Searching Assignment: Understaffing in Libraries

Understaffing in Libraries:
A Searching Assignment
Dylane Fink
LIS 6120

Searching Assignment: Understaffing in Libraries
The goal of this assignment was to delve deeper into the reference side of librarianship by
investigating a library topic. The topic I have chosen is extremely relevant in todays budget
stressed climate and coincides with an additional assignment I am working on. The information
and resources I have discovered will prove valuable when completing future research and
writing.

Many libraries, public, private and academic, are facing crippling cuts in budgets and spending.
One of the ways many boards and library systems manage the deficit is by making changes to
staffing allocations and often leaving open positions unfilled. It is this predicament that I have
researched; how are staffing cuts impacting libraries and what are some of the ways library
managers are dealing with the frequent understaffing? In order to search this question I opted to
use the WSU database Library Literature & Information Science Full Text, a product of
EBSCOHost.

The process of narrowing down keywords and topics for the databases searching was not as
tricky as determining the most successful key words and terms to search within the WSU OPAC
system. I considered some conversations I had had with people about budget cuts and staffing
shortages, specifically with a school librarian I have been working with recently. I took some of
the words that popped up frequently in the conversation and tailored a list around those
buzzwords.

I began by making a list of the different, basic, keywords that would bring up the results I would
be look looking for. Keywords included understaff, budget cut, staff cut, I then added
Searching Assignment: Understaffing in Libraries
additional search terms to these to make them more specific. I included library as a subject
keyword in each search to narrow down the variables.

When searching the keywords I sampled them as both title keywords and subject keywords to
see if one provided more successful results. I found that leaving both library and the more
specific search terms as subject keywords provided more results. Occasionally the journal
articles that came back from a title search were also positive; it seems that if one has the time the
best option is to try a number of different methods to get a full scope of possible answers. The
following is a list of the different search keywords I sampled; in parenthesis is the number of
results each returned:
Understaffing (1)
Understaff (1)
Understaffed library (12)
Staffing shortage (11)
Staff cuts (171)
Library staff cuts (131)
Staffing cuts (18)
Staff reduction (50)
Library staff reduction (41)
Reduced staffing (8)
Library staffing & cuts (16)

In addition to the standard search I also worked some with Boolean terms and truncation.
Truncating the word library to librar* did return some results that varied from library; words
like libraries and librarian. My experiences with the Boolean search terms (AND, OR) did not
Searching Assignment: Understaffing in Libraries
prove as useful as I would have liked, when trying some of the different combinations I was
getting a return of more than 10,000 results, many of which has little relevance.

OPAC searching was far more difficult and required editing the terms to bring up the specific
results that the database articles were able to find. Keyword searches often left me with no
results or suggested alternative searches that were not on par with what I was looking for.
Reading through the subject headings indexed within some of the texts did supply me with
additional search terms and were extremely helpful in targeting the information I was looking
for. OPAC searches included:

Library staffing (101)
Library finance (11, 223- 10,869 online)
Library budget (18, 245- the suggestion for library budgeting proved more successful)
Library budgeting (118- 43 in print, 72-online)


The explore related terms feature within OPAC supplied some additional figures to search
however they were of a broader scale and did not narrow down specifically on operating a library
with limited staffing.

Despite the number of successful results not all of my searching experiences were positive. One
of the biggest difficulties, something I had not really dealt with before, was the difficulty in
accessing some of the documents and journal articles. Prior to this project much of what I needed
was found in PDF or HTML full text availability. On a few instances I was linked to the 360 full
text article viewers where I would have numerous options for opening the text from another
source. This was one of the first experiences where many of the articles, some that sounded
Searching Assignment: Understaffing in Libraries
tremendously relevant based on their descriptions, were not accessible. On these occasions I was
sent to the 360 source and the links were dead or articles were no longer available. I tried to
search my way to those articles using the periodical or journal home sites but again had no luck
finding the specific articles that had been pulled up on the Library Literature & Information
Science Full Text. It was disappointing to have articles titles and descriptions that I believe
would provide invaluable information but no way to get the full text.
Both positives and negatives aside the quality of the information and the general scope of the
information found were beneficial. The articles ranged in date from the 1970s through today
however some of those early articles rang true as if they were written today. The concerns of
understaffing and budget cuts were just as relevant decades ago and required libraries to think
out of the box and plan creatively to make the most out of what budget they were allotted.
Several of the articles provided quantitative data.
It would seem that the use of both print and electronic media would allow the best mix of
information for this particular question. Journal articles from the periodicals provided a great
deal of information about the specific issues libraries are being faced with including the cuts
specific libraries across the country and world are facing. The in-print texts from the WSU
libraries gave fantastic insight to the management techniques and suggestions for running a
successful library amidst major budget deficits.
For years, in all of the educational endeavors, I have given little thought to those sources that
were not found electronically. It is this assignment, and several others I have encountered during
my semester, that have made it clear that the use of print sources is imperative. Not all of the
data and information I need can be found online and monographs can be a useful source of
Searching Assignment: Understaffing in Libraries
information. This particular assignment has also been a learning experience on tweaking and
augmenting search terms and making use of the different lines within a search box to limit the
search parameters. Reference information services are an art and require an understanding of the
different methods and techniques to ensure the information returned is of the highest quality and
relevance. It is surely a skill I will continue to hone as I further my library education and career.




