The Observation Deck

OBSERVERS – Since we are so close to the completion of Phase One, I thought it would be good to let everybody know where the project stands and also comment and perhaps put to bed several rumors regarding the status of the move.

First of all, I think it is important that the library patrons understand the recent lack of air conditioning at the main branch. We had originally hoped that it would be unnecessary to run the air conditioning prior to closing the Main branch, but the recent series of days in the 90s eliminated that hope.

Because the start-up costs for the air conditioning is in excess of $2,500 and the unit which is scheduled to be demolished during the original facility’s renovation was in need of additional repairs to make it operable, we felt that expending these monies would be unwise especially in view of the fact that the demolition which has begun in the original structure has already removed a substantial amount of the duct work. We certainly apologize for the lack of air conditioning, but it simply would not have been an economically wise decision to expend the funds necessary to fire up a unit that would have been ineffectual at best.

The main library will be closing on June 11th. There is a tremendous amount of work and effort which will be undertaken by our dedicated staff to see that all of the new shelving is properly erected and the huge quantities of materials moved into the new addition. We anticipate that all of the shelving and new furnishings will be installed and the move complete so that the Main library in the new addition can re-open on July 9th. I know that it is an inconvenience to all for the Main library to be closed, but there is certainly no way that all that needs to be done to prepare the addition for public use can be accomplished on a shorter time table.

We had entertained the idea of expending additional monies to hire private moving companies to accomplish the move, but upon investigation determined that our staff was fully capable of handling the transfers and this would not only save the cost of an independent mover but also provide work for our hourly employees who would otherwise be effected by the temporary closing.

The Gala which has been widely publicized is scheduled for June 23rd and the response by way of ticket sales has been very gratifying. This once in a lifetime event will provide additional non-public funds in order to assist in the procurement of public art for the new library.

There has been a recent rumor circulating regarding the impact of this temporary close to facilitate the move. Apparently, Plain Dealer reporter Molly Kavanaugh has been working on a story concerning this disruption of service and in that regards all of the Lakewood Public Library employees have received an anonymous letter which stated:

[i]Dear LPL Staff member,

As you know, recently, the library has told employees that during this time there will be limited work for all employees, and employees will not be paid while the library closes, unless they use their own vacation time. Since employees had no advance notice of this closing, many do not have vacation time to take, and even those who do are using tat the expense of their own personal plans, such as family vacations. The library is choosing not to layoff the employees, so the employees are not eligible for unemployment. The library already has the money for salaries budgeted, so the money is available to pay employees. Ken Warren has just chosen not to do so, without offering any explanation as to why. He claims he can’t pay people for not working but legally, he can. The library budget has to be approved by the school board at the beginning of the year, and the salary money is part of that budget. By what right does Ken Warren retain that money, and make the library staff bear the burden of the closing?

The dedicated employees of Lakewood Public Library already work for much lower salaries that employees of the other county libraries of the same caliber, and their best interest is often ignored by director Ken Warren and the library board of directors, but still they serve the public with remarkable dedication. They provide top notch customer service so that the library is held in high regard by Lakewood citizens, and the library has been repeatedly recognized by the Hennen library survey as one of the nation’s top library systems for services to the public. The employees, many members of the Lakewood community, worked tirelessly to promote, and get passed the levy which allowed the library to complete the expansion and renovation that now threatens their livelihood. This is a contemptuous, unethical, marginally legal, way to treat staff.

When the library is closed due to unforeseen circumstances such as a power outage, or snow emergency, library staff may be paid as through they worked since it was through no fault of their own that they were unable to perform their duties. Why should this be any different? The library has consistently been rigid with staff about sticking to assigned, odd schedules, and it is very rare indeed that an employee is able to change his or her schedule, but yet the library now expects employees to change their schedules, from night to days, from weekends to weekdays in order to work a few hours before the employees are locked out.

When the LPL decided to discontinue the cleaning contract they expected Maintenance workers to pick up that extra responsibility without extra pay, and now they expect us all to take the weight of the closing. Where is that money going? Why isn’t it going to staff? The library has always been rigid about holding employees to their expectations, and they show no respect for employees by paying them lower than most library staffs, and consistently splitting open shifts, so that the majority of employees are part time and not able to increase their hours, but this is the ultimate degradation. After employees tirelessly campaigned for the levy, they will be left out in the cold by the library.

The library has the money to pay employees and is choosing not to do so, and the employees themselves have, through their dedication to customer service encouraged the Lakewood public to vote for the levy. Staff campaigned for the levy, made this expansion possible, and thus, should ethically be treated with the respect of being paid the salaries to which they have budgeted their lives.

