Rob Withers http://hdl.handle.net/2374.MIA/5173 2026-04-08T06:58:27Z 2026-04-08T06:58:27Z Withers, Rob O'Brien http://hdl.handle.net/2374.MIA/6794 2022-01-10T16:27:24Z

Growing Beyond A Loss: Reassigning Tasks, Reassessing Workflows, and Carrying on after an Employee Death or Growing Beyond A Loss: Carrying on and Reevaluating Library Procedures and Services after an Employee Death Withers, Rob O'Brien One library recently experienced the deaths of several staff members in a short period of time. This program will share our experiences in piecing together our response to these deaths. Issues we have addressed have included: communicating with family, disposition of personal property at work, processing timecards, and identifying / tracking / handing off work in process at the time of the staff member’s passing.

Calabrese, Cara Adams, Kristen Withers, Rob O'Brien http://hdl.handle.net/2374.MIA/6793 2022-01-10T16:26:29Z

Nurturing collaboration while weeding collections: A new interdepartmental workflow Calabrese, Cara; Adams, Kristen; Withers, Rob O'Brien Reviewing, transferring, and withdrawing materials is normally a hands-on and collaborative interdepartmental process. Last spring, our institution decided to expedite a closure of a branch library and consolidate holdings to the central location. These changes necessitated a rapid review of collections in both buildings so that a timely consolidation of materials could take place. This coincided with the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, when many library staff were working from home. In this session, staff from collection management, technical services and circulation will share their experiences in establishing and piloting a new workflow that included standardized weeding lists created by technical services, a sharing method to deliver the lists to selectors, maintaining list uniformity when further passing lists to circulation, and back to selectors. Other aspects of the project included, providing facilities access, and adding circulation staff to assist pulling materials from the shelves. Presenters will share progress on the project and identify which new practices we envision retaining or not for future reviews of the collection.

Withers, Rob Henle, Alea Weaver, Eric http://hdl.handle.net/2374.MIA/6601 2020-04-20T15:13:42Z

Creating Order from Chaos and Fostering Collaboration: Documentation, Cross-training, and Continuous Operations in Multi-service Point Libraries Withers, Rob; Henle, Alea; Weaver, Eric In 2018, a library reorganization consolidated several previously separate units into a single department. The newly-created unit sought out a method for documenting and disseminating existing practices, with a goal of ultimately standardizing them across different service points, due in part to (a) varying practices and levels of documentation among the predecessor units, (b) the loss of institutional memory due to staff turnover, and (c) rapidly-changing practices. This session will address the development of central documentation and continuous operations plans for a library system operating multiple service points spread across campus. Key questions to be discussed with the audience include: What types of resources are suitable for compiling practices (blog, wiki, print binder)? How to generate buy-in from staff? Or facilitate regular cross-training, particularly for tasks where repetition is key to familiarity? Presenters will incorporate brainstorming activities exploring pros/cons for different documentation methods and local applications, as well as strategies for negotiating a single, uniform practice where there had previously been more than one standard.

Withers, Rob Henle, Alea http://hdl.handle.net/2374.MIA/6600 2020-04-20T15:13:02Z

DECIDING, DOCUMENTING, AND DISSEMINATING LIBRARY POLICIES AND PRACTICES: A CASE STUDY FROM A NEWLY-CREATED LIBRARY UNIT Withers, Rob; Henle, Alea Staff turnover, varying practices across service points, and consolidation of previously independent units are three starter reasons to document common practices. This session will address the development of central documentation and continuous operations plans for a library system operating five campus locations. What types of resources are suitable for managing and providing access to documentation? How can buy-in be obtained from staff? How can documentation facilitate regular cross-training, particularly for tasks where repetition is key to familiarity? The presenter will incorporate brainstorming activities exploring pros/cons for different documentation methods and local applications. Attendees will be encouraged to share their challenges and successes with similar processes.