Clearinghouse of Professional Information

Human Resources

SOLS services include the CEO Search Service initiative. For further information on CEO Search Service contact Daryl Novak, Director Operations. He can be reached by telephone at 1-800-387-5765, extension 5117 or by email at

OLS - North provides general advice on human resources issues through its consulting service. In addition, OLS - North staff will assist library boards in the search process by providing information and advice. For assistance please contact Leanne Clendening, CEO, OLS-N by phone or e-mail at .

Topics include

Cited links and resources are of interest to libraries looking for help in the human resources area of library administration.

General Resources | Career Planning | CEO Selection |  Dress Codes |  Ergonomics | Health and Safety |  Job Descriptions |  Job Postings and Job Search | Legislation of Interest to Public Libraries in Ontario | Performance Reviews | Personnel Policies | Recruitment | Résumés | Students | Training Resources for Librarians | Salaries | Volunteer Management | Working Alone | Youth Employment Grants

indicates an item written by SOLS staff

indicates an item written by OLS-North staff

General Resources

• Coaching for Service and Success (September 2003)   Prepared by Beth Cada for SOLS. This guide is intended to coach CEOs and library supervisors through the performance appraisal process. It is not meant to be a template, but describes and outlines an approach to performance appraisal. It introduces best practices and manageable strategies for improving employee performance, and fostering a strong service commitment.
• Employment Standards Act (Ontario Ministry of Labour) See Legislation of Interest to Public Libraries in Ontario
• Free Downloadable Business Forms (Office Depot Online) an unlikely spot for an amazing resource including all kinds of human resources forms, work safety forms, business forms Note: this is American so some forms may not apply.
• HR Productivity Centre (HRTools.com) Find job descriptions, performance reviews and personnel policies. Some free tools available
• HRVS.ca Offers practical tools and information on human resources management for non-profit organizations.
• Human Resources Management Toolkits (Cultural Careers Council of Ontario and the Cultural Human Resources Council)  Click on "Library" tab at the top of the CCCO website. These kits are on such topics as: Recruiting, Job Descriptions, Coaching and Mentoring, Dealing with Conflict, Managing Employee Performance, Terminations, Benefits and Retirement Plans, Best Practices
• Keirsey Temperament Sorter: An online questionnaire based on Myers-Briggs Personality Test 
• Library Staff Competencies (LibrarySupportStaff.com) For administrators, professional and para-professional support staff
• Strategic Hiring: A Guide to Staff Recruitment  (SOLS Library Development Guide # 1) While the Guide is written primarily for the CEO's of small and medium sized libraries, it is intended to be used by staff in all sizes and types of libraries as they deal with the staff recruitment process. The Appendix Resources section contains sample job descriptions 
• Trillium Public Library Sample Personnel Policy (.pdf) Excerpts from the Sourcebook for Small Public Libraries: Administration 4:  Personnel .The original Sourcebook was written in 1991.  Many facets of human resource work have changed.  The publication is no longer available.
• OMERS Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System
• Working Together Better: Gracious Space. Center for Ethical Leadership

Career Planning

• Career and College Planning Web Resources (Vocational Education Center)
• Career Development Manual Career Services University of Waterloo
• Career Planning (Department of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada)

CEO Selection

• SOLS CEO Search Service
• How to Lower the Risk in CEO Succession by Ram Charan in Leader to Leader, No. 17 Summer 2000
• Leader to Leader Institute

Dress Codes

• Casual Dress Code (Business Research Lab). Gives examples of how to define "business casual" and implement the concept into a dress code
• Dealing with Dress Codes by Raymond Neal posted on the University of South Carolina, School of Library and Information Science site) Includes a print bibliography
• Dress Code Legal Issues (US) Written by Robin Thomas, Managing Editor at Personnel Policy Service, Inc. Copyright © 2003.  Useful general discussion on the issues. Gives "Common Sense Tips for Drafting and Enforcing Your Dress Code"
• Health Sciences Libraries Student Toolkit: Decorum (University of Washington State)
• Hennepin County Library . Dress Code (Minnesota)
• Innisfil Public Library. Dress Code Policy (.pdf)
• Kansas Public Library. Dress Code from The Kansas Public Library Handbook, State Library of Kansas, Topeka, 1998. 
• Managing Violators of the Office Dress Code
• SOLS Dress Code Policy

