MIT LIBRARIES
PUBLIC SERVICES REDEFINITION PROCESS

Report of the Internal Communications Task Force (ICTF)
December 1998

 

Rebecca Aaronson, co-convener
Jim Eggleston
Keith Glavash, co-convener
Kate Gyllensvard, Process Communication Task Force link
Kevin Harrison
Peter Munstedt
Katy Poole
Sarah Shreeves, Organizational Issues Task Force link
Louisa Worthington

Table of Contents

1. Vision
2. Methodology
3. Summary of Recommendations
4.Communication Guidelines and Norms
A. Importance of effective communication in the workplace
B. Styles of communication
C. Responsibilities of Public Services staff
D. Channels of communication
E. Communication of decisions
5. Communication Vehicles
A. Internal Communications Facilitators (ICF)
B. Library gatherings
C. Electronic publications
6. Committees and other groups
A. Definitions
B. Committee population
C. Committee decision making
D. Committee Information Archive (CIA)
E. Types of groups
F. Suggested committees
G. Norms
7. Appendices
A. List of vision attributes compiled by ICTF
B. Chart: Comparison of successful practices with good communications factors
C. Template: Committee charge
D. Template: Request for decision
E. Full comments regarding internal communications issues from the OITF Report
F. Full response from the University of Arizona
G. ICTF anonymous web responses (full text of all received)
H. Training resources available from MIT Personnel and Dewey Library

Section 1. Vision

In the MIT Libraries Public Service Values Statement we recommit ourselves to serving the needs of the MIT Community. Thus, we value the Libraries as a learning community within learning communities and we value communication, cooperation, respect, and resource-sharing among these diverse communities. We value our patrons, the Libraries' staff, and a flexible, interactive, and dynamic environment. And we value an organizational structure that encourages and supports all of this.

The practicing of these values and every aspect of Public Services depends on effective communication. To best meet our patrons' needs, we must be able to communicate with them in an informed, timely, and consistent fashion. To accomplish this, we need quick and easy access to library information, decisions, and policies. We should be able to ask questions and get answers, and we should be able to contribute our ideas.

To achieve all this the ICTF envisions an organizational culture in the Libraries that includes the following attributes. See Appendix A for details about each attribute.

Back to the ICTF Report Table of Contents

Section 2. Methodology

The ICTF initiated its work with a review of the charge coupled with an outline of the group's parameters by Ginny Steel. As the last of the originally named Public Services Redefinition task forces, the ICTF based its work solidly on the considerable legacy of the previous task forces. The statements, recommendations, summaries, and voluminous staff comments compiled throughout the PS Redefinition process formed an invaluable foundation in pursuing our charge. The group process work of the task force, facilitated by Diana Haladay, commenced with the development of two lists of vision attributes describing optimal internal communications: 1.) Atmosphere & Environment; and 2.) Organizational & Technological Mechanisms. (See Appendix A.) These formed the criteria for our eventual recommendations.

Information gathering on internal communications issues encompassed a variety of sources. Directions, insights and reactions by Ginny Steel were welcomed and incorporated. Observations and input from experienced liaisons from the OITF and the Process Team, Sarah Shreeves and Kate Gyllensvard, respectively, substantively informed our work. Library staff feedback was solicited via the Web comment form; through informal conversations; and through comments from the two Town Meetings held Oct. 27 and Oct. 28. In accordance with our focus on internal communications, all of these communications were carefully considered and were critical to our deliberations in determining final recommendations.

The ICTF reviewed the relevant research and professional literature noting useful analogies in other environments, such as the business world, as appropriate. We also queried library staff at the University of Arizona requesting their insights on communications issues five years into their organizational restructure and studied the succinct observations of the respondent, Shelley Phipps. (See Appendix F.)

All this information was thoughtfully reviewed and analyzed in light of our charge and criteria. The ICTF developed a preliminary report, which was forthwith distributed and presented to the library staff in late October. Subsequently, the ICTF evaluated the diverse staff reactions to its recommendations in undertaking revisions to the report and in formulating the final version.

Back to the ICTF Report Table of Contents

Section 3. Summary of Recommendations

This list highlights the significant recommendations found in the report, grouping them by topic. Please read the full report for details, and note that all recommendations apply only to Public Services areas.

Of the seventeen recommendations, most involve changes to the philosophy or procedural infrastructure of communications in Public Services, and do not require new or reallocated resources. There are at least five, however, which would require substantial staff time and/or funds to be realized. These five, most of which fall under the topic "Communications Vehicles", have been marked and prioritized in the list below (dollar sign followed by a number).

We recommend to the Implementation Team that it begin by forming the new group which will monitor and facilitate internal communications in Public Services, the Internal Communications Facilitators (ICF) (first bullet under "Communication Vehicles"). We further recommend that the newly formed ICF be charged with 1) process communication during the implementation phase of the Redefinition Process, and 2) implementation of the remaining internal communications recommendations.

