April 27, 2005 Revision

Statement on Recruitment, Internal Recruitment and
Reassignment Options for the University Libraries 2005

 

One of the highest strategic priorities for the Library is to provide excellence in meeting information needs across all disciplines and in providing service to all campus constituencies. To address this priority, the Library must recruit, develop, retain, and effectively use a highly knowledgeable, ever-developing, and increasingly diverse work force.

Working within the University’s recruitment and promotion policies, the Library uses a blend of reassignment and recruitment options to achieve these priorities. This document attempts to clearly communicate the library’s options for filling positions and to briefly describe the decision making process related to these options.

Process:

Although a Department may make a compelling case for a position, all vacant positions become part of a central pool. When a position opens, the Department Head is asked to first look at his/her area with an eye for what can be done differently, more cost and time effectively, or not at all. Working together, the Department Head and the Divisional Associate Director will identify achievable approaches to meeting the work needs of the Department.

The Associate Director reviews all options – administrative re-assignment or recruitment (internal, external, or targeted) and consults with LEC. Approval to fill a position (or a part of a position) rests on LEC’s assessment of the suggested options, current library priorities, and budget realities. If LEC approves filling the position, the Associate Director starts and oversees the process. The LEC administrator responsible for the position must ensure clear, careful, and timely communication before, during, and after decisions.

Administrative Reassignment:

Reassignment refers to a situation when an employee is moved to a different position to align staff skills, knowledge, and production with library priorities. In all cases, the administrator will work with the individuals and departments involved and will, as feasible, incorporate individual interests and talents into the planning. The administrator will also work with the Organizational Development Librarian and HR to ensure that changes in responsibility are reflected in the position description and are appropriate for the position classification level.

Reassignment may be used to address staffing needs in at least three ways. 1) When a Department Head or Associate Director determines, based on conversations with the Department and the affected employees, that certain activities within their department or division can be suspended or eliminated, an individual may be asked to assume a new set of responsibilities that better match library priorities. 2) Administrative reassignment may be used to respond to an individual who has asked to be considered for a different position or to have the scope of the current position modified because he or she has noted new user needs. 3) It may also be used by LEC to address special situations or opportunities.

For faculty reassignment the process set out in the Library Faculty Manual will be followed.


Recruitment:
The Library uses four general approaches to recruitment: internal recruitment, extended internal recruitment, targeted recruitment, and external recruitment.

Internal Recruitment:

1. Once a position (or a set of responsibilities) is approved for internal recruitment using the process stated above, it will be promptly posted within the library. ULONs and notices on the Libraries UL@ND internal web page will be used to alert faculty and staff to these opportunities.1

2. For staff positions, the supervisor of the posted position or a posted set of responsibilities will interview and select candidates. Associate Directors will work with Department Heads to encourage supervisors to hire internal staff who meet the needs and qualifications and whose past performance (including attendance) and record of development demonstrate potential for growth. In appropriate cases, the library will provide support and funding to help with additional training for these staff.

3. In those cases when internal position postings fail to generate qualified applicants, the Department Head and AD will try alternative approaches to filling the position.

4. For faculty positions, a small search committee will be appointed to follow the faculty recruiting process. In cases where a set of responsibilities are posted, the AD will determine the search process based on the volume and nature of the responsibilities.

Extended Internal Recruitment:

The process is the same as above with one addition. On occasion, LEC will ask the interviewing supervisor to interview and consider a candidate who is not part of the internal pool, but who has been identified as a special opportunity by the Library or by the University. (This could include an individual who has worked in a temporary or adjunct position during the recent past or is currently in such a position).

Targeted Recruitment:

On occasions of special opportunity or in light of special needs, the Director of Libraries may wish to attract a specific individual to the Library faculty or staff. This could involve creating a new position that capitalizes on that individual’s strengths and addresses priority library needs. In such a situation, the Director would inform the members of the faculty (or LAM for staff positions) of his/her intention and the reasons. Although the search may be limited to a targeted candidate, standard faculty or staff interviewing procedures (including CAP review for faculty) will be followed.

External Recruitment:2

The appropriate Associate Director will evaluate the need for external posting and will work with LEC to determine priority for budget support. Persons who are currently employed by the University Libraries are always welcome to apply for positions that are posted externally.

Final Notes:
This policy recognizes that library priorities and special circumstances ( budget realities, campus priorities, the market, individual performance) will shape position design, assignment, and recruitment decisions and may generate occasional administrative re-assignments and targeted searches. Such factors have long influenced staffing decisions, but have not been documented. Department Heads and Associate Directors are encouraged to assess all approaches to filling positions as they work with individuals to meet the Library’s strategic goals.

 

1 Shifts in Library needs, priorities, and resources may lead an AD to post a set of faculty or staff responsibilities rather than an entire position.

2 Due to budget constraints, external recruitment (which includes individuals from other campus departments as well as from off campus) is currently reserved for special circumstances as determined by LEC.

Jo Bessler/LEC
April 27, 2005