Ergonomics 

• The Business of Colour (.pdf) Findings from research about how color can be used in the workplace to impact people.
• Cornell University Ergonomics Web Information on ways to improve usability, comfort, performance and health, through the ergonomic design of hardware, software, and workplaces.
• Ergonomic Design Guidelines for Libraries (ESAO)
• Internet Links for finding information about Ergonomics Assessment, Training, and Safety (Usernomics)
• User Interface Design, Human Factors and Ergonomics (Usernomics)

Health and Safety

• CCOHS. The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. Promotes a safe and healthy working environment by providing information and advice about occupational health and safety.  View sample pages from a Health and Safety Guide for Libraries  a comprehensive source of information for library and information centre workers and features easy-to-understand pictures, charts and diagrams depicting workplace hazards common to libraries.
• Education and Safety Assocation of Ontario. Newly redesigned website. See their Resource Manuals and click on the "Downloads" for a great offering of information in .pdf format
• Fact Sheets on Crisis Management (Non-Profit risk Management Center) 10 free fact sheets on the topic of crisis management.

Job Descriptions

• Human Resources Management Tool. Job Descriptions (.pdf) (Cultural Careers Council of Ontario and the Cultural Human Resources Council) From the home page click on "Library" tab to HR Mtg Tools Overview. Scan down list
• Library Jobs: Descriptions,  Classifications, Evaluations (LibrarySupportStaff.com)
• National Occupational Classification 2001   (Human Resources Canada) The NOC 2001 Web site contains the classification structure and descriptions of 520 occupational unit groups and includes over 30,000 occupational titles. It also features an intuitive search engine to help you find the information you need. The codes for library positions are: 0511 ceo's of libraries; 1213 supervisors of clerical staff; 1451 clerical staff; 5211 library technicians
• Sample Job Descriptions from Connecticut Public Libraries (Connecticut State Library)
• Strategic Hiring: A Guide to Staff Recruitment  - (SOLS Library Development Guide # 1) While the Guide is written primarily for the CEO's of small and medium sized libraries, it is intended to be used by staff in all sizes and types of libraries as they deal with the staff recruitment process. The Appendix Resources section contains sample job descriptions
 

Job Postings and Job Search

To submit library job postings to various web sites: 

• CLA Careers Section Ad Pricing  Includes instructions and pricing
• CLA: Classifieds  - Job Opportunities 
•  FLA Job Line. Foothills Library Association. (Jobs in  the Prairies, B.C. and the North) 
• JobSite (FIS, UofT)  Lists current job openings in library and information fields.
• Library Employment Resources Faculty of Information and Media Studies (FIMS), University of Western Ontario. This page contains job listings posted by the school as well as a number of other employment resources available over the Internet.
• The Networked Librarian: Job Search Guides (US)
• OLA's job Hot Site  Instructions and pricing for posting on the OLA website. OLA doesn't allow job postings to go out on the listservs unless they are posted on the job web site.
• OLSLIB-L listserv.  Ad can be posted free of charge on this listserv for Ontario Library Services libraries
• University of Toronto, Faculty of Information Studies Provides a form to place your ad (free of charge) 
• University of Western, Faculty of Information and Media Studies Ads for professional positions requiring a Master's Degree can be placed free of charge by emailing fims-jobpostings@uwo.ca or sweekes@uwo.ca
• Work in Culture (Cultural Careers Council of Ontario) The CCEO is a sectoral council representing Ontario's cultural industry. Its role is to ensure the continued existence of properly trained professionals in order to maintain Ontario's leadership as the centre of Canada's cultural industry, CCCO has made significant investment into skills needs, employment opportunities and long range projection research. The information is made available free of charge on the CCCO  web site.  There is a "Job Board" tab at the top of the main page taking you to a list of job opportunities in the field of culture.

Performance Reviews

• Coaching for Service and Success (September 2003) - Prepared by Beth Cada for SOLS. This guide is intended to coach CEOs and library supervisors through the performance appraisal process. It is not meant to be a template, but describes and outlines an approach to performance appraisal. It introduces best practices and manageable strategies for improving employee performance, and fostering a strong service commitment.
• Employee Performance Management (Free Management Library)
• Performance Management ( US. Office of Personnel Management)

Personnel Policies

• Policies & Procedures on Common HR Topics (Human Resources Council) Introductions to  37 human resources policy topics. These introductions will give you things to think about when developing a policy on each topic. You will also find samples for each topic. They are real samples collected from non-profit/ voluntary sector organizations across Canada.
• Policies Now!® Version 6.0 Personnel Policy Handbook Software for the HR Professional Questions you about your specific policy needs and writes a customized policy before your eyes. This link is included to show that this type of product exists. It is not an endorsement of the product.
• Sample Policies (By Topics) Selected by SOLS
• See Volunteer Management - Sample Volunteer Policies below

