Southern Ontario Library Service

EXCEL: A certificate programme in
managing a small public library

The case

There are often volunteers in a library who, over time, become less proficient at what they do. This is the problem facing you as the supervisor of the Trillium Public Library branch (serving a population of 3,000).

Sophie has been a volunteer at the Trillium Public Library for 15 years. She used to work at a university library in Halifax. Through the experience at the university, she is quite aware of the workings of a library and is very quick to learn any job given to her.

Unfortunately, Sophie has a very obnoxious manner, and for the past two years the situation has been getting worse. It has reached a point where not one member of the library staff like to work with her. A number of patrons had been chastised by her for one reason or another, and one has now spoken to the CEO to complain about her treatment at the hands of Sophie.

To complicate the problem, the previous supervisor had promised her that she could work a few hours each week on the circulation desk. She only wants to work at the circulation desk.

What should we do with Sophie so that a high level of customer service is maintained and the other staff members are content? Explain why this course of action was chosen.