Faculty and Professional Staff Handbook

Policy and Procedure

The Policy and Procedure set out hereunder shall apply to full-time librarians and part-time librarians with more than three (3) years service who (a) are employed in regular, recurrent positions, (b) work at least half of a full load, and (c) are employed on either a one-year contract or on at least a second half-year contract occurring during any two (2) consecutive academic years.

I. Criteria

A. Professional performance

B. Professional growth

C. Potential contributions to the Library and the University with respect to present and future programs.

A. Professional performance

Librarians are evaluated on their effectiveness in their performance of professional responsibilities including, but not necessarily limited to, their specific work assignments. Evaluation of professional performance should be based, in part, on objectives previously established between the candidate and the person who directs the candidate’s work. These performance objectives shall be subject to the approval of the Associate Vice President of Library Services and Information Technology.

B. Professional Growth

1. Scholarly achievement is indicated by relevant course work, or the pursuit and/or the attainment of an advanced degree, or scholarly writing, and other related endeavors as applied to the performance of professional Library personnel.
   
   
2. Professional activities include participation in professional and scholarly organizations, attendance at workshops, conferences and seminars and other related activities.
   
   
3. Contributions to the Library, the University and the community include service on committees, special assignments, community service and/or other activities which contribute to the purposes and functions of the University, in relation to the community which it serves.

C. Potential Contribution to the Library and the University with Respect to Present and Future Programs.

II. Evaluation Process

A. Library Retention and Promotion Committee

The Library Retention and Promotion Committee shall be comprised of five librarians included in the negotiations unit, and elected by such librarians. Members of the Committee shall be tenured or serving on multi-year contracts. The manner of election of the Committee shall be set forth in the bylaws of the Library consistent with this document, and shall provide for balanced representation within the Library.

B. Documents

All written materials submitted by the candidate, the professional service record and documents generated in the reappointment process shall be included in the reappointment folder. These materials will ultimately be placed in the candidate’s personnel file. The librarian being evaluated shall review and sign all performance evaluations as well as the summary evaluation which the Library Personnel Committee shall prepare. The summary evaluation shall be based on consideration of the criteria, the interview and the material in the reappointment folder. The librarians being evaluated shall be given an opportunity to respond in a timely fashion to all items in the reappointment folder. Any written response supplied by the candidate shall become a part of the reappointment folder.

C. Persons Who Coordinate and/or Direct the Candidate’s Work

Each candidate shall be given a reappointment interview by his or her immediate supervisor, independent of the Library Personnel Committee evaluation and recommendation. The immediate supervisor shall prepare a brief summary of the interview which is to include a summary of the reasons supporting the supervisor’s recommendation. The individual candidate shall be given an opportunity to respond to the supervisor’s comments and recommendations.

Each candidate for reappointment will be afforded an opportunity to meet with other supervisors/directors who are in the employee’s direct chain of command. The purpose of this meeting shall be to discuss the candidate’s performance record.

The Associate Vice President of Library Services and Information Technology shall also meet with each candidate for reappointment. The Associate Vice President shall prepare a written recommendation and a summary of the reasons supporting same. This statement shall become a part of the record and the candidate shall have a reasonable opportunity to respond.

D. Presidential Review

If a candidate for reappointment has received a negative recommendation, or if it is the intention of the President not to recommend reappointment of the candidate, the candidate shall be given an opportunity to request an interview with the President. The purpose of this meeting shall be to give the candidate an opportunity to address the performance record. If a candidate requests such an interview, he or she shall have the option to invite other persons from the bargaining unit to attend the meeting. If the option to invite others to the meeting is exercised by the candidate, he or she shall so notify the President of this intention. Upon the exercise of such an option by the candidate, the President shall also have the right to include others of his or her choice in the meeting. The purpose of said interview shall be to afford the candidate a personal opportunity to comment on the record and/or to supply additional information prior to the President formulating his or her final recommendation to the Board of Trustees. The last date for requesting such an interview shall be announced.

Any Librarian who is a candidate for reappointment may submit to the Board of Trustees in writing new evidence or information or argumentation of inadequate consideration. The deadline for providing this information shall be announced.

E. Qualifications for Rank: Librarians

1. Librarian III: A Master’s degree in Library Science or its historical antecedent from a then ALA accredited library college. Previous professional library experience is desirable, but not required.
   
   
2. Librarian II: A Master’s degree in Library Science or its historical antecedent from a then ALA accredited library college and three years professional library experience. A second Master’s degree in another subject area and/or a reading competence in one foreign language are desirable, but not required.
   
   
3. Librarian I: A Master’s degree in Library Science or its historical antecedent from a then ALA accredited library school, a second Master’s degree in another subject area or ABD status in an approved doctoral program and five years professional library experience, with demonstrated and/or potential administrative and coordinating ability. Reading competence in one foreign language is desirable, but not required. A minimum of five additional years professional library experience may be considered in substitution for the second Master’s degree or ABD status in an approved doctoral program depending upon the quality of the experience.
   
   
4. The requirement for a Master’s degree in Library Science or its historical antecedent from a then ALA accredited library school may be met by substituting a Master’s degree in a related field relevant to an individuals’ duties. The Library Personnel Committee, where appropriate, may consider and make recommendations on whether such other Master’s degrees should be so substituted.

Nota Bene

The William Paterson University Library has an established, and long-standing, practice of requiring a second master’s degree as a condition to receiving tenure. The latter requirement does not preclude the Personnel Committee, in specific cases, from recommending that the requirement of a second master’s degree be waived.