growing quality public librarianship in singapore: the ... · 1. introduction to singapore and the...

All Rights Reserved, National Library Board Singapore

Growing Quality Public Librarianship in

Singapore: the Singapore Experience 提高公共图书馆员的专业素质：新加坡的经验分享

Tay Ai Cheng

郑爱清

Assistant Chief Executive & Chief Librarian

National Library Board Singapore

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Ou

r ag

en

da

1. Introduction to Singapore and the

National Library Board

2. Challenges facing public libraries

3. Profile of NLB’s libraries & public library staff

4. Importance of training

5. Singapore public librarians’ training and development plan

6. Conclusion

纲要

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All Rights Reserved, National Library Board Singapore 3

A li

ttle

bit

ab

ou

t Si

nga

po

re

关于新加坡


Total population: 5 million

Population density: 7,257 per sq km

Land area: 714 sq km

A li

ttle

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ab

ou

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nga

po

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关于新加坡

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Vision

Readers for Life, Learning

Communities, Knowledgeable

Nation

Mission

Through our libraries, we make knowledge come

alive, spark imagination and

create possibilities

Nat

ion

al L

ibra

ry B

oar

d

国家图书馆管理局

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Chairman

NLB

NLB Board

IT Advisory Committee

Public Library

Advisory Committee

National Library

Advisory Committee

HR Steering

Committee

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Nat

ion

al L

ibra

ry B

oar

d

国家图书馆管理局


Organisation Chart

组织结构图

Corporate

Development

& Relations

National

Library

Public Library

Services Group

Resource

Discovery

and

Manageme

nt

Technology

&

Innovation

Organisational

Resources &

Resilience

Chairman,

NLB

CE, NLB

Library

Services

Development

Library

Services

Management

Northern

Region

Western

Region Eastern

Region Central

Region

Reading

Initiatives

Public Libraries

Services

Central

Eastern Zone

Northern

Western Zone

PLS Corporate

& Development

Services

Library Collection

Management

Services


CHALLENGES AT THE PUBLIC LIBRARIES 公共图书馆面临的挑战与对策

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New needs of public

群众的新需求

A convergence of various types of literacies relevant to reading,

writing, interaction and culture across various physical, digital, and

technological platforms

Need to develop relevant library services that satisfy the

transliterate library customer of the future

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Increased usage & engagement of customers at the libraries

图书馆使用量和读者参与度的攀升

• Singapore public libraries experience an increase in loans, visitorship, outreach, advisory, programming.

• However there is no increase in staffing numbers to cope with the increase in workload, due to budget constrains.

2005 2010 Increase

Loans per library 1,361,710 1,510,202 11%

Visitorship per library 1,363,449 1,580,085 16%

Programmes & Outreach activities per library

232 317 37%

Reference enquiries handled per library

749 1,301 74%


FY % Satisfied (Top

2 Boxes)

FY09 93.5

FY10 95.3

FY11 95.8

• People are more satisfied with libraries BUT they also have higher expectations of our services

Increased expectation of library service by customers

读者对服务水平有更高的期望


Staff challenges: Bridging the Gaps 挑战：缩小差距

PEOPLE

• Committed & passionate • Over stretched with dev and operational work

•Limited staff development

PROCESSES • ISO certified • Numerous checklists • A lot of time spent on complicated processes

ORGANISATION • Caring and staff oriented •Focus on quantitative KPIs

•Resource Issues •Lack of clarity between jobs, misaligned job titles, norms for job levels

PEOPLE

• Happy & Satisfied Staff • Competent staff trained in required skills

•Recognised and Valued

PROCESSES

• Effective processes encouraging responsibility and accountability

• Effective service delivery matched by job sizing

•Do away with unneccessary processes

ORGANISATION

•Focus on staff development & quantitative key performance indicators

• Clarity in job scopes • Reflective Job Titles • Structured Job rotation

Current situation Desired situation


PROFILE OF NLB’S PUBLIC LIBRARIES & STAFF 公共图书馆与员工概况

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In 2011, Singapore public libraries reached out to 36million visitors

