The Jean and Alexander Heard Library currently employs more than 220 staff. In an organization of this size, it is important to develop formal ways to recognize and reward staff for excellent performance. To address this need, the University Librarian has established a merit pool to provide additional salary funds for staff who make substantial contributions to the work of the library over the previous year.

ACORN AWARD
INNOVATION/CREATIVITY AWARD
MERIT POOL PROGRAM

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The University and Medical Center provide additional avenues for staff recognition through their annual service award programs. Library staff are included in these University-wide programs, and the library also hosts a reception for service award recipients each year.

In addition to these programs, members of the Staff Development Coordinating Committee perceived a need for a peer recognition and reward program for library staff who exceed expectations in the performance of their job responsibilities. Upon surveying staff development programs in libraries around the country, we found that many libraries have instituted such programs and describe them as vital to their staff development efforts. The successful programs we reviewed shared the following features:

• All staff were allowed to participate- both in being eligible for awards and in nominating other staff.
• Procedures for nomination were clear and did not require elaborate documentation.
• Rewards themselves did not need to be expensive or elaborate, but be of both symbolic and material value.

In many cases, a second award program was also established. This was a more formal award, judged by a committee, given to a very limited number of staff who made special or significant contributions.

As a result of considering these and other factors, the committee is recommending two additional recognition programs--the Acorn Award and the Innovation/Creativity Award. These two programs would also be avenues by which staff can be nominated for Special Merit Awards. The committee feels strongly that in addition to supervisor recommendations, peer nominations should play a part in the Special Merit Awards process. The committee recommends a one-year trial of these two programs.

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Acorn Award

The Acorn Award is designed as a peer based recognition process allowing for the spontaneous and informal expression of appreciation for exceptional service. Exceptional service is defined as a job-related activity demonstrating a staff member's willingness to go beyond everyday activities and expectations. Consistent, high-level performance by a staff member will qualify a staff member to receive an Acorn Note. Features of the Acorn Award are noted below.

• Recognition comes in the form of "Acorn Notes."
• Any regular or term staff member is eligible to give or receive an Acorn Note. A letter from a library patron or vendor may also be substituted for an Acorn Note.
• Acorn Notes will be designed by the Staff Development Coordinating Committee and will specify required information such as date and details of service activity for use in evaluation for future rewards. (see below).
• There is no limit to the number of Acorn Notes that can be given. A staff member may accumulate as many Acorn Notes as she/he wishes. If the staff member receives 10 Acorn Notes, she/he becomes eligible to receive a porcelain Acorn. If the staff member chooses to receive the porcelain Acorn, she/he must present the 10 Acorn Notes to the Library Personnel Officer for review. The Library Personnel Officer, who is also the Chair of the Staff Development Coordinating Committee, will then review the notes to make sure that all required information is present, (See attached example "Acorn Note.") They may also ask for additional clarification if necessary. Once the 10 notes pass review, the staff member will receive a porcelain Acorn at the annual Library Service Award program. Staff may accumulate notes over more than one year, but may receive only one porcelain Acorn each fiscal year. Redeemed Acorn Notes would be marked so that the staff member may keep them along with the porcelain Acorn. See attached for Acorn Note criteria.
• Upon receipt of a porcelain Acorn, a staff member's name is then entered into the pool of candidates for the Special Merit Award. Information from the 10 Acorn Notes required to receive the porcelain Acorn serve as documentation for the committee to review in its deliberations. The award may be announced in the Staff Newsletter if the recipient desires.
• The distribution of porcelain Acorns, and the maintenance of records relating to the Acorn Award Program will be the responsibility of the Library Personnel Office.
• A supply of Acorn Notes will be kept in all divisions, Resource Services, Special Collections, and in the Library Personnel Office, GLB, Room 207.
• Completed Acorn Notes may be given directly to the recipient, left at a service point, or mailed (in envelopes provided) to the Library Personnel Office, GLB, Room 207.
• Acorn Notes may be given for exceptional service rendered from January 1, 1999 forward.

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Review Criteria for Porcelain Acorns

1. All requested information must be provided on the Acorn Notes (see attached).
2. One Acorn Note per occasion will be awarded with the opportunity for more than one person to participate in the awarding of an Acorn Note. For example, a staff member making an exceptional presentation to a group might receive one Acorn Note signed by several people rather than multiple Notes for the same presentation.
3. Ten validated Acorn Notes entitle the recipient to receive one porcelain Acorn and be added to the pool of nominees for the Special Merit Awards. His/her name will be forwarded by the Library Personnel Office to the Special Merit Award Committee for consideration for a merit award.