Recruitment

• CAP Youth Initiatives (Industry Canada)
• CareerOwl E-recruiting service open to all, but with special features to facilitate recruiting for the highly qualified.  CareerOwl is a sophisticated search tool.  Jobseekers are invited to fill out an extensive profile allowing employers to search for the specific skills, education and talents they need.  CareerOwl lets employers create a filter to see the candidates who meet their criteria.
• Strategic Hiring: A Guide to Staff Recruitment (SOLS Library Development Guide # 1) While the Strategic Hiring Guide is written primarily for the CEO's of small and medium sized libraries, it is intended to be used by staff in all sizes and types of libraries as they deal with the staff recruitment process. The Appendix Resources section contains sample job descriptions

Résumés

• Damn Good Resume Books  Excellent site from well known print series
• What Color is Your Parachute: Job Hunters' Bible

Salaries

• Chief Executive Officer Salary Survey Report 2008. Prepared by Miriam Irwin for SOLS.
• Pay Equity for Libraries (SOLS Workshop by thePay Equity Commission) (Fall 2007). Resources
  
  • Notes on the Discussion with PEC responses (.doc)
  • Presentation by Lise Lubera (.ppt)
  • Pay Equity Act  (Office consolidation) Overview
  • Pay Equity Commission. A special for the rights of Employees
• PayScale
Salary survey, salaries, wages, compensation information and analysis
• SOLS CEO Salary Survey Report 2003 
• SOLS Salary Survey, 2000 of SOLS public libraries. 

Students

• Code of Conduct for Ontario Schools. Ontario Ministry of Education. This could be helpful in drafting policies for student volunteers endeavouring to fulfill the Ministry of Education's 40 hours requirement.
• Mentors Strengthen Student Community Service Permission given by the author, Cynthia Parsons, to offer this book online. This monograph was published by SerVermont, a nonprofit corporation that encourages all students to do voluntary community service integrated with academic coursework.
• Ontario School Counsellors' Association. Voluntary Sector Resources This page lists books, articles, videos and software designed to help organizations evaluate their programs, recruit and train volunteers, and manage student volunteers efficiently and effectively.
• Secondary School Students Volunteer Commitment Guidelines. Hamilton Public Library.
• Student Placement  Education Safety Association of Ontario.  Useful resource manual for any size of library. 

Volunteer Management

This subsection of HR Resources provides links to various sources of information on managing volunteers.

• Non-Profit Library Commons. Canada's leading nonprofit knowledge centre! Find practical resources, promising practices and up-to-date intelligence on the state of Canada's nonprofit sector. Explore the library knowledgebase!
   
• Assigning economic value to volunteer activity: Eight tools for efficient program management (.pdf)  by Michelle Goulbourne and Don Embuldeniya, Canadian Centre for Philanthropy, 2002.   This manual is designed to help voluntary organizations enhance their volunteer program management by developing an understanding of the economic value that volunteering contributes to their organization. It demonstrates eight methods for calculating the value of volunteering and discusses when and how to use the various methods. 
• Best Practices for Engaging Youth as Volunteers: Part One and Part Two (The Rethink Group)
• California Library Volunteers. Job descriptions. Good samples.
• City of Monterey (Calif). Job description for outreach volunteer
• Developing Human Resources in the Voluntary Sector (HRVS) (pdf)    A project that will strengthen the ability of voluntary sector organizations to attract, support, and keep skilled and committed employees. See Tools and Templates Resources
• Health and Safety and the Volunteer (ESAO)  Useful resource manual for any size of library. 
• How to Assign a Monetary Value to Volunteer Contributions. (ESAO) A manual from the Canadian Centre for Philanthropy’s Knowledge Development Centre
• Insurance and Your Nonprofit Organization (.pdf) (Nova Scotia Office of the Superintendent of Insurance)
• Insurance Toolkit for the Voluntary Sector: A Guide fro Nonprofits and Charities (.pdf) (Calgary Chamber of Voluntary Orgnizations)
• Measuring the Difference Volunteers Make: A Guide to Outcome Evaluation for Volunteer Program Managers With permission of the Minnesota Department of Human Services, this extremely useful 1997 guidebook (now out of print) is available free of charge in electronic form. (Thanks to Melissa Eystad of World Spirit Consulting for sharing this copy.)
• Measuring the economic value of volunteer activity (.pdf - 204 KB) (Canadian Centre for Philanthropy) There are eight calculations that voluntary organizations can use to demonstrate the economic value of volunteering to their volunteers, their board, potential funders, and to the public. This fact sheet provides brief descriptions of each. 
• Screening (Volunteer Canada)   Screening Does Not Equal Police Records Checks
• Screening. Directors' Liability: A Discussion Paper on Legal Liability, Risk Management and the Role of Directors in Non-Profit Organizations (Sponsored by the Ontario Screening Initiative)
• Screening: Ontario Law and Social Policy: Implications for Screening (.pdf) Screening in Ontario is subject to the same criminal, common and constitutional laws that apply in other provinces in Canada. In addition, several provincial laws in Ontario touch on the issue of screening either directly or indirectly. Taken together, these laws form a regulatory regime that is relevant to those organizations and individuals who work with children and other vulnerable persons, and who carry out screening as part of their risk management responsibilities. The provincial statutes having relevance for screening are summarized in this resource.
• Screening. Workbooks and Resources (Volunteer Canada) See Police Records Check (.pdf) Screening Information sheet
• Study Links Women's Leadership 'Power Skills' to Volunteerism (PNN)
• Truman Presidential Museum and Library. Volunteer job description. Archives assistant. 
• Valuing the Rural Volunteer (VRV) toolkit (The Ontario Rural Council) "Developed by a project team after an extensive literature review, interviews with volunteers and volunteer managers representing a wide range of sectors, and consultation with funders, policy-makers and academics." 
• Volunteer Canada Volunteer Canada is the national voice for volunteerism in Canada. Since 1977, Volunteer Canada has been committed to supporting volunteerism and civic participation through ongoing programs and special projects. 

