John Hyslop
3:52:22
Chair Brennan, Chair Rivera and fellow council members.
3:52:26
These are the following testimonies of Queen's library staff on their every everyday issues confronting them and their colleagues.
3:52:32
Quote, the lack of adequate staffing affects services at my small but busy library.
3:52:37
Currently, we only have 2 librarians, an assistant manager, and a chills veteran.
3:52:40
In my position as assistant manager, I am responsible for all the administrative work such as schedules, time cards, coverage requests, and monthly reports while also providing customer service at the reference desk.
3:52:50
This divided tension means constant interrupt with management part of my job leading to mistakes and having to redo the work.
3:52:57
The need for days off, vacations, sick days, etcetera, leads to the programs being canceled.
3:53:02
For example, story time in one particular week was canceled because the children's librarian was off to work on Saturday.
3:53:08
The children and their caregiver were caregivers were extremely disappointed.
3:53:12
1 of the caregivers had asked if I could do this story time, but I was the only librarian in the building, so that was not a possibility.
3:53:18
The constant juggling of the schedules also means I'm always needing to ask for coverage, which disrupts the schedules of my location and the location sending coverage.
3:53:27
Often the coverage is to make sure we have an adequate staff to cover programs and lunches.
3:53:31
If we had adequate staff, we wouldn't need to be keep asking for coverage.
3:53:36
In every location, our meeting spaces are the price commodity of the community.
3:53:40
Nonprofits and city agencies compete for bookings.
3:53:43
However, a librarian is required to monitor the space while the live while the meeting is in session.
3:53:47
Due to its skeletal staffing, Lebron's can barely cover the reference to Without sufficient staffing, agencies cannot book the space.
3:53:56
As a custodian, I will be called upon to cover another branch later in my shift.
3:53:59
That means performing the same strenuous work of the 1st 4 hours of my day in a home branch, at another branch.
3:54:05
And this task will be repeated on other days of the week.
3:54:08
Other branch custodians feel the same feel the same strain too, as they also cannot fully provide the work that libraries truly need.
3:54:17
Launton hedges may wait for a week or longer before they're trimmed.
3:54:20
If a branch is in session and the patrons are around, mopping floors and cleaning carpets will have to wait for another day.
3:54:26
Leading to less than optimal sanitary conditions.
3:54:28
Some libraries have no custodians at all, just that just received the base of coverage.
