The Student Library Assistant Program provides a rewarding part-time job and training in leadership skills that will benefit students in their future professions and personal lives. The main goal of the program is to build a "leaderful community" in which leadership can be exhibited by any member of the team. The program teaches skills that are essential for building healthy relationships, communicating effectively, solving problems, and collaborating with others. They include:

• Presence
• Inclusiveness
• Communication
• Teamwork
• Problem-solving
• Critical thinking
• Adaptability
• Time management
• Creativity
• Emotional intelligence

Presence is a broad term to describe how we are perceived and how our words and actions define us. We all have presence and should take the time to develop the qualities of presence in a professional setting. Briefly, it means to be self-assured, confident, and bring a positive energy to whatever you do. 

Guidelines for building presence:

Be mindful. You are projecting a professional image in the library. Be aware of your body language, the way you speak, and make eye contact. Ensure that you notice when someone is at the desk or needs help at a computer. Project self-assurance that inspires others to have confidence in you.

Be intentional. The library should be a warm, welcoming space for the community. Deliberately show that students, staff and faculty are welcome in our beautiful space. Greet on arrival and be attentive when needed. 

Engage others. Extend yourself by reaching out when someone needs help or looks unsure of their surroundings. Listen attentively to questions and be thoughtful in replies. If you don't know the answer, ask for help or get an email address for follow up.

Be reliable. In a professional setting, it is essential that people trust you and want to engage with you. Earn the respect of your co-workers and supervisors by showing up and being accountable. 

The library's work environment is based on inclusion in which everyone is treated fairly and respectfully, has equal access to opportunities and resources and can contribute fully to the department's success.

Inclusive Practices:

1. Intentionally creating an environment that fosters a sense of belonging. This applies to all library staff and our patrons including students, staff, faculty and community members.
2. Respect for diversity in values, beliefs, experiences, backgrounds, preferences and behaviors. Ask if you are unsure of a coworkers pronouns and don't be afraid to express your own wishes in regards to identity. We aim for "psychological safety" in the library where your ideas are welcomed and different points of view are respected.

Our successful team has the following attributes:

• Psychological safety = Staff are encouraged to share ideas, ask questions and innovate.
• Dependability = We count on each other to do high quality work and be accountable.
• Meaning of work = We all agree that the library is a safe and welcoming space that provides patient and kind services to all patrons.
• Impact of work = The library is a crucial department at the college providing access to resources and services that the community needs on a daily basis.

Good communication skills start with listening with care. Listening requires concentration and attention to what you are hearing. Active listening takes patience and follows these steps:

• Concentrate: Stay tuned in
• Ask questions: Inquire and draw out details or clarification
• Recap: Repeat what's been said and gather more information
• Express interest: Use non-verbal cues and gestures to demonstrate understanding

These are best practices for a reference interview in order to truly understand what a library patron needs. Be open to conversation, draw people out and think in terms of high quality customer service. 

Professional library staff and Student Library Assistants work as a team to best serve the campus community. We treat each other respectfully and assist each other when asked. All team members should feel empowered to ask questions and make suggestions about services. We foster an environment where contributions from everyone are encouraged and valued.

• Suggestions/Questions are encouraged.
• Bring your interests and talents to the job.
• Meetings with student manager are opportunities for feedback and open communication.
• Speak out if bullying or rudeness is noticed.
• Give credit where it's due and be open to constructive feedback.

Daniel Goleman in his book Working with Emotional Intelligence define EI as "The capacity for recognizing our own feelings and those of others, for managing emotions well in ourselves and our relationships." These are the skills that will help you in developing best practices in customer service and staying calm when the desk gets busy.

The Four Skill Sets of Emotional Intelligence

1. Self Awareness: The ability to see yourself as you really are. A self aware person can accurately identify emotions and feelings and understand behavioral tendencies. 
2. Self Management: The application of self awareness to manage behavior on a day to day basis. A lack of self awareness limits the ability to self manage.
3. Social Awareness: The ability to see emotions in others and productively act on those findings.
4. Relationship Management: The sum total of the all emotional intelligence skills. This is the ability to manage interactions and build relationships.

Questions to monitor self awareness

• What am I feeling?
• What might be the consequences?
• How will this seem tomorrow?
• Why am I feeling this way?
• What is the other person feeling?
• What is the hurry?
• What is my emotion right now?