student employee guide 2016.2017

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Student Employee Guide 2016 – 2017 Welcome! This handbook is intended to be a guide to your work in the Library. As a Library staff member, we expect you to show up for work on time, work the shifts you are scheduled for, follow directions, and communicate with us. We are glad you have joined our staff; we could not operate without your assistance. Welcome aboard!

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Page 1: Student Employee Guide 2016.2017

Student

Employee Guide

2016 – 2017 Welcome!

This handbook is intended to be a guide to your work in the Library. As a Library staff member, we expect you to show up for work on time, work the shifts you are scheduled for, follow directions, and communicate with us. We are glad you have joined our staff; we could not operate without your assistance. Welcome aboard!

Page 2: Student Employee Guide 2016.2017

Student Employee Guide

Table of Contents I. Service Philosophy..................................................................................................................... 4

Put the patron's needs first.

A. Common Courtesy ................................................................................................................ 4 Treat everyone kindly. Keep personal information private.

B. Demeanor & Attire................................................................................................................ 4 Act and speak professionally and welcoming. Use common sense and dress appropriately for your duties.

C. Desk / In Person................................................................................................................... 4 Be alert, prepared and aware of your surroundings.

i. Assisting a Patron ................................ ................................ ..................... 5 Greet the patron and help with their request. Guide or give descriptive directions.

ii. Referring a Patron .......................................................................................................... 5 Attempt to assist or refer to the appropriate contact.

iii. Taking a Message ......................................................................................................... 5 Get all pertinent information in writing.

D. Phone ................................................................................................................................... 6

Speak clearly, use a moderate tone, be patient, listen and ask follow-up questions. i. Answering........................................................................................................................ 6

Respond professionally yet remain personable. ii. Assisting a Patron .......................................................................................................... 6

Stop what you are doing and focus. Inform a patron if they are on hold

iii. Referring / Transferring a Patron.................................................................................. 6 Infrom the patron where you will be transferring/refferring them to.

II. Attendance ................................................................................................................................ 6

A. Absences & Tardiness ......................................................................................................... 6 i. Absences ii. Tardiness

B. Breaks ................................................................................................................................. 7

Work Breaks & Rest Periods

C. Illness ................................................................................................................................... 7 Absences due to Illness

D. Time Off ............................................................................................................................... 7 Time-Off Requests

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Student Employee Guide

E. Substitute (Sub) Shifts .......................................................................................................... 8 i. F inding a substitute ii. Working as a substitute

F.Exams, Holidays, and Breaks................................................................................................. 8 i. Exams ii. Holidays iii. Academic Breaks

G. Inclement Weather ............................................................................................................... 8 Weather Closures

H. Getting Paid.......................................................................................................................... 9 i. Pay Period Schedule ii. Paycheck Pick-up iii. Direct Deposit iv. Time Sheets III. While at Work ........................................................................................................................ 10

Work flow and customer service. Quiet spaces. A. Computers .......................................................................................................................... 10

i. Library Workstations ..................................................................................................... 10

ii. Email............................................................................................................................. 10

B. Portable Devices................................................................................................................. 10

C. Food and Drink ................................................................................................................... 11

D. Personal Visitors................................................................................................................. 11 IV. Performance Evaluations ..................................................................................................... 11

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I. Service Philosophy Put the patron’s needs first. Our purpose is to ensure that each and every patron gets what they need while using the library. It is vital that you, as an employee, understand the library’s commitment to service philosophy and strive to take the initiative to make every patron’s visit a pleasant and successful one.

A. Common Courtesy Treat everyone kindly. Treat them how you would like to be treated. People are more likely to remember being treated poorly than being treated kindly. This philosophy applies not only to our patrons, but to your coworkers as well. Treat everyone with respect, and you will receive the same in return. Keep all personal information private. Never give out personal information about staff or other patrons. This includes phone numbers, addresses, materials checked out (i.e. who currently has an item), borrowing habits, etc... If someone requests such information, please refer the request to your supervisor. B. Demeanor & Attire Act and speak professionally and welcoming. Remember that you are often the first point of contact for library users. Your assistance to a user will set the tone for their entire library experience. First impressions count and are lasting. While you don’t have to be robotic in your duties, professionalism is expected. Use common sense and dress appropriately for your duties. Although the Library has no official dress code, please dress appropriately for your position. If your position requires that you do a lot of bending and lifting, please dress accordingly. Your supervisor can answer any questions you have regarding appropriate attire. C. Desk / In Person Be alert, prepared and aware of your surroundings. When you’re at a service desk, you’re there to assist our patrons. Greet or acknowledge people immediately. If you are helping one person, acknowledge the waiting person with “I’ll be right with you” so they know that you have seen them or call another staff member for assistance. Even if you are not at a service desk, you should be prepared to answer any patron questions. If you are approached in the stacks, the extended study area, or even outside the building, treat that person with the same courtesy and respect that you would treat one who approached you while working at a service desk.