2011年，新加坡公共图书馆共吸引了3千6百万人次造访

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CSPL

QUPL

WRL

TPPL

CCKPL

JRL

AMPL

BIPL

BPPL

BBPL

CMPL

JWPL

PRPL

BMPL

CTPL

SRPL

YIPL SBPL

TRL

BEPL

MPPL GEPL

EPPL Regional Libraries

Midsized Libraries

Mall Libraries

SKPL

Wid

e r

eac

h o

f lib

rari

es

普及化的公共图书馆服务

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We operate 7 days a week 我们每周开放7天

• 24 public libraries

-- From 10am to 9pm (Regional & midsized libraries)

-- From 11am to 9pm (Mall libraries)

-- Closed on public holidays

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Wid

e r

eac

h o

f lib

rari

es

普及化的公共图书馆服务


Three-tiered public library system 三类型公共图书馆

Regional Library

Three- tiered Library System

Mall library

Midsized library

• Collection of 400,000 to 500,000

• Advisory counters

• Exhibition & programme spaces

• Large seating capacity

• Collection of 150,000 to

200,000

• Minimal programme

spaces

• Pick & Go concept

• Collection of

250,000 to 300,000

• Limited exhibition

& programme

spaces

• Some seating

capacity

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SKPL

Organisation of Public Libraries into 4 regions that support each other

将公共图书馆区分为四大区域相互辅助

CSPL

QUPL

WRL

TPPL

CCKPL

JRL

AMPL

BIPL

BPPL

BBPL

CMPL

JWPL

PRPL

BMPL

CTPL

SRPL

YIPL SBPL

TR

L BEPL

MPPL GEPL

EPPL

Regional Libraries Midsized Libraries Mall Libraries

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Regional Library

区域图书馆

8 Professional librarians

16 Support staff

TOTAL: 24 Staff

Midsized Library

中型图书馆

5 Professional librarians

10 Support staff

TOTAL: 15 Staff

Mall Library 商场型图书馆

No professional

librarians

9 Support staff

TOTAL: 9 Staff

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Staf

fin

g n

um

be

rs in

pu

blic

lib

rari

es

公共图书馆的人员编制


Org

anis

atio

n o

f P

ub

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ibra

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rou

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公共图书馆服务组织结构


GCE N levels Lowest level entry staff

Ref level 7-9 Team Leader

Diploma level 1 - 5 years of experience

Ref level 10 Library Officer

Ref level 11 Senior Library Officer

Diploma level 5 - 10 yrs of experience

Diploma level > 10 yrs of experience

Ref level 12 Head Library Officer

Graduate level 0-3 yrs experience

Ref level 13-14 Associate librarian

Ref level 15-16 Librarian/ Manager

Ref level 17-18 Senior Librarian/ Snr Manager

Graduate level 5-8 yrs experience

Graduate level >8 yrs experience

Composition of staff at a public library 公共图书馆员工


Org

anis

atio

n o

f P

ub

lic L

ibra

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rou

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Masters & above 19%

Degree holders

26% Diploma holders

27%

Other non-tertiary

qualifications 28%

Education qualification of staff

in public libraries

员工学历


22

19-29yrs 34%

30-39yrs 27%

40-49yrs 16%

50-59yrs 20%

Above 60yrs

3%

<1 yr 21%

1-2yr 28% 3-4yr

20%

5-9yr 14%

>10yr 17%

Length of service for public library staff

Age range of staff in public libraries

Org

anis

atio

n o

f P

ub

lic L

ibra

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rou

ps


员工年龄段

员工服务年资

All Rights Reserved, National Library Board Singapore 23/38

Undertaking staff coaching

and management

• Ensuring service standards are adhered to and overseeing

vendor management of shelfreaders, security guards and

cleaners

• Being the interface and primary decision-maker with various

support divisions

Setting up community

partnerships and engagement

Writing and

presenting papers

at multi-platforms

Chairing Meet-The-Customer Sessions

A day in the life of a library manager 图书馆经理的一天


A day in the life of a public librarian 图书馆员的一天

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Writing reviews

Hosting class visits Conducting

children’s

programmes Conducting

library

workshops

Facilitating

book clubs

Doing outreach

Providing advisory

services


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Work that public library staff also do 公共图书馆员工的其他任务……

Conduct user education

Mass borrowing at schools

Backroom duties

Customer service counters


1. It is a means to radically

enhance the workforce

productivity and improve

employee retention

2. Survey showed that staff feel that training is just as important a consideration as salary and staff benefits

3. Research shows that 95%

staff felt that their career

prospects were improved when they are given

training

4. Training keeps industries competitive by ensuring that workers have

up-to-date skills.

