IPL Issues

Well, it looks like I'll be blogging a bit more here, as I have to blog on a weekly basis for one of my classes, Virtual Reference Environments with FSU College of Information Professor Lorri Mon. (I've just realized that the FSU College of Information faculty profile page doesn't support linking to an individual professor as a document fragment—how lame is that?)

My first post on this subject, and I'm not sure this counts for class, but what the heck, is about something that's been bothering me about the IPL. That, specifically, is what it means to supervise people in an environment like the IPL, and how to go about it. One of the Reference Administrators I supervise had some problems early in my tenure as a Senior Reference Administrator (the RA has a work shift right during her IPL shift, which must be very awkward). That RA has improved markedly, though, and according to my supervisor, I get to take credit for that. Okay, sure. The important thing is, there has been improvement.

But two of my three RAs consistently do not send in their shift logs. I have tried reminding them, mostly without success. Have I not been persistent enough? Should I remind them each week? What is my responsibility here? More importantly, what is the right thing for me to do?

Perhaps I'll ask my supervisor.