Communications Guidelines and Norms Communication Vehicles Committees and Other Groups

4. Communications Guidelines and Norms

A. Importance of effective communication in the workplace

Timely and effective two-way communication is critical to a successful cooperative enterprise. The work of the Public Services Redefinition process to date has identified the need for improved internal communication in order to achieve our newly defined goals which are key to providing the best in user services. Staff frequently relate a sense of frustration and serious concern surrounding the current state of internal communication. Uppermost in the suggested solutions is the recommendation to increase the amount of clear, direct and timely communication regarding work issues in order to effect the best use of staff time. In addition, research reveals that there is a positive correlation between effective communication and effective problem solving, employee productivity, rewarding relationships, and personal satisfaction.*

One of the comments from staff that we noticed most frequently concerned the flow of communication. Open channels of communication, up and down the hierarchy as well as across individuals, groups and functions, is of the utmost importance. Two-way communication means that for each message providing input, a reply of some kind is given. The reply signals that the message was received and understood, and it should help to illuminate the role that information played in a decision-making process. In order to improve communication we must improve our working and interpersonal relationships and attempt to arrive at mutual understanding. Appendix B illustrates the correlation of successful practices and good communications factors.

*J.R. Luthi, "Communicating Communication," The 1978 Annual Handbook for Group Facilitators, pp. 123-7.

B. Styles of communication

C. Responsibilities of Public Services staff
Staff in Public Services have a responsibility to keep themselves and other staff informed. This includes listening attentively to each other, responding, discussing, and addressing all sorts of issues, even difficult ones. This implies a substantial commitment of time on the part of staff, "extra" time for which there is no obvious corresponding reduction elsewhere. We suggest that the balance is more subtle than that. There appears currently to be substantial and widespread time and energy wasted in efforts to inform oneself or others in Public Services. We believe that improving the effectiveness of our internal communications will, in the end, reduce the wasted time and the considerable frustration of the staff, thereby balancing the time and significantly improving the overall effectiveness of the staff in performing their jobs.

It is essential that communication be understood as part of every job, regardless of the staff member's specific role. Maintaining a two-way flow of information is the most critical component of a model for ideal communication - letting others know what you are doing and finding out what they are doing. When issues arise, staff should try to see not only how they will be affected, but also how others will be affected. This creates an opportunity for giving information and soliciting feedback. Many staff have commented that we need more two-way communication. That will happen only when more people are willing to participate in meaningful dialogue between layers of the organization.

D. Channels of communication
Channels of communication are the routes through which information travels. See Section 5 for Communication Vehicles, the ways in which information travels.

Public Services should maintain a balance of both formal and informal communication channels. Written information and scheduled meetings comprise the formal communication; informal communication is channeled through conversation and gatherings. Communication should be timely, and it should be distributed as broadly as possible in order to increase its impartiality. Rather than distributing information at the last minute, through a circuitous route, or only as needed, information should be distributed in a direct and timely fashion.

We recommend the use of multiple communication formats - face-to-face, telephone, email, web information - which can often increase awareness and understanding, and which are frequently used as a teaching tool to promote deeper understanding.

Within functions:

Within departments: Across functions and departments: System-wide: Up and down hierarchy:
E. Communication of Decisions
We propose two fundamental changes in this area - one specific and one general - which we believe will lead to significant improvement. We also point out that the broader committee participation called for in Section 6 of this report will help to facilitate the communication of decisions among all staff.

Back to the ICTF Report Table of Contents

Section 5. Communication Vehicles

Public Services should identify different types of communication and the vehicles appropriate to them. Communication of policies and procedures should be clear, timely, and universal. Dialogue, multi-directional communication, and attentive listening should be practiced. There should be vehicles and venues for the free and honest exchange of ideas without fear of recrimination.

A. Internal Communications Facilitators

We propose that an ongoing committee be formed to focus on internal communications. Such a group would need to encompass all units and staff in Public Services.
1. Purpose

The Internal Communications Facilitators (ICF) will promote effective communication, encourage dialogue, and help support the free exchange of ideas within Public Services while facilitating Gatherings and Electronic Publications (see B and C below).

2. Membership

B. Gatherings (beyond regular meetings of committees and other groups) C. Electronic publications
Although we are sympathetic to those who like paper, we propose that internal communication be electronically based. Paper publications require too much time, work, and money. For those who prefer paper, we have recommended below (under Materials and Training) that all staff have easy access to printers which make it possible to print electronic publications.

1. PSWeb

Building on the successful elements of current staff web pages, this would be the official website for Public Services staff which would include all or most of the essential information in one place. The ICF would work with the Libraries' Web Manager in establishing a format. Broad input would be requested, especially at first, in seeing what works and what doesn't. Some of its features would include:

To work effectively as an up-to-date information source, it will require ongoing web maintenance and facilitation from a core group of staff volunteers, as well as a commitment on the part of each group to contribute this information on a regular basis.

