SSD seeking new Chair

The Support Staff Division of the Oregon Library Association is seeking candidates for Vice-chair/Chair-elect. This is a three year commitment -- serving one year as vice-chair, one year as chair, and one year as past-chair. This is an excellent opportunity for professional and personal development. Although it is a lot of work, it is also very rewarding, and you make a lot of great friends and contacts along the way. The thing to remember if the prospect seems daunting is that you're never alone in any aspect of the "job" -- the rest of the board and the past chairs are always there with you. - Susan Bacina Past-Chair, OLA/SSD

From Sean Park, current SSD Chair :

SSD is a wonderfully diverse group of library professionals, ranging from supervisors and shelvers to IT and children's librarians, and countless other areas of expertise across the spectrum of libraries in Oregon, from large to small.

I entered my term as SSD Board Chair with a sense of wonder and excitement (and a bit of bewilderment), as I previously did not have much exposure to SSD and almost no exposure to OLA. The SSD past-chairs were my lifeline (one serves on the Board and is an invaluable asset to the Chair), and helped me feel welcome while answering all questions I had along the way. My first event was the OLA Executive Board retreat in Silver Falls, which was a great experience that was made even better as the past-chair was at my side, keeping me apprised of procedure while providing valuable background on the topics at hand.

Working with the OLA Board has opened my eyes to the great things OLA does, and the group is composed of a wide range of librarians, every one of them friendly, helpful, and very devoted to the OLA mission. It has been a great pleasure getting to know them and working alongside them, and you will feel very welcome very quickly with this group.

This past year has seen some exciting changes for SSD. Scholarship awards for OLA membership and attendance at the annual SSD conference have been increased, and SSD membership is also going up. Videoconferencing has opened up involvement in SSD for people who otherwise couldn't participate due to distance. SSD is looking to expand training offerings across the state with book mending and technology workshops, while looking ahead at different training approaches (including increased exposure to the LSSC program) to help support staff increase services amidst shrinking budgets.

Time commitment:

• Chair the monthly SSD board meetings, which can be attended in person or remotely via phone or videoconferencing (4 hours per month, depending upon travel)
• Compose the monthly SSD board meeting agenda (1 hour per month)
• Attend the monthly OLA Executive Board meetings (in person or remotely, 5 hours per month)
• Attend the annual OLA Board retreat in Silver Falls in person (2 days per year)
• Attend the annual SSD conference (1 day per year)
• Liaise with OLA to assist members representing SSD at the OLA Conference (1 hour per month)

My term as SSD Board Chair has been extremely rewarding. The exposure to library staff from all corners of the state, and the friendships I've made, have been personally and professionally enriching. I would not hesitate to do it again, and strongly encourage those who are seeking more involvement in OLA/SSD to consider running for SSD Board Chair.  - Sean, SSD Board Chair

How to apply:

This is a nominated position, and you can definitely nominate yourself.  If you are interested, please contact us at olassd@gmail.com or you can contact any one of our board members.

What can you learn through LSSC?

Today Sylvia Bowers, SSD member-at-large, answers a couple questions for us about her experience with LSSC - Library Support Staff Certification.

Which one class have you liked the most and why? How has what you've learned in your favorite class influenced your work?

These are very good questions. My favorite class with the most usefully applicable information was the Library Technology class I took from Northern Kentucky University. The class started with very basic computer use information, ended with document and internet security, with a lot of practical projects in between.

The class lasted from late August through early October. Some of the projects included creating Google docs and Google presentations, and scheduling online meetings. One project entailed pricing and "purchasing" computer systems and furniture for a fictitious library of my choice. Another fun project for this class was planning how to automate a small branch library.

A large portion of time in this class was spent learning how to cope with technology change. This is a very common challenge. We explored resources that are available and strategies that you can implement that will help a person working in a library keep up with these changes, as well as how to make good use of that technology in your job right now.

In addition to the larger projects, I learned much I can use in my job on a daily basis. For example, I learned beyond-basic internet search skills, standard computer trouble-shooting skills, and I certainly gained an appreciation for the complexity of computer networks.

I appreciated the support I got from the instructor and the institution. It was a very satisfying learning experience and I would recommend this class to anyone.

Thanks, Sylvia!

Are you curious about getting certified? Ask Sylvia questions about the LSSC program by posting in the comments section below!

Getting to Work

A few days ago, during an impromptu conversation about the pros and cons of telecommuting, a co-worker said, "anyone would like to work from home if they could." I was surprised at the sentiment, because I definitely wouldn't. There are several reasons for that, including the fact that we already have one works-at-home person in our household & there's not room for two, and the fact that I'd find it hard to concentrate on work at home.

According to my co-worker, the reason most people would like to telecommute is to avoid their commute. But my commute is a positive thing for me. Most of the time, I commute by bicycle. In the unusual times that's not possible, like when the streets are icy, I ride the bus (which requires walking nearly a mile). I occasionally walk for a change of pace, or if my bike's in the shop for repair. On the few days that I have to drive to work, I don't feel I'm as alert as I should be when I arrive. Walking up two flights of stairs doesn't have the same invigorating effect that biking 3 1/2 miles does.

Several years ago, I wrote an article about alternative transportation for the Going Green issue of the OLA Quarterly. Library staff shared their experiences getting to work without driving, or without driving much. It was inspiring to hear how much people enjoy their commutes.

Re-reading the article just now, I'm sad to note that some of the things state employees on the capital mall used to enjoy are no longer true: we no longer get unlimited-use bus passes for a one-time $8 fee, and "smart commuters" not longer get coupon books. I'm not so sad about the loss of the coupon books, but the fact that a monthly bus pass can be nearly as expensive as parking has caused some to give up the bus and start driving to work.

I know alternative transportation isn't for everyone, for any number of reasons. I also think telecommuting is a great option for folks with appropriate jobs. For me, though, I'll continue getting to work under my own power, and consider myself lucky that I can.