LIBRARY STAFF ASSOCIATION POLICIES

Library Staff Association: The NDSU Library Staff Association is the social organization of the Library open to all full and part-time employees. The Staff Association has its own bylaws and meets as a group at least once a year. Membership in the Association is voluntary.

Major changes in policy or in procedures will be brought to the Association members for consideration.

The Social Committee is not a standing committee in the same sense as other library committees. It is responsible to the Library Staff Association and functions at that group’s direction.

Social Committee Composition: The Social Committee is composed of three members of the Association selected by the outgoing Committee to serve for one fiscal year. The members selected must have passed their six-month probation and be considered permanent employees. In order to have continuity, at least one member of the Social Committee should be an individual who has been on staff at least two full years. Any member of the Association may serve on the Social Committee as long as there has been a minimum of five years since the previous time the individual served.

Money Collection and Disbursement: The Social Committee collects money for the annual fee (a.k.a. dues) and coffee and pop. The annual fee is $12 per year and may be prorated for part-time employees. The charge for coffee or tea is 10 cents per cup, or $4.00 per month. Coffee and tea may be paid for in advance by the month, quarter, or other time period. Pop is paid for via the staff room pop machine and costs 50 cents. The Social Committee is responsible for setting the prices at a rate that ensures that the Association recovers its cost. Prices are approved by the general membership of the Association.
A Social Committee checking account is established at the Credit Union. The Credit Union supplies a signature card that all three committee members sign. All three committee members can write checks.
Charge accounts have been established at area Hornbacher’s and Lee’s Floral. The Varsity Mart gives the Association a 10% discount on cards and gifts.

Social Committee Duties: One member of the Social Committee will be responsible for collecting money from the pop machine, the coffee/tea box, and from coffee drinkers who wish to pay by the month.

The Social Committee is responsible for keeping the pop machine filled with pop and the ordering of pop. The Social Committee is responsible for purchasing coffee. The Social Committee is responsible for purchasing supplies for the staff lounge such as dish soap, salt, pepper, sugar, plates, forks, etc. as needed for planned social gatherings and daily use.

The Social Committee is responsible for making sure there are clean towels and dishcloths, equipment is working, arranging for the repair of equipment and cleaning the refrigerator.

Cards, Gifts and Parties for Members: The Social Committee is responsible for a farewell party, card and gift for Staff Association members with one year or more of service, if the individual so desires. Farewells to a Staff Association member with less than one year of service are expressed appropriately by members of the individual’s department or any group wishing to do so.

Weddings should be recognized with a card. Births are recognized with a card and a small floral gift. When a member is hospitalized or is seriously ill, a simple floral gift should be sent. A prolonged illness could warrant several gifts over a period of time. The Social Committee may, at its discretion, send sympathy cards.

Guidelines for gifts and parties for Association members leaving the Libraries are a reflection of how many years the employee has been a member of the Association and not the length of time employed at the Libraries:

1 year $10 and a coffee party at break time.
2-5 years $15 and a coffee party at break time.
6-10 years $20 and a coffee party at break time.
11-15 years $25 and a coffee party at break time.
16-20 years $30 and a party or lunch.
21-25 years $35 and a party or lunch.
26 years and up $40 and a party or lunch.

Social Gatherings: The Social Committee will plan several social gatherings for the Staff Association members each year. Traditionally the general membership votes on whether to have a Christmas party and the location of the party. Other parties are held at the discretion of the Committee. If you are not a member of the Staff Association and still wish to eat the treats or lunch, you will be expected to pay $1.00 for treats and $3.00 for the lunch.

Report of Social Committee Activity: The Social Committee will submit a written report to the Association in July. This report will specify what activities were conducted and it will also include a financial report on income and disbursement. A copy is kept in the Social Committee files. Past membership records are also kept on file.

Transition Between Outgoing and Incoming Social Committee: A transition meeting will be conducted at a lunch. The meals for the Outgoing and Incoming Committees are paid for by the Association as a gesture of appreciation for the work done by those individuals.

Photographs of Social Events: The Social Committee is responsible for having photographs taken at social gatherings. The Committee will decide who on staff will take photographs. The photographs will be placed in the staff lounge.

Birthday Treats: Bringing treats on your birthday is voluntary. If you partake of treats then you should also bring enough treats on your birthday for all staff.

The RAT: All library staff members take turns for a week of cleaning the staff lounge each afternoon. A clean-up list is posted on the bulletin board in the staff lounge. A stuffed rat is passed to the next person on the clean-up list as a reminder. Clean-up duties are: unplug all appliances, empty and wash the coffee maker, wipe out the microwave oven and wipe off the counters and table tops. Individuals are responsible for washing their own plates, utensils and other dishes. Detergent and towels are kept under the sink. When your week is over, cross your name off the list and give the "rat" to the next person. Part-time and departmental libraries staff are excused from the cleanup duties. Remember if you use the lounge; take your turn in cleaning it.