Social activities bring faculty and staff together

to provide better customer service

M. Teresa Doherty

Head, Circulation and Information Services

James Branch Cabell LibraryVirginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmond, Virginia

Thesis StatementBreaking down hierarchical barriers between library staff through shared social activities promotes stronger interactions and better service to our customers.

(Translation)

Being able to laugh with your bosses and colleagues at work makes it easier to ask for their help when you need it.

John Ulmschneider

University Librarian and fearless player of library picnic games

Virginia Commonwealth University

Can your university librarian do this?

Picnic game challenge: arrange a group of books into correct Library of Congress order in the quickest time.

Anyone can play!

Circulation Staffer

Head of Media and Reserve Services

Cataloging Staffer

And the winner is…

For 3 years in a row, the university librarian did not win.

Picnic Games: photos

Photo guessing games, such as “match the photo of the toddler to the library staff member of today” and “match the pet to its owner.”

Pet MatchingChallenge: match the library staffer to the photo of their pet(s).

Who owns who??

?

?

Picnic Games: counting

How many X’s in the Y? (keyboard keys in ajar, binder clips in a box, pages in a stack of gift books, etc.)

Art and EngineeringChallenge: build a tower out of marshmallows and uncooked spaghetti