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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Thank you all very much for your input!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Several people asked if I could pass along the comments I received about Policies for Community Service at the Library, so I am going to cut and paste responses below. Generally, it seems like most respondents do not have an actual policy. For several libraries, this is intentional to allow for flexibility and judgment calls. Others just never put it in writing. McComb Public Library was willing to share their policy, so I’ve attached it to this e-mail, too.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Four respondents said they do not accept Court-Appointed Community Service workers at all because of a combination of the hassles/bad past experiences.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>And here are some of the comments from those that do accept court-appointed community service:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:.5in'>“We really don't have a written policy. I usually interview the person to find out more about their crime and the type of work that they are able/willing to perform, as well as the number of hours that they need to work and the deadline by which the work must be completed. If it is a violent crime of any kind, I won't take them. Often, one of these issues precludes them from performing service at the library.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:.5in'>The court sometimes wants them to complete their service in a short amount of time, and I really don't need a volunteer for 30 hours per week. Sometimes, the volunteer thinks they are going to work 3 Saturdays and get everything done, and when they realize I usually want them for just a few hours per day max, they aren't interested.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:.5in'>You don't actually want to count on these people- they often stop showing up after a few days or don't show up at all.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:.5in'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:.5in'>In the past, I have had a particular staff member in charge of volunteers, and they worked with the volunteers to make a schedule, and they acted as the supervisor. I also make a point of telling the volunteer that it is their responsibility to give us any paperwork from the courts that we need to fill out, etc.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><i>“When someone asks to volunteer... the first thing we ask if it is court ordered. If so, we send them to our Facilities Supervisor. He then talks with them, and asks what their offense was (it's all public record anyway, so no need to worry about offending an offender). If the crime involved theft, anything against children, or anything sexual - they do not do their service with us. Most of our people are college kids caught for pot or underage drinking or other "minor" things. If our Facilities Supervisor decides that he wants to work with them, and if he has enough work for them to do to get their time in (we had folks who wanted to do 30 hours in 2 days... It is not our responsibility to make work for them to do, or alter our workflows), then he will schedule them. They clean, weed flower beds, water the lawn, dust shelves, pick rocks out of the lots, and tons of other things that we need to have done. Also, if they show up late or goof off - we just tell them to leave and do their hours elsewhere.”<o:p></o:p></i></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'>“We do ask about their violation, for our safety and our patrons. We schedule them during the day when the library is not as busy, normally having them clean or do outside work. I let them know ahead of time what their hours are and if they are late or do not show up then we do not allow them to come back. If their performance is not up to par we give them a verbal warning and then they are not to come back if it continues.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><i>“I make an appointment with the person and usually the court gives the person forms that need to be filled out along with a time sheet; I make copies of those to keep on file. When the person calls, I ask why there is court-mandated community service and our library will not have a person do service if it is theft-related or abuse-related. I have to be here to monitor the person so I schedule according to my work schedule and put on my department schedule. If the community service worker is a minor, I immediately call the probation officer in charge [if they do not show up/are late]; this information is noted on the court papers and is required. If it is an adult, I treat as employee. (At the appointment, I set the rules as library employee if the court has not set rules and if late, the person would get 1 more chance. If it is no show, the person is no longer a community service worker @ the library.) If they do not perform tasks correctly, then if minor, I monitor more closely and if it continues, I alert the court officer. (Usually the court officer will come in and meet with me and the minor and let him/her know the options.) If adult and the person has been trained to do a job, I tell the person not to come back and alert the court.<o:p></o:p></i></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><i><o:p> </o:p></i></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><i>I have been working with court-mandated community service workers for over 11 years and each case is very different. The library has no written policy so I have always worked with our director if there were any concerns. All the other supervisors are informed and help when and as needed.”<o:p></o:p></i></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><i><o:p> </o:p></i></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'>“I head up the Volunteer program here and that includes Community Service workers. I get the calls pertaining to mandatory community service. I take down their info including name, phone number, date of birth, number of hours needing to be completed, date court has required to be completed, & charge. We do not allow sex offenders to work here. Depending on the charge is where I will locate them in the library. Our job tasks are all the same with one exception. If there is a guy available and our maintenance/groundskeeper employee is needing help with groundswork, painting, moving boxes etc., then we will place him with our maintenance employee. We do not allow them to use any electrical or power tools. All others are cleaning off shelves by removing books, dusting off books and replacing them on shelves. We also have them use sanitizing wipes to wipe down all DVD cases in our AV room. I let them know up front that they can have 2-15 minute breaks and a ½ hour lunch. They are also informed that if they do not call and don’t show/be late then they lose the library as a worksite. As long as they call, I will reschedule them. If they have anger issues/domestic violence we have them work in the AV room where staff can see them. “<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><i>“I often have juveniles who have to do 10-20 hrs of community service at my library, since it is the only place that they can do so in our tiny village. When I receive the call from their parents or their probation officer, I ask as to what their 'crime' was. These crimes are usually unruly child, curfew, fighting, and/or property damage. If their crime was theft or anything harsh, I do not allow them to serve their time at the library. They then have to do so at the sheriff's department with whatever they ask.<o:p></o:p></i></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><i>They have two papers that they bring (and that I make copies of for my records and in case they lose theirs). One is an emergency contact/permission form signed by the parent(s) and the other is a log of their time served. This is filled in daily and signed by both the juvenile and myself, the supervisor. At the end of their services, I sign off on their paperwork again and they have to turn this in. If they do not or if they lose it, and this has happened, they have to serve their time all over again!<o:p></o:p></i></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><i>If their is any tardiness or absence, I report it to the probation officer. We do have a great probation officer in that she also has the juvenile pay any and all library fees or charges on their accounts before they are released from probation.<o:p></o:p></i></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><i>Some of the tasks that I have them do is:<o:p></o:p></i></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><i>1. Wash all tables and chairs in the meeting room and computer area.<o:p></o:p></i></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><i>2. Dust all shelves which they dread.<o:p></o:p></i></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><i>3. Vacuum, sweep, and mop all areas as needed.<o:p></o:p></i></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><i>4. Empty all trash cans.<o:p></o:p></i></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><i>5. Read book sections.<o:p></o:p></i></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><i>6. Weed the grounds.”<o:p></o:p></i></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Again, this information has been wonderfully helpful! Thank you so much, everyone!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Richelle<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Richelle Klug, <i><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Library Director</span></i><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>St. Clairsville Public Library<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>108 West Main Street<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>St. Clairsville, OH 43950<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>P: (740) 695-2062<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>F: (740) 695-6420<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.stclibrary.org/"><span style='color:blue'>http://www.stclibrary.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>