Transition Notebook

Chris Rippel, the System Consultant at Central Kansas Library System, is encouraging his librarians to make a Transition Notebook. He says,

“A Transition Notebook captures the knowledge of the current library director for passing to the next director.”

I love this idea! Every job should have a transition notebook. What if you won a free trip around the world and had to leave tomorrow? Someone would have to carry on until you get back. You wouldn’t have time to write the manual as you are getting on the cruise ship. With a tip of the hat to Chris, here are some things to include in your notebook. You may think of more:

1. Copy of your library policies and personnel policies.
2. Board minutes for the last 12 months and its long range plan.
3. Copy of last year's budget.
4. Copy of last year's annual statistical report for your library.
5. Organizational chart.
6. Important phone numbers (Include SEKLS staff!).
7. Passwords for computers and all Web sites.
8. Schedule for maintaining computers.
9. A procedure manual that includes (but isn’t limited to):
Instructions for ordering books.
Instructions for cataloging.
Instructions for processing materials.
Instructions for operating the library’s computers.
Instructions for checking out every kind of material.
Instructions for making inter-library loans.
Checklist for opening the library.
Checklist for closing the library.
Lists of all reports you complete, when they are due, and how to do them.
Other information unique to your library.
Once the notebook is written, review it at least once a year and correct the things that have changed.