Back in Circulation Again 2024

In fall 2023, Technical Services and Access Services at The College of New Jersey began cross-training staff members. Due to attrition, we were short staff members who have the authority, skills, and experience required to make professional judgments in regard to unique patron interactions in Access Services. Tasks for each of these units have dramatically changed over the years due to increasing electronic resources and technology advances allowing for more automation. With continued budget constraints, we needed to holistically rethink workflows across all library units. As a step in ongoing organizational realignment, four staff members from Technical Services agreed to work two hours a day at the Circulation desk to ensure positive patron interactions with patrons and to keep the desk open during key business hours. Our presentation will map the shared knowledge and skills that the Technical Services staff members already possess with the knowledge and skills needed In Access Services. We will also discuss the benefits of having staff members in both units working closely together as they collaborate on shared workflows and recommend further streamlining. Direct feedback from staff members reflecting on how their cataloging and other technical skills benefit the work of the Access Services (and how being immersed in the processes of Access Services benefit the work of Technical Services) will be presented.