The University of California Libraries: A Plan for Development (1977)

IX. Staffing 145
such program, which would provide for voluntary rotation of employees
not only among departments within a campus system but between different
campuses. This and similar programs will provide a broad base of
experience to such employees, open up expanded career opportunities,
enhance communication among libraries and help develop a Universitywide
sense of community. Course work required for re-training should of
course be fully reimbursed, and financial support should also be provided
for job-related education and training.
Finally, the cumulative effect of the proposed staffing in financial
terms should be noted. Since staff costs will no longer rise at
the same rate, there is a double or compound savings. In 1976 dollars,
the projected annual savings amounts to almost $14,000,000 by 1987/88,
and a cumulative total over the next 10 years of over $76,000,000.
In addition, salary increases will not of course be needed for staff
not hired, so the total projected savings may be several times this
amount.
In summary, for staffing the plan recommends:
1) That the practice of increasing staff in proportion to
increases in acquisitions be abandoned, at least for the time span of
the plan, and that the increased level of acquisitions recommended in
Chapter VIII be processed with the use of automated systems, and without
additional staff;
2) That staff in the public services area (including reference
and circulation) be increased in proportion to increases in enrollment,
as in the past;
3) That the public service staff of the libraries also be
augmented by staff savings in technical processing areas, in order to
accommodate the expected increase in the use of the libraries, and to
improve intercampus and intersegmental use of library resources;
4) That continued study be given to the development of an
allocation formula to assure equitable distribution of staff in all
categories among the campuses; and
5) That positive and imaginative retraining programs be
developed for those personnel who transfer from one type of activity
to another, and that employee development programs in general be
strengthened.