier schedule, but instead of one desk and several
> people staffing it over the course of a day, you have one person
> moving to different "desks" (libraries) over the course of a day. I
> think that's a different enough pattern, along with the "is it on
> time?" requirement, to warrant its own application.
>
> The question I was asking was directed to public and academic library
> systems with more than one location or branch. Do you ever move people
> around among the branches? If so, then I want the scheduler to
> incorporate that.
>
>
> On 9/5/07, Deb Bergeron <bergeron at macalester.edu> wrote:
> >
> >  Sharon,
> >
> >  I think I  need to clarify.  We are an academic consortium of 14 completely
> > different libraries who share a common ILS, consequently we have no
> > 'branches;' each library is independent.  Some of the libraries have their
> > own branches or locations, however, and could use your scheduler application
> > in their own library. So your  question about staff being assigned to
> > another branch does not apply in our case.  What does apply is knowing the
> > library hours and academic calendar.
> >
> >  Our  office manages the ILS and all of its components. One of those
> > components is the courier.  The courier picks up and delivers items to all
> > of the consortial libraries as well as our state-wide ILL system (MINITEX).
> > The courier schedule changes throughout the year and sometimes daily (i.e.
> > storm, accident, traffic, etc.).  It would be great to have an online
> > application indicating:
> >
> >
> > Courier's schedule
> > Is he on time?
> > Issues
> > If a library requests an additional pick-up Our goal is 24 hour turn-around
> > and often-times it's less than that.
> >
> >  For both applications, it would be fabulous to have an online tool that
> > provides all the information I've described.
> >
> >  I hope this clarifies the lay of our land for you.
> >
> >
> >  Thanks,
> >
> >  Deb
> >
> >
> >
> >  Sharon Foster wrote:
> >  Indeed! I hadn't even thought of multiple libraries in a system, since
> > I haven't yet worked in a system with branch libraries.
> >
> > Is it ever the case that staff may be temporarily assigned to another
> > branch, not their "home" branch?
> >
> > Are couriers thought of as assigned to a particular library, or are
> > they part of the larger system?
> >
> > Thanks for your input!
> >
> > On 9/5/07, Deb Bergeron <bergeron at macalester.edu> wrote:
> >
> >
> >  Sharon,
> >
> >  Kudos to you for taking this on!
> >
> >  In looking at your wiki and your requirements list, we could use this in a
> > completely different way. We're an academic consortium with 14 libraries.
> > I can see this type of application working for us in two ways:
> >
> >  1. Manage our courier schedule.
> >  2. Manage library hours. With so many libraries, hours vary greatly.
> >
> >  Is this the type of 'unique requirements' you're looking for from other
> > libraries?
> >
> >  Thanks,
> >
> >  Deb
> >
> >
> >  Sharon Foster wrote:
> >  I've set up a wiki to collect software requirements for a Library
> > Staff Scheduler. Initially it's intended for use by public libraries,
> > because that's what I'm most familiar with, but I'd also like to
> > incorporate any unique requirements from other kinds of libraries.
> >
> > I know there is at least one implementation of this type of
> > application at
> > http://sourceforge.net/projects/empscheduler/, and I
> > fully expect to use that project as the starting point for the
> > implementation of this one, but the demo page is missing or broken,
> > the project itself hasn't been updated since 12/2004, and it doesn't
> > particularly address the special requirements of library staffing.
> >
> > The wiki is at http://libstaff.pbwiki.com/ and the password is librarygeek.
> >
> > (aside: I started it with WetPaint, but there are so many ads on each
> > page that I thought it was too distracting. Free PBWiki may not have
> > the variety of themes that WetPaint has, but it also doesn't have all
> > those annoying ads.)
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > Remember: Choose nutritious edible weeds for snacks!
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > Deb Bergeron
> > System Administrator User Support
> > CLIC
> > 1619 Dayton Ave. Suite 204A
> > Saint Paul, MN 55104
> >
> > T: 651.644.3878
> > C:651-487-7609
> > F:651.644.6258
> > bergeron at macalester.edu
> > www.clic.edu
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > Remember: Choose nutritious edible weeds for snacks!
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > Deb Bergeron
> > System Administrator User Support
> > CLIC
> > 1619 Dayton Ave. Suite 204A
> > Saint Paul, MN 55104
> >
> > T: 651.644.3878
> > C:651-487-7609
> > F:651.644.6258
> > bergeron at macalester.edu
> > www.clic.edu
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> --
> Sharon M. Foster, B.S., J.D., 0.58 * (MLS)
> F/OSS Evangelist
> Cheshire Public Library
> 104 Main Street
> Cheshire, CT  06410
> http://www.cheshirelibrary.org
> My library school portfolio: http://home.southernct.edu/~fosters4/
> My final project for ILS655, Digital Libraries:
> http://www.vsa-software.com/ils655
>
> Any opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
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-- 
Sharon M. Foster, B.S., J.D., 0.58 * (MLS)
F/OSS Evangelist
Cheshire Public Library
104 Main Street
Cheshire, CT  06410
http://www.cheshirelibrary.org
My library school portfolio: http://home.southernct.edu/~fosters4/
My final project for ILS655, Digital Libraries:
http://www.vsa-software.com/ils655

Any opinions expressed here are entirely my own.