Corporate Volunteer Programs

• Imperial Oil Limited. Community Involvement

Recruiting and Management of Volunteers

• Barrie Public Library. Volunteers Excellent webpage advertising its volunteer positions.
  Dr Charity. Board Development and Volunteerism (book) web page includes a Volunteer Job Description Worksheet 
• Recruiting Male Volunteers: A Guide Based on Exploratory Research (Corporation for National Service) Stephanie Blackman, a former AmeriCorp*VISTA member, seeks to strengthen the service field through a better understanding of male volunteering in the social services.
• Rural Volunteer Network.  Community Placement.  (serves Eastern Ontario) useful information for volunteers and for libraries who want to obtain resources and information about volunteer programs.
• Understanding Police Records Checks  (Volunteer Canada) Order free booklets
• Volunteer Vancouver   Resources for managing volunteers

Volunteer Policies   see also  our page on Sample Policies (by topic) under Volunteers

• Sample Volunteer Program Policy (CASANet Resources)
• Volunteers and Friends from "Sample Library Policies for the Small Public Library ". Compiled by the Small Library Committee of the Wisconsin Association of Public Librarians, 2nd Edition, Revised by David L. Polodna, 1999

Virtual Volunteers

• Virtual Volunteering Guidebook (The Virtual Volunteering Project) The Virtual Volunteering Guidebook is a color .PDF document that offers detailed information on the basics of setting up and managing a successful virtual volunteering program. This book captures the contributions of many, many collaborating organizations and online volunteers who worked with the Virtual Volunteering Project from 1996 - 1998.

Volunteer Policies   see also  our page on Sample Policies (by topic) under Volunteers

• Sample Volunteer Program Policy (CASANet Resources)
• Volunteers and Friends from "Sample Library Policies for the Small Public Library ". Compiled by the Small Library Committee of the Wisconsin Association of Public Librarians, 2nd Edition, Revised by David L. Polodna, 1999

Working alone

• The Joy of Being Solo (Australia) by Judith Seiss. Judith Siess worked as a solo librarian for nearly twenty years, in libraries as diverse as biotechnology, aerospace, agricultural economics, and industrial process control. In 1997 she founded Information Bridges International, Inc. She is the editor and publisher of The One-Person Library: A Newsletter for Librarians and Management, was the first Chair of the Solo Librarians Division of SLA, and is the author of four books: The SOLO Librarian's Sourcebook (1997), The OPL Sourcebook (2001), Time Management, Planning and Prioritization for Librarians (2002), and The Visible Librarian: A Management and Advocacy Primer (due in 2003).
• One-Person Australian Libraries (OPAL) Australia is the home of the One-Person Australian Libraries (OPAL) special interest group of the Australian Library and Information Association
  Working Alone articles (Tsunami Solutions)
• Working Alone Safely. A Guide for Employers and Employees. Alberta Human Resources and Employment. Includes in appendices a number of checklists for employees doing different tasks.
• Working Alone Resource Book. Education Safety Association of Ontario.