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Examples of Acorn Notes

1. A patron requested a rush on a 1920 thesis that was not on Acorn. Even though it was close to the end of the day, Jane Doe tracked it down, and contacted several staff to rush the process, making the short deadline the patron requested.
2. A very angry patron insisted she had returned 4 books on which she was charged a fine. Sam Smith calmly began checking records and avoided further confrontation by reassuring the patron that the shelves would be rechecked. She calmed down and agreed to look again for the books. Sam’s unruffled demeanor defused the situation. He was not defensive nor condescending, and he resolved the situation to the patron’s satisfaction, calling her later to follow up with his findings.

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Innovation/Creativity Award

The purpose of this award is to reward staff innovation and creativity which results in improved library service for patrons and/or more efficient methods of performing internal library tasks. The Staff Development Coordinating Committee believes a need exists for encouraging and recognizing staff members who find ways to improve library service and the library environment.

Features of the Innovation/ Creativity Award are outlined below.

• Any regular or term staff member is eligible to receive or to nominate any other staff member for the award. A staff member may be nominated for more than one idea in any calendar year. Nominations can be retroactive to February 1, 1998 for the initial year of the program.
• To be considered for the award, an idea must have been successfully implemented as verified by signatures of the immediate supervisor and division director or unit head.
• A nomination form that includes a detailed description of the idea and benefits gained by the library must be completed by the nominator and signed by the supervisor and division director. (See form below)
• Nominations will be submitted to the Library Personnel Officer by division directors/unit heads.
• An award committee (to be appointed) will review the nominations, decide whether awards are warranted, and select the winner(s). Winner(s) will be elegible for a monetary award.
• All nominees will receive a certificate. Each winner will receive an individual plaque and have her/his name engraved on a permanent plaque that will be displayed for one year in a public area of the winner’s library. Plaques will be presented at the Library Service Award program.
• The Library Personnel Office will maintain records relating to this program. Blank nomination forms can be printed by clicking on the link below.

  Innovation/Creativity Award Nomination Form
  

  Microsoft Word (.doc) file
  

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Merit Pool Program

The Performance Evaluation Review Committee (PERC) looked into the system-wide merit pool and made final recommendations to the Library Management Council on January 21, 1998. Paul Gherman, University Librarian asked the Staff Development Coordinating Committee (SDCC) to devise a survey regarding the merit pool program. This survey was distributed to the Library staff members (excluding Biomedical Library) in January 2000. Below are the SDCC recommendations and Paul Gherman's conclusions regarding the Merit Pool program based on the staff-wide survey results on April 5, 2000.

• The Jean and Alexander Heard Libraries should implement a system-wide merit pool process to address specific equity issues and reward exceptional staff performance.
• Distribution of awards should be proportionate to the total exempt/non-exempt library staff population.
• The University Librarian should establish a merit award committee consisting of five members, three non-exempt and two exempt staff members. The University Librarian will be a voting member of the final selection committee. The The Library Personnel Officer will be ex officio; a non-voting member, serving as an advisor and an information source for the group when needed. The University Librarian will continue to appoint the members to the Committee, making sure to balance appoints among the divisions/departments.
• Each Division Director shall submit nominations for merit/equity pool consideration. There is no restriction regarding minimum or maximum number of nominees from each division. Each nomination shall include the nominee's current performance evaluation and a detailed letter of recommendation from the Division Director. SDCC has developed a form to provide Division Directors with uniform guidelines for providing information about nominees' contributions and qualifications for consideration for the award. See below to view the Merit Nomination Form.
• Staff will be eligible to be nominated for merit award after they complete their initial orientation period. The initial orientation period is three months for non-exempt staff members and six months for exempt staff members. This is consistent with other University policies which make employees eligible for certain opportunities and/or benefits only after they complete their initial orientation period.
• Staff will be eligible to receive an award in consecutive years, but a special statement will be required from the Division Director to explain the reason the person is being nominated again. The nomination form will ask if the employee has received a Merit Award in the previous year and will provide adequate space for a detailed explanation.
• The merit pool committee will determine the means by which the awards are allocated.
• In keeping with the philosophy that the merit awards process should be an open one, all recipients of merit awards will be published along with comments regarding their accomplishment(s) that qualified them for the award. Names of those receiving awards will continue to be published in the Library Staff Newsletter.
• The program will continue indefinitely, with periodic reviews and possible modifications as we continue to gain experience with the program.
  
  Merit Nomination Form
  
  Microsoft Word (.doc) file