The following is an update on Learning Resources (as opposed to Library) appointment.
Gail
“It’s been several weeks since the decision on the Learning Resources change proposal was made and released to affected staff. As you know, the recruitment process is underway and the roles in the new Learning Resources structure will ideally be filled by 30 November. To assist with the transition process, we have contracted two consultants from Deloitte’s to undertake the activities associated with the new Business Manager role and the Strategy, Planning and Services role during the new few weeks.
Frans van de Vlierd from Deloitte’s starts today and in particular will focus on providing financial management support to the Learning Resources managers and will work with staff in FM, Library and IT to manage the transition of the administration functions into the new Learning Resources structure. Frans will initially be based with the Financial Services team on Level 2 in Registry, and we will aim to introduce him to you over the next few days. Frans is expected to be on campus for 2 to 3 days per week.
The arrangements for the second consultant who will take on the activities associated with the Strategy, Planning and Services Manager role are being finalised, and he is expected to start on Monday. A further announcement will be made once these arrangements are in place.
An update follows from Yvonne Shanahan on the appointment process for one of the other senior jobs in the Learning Resources Management Team.
Gail
“As you may be aware we have recently undertaken the recruitment process for the Strategy, Planning and Services Manager role however have not made an appointment. As in interim measure, we have sourced the services of Deloitte to provide a resource who can take on the duties of this role for the next few weeks and an additional resource to assist with the transition of administration and financial management activities for the Learning Resources portfolio. We hope to have these arrangements in place by next week.
Best wishes
Dr Yvonne Shanahan
Acting PVC Learning Resources”
Please see message below from Yvonne Shanahan about the Learning Resources Change Proposal overall.
Gail
“Hi all
As you know it has been several weeks now since the decision on the Learning Resources change proposal was made and released to affected staff. The recruitment process is underway and the HR team are working with Learning Resources managers to fill the roles in the new structure ideally by 30 November. If they cannot be filled we will be looking to alternative arrangements to ensure we have cover. We are also working with staff whose roles have been disestablished to support them through this transition phase.
Many of you will be aware that Professor McKnight is absent from the University at present due to illness, and we wish her a speedy recovery. In the interim and in Professor McKnight’s absence, I have taken on the role of PVC Learning Resources.
We acknowledge that this may be a difficult time and we wish to remind staff of the support available through the University’s Employee Assistance Programme. EAP Services can be contacted on 0800-327-669.
Disestablished staff have been asking the following questions:
1) Do I have to sign something?
2) Is there a special pay on 30th November?
The answer from Chantel Inch is as follows:
My [i.e. Chantel’s] colleague, Jo Gouldthorpe who has been assisting with the redeployment process for staff will liaise with affected learning resources staff about the exit process i.e. final pay, assistance with superannuation, the process for requesting access to university services, etc (for those who are not pursuing redeployment opportunities). If any staff have any questions in the interim, they are most welcome to contact either Jo or me. Jo can be contacted by email on jo.gouldthorpe@canterbury.ac.nz or ext 45572.
3) Will I have Library borrowing privileges?
The answer to the final question is that staff who have been disestablished have been receiving library borrowing privileges as if they are retired staff. If there is any problem with this ask HR to check with me.
The interviews for the Support Services Manager position and the Academic Liaison Manager positions will take place next week – i.e. week beginning 8 November.
Interviews for the Learning Hubs/Branch Libraries Manager position have begun this week.
Gail
3.11.10
The interviews for the Support Services Manager position and the Academic Liaison Manager positions will take place next week.
The applications for the Resource Discovery and Resource Acquisition Team Leader positions have closed.
The Learning Hubs/Branch Libraries Manager position has also closed.
Shortlisting and interviewing for all these positions will take place soon.
The Hubs/Branch LIbraries Supervisor position has yet to be advertised.
The following table outlines the advertisements listed on the UC website to date for the new positions created in the Library by the Learning Resources Change Proposal. Also included in this table are positions created in other parts of Learning Resources that may be of interest to administration staff in the Library whose positions have been disestablished. For complete details of these vacancies please check the HR JOb Vacancy web pages at:
https://ucvacancies.canterbury.ac.nz/psp/ps/EMPLOYEE/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM.HRS_CE.GBL
Department Position Closing Date Interviews
Library Support Services Group Support Services Library Manager 3 October Last week of October
Research & Information Services Group Academic Liaison Managers (x3) 10 October Last week of October
Research & Information Services Group Manager, Branch Libraries and 10 October Last week of October
Learning Hubs
Library Support Services Group Resource Acquisition Team Leader 12 October
Library Support Services Group Resource Discovery Team Leader 12 October
Planning, Strategy & Services Unit Administrators (x4) 26 September
Planning, Strategy & Services Unit Facilities Service Assistants (x3) 28 September
Planning, Strategy & Services Unit Portfolio Team Leader 10 October
Planning, Strategy & Services Unit Portfolio Support Administrator 1 October
Central Library – Re-Start
• It is hoped to get Level 2 and a small portion of Level 3 open to students from Monday 4 October 2010.