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i. Assisting a Patron Greet the patron and help with their request. When a Patron approaches you for assistance, immediately stop what you are doing and listen to what they need. If you are unable to stop immediately, acknowledge them with “I’ll be right with you,” get your work to a stopping point, and let the patron know you are ready to help them by saying, “Thank you for waiting. How can I help you?” Guide or give descriptive directions. Unless you are unable to leave your desk, actually walk the user to the area they are looking for rather than simply pointing. If you are unable to leave the desk, be as descriptive as possible to ensure they get to the appropriate location. Ask another employee or a supervisor to watch the desk while you assist the patron. Remind patrons of the library maps near the elevators. ii. Referring a Patron Attempt to assist or refer to the appropriate contact. You may not always know the answer to the patron’s questions, however, you have a myriad of resources available to you; ask a coworker or your supervisor, call another department and ask the question, or search the library’s web site. If you don’t know, refer them to the appropriate contact. If you have exhausted all resources and are still unable to help, or if the patron has a complaint, please have a supervisor handle the situation. In the event that the supervisor is not available, take a message for them, making sure to include all pertinent information such as a name, telephone number and e-mail. Additionally, give the patron the name, phone number and email of the supervisor you are referring them to so they are able to follow-up as well. iii. Taking a Message Get all pertinent information in writing. Be sure to get the patron’s full name, verifying the spelling, their phone number and email address, as well as a brief description of the situation or problem. Repeat the information back to the user to verify that you have everything correct. Let them know when they can expect a response. (I.e. when the supervisor or appropriate staff member will be in) It’s also a good idea to include the date and time of the message, as well as your name or initials so that the recipient of the message knows who to ask questions if they feel the message is unclear or if they need more information before handling the situation. Ensure the information is relayed to the appropriate location or contact. Try and follow up on the issue and see how your supervisor handled the situation for future reference.

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D. Phone Speak clearly, use a moderate tone, be patient, listen and ask follow-up questions. A phone conversation may often be a first impression a patron has as well. Ensure that you are speaking clearly and slowly, use a moderate tone for better understanding, be patient, listen to what the patron has to say and follow-up with any questions to guarantee clarification and better understanding of the patron’s needs. Remember your parents saying, “Don’t take that tone with me!”? Your voice often says more about what you are thinking than your words do.

i. Answering Respond professionally yet remain personable. Answer the phone with a friendly greeting that identifies your area and yourself. Your supervisor can tell you what the standard phone greeting is for your department. A good standard greeting to use is “[Department or Service desk name], this is [your name]. How can I help you?” ex: “Bird Library Circulation Desk, this is Jill. How may I help you?” ii. Assisting a Patron Stop what you are doing and focus. When a patron calls, immediately stop what you are doing and focus on the conversation. If you are unable to stop immediately, acknowledge them with “Can you hold a moment please?” making sure to wait for their “Yes” response before you put them on hold. Quickly get your work to a stopping point and pick the call back up with “Thank you for holding. How can I help you?” Call for assistance if there are other patrons at the desk. Inform a patron if they are on hold. Standard rule of thumb is to leave callers on hold for no more than thirty seconds to one minute at any one time. If it is taking you longer to get the answer to a patron’s question, return often to let them know that you are still working on getting the information they need. If the wait is going to be longer than a few minutes, it’s probably a good idea to take a message, find out the information, and call/email the patron back. iii. Referring / Transferring a Patron Inform the patron where you will be transferring/referring them to. If you do need to transfer a call to another department or service desk, let the caller know the name of the department and the phone number where you are transferring them. This allows them to call them back directly in the event they get disconnected. As well, knowing where they are going will help them feel more at ease

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II. Attendance Support your team.

Arrive to work on time and ready to work. We depend on our student staff, and need you here at your scheduled time in order to keep the Library running smoothly. Remember that your fellow staff members are relying on you to be at work when you are scheduled.

A. Absences & Tardiness

i. Absences If you do not come in for a scheduled shift, and have not made arrangements with a supervisor at least ten (10) days in advance, it will be documented as an unexcused absence. Three (3) unexcused absences during a semester will result in termination of your position. Failure to call in and/or report to work for two (2) consecutive workdays is considered voluntary termination of employment.

ii. Tardiness If you are more than fifteen (15) minutes late for a scheduled shift, and have not called your supervisor to let them know, this will also be counted as an unexcused absence, and you may be asked to leave for the day without working the remainder of your scheduled shift.

