Assitance/Advice Needed

On New Year's Eve, about an hour before I was schedule to leave work, my on site supervisor handed me a box of microfiche with several hundred dissertations and asked me to find the WorldCat records for each one, stating that if there were more than one, that each one needed to be printed out, eventually sending the OCLC numbers and fiche numbers to be cataloged.

This was not a problem at all, since I am a library technician and it is my job to do so. The first problem is, the company that I work for does not have access to WorldCat records. Once I found a way around that, I get to work.

I opted not to start printing out each individually right away since my on site supervisor was using the copier the copier that we share. Instead, I began searching for each dissertation record in WorldCat and recording the OCLC numbers and fiche numbers in an Access database, knowing that the malleability of Access would be conducive of making a list when we need them.

20 minutes into the project (mind you, supervisor is still using the copier, and there is only about 40mins left in the work day), my supervisor instructs me to start printing out the records immediately.

Just before I leave work that afternoon, I had her 25 WorldCat records and leave.

This is what transpired:

To Library Elf from Supervisor:

On Monday December 31st, for the first time in months, I gave you a special project. I gave you a box of microfiche with dissertations on each. I told you to look up the record in WorldCat. I told you to print out the WorldCat record. If there was more than one record for a title, I told you to print those out too.

You completely ignored my instructions. You did not print out the records, but instead listed the information in an Access database.

After being told again, you printed out one record for each title. I just checked the first print-out. You printed out only one record for this title, although there are four records in WorldCat. Two records are listed as microform format. Two records are not. You printed out one of the records that is not in microform format. This means that someone looking in our online catalog would assume that this dissertation is in print format and not on microfiche.

I expect that you will be able to follow oral instructions. From now on, any instruction I give to you will be in writing.

I expect that you would understand the concept and the elements contained in a cataloging record, and the importance of precise detail.
I expect that I will not have to check every detail of every project to which you are assigned.
Please provide me with a written document with your comments on the above, and actions you plan to take to improve your performance. Include in this document the most important characteristics you feel are necessary for an employee to succeed in the position of Library Technician.

To Supervisor From Library Elf:

I first want to apologize for the mix up.

I had no intention of "ignoring" your instructions to print out the WorldCat records. I did feel that it was in the best interest of my job performance to have an electronic file, which is easily manageable, IN ADDITION TO a paper copy of each record which you requested. Also, since we were both using the same printer at the time, I did not want to tie up the printer and was waiting for a more opportune time to print out the first 25 records which I found.

In regards to the specific WorldCat record that you mentioned, I entered the WorldCat Database via the website of my county's library and searched this record by its author. I again searched this record by its complete title. In both cases, only one record appeared which the one that I printed.

I did notice that search done by you was conducted via a different public library's WorldCat database, so the difference record matches may lie in that aspect, but I could be wrong.

Actions I Plan to Take To Improve My Performance
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to express some of ways in which I would like to improve my performance. There are as followed:

1-Take steps to insure that all instructions are understood by me and that all aspects which are not clear are questioned, making it clear not to question effectiveness of the specific directive, but to gain a better understanding of it.

2-Explain, in more detail, steps that I will take to complete the directive so that compliance with the directive is understood by my supervisor. Since out company has no way of searching WorldCat records, I should have mentioned that I would be using my public library's database so there may be some discrepancy in the records. In addition to this, I should have mentioned that I would be using my training in Microsoft Access to make a list of this records so that they could be easily managed at a later time (if need be).

Important Characteristics for Success as a Library Technician
The following are listed in order of importance, "1" being the most important.

1-Communication.
The best and most effective way to solve a problem is by communication, and identifying areas where problems/solutions may arise.

2-Attention to Detail
Being an employee of a library for the greater part of the past 11 years, I value the importance of attention to detail. When instructions are not clear or problems/solutions are not properly identified, perception of directive details are more difficult to decipher.

3-Compliance with Supervisor's Directives
When there are too many people directing the course of action, that actual course of action may be difficult complete. So listening to the directive of the supervisor is paramount.

Thanks again for this open dialogue and I hope that this will foster a better working relationship.

Now, I know that was a lot to digest, I would love to hear different ways that either myself or my supervisor could have handled this situation. Thanks in advance.