Searching Assignment: Understaffing in Libraries
Bibliography
Bopp, R. E., & Smith, L. C. (2011). Reference and information services. (4th ed. ed.). Santa
Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited.



Searching Assignment: Understaffing in Libraries
Appendix A- Research Concept Map




Library
Budget Crisis
Understaff
Understaffing
in library
understaffing
and library
Staffing
shortage
Staffing Cuts
Library staff
cuts
Staff
reduction
Reduced
staffing
Finances
Library
budget
Library
budgeting
Searching Assignment: Understaffing in Libraries
Appendix B- Best Citations

Anderson, M. (2011). What Happens When Media Positions Are Cut?. Library Media
Connection, 29(6), 16-18.
Library cuts do not just take a toll on public and academic libraries, school libraries and
librarians suffer the effects. Firsthand accounts of the drastic changes and difficulties
faced by school librarians across the United States.
Dempsey, B. (2010). For Love or Money. Library Journal (1976), 135(15), 20-23.
Can libraries make money but still be free to the public? Libraries experiment with self-
finding techniques; article includes statistics, survey data and budget figures.
Everhart, N. (2002). Filling the void. School Library Journal, 48(6), 44-49.
What are librarians and library paraprofessionals doing? School Library Journals staffing
survey provides data and current LMS state mandate information from U.S. News and
World Report.
Fontichiaro, K. (2008) Staffing has been cutNow what do you do?, School Library Monthly,
24(8), 28-31.
Geared towards school libraries struggling with loss and cuts this articles provides
suggestions for handling the stressful new changes. Tips, personal wellness suggestions
and reminders help libraries push forward despite hardships.
Kelley, M. (2012). The new normal. Library Journal, 137(1), 37-40.
So much to do and so little time, an article that looks at time saving changes that can help
librarians manage when they are stretched too thin. Detailed list of practical time saving
techniques.
Searching Assignment: Understaffing in Libraries
Landau, H. (2008). The small public library survival guide: Thriving on less. Chicago: American
Library Association.
Written from a business and marketing point of few this book looks at how to make the
most of a small library on a limited budget. How to handle and develop a successful
budget and financial plan.
Maxwell, D. (2012). Library help is closer than you think. Library Media Connection, 31(1), 52-
54.
How to best utilize student helpers (and volunteers) in the library setting when cuts have
removed paraprofessionals from the library environment. Includes suggestions on
beginning a student helper program.
Mokia, R. (2010). A tale of three libraries: The impact of budget cuts on the university of
louisana system libraries. Louisiana Libraries, 72(4), 7-16.
Detailed collection of data and anecdotes about the direct effect cuts and budget
restrictions have had on the library services offered at the University of Louisiana.
Includes charts and interviews.
Proffitt, M. (2011). Somethings got to give: What can we stop doing in a time of reduced
resources?. RBM:A Journal of Rare Books, Manuscripts, & Cultural Heritage, 12(2), 89-
91.
Rather than looking at how to make more out of less Proffitt has investigated what
libraries are not doing and what a library can stop doing to save themselves time and
money. A humorous but informative read.
Smallwood, C. (2011). The frugal librarian: Thriving in tough economic times. Chicago:
American Library Association.
Searching Assignment: Understaffing in Libraries
Written with anecdotes and suggestions from season librarians this book includes
suggestions and methodology for all types of libraries. Attention is paid to working with
a limited budget.



Searching Assignment: Understaffing in Libraries
Appendix C- Screen Captures