The Dual Natu re of Staffi ng in the Education Library : Management Issues a n d Sol utions By Dr. J ustina 0. Osa Pennsylvania State University Abstract The dual nature of staffing in the education l ibrary, just as in most academic l ibraries, often con­ stitutes a major source of management problems. The blurring and shifting of tasks for profes­ sionals and paraprofessionals, and budgetary constraints do not help the situation. Professionals and paraprofessionals must work in concert and in harmony, pul l ing in the same d i rection. This article identifies and d iscusses some enabl ing variables that can help the education l ibrary leader bui ld a wel l-integrated staff team of professionals and paraprofessionals who work towards a common goal in a su pportive workplace environment. Introduction Education l ibraries, l ike other academic l ibrar­ ies, are staffed by both professionals and paraprofessionals. This dual nature of staffing often constitutes a major source of manage­ ment problems. The labels -- professional and paraprofessional -- assigned to distingu ish these two groups of employees have not helped to ease the tension, animosity, and d is­ trust that sometimes exist among members of both groups. This tension has increased as the roles of pro­ fessionals and paraprofessionals h.ave become qu ite complicated and less distinctive as they used to be. "Over the past twenty or more years, automation of l ibrary processes, declin­ ing budgets, contraction of higher education generally, and entry into the electronic informa­ tion age have changed l ibraries. New l ibrary tasks have been created and others re­ aligned."1 Tasks on ce seen as exclusively pro­ fessional are now been shared with, or as­ signed to, paraprofessionals, and there is a growing emphasis on paraprofessionals as managers, especially of day-to-day operations. " In l ibrary l iterature the term ' routine' is fre­ quently used to differentiate between the work done by l ibrarians and paraprofessionals. This d istinction seems inappropriate to the jobs held by a growing number of paraprofessionals whose responsibi l ities require sophisticated judgment cal ls , supervision, and complex op­ erations. "2 Furthermore, many paraprofession­ als come into positions with significant aca­ demic credentials and experience; some para­ professionals in the education l ibrary have Education Libraries Volume 26, No. 2 Winter 2003 academic degrees in education and have even been classroom teachers in an earl ier career. Even though there are sti l l some tasks that require professional knowledge and skil ls, some paraprofessionals might believe that there is no difference in what they and the pro­ fessionals do. Such practices can lead to hard feel ings on the part of the paraprofessionals, The performance of any organization or unit is judged by the level of productivity and by the qual ity of the outcome. For the education l i­ brary to become and remain a h igh performing unit the professionals and the paraprofession­ als must "work in concert and in harmony. They need to be harnessed and pul ling in the same d irection, not in different ones. "3 The importance of bui ld ing an effective, strong, and well-integrated staff team cannot be overrated . In the article "The Basics of Team Bui ld ing" a team is defined as "a group of people working towards a common goal. Team bui ld ing is the process of enabling that g roup of people to reach their goal . It is therefore a management issue . . . "4 Consequently, the leader in the edu­ cation l ibrary becomes a very crucial factor in uniting professionals and paraprofessionals into a cohesive, goal focused, and happy team. He/she has to devise a plan to influence, motivate, and lead all staff and get them to work together wel l . There are certain variables which if well managed under the d i rection and leadersh ip of the head of the education l ibrary could remove inh ibitors and promote enablers in coalescing professionals and paraprofes­ sionals into an effective team, even in this time of change. This article identifies and d iscusses variables that can help the leader create group 1 9 synergy in the ed ucation l ibrary, influen ce and inspire all employees to voluntarily perform at a h igh level on a consistent basis and enjoy doing it, and to make goal realization a real ity. Establishing a Shared Purpose The head of the education l ibrary should pro­ vide the leadership needed to coord inate the activities of al l the staff towards attain ing pre­ determined goals, which g ive the staff a sense of d i rection and pu rpose. Goals should exist as l iving written documents that are revisited regu larly and appropriately revised as the edu­ cation l ibrary grows and changes. It should be made up of three component parts: vision, mission , and task l ist. As A nkarb rightly puts it, the vision "frames" the work of the team. The vision is a "preferred future state, a bridge from today to tomorrow"5 The mission helps the education l ibrary plan how it is going to get to that desired future, and should be stated in clear, measurable terms so that the l ibrary knows when it gets to where it wants to go. Al l the professionals and paraprofessionals should collaborate to: 1 . determine the purpose of the education l i­ brary; 2. agree on a mission statement; 3. identify the core tasks necessary to reach the predetermined goal. As Avery stated, a wo rking team· needs to "es­ tabl ish shared clarity. Discu