Sam Houston State University (SHSU) ensures an adequate number of professional and other staff with appropriate education or experiences in library and/or other learning/information resources to accomplish the institution’s [1] and the library’s mission [2]. Additionally, sufficient training and continuing education opportunities and resources are available to employees within all the units to ensure continuous efforts toward professional development.
Library
Library employees (both faculty and staff) are required to meet or exceed the minimal educational or experience standards as required in the job description for each position. Both librarians and library support staff are encouraged to participate in continuing education and professional development activities to maintain proficiency and develop new skills.
The number of faculty and staff within the Newton Gresham Library are provided below:
| Library Employees | |
|---|---|
| Position Type | Number |
| Librarians (tenure-track faculty positions) | 19 |
| Librarians (clinical faculty positions) | 2 |
| Professional Staff | 2 |
| Classified Staff (full-time) | 22 |
| Classified Staff (part-time) | 7 |
| Student Assistants (full-time equivalent) | 13.6 |
Librarians
In accordance with the policy on terminal professional degrees for academic librarians from the Association of College and Research Libraries [3], the University recognizes a master’s degree from a program accredited by the American Library Association as the appropriate terminal degree for librarians. The degree requirement for librarians is stated in Academic Policy Statement (APS) 900417 (Faculty Reappointment, Tenure, and Promotion) [4] and APS 810814 (Tenets for Faculty Status for Academic Librarians) [5].
Beyond the minimal required academic credentials, more than one-third of the librarians also have additional graduate degrees in the subject discipline or technical area that they support. Additional required and preferred education or experience are outlined in the job description for each position. The following supervisory positions oversee the library operations and services. A curriculum vitae and job description are provided for each.
As faculty, librarians follow the faculty evaluation process and timeline as outlined in APS 900417 [4], APS 810814 [5], and APS 820317 (The Faculty Evaluation System) [6]. As prescribed by these general university policies, the library also developed specific evaluation criteria and competencies for librarians. The library-specific evaluation criteria and competencies [7] were developed by a librarian committee in 2004 and are reviewed regularly. The most recent comprehensive review and revision of the document was completed in October, 2014 [8].
Support Staff Employees
Support staff employees report to the supervisory librarians as described above. Many members of the library support staff have higher educational credentials than are required by the job description. In addition, a number of the employees are actively pursuing postsecondary degrees, including some who have taken advantage of the University’s Employee Education Assistance Program [9]. A sample of staff job descriptions is included in the documentation [10]. Copies of the job descriptions are sent to Human Resources and a file is maintained in the Office of the Director of Library Services. Staff positions are reviewed and upgraded as needed. Staff members are evaluated annually by their supervisors following the University’s staff performance appraisals procedures [11].
Library Employee Professional Development
The library administration is dedicated to continuous training and professional development of all library employees. Travel funds are available to librarians to attend professional meetings and workshops. Travel funds are available to staff for expanding their knowledge and skills. In addition, the library provides in-house training opportunities for professional development, and many library staff also attend the annual Professional Development Conference hosted by the University’s Staff Council. These activities include teleconferences and online classes from SirsiDynix (SIRSI, a vendor for the library’s integrated system), Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC), Amigos, Online Computer Library Center (OCLC), and the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL). The number of workshops, training opportunities, and conferences attended by library faculty and staff is shown in the table below.
| Academic Year | Meetings/Conferences | Onsite/Online Trainings | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-17 | Librarian | 29 | 31 |
| Staff | 6 | 13 | |
| TOTAL | 35 | 44 | |
| 2015-16 | Librarian | 26 | 33 |
| Staff | 4 | 17 | |
| TOTAL | 30 | 40 | |
| 2014-15 | Librarian | 24 | 53 |
| Staff | 3 | 18 | |
| TOTAL | 27 | 71 |
Student Assistants
The library has also created a series of online training modules for student assistants in the Access Services unit in Blackboard, the University’s learning management system [12]. Parts of the module have also been made available to supervisors in other library units to improve student assistants’ knowledge and proficiency with the various classification systems for library materials [13].
Student Advising and Mentoring (SAM) Center
The Student Advising and Mentoring (SAM) Center advisors include current and retired SHSU faculty members, in addition to the professional advising and mentoring staff [14]. The faculty advisors are selected on the basis of their academic credentials and knowledge of advising procedures. The SAM Center has been recognized by the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) for making significant contributions to the improvement of academic advising [15]. The following academic administrators oversee the SAM Center operations and staff. A curriculum vitae and job description are provided for each.
| Position (Link to Job Description) | Name (Link to Vita) |
|---|---|
| Associate Vice Provost | Chris Maynard |
| Executive Director of Student Advising and Mentoring | Anne Theodori |
| Director of Advising Projects | John Jordan |
Academic Success Center (ASC)
The ASC Math Center employs an Assistant Director for STEM support services, who is responsible for strategic planning, policy development, and staffing. Staff include peer tutors, work study students, and graduate assistants from the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. Potential tutors must pass a quasi-quantitative/qualitative assessment, which is in addition to the University’s Human Resources student employee evaluation, before they may provide tutoring services. Although the recruitment pool is comprised of graduate and undergraduate STEM majors, the opportunity to serve as a tutor is open to the student body. During their tenure of employment, tutors are encouraged to participate in professional development opportunities provided by the center and/or third-party agencies. These certification courses, including College Reading & Learning Association (CRLA) certification, may be directly tied to wage increases. The goal of the center is to have all tutors attain level one CRLA certification within their first year of employment.
The ASC Writing Center includes an Assistant Director, Graduate Assistant tutors, and undergraduate tutors. The Writing Center Graduate Assistant tutors are graduate students employed from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences from such programs as English and Psychology. The Writing Center undergraduate tutors are employed from all colleges and must have a 3.0 GPA. The center employs 5-10 Graduate Assistant tutors and 15-25 undergraduate tutors at any given time.
The following academic administrators oversee the ASC operations and staff.
| Position (Link to Job Description) | Name (Link to Vita) |
|---|---|
| Associate Vice Provost | Chris Maynard |
| Executive Director, ASC | Mary Catherine Breen |
| Director of ASC-The Woodlands Center ( Writing Center) | Walter Barnes |