Importance of training for staff 进行培训的重要性

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NLB won the People Excellence Award 2010 for HR excellence

国家图书馆管理局获得新加坡“人力卓越奖”

• By putting in place a strong mandate for organizational excellence via training, NLB was able to ensure that its staff had the ‘passion to learn and heart to serve the community’.

• The NLB librarian is distinguished by having an inquisitive, creative mind which can help ‘translate our knowledge into services to serve our customers better’

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Informal training 非正式培训 On the job training Buddy scheme Mentoring

Formal training 正式培训 individual training plan Professional development programme

Public librarians go through 公共图书馆馆员需参与

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NLB

’s t

rain

ing

sch

em

es

培训方案


On-the-job training 在职培训 Usually for new or transferred staff Supervisor of staff will be responsible for training Check-list is issued to trainee to keep track of what’s being learnt

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Info

rmal

tra

inin

g

非正式培训

The new

librarians

assist the

more

experience

librarian in

engaging the

children

during a

storytelling

session.


Buddy scheme 伙伴计划 Assigned fellow staff to look after new staff for 6 months Help to orientate new staff to working culture and norms

Mentoring

指导型管理 Informally done

Chief executive hosts regular chats with

promising staffers

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Info

rmal

tra

inin

g

非正式培训


Example: Getting staff ready for the digital lending service 在“出借电子设备”服务推行前，进行培训 • In June 2012, a service to loan out

eReading devices (iPads, kindles & playaways) to the public was started.

• Staff were placed on rotation prior to the launch of the service to learn how to use the equipment themselves.

• A “train-the-trainer” approach was used: Experienced staff were made to share their knowledge with the less experienced staff on the use of digital devices.

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Workshop for seniors on using iPads


Individual training plan 个人培训计划 Crafted at the beginning of the year between staff and supervisor Mapped against staff’s developmental areas for improvement Includes evaluation by supervisor after the course to ascertain that staff has demonstrated enough evidence to show what they have learnt

Professional Development Programme 专业发展计划 Specially designed courses by the NLB Academy to help boost up knowledge of new librarians on the practical aspects of librarianship Usually taught by senior librarians 32/38

Form

al t

rain

ing

正式培训


Job rotation

岗位轮换机会 Allows staff to experience new areas of work Staff can rotate to new areas after 2-3 years of work in one section Progression based on experience is also factored

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Pro

fes

sio

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evelo

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rog

ram

me

专业发展计划


Career Progression and Job Rotation Track for Public Librarians 职业发展与岗位轮换路线

RL 17 – 18 (7 years and

above)

RL 15 – 16 (5 – 7 years in service Rotational

basis

RL 14 – 15

(3 – 4 years in service)

RL 13 – 14

(0 - 2 years in service)

Generalist

Childrens

Services

Youth

Services

Adult

Services

Branch Manager

Senior Manager Services

Leadership Track

RH Operations

Head

Service Head Services Head

Specialist Track

Senior Librarian Principal Librarian

Service Innovation

Programming

Seniors

Services

Language

Services


Exposure to management meetings 接触管理层会议 Assign librarians to be minute-takers Allows them an inside to how decision making happens at the senior management levels

Opportunities to attend overseas conferences 参与国际研讨会 Sponsor librarians to attend overseas library

conferences

Network and interact with other librarians 35/38

Pro

fes

sio

nal D

evelo

pm

en

t P

rog

ram

me

专业发展计划


Appraisal process

评估的过程 Conducted as part of the performance management Beginning of the work year: Planning document Includes key result areas and deliverables to be met Mid-year appraisal is done at the 6th month mark Final year appraisal is done Usually involves staff and the reporting officer and department manager

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Pe

rfo

rman

ce a

pp

rais

al

of

sta

ff

员工的绩效评估


Future plans 未来计划

• Improving the service excellence culture in public libraries

– Front line staff engagement

– Having dedicated staff to provide more focus to different areas of services e.g. a pool of dedicated public librarians set aside to serve schools

• Equip librarians with skillsets to deal with the digital natives on social media channels

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Contact:

[email protected] 郑爱清

National Library Board 100 Victoria Street #14-01, Singapore 188064

Thank you

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