ss . . . the mission , the del iverables, and the outcome of [the] team's work until [members] can articu late to­ gether a common and clear description of [the team's] purpose. " 6 A pu rpose statement should be straightforward and brief, the resu lts of al l professionals and paraprofessionals de­ veloping it. All education l ibrary staff should spend adequate time l istening to each other and working until they can reach an agreement on statements that each can l ive with and sup­ port. "Purpose and principle, clearly under­ stood and articulated , and commonly shared, are the genetic code of any healthy organ iza­ tion . To the degree that [the team] holds pur­ pose and principles in common among [mem­ bers], [the team] can dispense with command and control . People wil l know how to behave in accordance with them, and they' l l do it i n thou­ sands of un imaginable, creative ways. The organ ization will become a vital, l iving set of beliefs."7 The vision statement should be posted prominently so that staff members con- Education Libraries Volume 26, No. 2 Winter 2003 stantly remind themselves of what they are striving for. The education l ibrary should crea­ tively share and use the purpose and vision in as many ways as possible such as on the edu­ cation l ibrary web page, the logo, and letter­ head . 'I The shared goal or goals should be realistic, feasible, atta inable, inspiring , and challenging. The human and material resources needed to attain the goal are vital variables ·when devel­ oping and setting the shared goals. I f the goal is too ambitious and beyond the efforts of the human and material resources available, staff get frustrated , d isi l lusioned , and may give u p try ing. The staff may also break up into oppos­ ing camps of professionals and paraprofes­ sionals, blaming each other. But when the goal is reasol)ably h igh , chal lenging but attainable, al l staff can join forces, focus on the goal , and pu l l al l their efforts together towards attaining the goal . They see the goal as "ours" instead of "theirs". They real ize that they need to team up to succeed, and each member of staff is wil l ing and ready to step in and perform what­ ever is needed to be done for the education l ibrary to arrive at the target goals. Establishing Role Clarification and Responsibi lities Some tasks require professional knowledge, ski l ls , and expertise; whenever possible, pro­ fessionals should let paraprofessionals know some of the " real" professional tasks they do. Other tasks can be performed competently by paraprofessionals, who should be valued for their contributions to overall l ibrary services. Thus the roles and tasks for professionals and paraprofessionals be defined and that each employee knows the tasks he/she is being held accountable for. Th is would enhance peacefu l col laboration, task performance, and productivity. Basical ly, the education l ibra ry exists to pro­ vide teacher education majors the resources, services, and assistance they need to meet both the state and national requ i rements and standards. Accreditation agencies and state certification office are very interested in how prospective teachers are prepared for their jobs in the real classroom. I t is a general belief that, g iven the right cond itions and resou rces, all chi ld ren can learn . Towards that end, the education l ibrary has to provide teacher educa- 20 tion majors the resources and services they need to learn and to become experts in pre­ senting and packaging learning materials in a way that makes concept mastery and effective learning a reality for al l students , even all stu­ dents in the inclusive classroom. Both profes­ sionals and paraprofessionals in the education l ibrary need to collaborate in providing the re­ sources and services necessary to meet those needs . . Education Library Functions For peaceful coexistence and collaboration, professionals and paraprofessionals need to know not just what they are expected to do, but also why they are to do it, and when and how it must be done. Hence, team-bui lding procedures for accomplish ing tasks must be developed and adopted. Ideally, the entire education l ibrary employees should meet to d iscuss the task that needs to be done. If it is not possible to have all staff meet, care should be taken to ensure that employees who wil l have to implement the procedure understand the task and see the rationale for determining how the task wi l l be done. Whenever possible, conditions shou ld be establ ished to gu ide in­ stances when the prescribed procedur� that should be fol lowed routinely becomes impos­ sible. The adopted procedure should be re­ viewed at reasonable intervals to check for adequacy and currency. The lead er should ensure that procedures that stifle employees or that put unnecessarily constraints on staff are avoided . Needs A ssessment In order to provide an optimal education l ibrary program, needs assessments must be con­ ducted and analyzed regularly. "Needs as­ sessment serves as a systematic d iagnostic tool to careful ly and to cautiously identify what the cl ienteles need , what the thrust of the col­ lection should be, and what the l ibrarian should be doing to effectively and efficiently meet pa­ trons' needs. ''8 Most of the activities required for effective needs assessment for bui ld ing and mainta ining a responsive and functional collection are the responsibi l ities of the profes­ sional l ibrarians. For example. they • conduct environmental scan • analyze available records and statistics • develop, administer, analyze, and interpret surveys Education Libraries Volume 26, No. 2 Winter 2003 • interview different focus groups of potential cl ienteles • know the resources required by the state, specialty professional areas such as Inter­ national Reading Association ( IRA), and accreditation agencies, such as the Na­ tional Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCAT E), and translate those requirements into l ibrary resources and services • keep current on trends, issues, and prac­ tices in the field of teacher education and instruction material collections • develop, evaluate, and manage the in­ structional materials collections. Though professionals are primarily responsible for these tasks enumerated above, parapro­ fessionals may assist with some of them, such as d istributing survey instruments. They clearly know that the professionals are in control of the survey. L i kewise, after analysis of the data collected , both professionals and paraprofes­ sionals can brainstorm the best ways to use the information gained to improve l ibrary activi­ ties and operations. Because every em­ ployee's input is solicited and is appropriately used in modifying l ibrary activities a sense of ownersh ip and commitment - and a feel ing of "we" - is experienced by both paraprofession­ als and professionals. Selecting Materials for Acquisition "Collection development has always been about making choices. "9 Some of the tasks involved in material selection require profes­ sional knowledge while others do not. For ex­ ample the professionals are responsible for: • Knowing the curricu lar offerings in the Col­ lege of Education • Knowing how the collection wil l be used • Assessing the col lection and identifying its suitabi l ity • Knowing when to request for copies for preview • Assessing the adequacy of the contents of the materials • Evaluating the treatment and presentation of subject matter • Assessing the· coverage in terms of scope and depth , and • Assessing the value of the special features such as images, charts, tables, etc. Paraprofessionals know that they can suggest materials for acqu isition, but they know that the final selection decision rests with profession- 2 1 als. Paraprofessionals assist professionals in verifying information about materials, locate reviews, and prepare materials for use. As paraprofessionals assume specific procedural roles to support professional l ibrarians the en­ suing relationship is cordia l , supportive, nurtur­ ing , and enabling because each employee knows the tasks he/she is responsible for. When there is a healthy balance between as­ signment of tasks and interdependence, staff interact and the education l ibrary staff team functions smoothly. Reference Desk Duties Library budget constraints have made it im­ possible for most education l ibraries to have a professional l ibrarian on duty on the reference desk to provide qual ity services at all times the l ibrary doors are opened . Moreover, so me pro­ fessional l ibrarians may have fewer hours at the physical reference desk because they are heavily involved in providing reference ser­ vices electronical ly. As a resu lt, l ibrari ans in­ creasingly have to schedule more consu ltation sessions and work with patrons by appoint­ ment. There is no consensus among l ibrarians on the issue of assigning non-professional l i­ brarians to staff the reference desk. Some­ times there is double coverage when both types of staff are schedu led to work on the ref­ erence desk. But when a paraprofessional works alone on the desk, a prof�ssional l ibrar­ ian should be "on cal l ," read ily available when professional expertise is needed . Additionally, the paraprofessional on the desk is not left completely on h is/her own recourse if He/she has access to professionally-developed l ibrary web pages containing useful information to answer frequently asked reference questions . . I n the event that the paraprofessional has problem locating information to answer patron questions or he/she feels that the question is not being adequately answered by h im/her, the professional l ibrarian "on call" can be con­ su lted to work with the patron on the reference desk, on the publ ic workstation, in the stacks, or in h is/her office. Consequently there is col­ laboration and consu ltation in the provision of reference services to patrons. Providing qual ity reference services becomes the product of both professionals and paraprofessionals working together as an effective work team. Schedu ling makes it possible for them to join forces and work for a common goal. Instruction Education Libraries Volume 26, No. 2 Winter 2003 In recent times instructing patrons on how to access and use materials has acqu i red great significance. Because both types of employees work on the reference desk, paraprofessionals are offered staff development sessions on how to provide relevant point-of-need instruction to patrons. By bui ld ing on other•,l ibrary functions, the roles of professionals and paraprofession­ als vis-a-vis instruction can be such that it is safe for staff to seek assistance and to pursue self-development. Decision-Making Decision-making is a choice process which if properly undertaken has the potential to make the professionals and paraprofessionals to come together as a team to earnestly seek and choose the best solutions to problems. It in­ volves