One of the reasons the library will be closed for so long, and staff will not be paid, is so that the Friends of the LPL can hold a Gala event before shelving is put up, thus delaying construction until after the Gala and the reopening and payment of staff. To add insult to injury, staff are not invited to the event. They may only come if they purchase tickets, starting $100 a piece. This will be a little difficult for employees who haven’t been paid for a month. The money from the Gala will raise funds for public art within the new building. A worthy cause, but does it supercede the need to pay employees? Do you think the Friends know and accept how employees are being treated?

On top of these unethical practices, the Library’s leadership in the form of Ken Warren and Kim Sereft ­Paras show such contempt for any dissention or feedback, that employees who are devastated by how this will affect their livelihoods and families have no opportunity to even express dissention for fear of retribution. Hence, the anonymous letter I am sending you. The public recently began to express outcry over the conditions in which employees are working since Mr. Warren decided that “It’s not worth if to turn on the air conditioningâ€Â

Fiduciary responsibilites aside, an employer does not need to sign off on a layoff notification for their employees to collect unemployment when work is not provided to them through no fault of their own.

As I understand it, in Ohio, it is the responsibility of the employer to pay unemployment insurance. And it is the right of the employees who are not receiving their hours, to receive unemployment payments until that work is once more available.

People who do not have a lot of money in the first place cannot handle a month without their regular income. Sacrifice for the greater good is one thing - no milk in refrigerator is another.

It is not necessary for said employer to issue formal layoff notices - if their is no work and no pay - that person is not employed. Anyone who does not receive their normal work hours (who work at least 20 hours a week) should apply for unemployment.

I think it is sad that employees are told that they have to use their vacation time (which is supposed to be a benefit) instead of drawing unemployment.

on a positive note, Detroit Ave is back to being two lanes on both sides and I had the pleasure of not having to weave through cones for the first time in a while.

The library looks great, and I'll be spending tons of time in the library this fall. It's a great thing to have for anyone, whether in pre-school, elementary, middle, high school or college or if you are an adult and enjoy to read.

Frankly, I'm shocked.

This is not what I would have expected from the library director and the foundation.

I agree with the letter writer that it was handled poorly and the actions are in complete disregard of the employee's well-being.

Were I an employee of the library, I would use my "time off" to seek employment elsewhere. My value to the organization has been made perfectly clear.

For all your forward thinking Mr Warren, you blew this. This is no way to treat staff.

Ms. O'Malley:

Much library work is materials handling and moving, and part of our job duties. Two employees expressed to a manager they did not wish to do this work. It's work that needs to be done: either by employees, or out-sourced to a mover.

The library will be closed; many employees will be working. At Madison Branch, on children's outreach at community sites. As my letter indicated, every effort is being made to assign work during the period of the move.

In fact, according to the most recent report, there is only one full-time employee, coming back from family medical leave, who will use 11.5 hours of unpaid leave time.

The ten or so hourly student pages, who work between 9-15 hours per work, are the group most effected. But it is an exaggeration to suggest all these hourly employees will not have an opportunity to work for this period.

Any employees who have unemployment claims, may file for one.

There is one additional logistical point.

I expect to obtain a certificate of occupancy on 6/13. It is only after that time that equipment and shelving can be installed. Only then can shelves be delivered. From 6/18-6/22 the non-fiction shelves are being built. Hence there is no place to put books, therefore no work.

Again, the tech center and CYS programming were moved to Madison Branch in order to keep services as in tact as possible and to provide meaningful work for employees.

Don’t blame the Foundation. The Gala is scheduled for the weekend that follows this critical week.

An opportunity to work a post-Gala clean-up is available.

Kenneth Warren
Director
Lakewood Public Library

Concerning using staff to move materials. I have been involved in many library moves. The 2 moves that chose to use staff instead of qualified movers had many problems. Once the moves using staff started, it became apparent that the task was not as easy as it seemed. Moving a library efficiently requires experience in planning the move. It is easy to determine that staff can carry that piece of furniture, but it is a different matter to know when or why to move that piece of furniture. Then there is accountability. If an expensive piece of furniture is damaged, (very common, especially with inexperienced movers), a qualified moving companies insurance will cover damages. Using a moving company is, I'm sure expensive, so it is up to those in charge to determine if using staff actually lead to savings. So, I guess what I am rambling about, is that I think using staff to move a library should considered very carefully, there is quite the down side to it. Robert

Mr. Bobik:

The movement of materials is primarily books - packing, unpacking and shelving.

We have moved collections due to renovation before, with considerable success.

Furnishings and shelves will be new, for the most part, delivered and installed by professionals.

We have been using Dussault Movers, a Lakewood firm, to handle the big items.