2. E-mail newsletter

This will be similar to The Lowdown, a package of information which arrives regularly and contains highlights from around the system. It will be sent to all Public Services staff and might include:

3. Materials and Training

To promote and support effective communications, staff should have access to basic equipment and training, including:

Back to the ICTF Report Table of Contents

Section 6. Committees and other groups

A. Definitions

B. Committee population
There exists strong sentiment among the staff about the need for broader and more rotational representation on committees. What we have discovered since the release of our preliminary draft and the Town Meetings is that there is even stronger sentiment about the need for committee population control. We recognize the need for limits on both the number of groups which exist and on an individual staff member's involvement in groups. Without such limits, we risk shifting from one problem to another. Actually, the danger of an individual's over-commitment has always existed, and is one of the primary reasons for recommending broader representation in general - to spread the work load around (as well as facilitating other positive effects). But the nature of committees and their time commitments varies widely, making a strictly formulaic limit unrealistic. Instead, we have these two suggestions: The irony of suggesting the formation of yet another group in order to control committee population is not lost on us, but like the Internal Communications Facilitators mentioned earlier in this report, we see this as an addition which fills a pressing need, and which ultimately will help to solve serious problems.
C. Committee decision making
Great interest has been voiced by the staff in defining the "decision-making" function or authority of committees. Even though we are trying to work within the context of internal communications, it is very difficult to suggest a new committee structure without giving any indication of that aspect of a group's activities. Therefore, any references to decision making included below are meant merely as a guideline to add a necessary and meaningful dimension to this proposed committee structure. The unstated descriptor for every use of the term "decision" should be "appropriate".
D. Committee Information Archive (CIA)
We recommend the creation of a central web-based resource for information about committees and their work. It would be a part of PSWeb (Section 5.C.1.). Features would include:
E. Types of groups
1. Groups focused on functional areas
(identified as: Administrative/Staff Assistants; Circulation/Reserve; Instruction/Orientation; Interlibrary Borrowing/Lending; Processing; Reference; Selection)

We do NOT suggest that every functional area should have both a committee and a forum, or that either one is required. We DO suggest that this approach has been useful in some areas and that it may serve others as well. The staff in a functional area need to be able to choose what works best for them - be it one, both, or neither - in recognition of the dynamic nature of our environment. We urge the formation of email lists for all functions as an effective communication vehicle for staff both inside and outside a functional area.

2. Groups focused on specific user groups
(identified as: Faculty, Undergraduates, Graduates, Researchers, Administration, Alumni, and Outside Users) 3. Groups focused on coordinating and managing Public Services 4. Other groups
F. Suggested Committees (see chart following this section)
These are recommendations in response to issues about broader representation and more support staff participation. Note that the only significant additions to the existing Public Services committee structure are the User Group Committees, a key feature of our new organizational model. The two new system-wide groups we suggest (Internal Communications Facilitators and Committee Review Board) are discussed elsewhere.

1. PS Functional Committees (as needed) (current example: Circulation Committee)

2. PS Functional Fora (as needed) (none currently exist in Public Services) 3. PS User Group Committees (none currently exist) 4. PS Coordinating Committee (currently Public Services Action Committee) 5. PS Management Committee (currently Divisional Librarians Group) 6. Branch Librarians Group (currently exists as such) 7. Internal Communications Facilitators (ICF) (see Section 5.A.)

A strong need was identified in this area for a volunteer, overlapping, representative group to monitor communication and to facilitate and initiate gatherings, both formal and informal.

8. Committees spanning Public Services, Collections Services, and/or Systems

G. Committee Norms
1. Charge

We suggest a template on the web which would include the following information: (see Appendix C)

2. Goal setting and self-evaluation

In addition to the stated purpose of a group (see above under "Charge"), specific goals and priorities for the near future should be articulated on a regular basis. We suggest that such goal setting, as well as a critical self-evaluation of their activities, be components of the annual evaluation with the Committee Review Board.

3. Membership

a. Departmental representation

In general, all public service committees should have representation from each public service unit involved in the function/service with which the committee is charged. It is the explicit responsibility of committee members to communicate information about activities to their home departments. Specific staff choices should be a local decision by the supervisor or functional group. The decision should be based on the following factors:

b. Rotating membership

While some members on a committee may have to be continuing (e.g. supervisors on Circulation Committee), there should be several rotating seats on each public service committee if possible. The terms of these rotating seats may be determined by the committee itself.

c. Changes in membership

A committee should have the ability to change its membership based on changes in its charge or external factors, in consultation with the individual or group to which the committee reports.

d. Size of membership

The number of members involved with any given group should be as small as possible while still retaining the necessary representation.

4. Visitor guidelines

Each committee should indicate on the Committee Information Archive (CIA) whether or not their meetings are open to visitors as well as what the visitor's role is during a meeting. Suggested policy options:

Visitor role: A visitor to [committee name] may or may not express opinions and information on the subjects under discussion with the committee. A visitor may not participate in the actual decision making of the committee (e.g. vote). [Committee name] is open to visitors in the following period during a meeting: [indicate times], for example, visitors participation is invited after initial discussion of the agenda topic by the committee.

5. Chair responsibilities

The chair of a committee has responsibility for the following items. S/he may take responsibility for these her/himself or delegate the responsibility.

We recommend that all chairs be encouraged to attend "Effective Meeting Practices" training offered by the MIT Training and Development Office, as well as make use of the video resources listed in Appendix I.

6. Miscellaneous norms

 

To the appendices

Back to the ICTF Report Table of Contents