choosing from among alternatives. De­ cision-making is a rational activity that involves going through a log ical sequence of decision making steps. These steps include: 1. Problem definition. It involves "sizing up" the situation. The l ibrary staff recognize a problem or opportunity, descri be it, and make a diagnosis; 2 . Problem Analysis. This is when the staff "dissect" the problem or issue in an at­ tempt to gain a clearer understanding of the problem before trying to solve it; 3 . Thinking of alternatives. The staff brain­ storm for possible alternative solutions to the problems or issues; 4 . The staff arrive on a consensus on the best solution after weigh ing the pros and cons of each alternative; 5. The staff team translates the chosen deci­ sion into effective action. The necessary procedure for implementing and for enforc­ ing the decision is designed; and 6. The staff develop a monitoring and as­ sessment system for the effectiveness and efficiency of the decision. Patton states that in g roup decision-making process, decisions are the product of interper­ sonal decision processes and group dynamics. The head of the education l ibrary "must be concerned with leading the group from a col­ lection of ind ividuals to a collaborative decision making unit . "1 0 He/she should also be alert and prevent a situation where the staff are d ivided along professional and paraprofessional l ines to make decisions. On the other hand, g roup think should be avoided . Groupthink "happens when in-group pressures lead to a deteriora- 22 tion in mental efficiency, poor testing of reality, and lax moral judgments. It tends to happen in h igh ly cohesive g roups in wh ich group mem­ ber's desire for consensus becomes more im­ portant than evaluating problems and solutions realistically. " 1 1 There are several decision mak­ ing techniques that could enhance the coales­ cence of professionals and paraprofessionals as a result of col laborative and participatory decision making . Brainstorming Brainstorming is an excel lent g roup decision making technique that enables a group to come up with as many creative and imag ina­ tive alternatives and solutions as possible to problems. It encourages group members to focus on the problem, th ink out of the box, and come up with radical solutions. In brainstorm­ ing , ideas and the analysis and evaluation of the ideas are separated . As ideas are gener­ ated, often in qu ick succession, they are re­ corded and are later evaluated for efficacy and feasibi l ity. The prim ary idea is to generate as many alternatives as possible. Evaluating al­ ternatives as they are suggested could stunt idea generation and creativity. Nominal Group Techniq ue Nominal group technique is a structured proc­ ess wh ich encourages group members to nominally generate solutions anp ideas for solving the target p roblem or issue. Members are instructed to think and work independently. The nominally generated ideas and alternative solutions to problems are recorded on a chalk board or fl ip chart. They are then discussed to ensure that al l members understand the re­ corded ideas or solutions. Then each member secretly ranks the potential of each idea to solve the problem. The highest ranking idea is then chosen. This strategy is particularly useful because each suggested solution or idea gets equal consideration, which can reduce the er­ rors in aggregating ind ividual judgments into group decisions. Devi/'s A dvocacy Devil's advocacy is a strategy to poke holes in a decision. An ind ividual or subgroup is ap­ pointed to critique a decision and identify prob­ lems to consider before the decision is finally taken. Though devil 's advocacy is not purely a decision making technique, it helps the group analyze and validate the strength of alternative solution to a problem. Six Thinking Hats Six th inking hats technique is a strategy to look at a problem, alternative solutions, and the decision made from as many perspectives and view points as possible. Each th inking hat represents a d ifferent approach to th inking and problem-solving . Edward de Bono created this tool . He identified these six th inking hats. 1 2 Hat (Perspective) Description White (Observer) White paper; Neutral ; focus on information avai lable, objective FACTS, what is needed, how it can be obtained Red (Self, Other) Fire, warmth; EMOTIONS, FEELINGS, intuition, hunches; pre- sent views without exp_lanation, justification Black (Self, Other) Stern judge wearing black robe; judgmental ; critical; why some- th ing is wrong; LOGICAL NEGATIVE view; ma kes plans "tougher" and more resilient Yel low (Self, Other) Sunsh ine; optimism; LOGICAL POSITIVE view; looks for bene- fits, what's good. Green (Self, Other) Vegetation; CREATIVE thinkin g ; possibi l ities and hypotheses; new ideas Blue (Observer) Sky; cool ; overview; CONTROL of PROCESS, STEPS, OTH ER HATS; chai rperson, organizer; th inking about thinking The Blue Hat is worn by the ind ividual chairing the decision-making meeting . When running into d ifficulties because ideas are running dry, he/she may direct activity into Green Hat think- De Bono suggests steps for using the six th ink­ ing hats group decision making strategy. ing . When contingency plans are needed, he/she wil l ask for B lack Hat thinking, etc. 1 3 Education Libraries Volume 26, No. 2 Winter 2003 They are: Step 1 : Present the facts of the case -- White Hat 23 Step 2: Generate ideas on how the case cou ld be hand led -- Green Hat Step 3: Evaluate the merits of the ideas- • List the benefits -- Yel low Hat • List the drawbacks -- Black Hat Step 4: Get everybody's gut fee l ings about the alternatives -- Red Hat Step 5: Summarize and adjourn the meeting -­ Blue Hat 1 4 PM/: Weighing the Pros and Cons and Implica­ tions of a Decision PMI stands for Plus/Min us/Implications. This process enables the group to log ically weigh the pros, cons, and impl ications of the group's decision and plan under consideration using visual representations. For example, the group draws a 3-T chart or table, and label the col­ umns Plus, Minus, and lmpl icalon. All aspects - advantages, d isadvantages, and impl ications -- of a proposed decision are recorded under the appropriate column, and g iven positive or negative scores. Based on the sum of the scores, employees decide to choose or to re­ ject the candidate decision. PLUS MINUS IMPLICATION TOTAL Grid Analysis Grid analysis is particu larly good for making a de­ cision when the team has some really good alter­ natives and many variables to consider before making its choice . Alternative solutions are visual ly represented and assigned individual weights based on relative importance. The alternatives are designated as row labels, and the variables are Variable 1 Variable 2 Weights Alternative 1 Alternative 2 Alternative 3 Alternative 4 Group decision making strategies and activi­ ties make the professionals and the parapro­ fessionals come together to work as a team to make decisions. They stand behind the chosen alternative because it is the decision of the entire staff. Col laborative, participatory deci­ sion-making helps every l ibrary staff member bel ieve that he/she is important and that h is/her contribution to deciding what happens in the l ibrary is sign ificant. Confronting and Resolving Conflict Education Libraries Volume 26, No. 2 Winter 2003 POSITIVE NEGATIVE designated as column head ings. Each alternative is scored by how adequately it satisfies each of the variables; the score is mu ltipl ied by the weight of the variable. The total scores for each alternative are calculated. The team then adopts the alterna­ tive with the h ighest score. Below is an example of a grid analysis table. Variable 3 Variable 4 Total Conflict can be defined as a d isagreement be­ tween two or more employees who are inter­ dependent. While conflict is a natural , vital part of l ife, the dual natu re of staffing in the educa­ tion l ibrary adds another variable into the chances for conflict. Depending on how the differences that threaten to d ivide members of the education l ibrary staff is hand led , it could be destructive or constructive to the smooth runn ing of the l ibrary. When conflict is under­ stood , it can become an opportun ity to learn and to create. The leader can skil lfu l ly use the 24 arguments, disputes, and frustrations staff ex­ perience to deepen relationsh ips that promote acceptance, respect, and promote task com­ pletion. Conflict management ski l ls are essential for the head of the education l ibrary because con­ flicts have personal , professional , and organ­ izational effects and are interconnected . Con­ flicts affect employees' emotions, their th inking process, perception, and their behaviors. If not adequately handled, conflicts can adversely affect the qual ity of education l ibrary service -­ and the qual ity of employees' work l ife and morale. Education l ibrary leader should remember that not al l conflicts among professionals and para­ professionals can be prevented or resolved . Some confl icts can only be managed with the goal of control l ing the adverse impact on the qual ity of task performance and effectiveness. Sti l l , when conflict occurs, it must be tackled. Avoiding confrontation can prove toxic to the l ibrary because it reinforces the destructive cycle of confl ict. Often, leaders and employees feel overwhelmed and resign themselves to the idea that avoidance - either by thei r own si lence or by threatenin� others into silence - is their only avenue. 1 Real istically, conflict management can be viewed as consisting of several related goals. . • Prevent escalation. Escalated confl icts of­ ten results in d isruptive behaviors. Avoid actions that escalate the confl ict, forcing a response - counter-response chain reac­ tion of negative behaviors; • Solve the real problem. Often the real problem is wall-papered or d isguised as something else. Get to the bottom of the situation. • De-personalize the d isagreement. Get employees to think in terms of the situation rather than how hurt their feelings are . • Invent solutions. Think outside the box, think broadly and creatively. • Bui ld relationsh ips. Never miss a chance to bu i ld a relationship . Share interests, concerns. Inspire trust. • Ach ieve workplace goals. Managing con­ fl ict does not occu r in a personal vacuum. How you deal with it has broader profes­ sional and organizational impl ications. 16 The leader can choose from several alternative strategic approaches, based on the situation Education Libraries Volume 26, No. 2 Winter 2003 and the nature of the conflict. .Masters and Al­ bright suggest five strategic approaches to confl ict. They are : 1 . Accommodation. A party concedes to the other's position. It is not assertive of own interests or needs or positions. 2 . Avoidance. A party igno res, denies, es­ capes. It is proactive in avoiding confront­ ing the other party or issue. 