Kenneth Warren
Director
Lakewood Public Library

Not that my opinion matters, but that sounds reasonable to me. Moving a library is much more involved than many people realize.
Can't wait to see the results!. Thanks, Robert

Mr. Bobik:

I do appreciate the expression of your concern and the opportunity the LO Deck provides us to communicate.

As you understand from your experience there are literally at least a million objects or more in library project of this kind.

Lakewood Public Library is very, very fortunate with the staff and volunteers who work together to make great and complex things happen.

And it's easy to overlook the contributions of staff and volunteers at a once-in-a-life-time busy time.

I should note that Paul Dimmick, a trustee and President of the Friends, and a man with many logistical talents has helped enormously through this process, enlisting and coordinating the efforts of Boy Scout, church volunteers and friends.

There is a great DIY civic spirit in Lakewood, and Lakewood Public Library benefits greatly from the efforts of engaged citizens and friends.

I do my best to exercise reason, and to honor and respect the capacity of volunteers and staff in project zones that are appropriate. When the project zone demands professional service, I make the call.

Thanks again.

Kennet Warren
Director
Lakewood Public Library

I only have one teeny-weeny suggestion for the library, though it's too late ... when Cleveland Heights closed down their main library a few years ago for complete gutting and renovation (and expansion), they rented an unused building in Cleveland Heights to operate as a temporary branch and home for their books during the transition ... which actually worked out pretty darn well, though it was cramped. But here was the neat thing, and the crux of my suggestion. Several months before the 'big move' was scheduled to take place, they sent out fliers to everyone in Cleveland Heights, inviting them to come in and take out as many books as they wanted, and gave them a special extended checkout period (I think it was a month or six weeks ... to cover the period of time for the transition. So people showed up and took out tons of books, and there were much less books for the staff to box up and cart away, and then when it was time to return the books, no one had to go to the Cleveland Heights-University Heights branch to return their books, but to the temporary main library, so it made for a minimum of disruption in services, less books to cart, and more time for people to enjoy more books during the transition.

When I took out some books today, I wondered aloud why that wasn't done in this transition, and the librarian looked at me flabbergasted and said, "what a great idea, I wish we had thought of it!"

Though I guess it's too late!

that said, the Heights library was great, but I do thoroughly enjoy the Lakewood library, and I'm always amazed at some of the books that are in the collection here. However ... I do still wish the checkout period would be extended to three weeks, rather than two. But I'm sure there's studies, surveys, or other reasons why it is not that way.

Does the move entail primarily moving materials from one section of the library to new sections of the same building?

Mr. Endress and Mr. Warren,

The Lakewood Public Library, represented by its board and director, seems to be the only public institution in Lakewood that understands how to use the Observer and Observation Deck to communicate positively and effectively.

Thanks for the rational explanations of sophisticated planning in the public interest. I appreciate the first hand dialog with real people that have real names on this forum. This is a unique and powerful portal to information for the public good.

City Hall and the Schools should take a lesson.

Thanks again for your efforts, and thanks for sharing here.

Steve

Mr. Dawson:

I appreciate the suggestion.

I know Steve Wood, library director, very well, along with the methods, situation and the rationale in Cleveland Heights. In fact we spend hours conversing over many library issues and sharing experience and insight.

First, in Lakewood, we estimated the cost of setting up a temporary space in Lakewood, assuming one was available. That would have been one million dollars.

Given the opportunity we had to phase the project, with the RAMSA design team, we believed those dollars would be better spent on the construction materials, finishes and furnishings that would have a lasting impact. When you see the finished product, I hope you will discern a qualitative difference, which is quite apparent to me already.

The CH-UH idea you are suggesting would be more useful if the duration and situation here actually involved having to box and move books from a remote location back to the new library. That makes good sense and provides good PR.

In Lakewood, the move of materials during the particular phase in question here is primarily non-fiction books, the largest portion of the collection, from one portion of the site to another.

The process for these materials will only involve book carts and staff.
Quite simply, books will be moved in order on book carts from the old-non-fiction to the new non-fiction shelves.

A hole will be cut into a wall between the old to the new building, through which staff will roll book trucks.

Again, I thank you for sharing and hope these details are satisfactory to your inquiry and respectful of your input.

Kenneth Warren
Director
Kenneth Warren

Ken/Jeff

I would like to applaud your efforts of taking this public intitution into the light of day. This thread is exactly what we had hoped for many if not all public intitiutions when this project was started.

ALL Public Insututions using this FREE transperency to get informaiton out.

Thanks for the support and they help.

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It appears the source of the Anonymous Letter violated the library’s performance management system accountability - “protects confidential data;â€Â