• With this in mind work has begun on dismantling the collapsed shelves on Level 3 between the lifts and the packing up by Crown of the books in that area to be stored until their new homes are determined. However, after the first day of this work it appears it will take longer than one week so Level 2 may be able to open but not the portion of Level 3 that is currently being cleared.
• Also this week it is hoped that half of Level 5 can be cleared in the area that was formerly The Loft with the ceiling tiles replaced and the current benches removed. This would allow Collection Services to be moved over to this area while the ceiling tiles are repaired in their workroom area. It would also allow them to relocate out of The Den on Level 2 to a new home on Level 5 in the interim. Collections staff are currently packing their personal belongings up in preparation for the clearing of that floor.
• Similarly, Library administration can move back on to Level 3 when that area is cleaned up as there is very little damage in that area. Staff could then leave Level 2 also.
• The Staff Room on Level 5 needs cleaning up but is largely unharmed by the earthquakes and hopefully can be recommissioned for staff use from next week. The power is currently off on Level 5.
So the overall plan is to clear library staff from Level 2 and leave it as student computer and study space for the rest of this academic year. Access to the collection in other parts of the building including the bulk of Level 3 will not be available and the remaining collection on Level 2 will also be blocked off to students but access for staff to retrieve materials fr4om it will be available.
At the moment the hours are planned to be 8am to 5 pm with minimal staff necessary and no lending activities. Some ICT Help Desk staff may come back on to Level 2 also.
Staff whose positions have been disestablished and who have no interest in applying for vacancies in the new organisational structure may apply for early release from the notice period as stated in their letter of redundancy. Such requests for early release will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Leaving early with full payment for the notice period is not commonly granted but a case can be made nevertheless.
Staff whose positions have been disestablished can also request information on the redundancy payout they may expect to receive once the redundancy takes effect.
In both cases noted above requests should be directed to Pauline Clyne, the Library’s HR Advisor, or Chantel Inch, HR Advisor with Project Star.
The staff of the Central Library have been working to provide as much of the collection as possible to staff and students.
Prior to the reopening of most of the Libraries at the University, the High Demand materials from Central were moved across to the Law Library
The DVD collection from the Central Library was moved to the Education Library.
All stock which was on loan at the time of the earthquake will remain in circulation. It will be available on the open shelves in either the Law or the Education Library.
In addition to the above, Library staff are now able to retrieve items from Level 2 and Level 6 of the Central Library. Items in these two areas may be requested through the Library catalogue. The broad subject areas covered by the stock on level 2 are Biology, Botany, Zoology, Biochemistry, Medicine, Communication Disorders, Agriculture (QH – S). On Level 6 the subject areas covered are Music, Fine Arts, Architecture, Sculpture, Drawing, Print Media, Design and Applied Arts (M – NX). Borrowers are also able to request items from the Central Music CD collection. It may take up to four days from the time a request is placed for it to be available to borrow.
The remaining floors of the Central Library are not able to be accessed for staff to retrieve items.
The Interloans team are busy sourcing material as quickly as possible to meet the demands of students and staff.
The Information Librarians are also out and about assisting staff and students to make the best use of the newly acquired digital resources.
This is all very positive for students who are missing the access to this library and itrs booksotck.
Sue McKnight has asked me to lead a transition team for the LIbrary as it moves into the new structure as determined by the Project Star process. The Transition Team has as its members Cynthia Bishell, Caroline Syddall, and myself. We will be communicating via Counterculture etc on a regular basis and we are all available for staff to ask any question of and we will find an answer if we can’t provide one immediately.
Our remit will be to manage the transition of those staff who are staying on in the Library but whose positions have changed, and to assist where we can those staff who will be leaving.
Please don’t hesitate to contact any of us at any time about anything to do with the Project Star transition and we will keep staff informed as best we can with regular updates on our activities and progress.