3. Col laboration. A party see ks a win-win out­ come that is natural ly satisfactory. It is assertive of own interests and empathizes with the other party's. 4 . Competition. A party is sel fishly motivated and behaving. It is interested in winning , pure and simple. 5. Compromise. A party is wi l l ing to settle for half a loaf. It is inclined to split the differ­ ence to get the matter settled if not re­ solved .1 7 Often during the conflict discussion and nego­ tiation compromise is necessary. Both profes­ sionals and paraprofessional should be ready to g ive up something so as to get something from other staff members . "When people be­ l ieve their goals are cooperative (We are in this together. " "We swim or sink together. ") , they are committed to promoting each other and helping each other be effective . . . " 1 8 As one views the education l ibrary staff as a team formed by professionals and paraprofes­ sionals, participatory conflict management can be effective. Participatory conflict management means that al l the affected ind ividuals and par­ ties are invited to join in the process of seeking solution to the confl ict. Having all of them pre­ sent g ives cred ib i l ity to the process and to the genuine desire of the leader to resolve the conflict. However, thei r mere presence does not necessarily ind icate that they wish to re­ solve the confl ict; they may be there just to fulfill a job requ irement or may be there just to observe, while they intel lectual ly and emotion­ ally d istance themselves from the d iscussion. The leader should aspi re for inclusiven partici­ pation: getting the commitment of the affected ind ividuals or parties to come to the meeting, a ready to negotiate, and earnestly seeking a confl ict resolution. The head of the education l ibrary should be aware of what Cloke and Goldsmith called h id­ den layers and complexities of conflict. They capture them through the metaphor of the ice- 25 berg . The chart below is a visual representa- tion of the iceberg of conflict. 1 9 Personalities Emotions Interests, Needs & Desires Self-Perceptions and Self-Esteem Hidden Expectations Unresolved Issues from the Past A w a r e n e ·S s o f I n t e r c o n n e c t i o n The leader of the education l ibrary should never let the staff lose sight of their shared common goal which must be the driving force behind every thing they do. The shared purpose controls and tames ind ividual interests, un ites the professionals and the paraprofessionals, and promotes the common good . It could be helpfu l for the leader to: • Be sensitive to early signs of conflict. • Do not hide from conflict -- confront it. • Know what the conflict is and what it isn't. • Realize that most conflicts wil l not go away - tackle them. • Never lose sight of the shared goals. • Approach confl ict in a way that defuses defen­ siveness and enhances healthy and frank d is­ cussions. • Do not th ink that the presence of conflict means the leader is not effective. Education Libraries Volume 26, No. 2 Winter 2003 • Remember that the team can learn from the current conflict. • Develop hearing and l isten ing ski l ls . • Watch employees' body language. • Encourage staff to change their mindset to en­ courage appropriate decisions, behaviors, and outcome. • Seek inclusive participatory conflict resolution and management. • Recognize the difference between "buy-in" and consensus. • Know that reconci liation is not always possible; • As much as possible, make conflict manage­ ment a win-win situation for all involved. • Strive to make employees feel safe whi le con­ fronting and deal ing with confl icts. Workplace Climate How professionals and paraprofessionals unite and work hand in hand . to attain a common goal 26 reveals that their relationsh ip and may be the sin­ g le most important variable in the process of bui ld­ ing a unified education l ibrary staff. When the leader establ ishes and maintains a workplace cli­ mate that fosters h igh levels of inclusion, affection, acceptance, support, and trust the staff stick to­ gether as a unit. When employees feel good about the education l ibrary they become committed to the l ibrary goals, and would go beyond the call of duty to ensure that the shared purpose is upheld . When the group morale is h igh , the workplace wil l be a happy place, services to patrons wil l be of h igh qual ity, empl oyees wi l l go out of their way to help each other, and the workplace wil l resemble a warm and caring family. As employee s spend more time with colleagues, it is crucial that the workplace cl imate be healthy, nurtu ring , safe, non­ threatening , and welcoming. Thus, the question becomes, how can the leader create a positive climate that would promote unity and sing leness of purpose for professionals and paraprofessionals? There are some factors that impact the workplace climate which the leader needs to be aware of. Communication Communication is a significant ingredient in the effective interaction within a team. For communica­ tion to be effective, the target of information must receive what the speaker really has the intention of transmitting. " In add ition to the content of our mes­ sages, language conveys feel ings. Our voices are colored with emotion and attitude. Add the subtle nuances of pitch and loudness, intonation, rate, facial expression and posture. Now we have a complex pattern of behavior with the power to in­ fluence our l isteners."20 Effective communication ski l ls should