B. Breaks Work Breaks and Rest Periods

Labor laws require that if you are scheduled to work between six (6) and eight (8) consecutive hours, you must take a minimum of a thirty (30) minute unpaid meal break. Students are not permitted to work more than eight hours in a given day, even if the hours are spread among different University or Library departments.

Typically, two rest breaks of fifteen (15) minutes each are included when you work between four (4) and six (6) hours in a shift. However, they may not:

• exceed the department’s allocated time for breaks, (15 minutes) • be added to the meal break, • be taken at the beginning or end of your shift, or • be carried over to the next work day.

All breaks should be planned with your supervisor for the course of each shift that you work.

C. Illness Absences Due to Illness

If you are ill, coming in to work may make your recovery longer and spread the illness. Use your judgment and know when you should stay home.

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If you are too sick to work, call your supervisor as soon as you know you cannot come in. If your supervisor is unavailable, leave a message with a contact number for you in case they need to get in touch with you. The earlier you let your supervisor know, the easier it is to find a substitute or replacement for your shift.

D. Time Off

i. Finding a Substitute If you are unable to work your shift, you must get a substitute to fill your shift. Use the BlackBoard discussion group to post notices if you need a sub to cover one of your shifts.

ii. Working as a Substitute If you decide to pick up additional hours by being a sub for another student, verify that your schedule can accommodate the additional hours. Ask your supervisor for assistance to be sure that you are not working over twenty (20) hours per week. This may mean that you need to swap shifts with someone instead of working additional hours.

E. Substitute (Sub) Shifts Time-Off Requests

You may need a day off to prepare for an exam, finish a project, or make a trip home. If you need to make changes to your schedule, you should clearly communicate with your supervisor, making your requests as soon as possible so that they can balance the needs of the workload with another staff member, if possible.

Efforts will be made to accommodate reasonable requests for days off that are given 10 days in advance. These types of absences will not count toward your unexcused absences. If you need to make permanent changes to your schedule, please speak with your supervisor.

F. Exams, Holidays, and Breaks

i. Exams You will be expected to work during exam weeks. Additionally, you need to alert your supervisor to your exam schedule as soon as possible, so that accommodations can be made to ensure that everyone has enough time to prepare for and attend their exams. However, you are responsible for all of your shifts until the conclusion of finals for the semester.

ii. Holidays If the library is open during a holiday, then students normally scheduled to work on those days are expected to work their shift. The Library often does not close on religious holidays; please contact your supervisor if you need time off for observances.

iii. Academic Breaks Bird Library is open during Fall, Winter, and Spring breaks with modified hours. Contact your supervisor as soon as you know your availability to work during these breaks, so that the schedule can be created.

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G. Inclement Weather Weather Closures

Bird Library remains open in inclement weather unless a closure of the campus is determined by the University or a closure of the libraries is determined by the Dean of Libraries. In these cases, you will be notified by your supervisor via email.

If you are unable to make it in to work because of the weather, contact your supervisor as soon as you are able. Unless you call in your absence prior to the beginning of your scheduled shift, it will be counted as an unexcused absence.

H. Getting Paid

i. Pay Period Schedule The payroll week begins on Thursday and ends on Wednesday each week.

ii. Paycheck Pick-Up Your paycheck will be available on Wednesdays. Sign for it and pick it up from a staff member on the third floor of Bird Library in the Maps and Government Docs office. This is open normal business hours, Monday –Friday.

iii. Direct Deposit Choose direct-deposit and save a trip to the bank. Have your paycheck automatically direct-deposited into your bank account. You can set this up using your MySlice account at myslice.syr.edu. Ask your supervisor for help you if you have questions on the setup process. When you choose Direct Deposit, you no longer receive a pay stub, but you will be able to view it online and print it out if necessary.

iv. Time Sheets Time sheets are legal documents audited by the University and held for three (3) years past the academic year. It is imperative that you accurately record the time that you worked on your time sheets. The pay periods start on Thursday and end on Wednesdays. Each timesheet must be accurate and signed in ink by you and your supervisor. You must hand in your timesheet to your supervisor every Tuesday by the end of your work. If you do not work on Tuesdays, hand it in on the last day that you work during that pay week.

