VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY

Library Technical Services

Jan. 11, 2001

To: Susan Bell

Suzanne Bell

Karen Pillow

Dennis Sauls

Chris Waldrop

From: Roberta Winjum, Coordinator of Technical Services

The Technical Services Workflow Task Force would like to ask each of you to serve on a Materials Routing Task Force, to look at how books, journals, and other materials flow through the Baker Mailroom to various areas throughout the libraries. As the starting point for technical processing, we feel that the Baker Mailroom is a good starting place for workflow improvements.

Your charge is to thoroughly review current materials receiving, sorting, and routing procedures, identify any areas where the procedures need improvement, and make recommendations for how the procedures could be improved. You may consult with other staff within and outside of Tech Services as needed to meet this charge. Your recommendations for improvements may include suggestions for changes that would impact the work in other tech services areas, although the focus should be on Mailroom-related activities. I would like to ask that your focus be on the work and how it can be improved, rather than on any specific staff members. I encourage you to be innovative as you think about how the procedures could be changed.

I have asked the five of you based on recommendations from your supervisors. You all have close ties to materials receipt and routing, although your experience is varied. You have been chosen to represent not just the Mailroom, but also the rest of Order Services, Cataloging and Preservation teams. Chris Waldrop has agreed to serve as chair of the task force.

We would like to see your recommendations no later than April 15, 2002 if possible. They should be submitted to members of the Technical Services Workflow Task Force (Zora Breeding, Sue Davis, Mary Ellen Wilson, and Roberta Winjum). We will be responsible for the final decision, dissemination, and implementation of any changes. As the Workflow Task Force reviews and disseminates your recommendations and receives staff feedback, we will take responsibility for the recommendations as if they were our own, so that you can suggest changes that might be controversial and know that you have our support.

One important point I wish to make: Although the Workflow Task Force believes that there are significant improvements that we can make right now in materials routing, we are also aware that future workflow changes in other areas are likely to impact materials routing. Therefore, it is possible that we might reactivate the Materials Routing Task Force at some future date, even after your initial assignment is completed.

If you do not wish to serve on the task force please let me know. Otherwise, Chris should be in touch with you about scheduling your first meeting. The Workflow Task Force would like to invite you to attend our next meeting, on January 24, in the Goldberg Room, GLB, to clarify any questions you might have. We will put you on our agenda for 10:00 that morning, unless we hear otherwise from you.

Thank-you very much.