be encouraged within the education l ibrary because they can bind employees together and tear down walls of d ivision. Channels of com­ munication should be established . The leader should ensure that there is a mechanism in place to keep every employee informed of relevant in­ formation in a timely fashion; otherwise, those left out may gang up or ind ividual ly work against the unity of the team. Althoug h the interpretation that each type of staff will have for being left out may d iffer, any effects m ay be detrimental to g roup co­ hesiveness. Therefore, the leader must guide against situations that precipitate il l feel ings. Meetings Staff meetings should be scheduled and an agenda for each meeting should be d istributed be­ fore the meeting. This helps each staff member Education Libraries Volume 26, No. 2 Winter 2003 prepare for the meeting, complete assigned tasks to be d iscussed during the meeting , bring neces­ sary materials and information to the meeting; it also facil itates good time management. During the meeting, contributions should be sought from both professionals and paraprofe_ssionals. The seating arrangement should encoura'ges participation, in­ teraction, and member visib i l ity. Good manners are the lubricating oi l of good human relationships; the leader should model and promote proper work­ place etiquette and civi l ity, encou raging specific behaviors that help foster a sense of g roup unity: bui ld ing up each other, smoothing out misunder­ standings between members, enhancing a suppor­ tive atmosphere, relieving tension, and promoting ind ividuals' sense of being part of the unit. When employees get along with each other there are few cl iques in the workplace. Staff Development Most tasks require specific tools, expertise, knowl­ edge, and skil ls. When staff members believe that they have the requ ired knowledge and ski l ls to per­ form their duties satisfactorily, they feel comfort­ able and self-confident, and help make the staff team work together cord ial ly. Because the con­ stantly changing nature of l ibrary service requires that staff continual ly update thei r knowledge and ski l ls, the leader should provide needed training within a systematic staff development program so staff members can continue to feel that they are competent performing their duties. Often a profes­ sional l ibrarian is put in charge of the staff devel­ opment program. Genuine efforts should be made to solicit input about the contents of the program from all staff members; when staff bel ieve their professional growth impacts l ibrary service, and feel safe , they wil l open up and ask for help when they need it. Facil itators for each session should be determined; for some sessions professionals can offer their expertise to the entire staff, and for other sessions paraprofessionals can lead better than professionals. In all cases, staff must be made to feel they are treated as competent and respected human beings, and that the leader and their colleagues have their best interests at heart. Motivation Motivation is that force and that d rive within em­ ployees that move them to d i rect their energies, efforts, and actions towards the attainment of the predetermined goals of the education l ibrary. U lti­ mately, the goal of motivation is performance. The leader is responsible for making each employee feel that h is/her contribution to the smooth running of the unit is valued. The leader should ensure that 27 the team engages in activities that bui lding trust and engender mutual respect. Each employee has to believe that h is/her interest is being protected . He/she should be given the support needed to be successful and to excel . "Good coach ing ski l ls let the leader empower the staff without setting them adrift . . . keep them on track without rid ing hard . . . and push them to be their best -- without push ing them too hard . "2 1 That is when the chances of bui lding a cohesive and col laborating team of professionals and paraprofessionals are h igh . Informal Workplace Relationships Staff relationships are the l ibrary's true asset. They are the energizing force that tremendously impact the unity and success of the unit. If staff l ike each other, they wi l l support and look out for each other, and get the job done wel l . Although the leader cannot make professionals and paraprofessionals l ike each other, he/she can provide opportunities for them to interact informally and get acquainted to each other, such as: • Shared lunch. Staff order lunch to be brought into the staff lounge. and al l eat together. • Pizza day. • Winter Blahs. Staff members sign up to bring in food and share it to brighten the winter months. • Birthday Celebration. Staff contribute to�pay for the celebrant's lunch , and each employee pays for h is/her own lunch . • Delicacies Corner. Staff members bring to work food items they want to get · rid of for eve­ ryone to enjoy; often there are unhealthy del i­ cacies they do not want to binge on. • Holiday Dinner. Staff meet off-site, often in a member's house, to usher in the hol iday sea­ son. Games, g ift exchanges, and other festive activities are enjoyed by all staff. These interactions promote trust, esprit de corps, team spirit, pride, group identity, and motivation. Such teams of p rofessionals and paraprofessional can attain the l ibrary goals, and can successfu l ly handle d ifferences and situations that could tear other g roups apart. Conclusion A