III. While at Work Work flow and customer service Your job at the Library is to assist users and perform other Library work as assigned. While at service points it is important to acknowledge all users, even while assisting others. A simple, “I’ll be right with you” allows the waiting person to know that you have seen them and will be with them as soon as you are done with the person you are helping.

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Though it is acceptable to work on homework or browse online while there are no patrons at or waiting for help at the service desks, your first priority is customer service. Look up from your work often to notice if anyone needs assistance. Patrons should not have to ask for your attention or feel like they are interrupting you. Even if you are not at a service point, be aware of users around you by responding to looks of confusion in a friendly, helpful manner. During shifting and shelving you may be approached by users with questions. Treat that person with the same courtesy and attention you would treat them while staffing a service point. If you’re not sure how to help them, direct them to a service desk. Quiet spaces Remember that many users come to the Library for a quiet place to study. Please respect their need for quiet by limiting the volume of your voice and activities. However, it is not appropriate to wear headphones at the service desk. Keep personal conversations with friends or other patrons to a minimum. You need to be available to other patrons who need assistance.

A. Computers Library workstations We all rely upon our computers to get our jobs done. Please respect the equipment you use.

i. Library Workstations Shared workstations Please remember that Library computers are shared workstations. Many staff share computers with fellow coworkers. Service point computers are used by everyone who works at that desk. Since you are sharing, please do not save any personal documents, install or remove any programs, or customize the computer’s settings. For example, while you may prefer a smaller resolution for your monitor at home, other staff may not appreciate it (or be able to read it). Computer use policy While you are at a service point, remember those workstations are to be used for Library work. While you are allowed to use these stations for schoolwork if there is time, all use is subject to the Syracuse University Computing and Electronic Communications Policy. Please review and adhere to the policy available at http://its.syr.edu/policy/computepolicy.cfm. ii. Email Convenient communication The Library uses email as one of its primary means of communicating with staff. Check your email regularly for important schedule changes or announcements. Your supervisor will send updates and information; coworkers may use email when looking for a sub. You will receive emails through BlackBoard for announcements as well. Email is convenient, but it should not be the only way you communicate with your supervisor. It is especially important to remember that when you are sick you should phone your supervisor to advise them of your illness as well as an expected return date. Email is an

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acceptable way to notify your supervisor of an event that interferes with your scheduled work day(s) if it is 10 or more days ahead of time. Please be aware that whoever you are emailing may not be constantly checking their inbox; email is not necessarily the way to get someone’s immediate attention or a quick answer.

B. Portable Devices Cell phone and headphone use Music players, headphones, speakers, and cell phones should not be used while working at any service point. You may be allowed to use a music player while shelving if it does not interfere with your shelving duties or accuracy. Please check with your supervisor. If you are permitted to do so, remember to keep the volume at a level that you can still hear what is going on around you. Set to silent All SU library locations are Silent Cell Phone areas, meaning that all users and staff should set their ringers to either “Off” or “Vibrate” while in the building. Please turn off your ringer before you come to work. Service point and department phones should be used for work-related matters. Cellphone use – for calls, texting, social media, or anything else - is not allowed at the service desks. If you are expecting an important call during your shift, let your supervisor know ahead of time. They can make arrangements to allow you to keep your phone on you and step away from the desk if/when your call comes through. C. Food and Drink Food, drinks, and breaks Feel free to have drinks at the desk but keep your beverages in a closed container. No food should be consumed at any service desks. If you need a break to eat, make sure the service desk is covered and check with your supervisor. If you work less than 6 hours, you’ll be allowed to take a 15 minute break. If you work 6 or more hours, you can take a 30 minute break. You can eat in the employee break room, the café, and various other places on campus or in the library. D. Personal Visitors Personal conversations at the desk While you are at work, your job is to be available to patrons for assistance, or to complete shelving and other stacks work. Politely remind your friends that you are working and keep conversations to a minimum. It is also not appropriate to plan group work during your work hours at the Library.

IV. Performance Evaluations Continued employment is dependent on the quality of your work. We will communicate any concerns we have regarding your performance as they arise but you will receive a formal performance evaluation 30 days after you start working for us and at the end of each academic year. During your performance evaluation, you will meet with your supervisor to discuss the performance of assigned duties, attendance, and attitude. You will have the opportunity to comment on your evaluation. Evaluations are kept on file in the Library Personnel office for four years.

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We view work-study as an important building block in your resume and recommend that you view it similarly. We hire great students. Occasionally, however, we may need to let a student go. The major reasons you can lose your job are:

• Falsification of a timesheet • Repeated lateness or unexcused absences • Failure to follow Library policies • Lack of cooperation • Use of or being under the influence of drugs or alcohol while at work