Supervisor of the Year
This award recognizes a supervisor who exhibits that unique blend of human relation skills, knowledge of the organization and its mission, and skills in training employees.
Examples include:
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Depth and breadth of knowledge of the area, departments and Libraries
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Ability to apply knowledge, problem-solving skills and communication skills to facilitate the smooth operation of the department and management of its employees,
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Ability to successfully balance the goals of the Libraries with the individual goals of the employees so that staff feel engaged with their work and are given a sense of appreciation,
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Ability to lead by adapting to advanced technologies, streamlined production goals, new service delivery processes, the introduction of new products and services, and dramatic changes in work processes,
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Ability to apply knowledge to ambiguous situations,
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Ability to provide quality training or staff including organization of training materials, awareness of different learning styles of trainees, and assessment and evaluation of effectiveness of the training, and.
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Highly developed communication skills with the ability to s uccessfully and actively engage in the exchange of information and to encourage this activity in supervised staff.
Jill Severn, Russell Library
Who’s an outstanding supervisor? Jill Severn is! Her knowledge of UGA Libraries, the Russell Library, and the profession verge on profound and she is willing to share it with those she supervises! During a time of under-staffing, she has stepped up to the plate and performed many “other duties as assigned” with energy, good-will, and zeal, setting an example for those working under her. As a supervisor, she can be counted on to communicate what is needed and the best way to do it yet will give staffers enough space to work at their own pace and in their own process. Jill’s service to the profession is a fabulous example of what it means to become involved in professional organizations. Her service to the University at large, from teaching students to coordinating events for things like King Week and the National Issues Forum, is a major asset to the community. Her service to the Libraries and to the Russell Library is exemplary, from exhibits to committees and all points in between. She coordinates the workflow of the department efficiently and always initiates dialogue regarding where the Russell can go next and what new territory should be explored – then she fearlessly leads the way! Her energy, enthusiasm, and big-picture idealism are legendary and it’s a pleasure (and honor) to be supervised by her.
Toby Graham, DLG
Toby is a great supervisor to work for. He is aware that expectations of DLG staff are high; having said that, he is always kind, patient and seeks to find the best solution possible. He is extremely supportive of staff development, and always vocalizes appreciation and recognition of hard work. In the DLG, we work with many different people, in many different departments, which can certainly create complicated workflow and personnel issues; Toby works very hard at building consensus where possible, and (civil) compromise when not possible--which, I am certain, is no small feat. I feel very fortunate to work in the DLG, and to have him as a supervisor.
Carol Wheeler, Government Documents
Carol Wheeler supervises a department that is somewhat of a mystery to many, the world of government documents. Yet, despite the many peculiarities and diversity of the collections that are processed in the department, Carol has made herself an expert in all aspects of these documents. Her amazing memory for detail, and her mastery of the particular intricacies of each collection make her an invaluable resource both for her department and for those seeking the information contained in the documents.
In addition, she possesses excellent supervisory skills. She is never too busy to answer a question, in spite of the tremendous workload that she performs. And her answers to questions cut through any confusion that may have existed, making even difficult matters clear. She is currently training a new member of the department, almost a full-time job in itself, yet she does not lose sight of the rest of the people she supervises, and stays aware of what each member is doing. Bi-weekly staff meetings are used to inform her department of what is going on in the Libraries, as well as what each person is doing. Although always professional in manner, she cares about her staff and is concerned with their personal well-being as well as with the work being done in the department.
Carol does an awesome amount of work each day. She is here before anyone else, and generally stays later than anyone else. She keeps abreast of new developments in technology, as well as developments within the Libraries that affect the department. Although much of the fire recovery work in our department has been completed, in large part to Carol's efforts and guidance, she continues to monitor other libraries' offers lists for material that could replace documents lost in the fire. She utilizes the skills of each staff member to the fullest, and encourages us to develop new skills.
I appreciate Carol very much and hope that this nomination will let others know what a valuable asset we have working away here in the basement each day.
Constantine Wright, GNP
Highly organized, Constantine Wright is an efficient manager, focused on productivity and high quality output, which is especially important for the effective management of newspaper microfilming. Constantine inspires his students and colleagues to do their best by example. He consistently displays a strong work ethic and logical management of resources. He creates a collegial environment for his student assistants and cultivates strong working relationships with the other supervisors of the Digital Library of Georgia.
Susan Curtis, Reference
I would like to nominate Susan Curtis for her continued dedication to the support of her staff and to the goals of the department and Libraries. Susan's extensive knowledge of both current trends and past practice in reference service make her an invaluable resource for her staff. She consistently brings new ideas to the table concerning how we might improve upon and expand our service and outreach efforts and always keeps our users in mind while moving forward on projects at an active pace.
Decades of experience have not made her jaded, however. Susan is always ready to encourage innovation by supporting staff when they have new ideas or new approaches to old challenges. She proves to be an excellent mentor by wholeheartedly assisting her staff in their endeavors by offering sage advice along the way and by sharing her knowledge and experience when the inevitable rough patch arises. Susan is an excellent champion who truly cares for her staff. The wealth of experience and visionary nature she possesses continue to prove her to be an exceptional asset to the Libraries.