task-focused and cohesive team of professionals and paraprofessionals does not just happen. It takes time, cost, and conscious efforts to establ ish and to maintain . The complex task of uniting pro­ fessionals and paraprofessionals requires that the team establ ishes clearly defined roles and respon­ sibi l ities, hand les d ifferences and problems skil l­ fu l ly, bu i lds trust and healthy workplace environ- Education Libraries Volume 26, No. 2 Winter 2003 ment and relationships, and keeps the shared l i­ brary purpose as the driving force beh ind al l activi­ ties. Managing and lead ing a staff team of profes­ sionals and paraprofessionals in a way that pro­ motes collaboration and unity of purpose is a chal­ lenge for the l ibrary head . The leader has to influ­ ence and motivate the staff to join forces to ach ieve the goal of the l ibrary in a congenial at­ mosphere. When there is synergy between profes­ sionals and paraprofessional a formidable work team of individuals with different knowledge and skil ls is bu ilt, bringing together the unique contribu­ tions of every member to attain the predetermined goals of the education l ibrary. The l eader, who skil lful ly appl ies the variables discussed in this arti­ cle; can remove barriers and logjams that can in­ hibit the staff qual ity performance and goal realiza­ tion. References 1 Oberg , Larry R. ( 1 995). Library support staff in an age of change: Util ization, role definition and status. ERIC Digest. Syracuse, NY: ERI C, 1 . 2 American Library Association, Office for L ibrary Personnel Resources Standing Committee on Li­ brary Education. ( 1 99 1 ) . Role definition. World Book-ALA Goal Award Project on Library Support Staff. Issue Paper #9. Chicago: American L ibrary Association, 1 . 3 Bacal & Associates. (n.d . ) . The retail sector - con­ flict, cooperation, prevention and customer service. Retrieved March 4, 2004, from http://www. work9 1 1 .com/confl icUsecretai l . htm. 4 Team Technolo gy. (n. d . ) . The basics of team building. Retrieved March 4, 2004, from http://www.teamtechnology.co. uk/tUh-articl/tb­ basic. htm 5 Ankarb, Lo ren. ( 1 995). 9 Traits of Highly Suc­ cessful Work Team s: Basic Training for Bui ld ing and Growing Effective Te ams AudioNideo Work­ book. Overland Park, KS. 6 Avery, Christoph er M . (2004). 1 0 Secrets to a Shared Purpose . . . From: Brenda Herchmer. Mes­ sage posted to http://www2.community leader­ ship.net. 7 Chaordic Commons of Terra Civitas. (2002). Bui ld ing the commons: Annual report to owning members. San Rafael , CA: Chaordic Commons, 1 7. Retrieved on March 1 0, 2004 from 28 http://www. chaord ic.org/commons/ CC2002Ann1Rpt. pdf. 8 Osa, Justina 0. (2003) . Collection Development: Curriculum Materials Center. The Acquisitions Li­ brarian, 30, 1 34. 9 MacEwan, Bonnie. ( 1 999) . Understanding users' needs and making col lections choices. Library Col­ lections, Acquisitions, & Technical Services, 23 (3), 3 1 5 . 10 Patton, Bobby R. ( 1 99 1 ). Decision making group interaction. In F. Lunenburg & Ornstein, Al­ len (Ed.) . Educational administration: Concepts and practices. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 1 71 . 1 1 Lunenburg, Fred C. & Ornstein, Al len C. (Eds. ) ( 1 991 ) . Educational administration: concepts and practices. Belmont, CA. : Wadsworth, 1 73-4. 12 Nagasundaran, M. (2001 ) . Edward de Bono's six thinking hats. Retrieved on March 1 7 , 2004, from Boise State University Creative Thinking and Prob­ lem Solving Web site: http:// cis­ pam. boisestate . ed u/murl i/cps/sixhats. html 13 M ind Tool s . (n.d . ) . Six thinking hats - Looking at a decision from all points of view. Retrieved on March 1 7 , 2004, from http://www. mind­ tools.com/pages/article/newTED 07. htm 14 Nagasundaran, M. (200 1 ) . - . 15 Tjosvold, Dean. ( 1 993). Learning to manage conflict: Getting people to work together produc­ tively. New York: Lexington Books, 3. 1 6 Masters, Marick & Alb right, Robert. (2002) . The complete guide to conflict resQiution in the work­ place. New York : AMACOM, 72-75. 1 7 ___ , 76 . 18 Tjosvold, D. ( 1 993). 8. 19 Cloke, Ken & Goldsmith, Joan. (200 1 ) . Resolving conflicts at work: A complete guide to everyone on the job. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1 1 4. 20 Brunkhorst, Steven. (2004). Making communica­ tion effective: 4 language filers. Se/fgrowth. com. Retrieved on March 1 9, 2004, from http://www.selfgtrowth .com/articles/ Brunk- horst5. html . 15 Practical coaching skills for managers, video training. (n.d . ) Arroyo Grande, CA: On With Learn­ ing . Dr. Justina 0. Osa is Education and Behavioral Sciences Librarian at Pennsylvania State Univer­ sity. Email : joo2@psulias. psu.edu. . The theme of the next issue of Education Libraries is "The Visual Side of Edu­ cation Libraries." Some of the potential topics i nclude: :> Art col lections in ed ucation l i braries :> Pictu re books in ed ucation l ibraries :> Public art in ed ucation l ibraries :> Cataloging/indexi ng visual materials :> Access to aud io-visual materials :> Visual aspects of l ibrary i nstruction :> C reating attractive l ibrary spaces :> Web page desig n , i ncluding ADA compl iance :> Visual factor of public relations :> The professional " look" : is it sti l l a factor? :> Visual l iteracy Can you picture it? Can you write it? You r contributi ons are welcome. Deadl i ne for submissions is September 1 5 - someth ing to do th is summer. Education Libraries Volume 26, No. 2 Winter 2003 29