Volunteers@Your Library: Benefits and Pitfalls of Volunteers in Hospital Libraries

1. Ontario Library Association Superconference 2004 Volunteers@Your Library: Benefits and Pitfalls of Volunteers in Hospital Libraries Mary McDiarmid Ethel Auster University of Toronto Faculty of Information Studies January 29, 2004

2. Outline • Research Design and Methodology • Key Findings – Benefits, Pitfalls • Strategy for Optimizing the Use of Library Volunteers

3. METHODOLOGY Data Analysis Population Instrumentation Research Design

4. Methodology – Research Design, Instrumentation, Population and Data Analysis Research Design Survey research  Self-administered mail questionnaire Instrumentation8-page questionnaire  Dillman's Total Design Method 92% response rate  Pretest PopulationMembership lists  89 library managers Data AnalysisSPSS 11.5, Excel Dillman, D.A. (1978). Mail and telephone surveys: The total design method. New York: Wiley

5. Extent of Volunteer Use

6. Adequacy of Library Staffing • 58% of all respondents believed staffing was inadequate • 67% of users believed staffing was inadequate • 43% of non-users believed staffing was inadequate

7. Extent of Volunteer Use

8. BENEFITS OF VOLUNTEER USE

9. Benefits Benefit User Non-user All

10. Benefits Benefit User Non-user All

11. Least Cited Benefits • Special projects • Keeping costs down • Dependability/Reliability • Enhancement of staffing levels in the library

12. PITFALLS OF VOLUNTEER USE

13. Pitfalls Pitfall User Non-user All

14. Pitfalls Pitfall User Non-user All

15. Least Cited Pitfalls • Negative impact on staff time • Finding appropriate tasks for volunteers • Finding suitable volunteers • Negative impact on library’s budget

16. Comment • “More time tends to get spent on less professional tasks before and during the time volunteers work (preparation, instruction, working in tandem or keeping one step ahead of volunteers.) Being very part-time myself, sometimes I wonder if it’s worth it to have a volunteer.”

17. Strategy for Optimizing Volunteer Use Is there adequate space available for all activities? Are staff members involved in planning? Have clearly written goals and objectives been created? What is the recruitment plan?

18. Strategy for Optimizing Volunteer Use Have volunteer position descriptions been written that include: • A clear description of duties and tasks to be performed? • Qualifications needed to perform successfully the volunteer tasks? Have volunteer screening criteria been clearly outlined? Is there a volunteer selection process in place? What are the training and supervision plans?

19. Key Factors • Address staff resistance • Clearly define staff and volunteer roles and expectations • Become familiar with the availability of volunteers • Have a realistic view of a volunteer’s commitment to the library

20. Key Factors • Design an effective volunteer selection and evaluation process • Develop desired performance outcomes • Assess realistically the staff time needed for training and management of library volunteers

21. Comment “It has been a nightmare using volunteers in our library. I seriously question the ethics of this situation. Volunteers are permitted to do literature searches for patrons without referring to staff. I have seen patrons leave the library with inaccurate or insufficient information and have not been allowed by administration to correct the situation. Administration sees the bottom line of money and uses volunteers in place of hiring enough professional staff. Volunteers here more or less run the show and we can say very little.”

22. Acknowledgements Funding for this research was provided through a Chapter Initiative Grant awarded to the Central Ontario Health Libraries Association from the Canadian Health Libraries Association/Association bibliothèques de la santé du Canada.