Sheila McAlister, DLG
As the Assistant Director of the Digital Library of Georgia, Sheila is responsible for ensuring progress and timely completion of multitudinous DLG projects, many of which involve partnerships with other agencies. By encouraging and facilitating communication among her staff and faculty, she promotes a collaborative and collegial environment that is not only rewarding from the standpoint of contribution, but also intellectually. Sheila is particularly committed to staff training and supportive of library school education and career development. This year the HomePLACE project deadlines were moved up to coincide with the end of the fiscal year. Sheila stepped up production without causing undue stress to her staff, reflecting her brilliance as a coordinator. In spite of her busy schedule, she makes herself available for consultation and holds unit meetings on a regular basis to keep her staff and faculty informed.
Kathryn Leache, Curriculum Materials Library
Kat Leache joined the staff of the CML in October of 2006 as the CML Coordinator and she's had a tremendous impact. Her knowledge of the GIL Circulation Client is extensive. Because of the depth of her background in Access Services, she has been able to solve many problems that patrons may have. She is an excellent supervisor of the Library Assistant III and the student workers. She has a great rapport with the student workers and sends clear, concise notes to them, both to encourage them and to correct them, when needed. She does an outstanding job of keeping everyone in the loop and well informed. The CML recently became a service point for GIL Express and she has undertaken this with her usual good grace. She is able to train people in a way that makes them comfortable both with the task and with her. She has been a valuable addition to the CML!
Beth Thornton, Cataloging
Beth Thornton is head of the Serials Cataloging Section. Her organizational skill and knowledge of serials cataloging keep the section running smoothly. Under her leadership, the section keeps a high rate of productivity, has finished quite a few projects, obtained and maintained a high reputation among CONSER members.
As section head, Beth also encourages her staff to participate in trainings and discussions.
Beth is passionate about serials cataloging and has vision on trends in the profession. She led her section participating in a national pilot project last year that was conducted by the Library of Congress – CONSER Standard Record Pilot Project. The participation helped the section stand on the front line of serials cataloging. With the new standard implementation date approaching (June 1, 2007), the section feels confident and comfortable with all the rule changes.
In all these aspects, Beth is an excellent team leader.
Viki Timian, Access Services
After working at the Main Library for more than six years, Viki has amassed a tremendous amount of knowledge concerning the building, departments, and policies. Her knowledge of Circulation and Reserves procedures displays her degree of specialization within the Libraries. Viki’s previous work at the Georgia State University Libraries and as the UGA Main Library's Reserves Coordinator brings additional knowledge into her current position as Public Services Coordinator. She easily incorporates her knowledge of Access Services into her interactions with other departments throughout the UGA Libraries.
Viki provides an active approach to training, which allows trainees to learn by doing a variety of tasks. She is diligent in creating and updating training manuals for the staff. These manuals provide the staff with a great reference tool during the training period and as a resource to revisit on an individual basis. Viki’s individual attention to each trainee is displayed in the manner in which she allows the trainee to participate in both supervised and independent training tasks. Viki’s personal involvement in the staff training allows her to identify a trainee’s struggles, and then adjust the time spent on specific areas of the training process. This training strategy produces confident and knowledgeable employees, and it allows them to work on a more independent level.
As the Public Service Coordinator, Viki possesses an extensive knowledge of the policies and procedures related to the circulation of library materials. Viki’s knowledge is not the only impressive aspect of her supervisory abilities, but it is her ability to analyze the circulation procedures and relate them to daily interactions with patrons. Viki willing devotes time to helping patrons and staff members with various problems related to the circulation of library materials. Viki might have encountered a particular problem many times before, but she is always patient and understanding, when providing assistance.
Viki is a believer in assigning work with a purpose. This approach reveals the analysis and thought put into the planning of daily circulation duties and the development of special projects. Viki's explanation of the projected results of a project provides inspiration and motivation. The staff members are given practical assignments that increase patrons' access to library materials.
Viki’s efforts related to streamlining the charging of library materials have been beneficial to both patrons and staff. Viki, along with others in Access Services and other library departments, has been instrumental in developing techniques for charging previously unbarcoded materials. This development allows patrons to view these charged items on their online library accounts and provides them with the ability to renew them. Since staff members would be responsible for these procedures at the circulation desk, Viki created detailed, step-by-step instructions to follow, in order complete these procedures. Along with specific screenshots, the clarity of these instructions greatly assisted the staff members with the learning and understanding of the new procedures and their specific instances. Viki also offered individual assistance and demonstration to the staff, as an active example of the procedures.
Interactions at the circulation desk and various problems that arise are often ambiguous. Viki aptly incorporates her circulation knowledge along with her excellent problem solving skills, in order to dispel the ambiguity of many public services transactions. After examining a situation, Viki is able to use her knowledge to find a solution to a variety of problems. When solving these problems, Viki’s examples and advice provide staff members with a learning experience, which builds their knowledge of these situations. Both the patrons and staff members benefit from Viki’s ability to handle these ambiguous situations.
Viki’s communication skills are very effective. She is able to convey information to patrons and staff members in a clear and concise manner. Viki is also a strong proponent of two-way communication with the staff members she supervises. She encourages them to give suggestions and comments about circulation policies and procedures. Viki also gives attention to patron/staff interactions to determine if staff members are providing patrons with the best service possible. This attention to communication, at all levels throughout the department, displays the true strength of her communication skills.
Viki is a leader by example and willingly participates, whenever a need arises in the department. She provides a work environment that is open to new ideas and encouraging to the staff. This positive environment provides for a higher level of productivity. Being considerate and aware of the needs of patrons, staff, Access Services, and the Libraries makes Viki Timian a great supervisor and a great example to follow.