This paper describes the School Food Services lending library

Williams, Leon

South Carolina State Documents Depository

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Lending Library Resource Catalog and Dissemination
Leon Williams, MBA
Education Associate
South Carolina Department of Education
Office of School Food Services and Nutrition
Suite 200 Rutledge Building
1429 Senate Street
C()IUllltJ.~t~p 29~01
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Office (803) 734-8199
FAX (803) 734-8061
Iwilliam@sde.state.sc.us
Submitted:
February 1, 2005
Vivian B. Pilant, PhD, RD
Director, Office of School Food Services and Nutrition
S. C. STATE LIBRARY
IAlI; 16 2005
STATE DOCUMENTS
Digitized by South Carolina State Library
CPMProject
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
• SFSN Background
• Lending Library origination
• Statement ofNeed
• Purpose ofProject
II. Current status of Lending Library
• Current Process Flow
• Effectiveness ofLending Library
III. Methodology
• What information is needed
• What Information is available
• Survey Questions
IV. Survey Results
• Survey Results
• Presentation of the findings
V. Summary and Conclusions
• New Systems Process Plan
• New Process Implementation Plan
• Recommendations for Management
VI. Appendix A
VII. Appendix B
page 3
page 5
page 6
pageS
page 9
page 14
page 15
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Introduction
The Office of School Food Services and Nutrition administers the National
School Lunch, School Breakfast, After School Snack, Summer Feeding, and Food
Distribution Program in South Carolina. This involves:
• Providing federal program funds to participating districts for meals and snacks
served in schools;
• Providing special marketing projects and procurement assistance to promote
more nutritious eating habits;
• Conducting on-site compliance monitoring;
• Coordinating training, nutrition projects, and grants;
• Administering the Food Distribution Program
The mission ofthe Office of School Food Services and Nutrition (SFSN), the
largest food service program in the Palmetto State, is to guarantee high quality
food and nutrition programs in every South Carolina school district through
educational support, resources and advocacy. The educational support, resources
and advocacy are offered to school districts and the general public in several
ways. SFSN has a website that is part of the South Carolina Department of
Education (SC DOE) website. SFSN's website has information on all programs
administered by SFSN and access to various online publications. SFSN also has a
Lending Library that includes a varied amount of training and resource materials
pertaining to school food services and nutrition. Before the Lending Library was
established, all SFSN training and resource materials were stored at the SC DOE
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AudioNisual Library. All of the resource and training materials could be
checked out at a users' request.
In 1998 SC DOE closed the Department's AudioNisual Library that housed the
SFSN resource library. After the closure was announced, the State Agency (SA)
staff brought the closure to the attention of the State Library and informed the
library system that there was a need for a new location to house the SFSN
resources. After several meetings with the State Library, the SFSN Resource
library was added to the State Library system. As a result of this cooperative
effort, all South Carolinians now have access to the SFSN resources simply by
possessing a public library card. This cooperative effort facilitates effective and
efficient use of SFSN resources by teachers, administrators, child nutrition
professionals and the general public. Additionally, the use of the State Library
System allows the SFSN staff to compile a much larger and progressive collection
of resources.
While the Lending Library currently has a variety of materials for use, most of the
new resource and training materials that should be available to our customers
(districts, schools, teachers, students and parents) are not being cataloged and
housed into our lending library. Instead, the materials are being stored on an
unoccupied desk in the office of SFSN. Potential users of these resources are not
able to access them through the library system. In addition to the problem of
having inaccessible resource materials, our customers are not always aware of
what training materials are available in the Lending Library.
The successful implementation of an improved process for housing the I:.,ending
Library materials will resolve a specific management concern and educate our
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consumers about the most up-to-date and relevant information; thus, ensuring the
proper nutrition and education of students in South Carolina schools.
Current Status of Lending Library
The Lending Library in the Office of School Food Services and Nutrition was established
and implemented in 1998. The Office of School Food Services and Nutrition has placed
materials in the South Carolina State Library for use by schools in South Carolina for
nutrition education and workplace training efforts. Presently, there are approximately 400
titles available, including books, learning kits, videos and tapes. Resource and training
materials are available through the local library system in each county, which make their
use and return convenient for all schools in the state.
The current process for how new resource materials entered into the Lending Library is
described in the "AS-IS' Process List in the following table.
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Collection and reception ofLending Library materials from
Periodic
various sources
Temporarily store Lending Library Materials in SFSN 30 Min.
Wait for someone on the SFSN staff to review, approve,
Unlimited
and write catalog summary for Lending Library materials
Lending Library materials accumulate in temporary storage
Unlimited
area until previous step is completed
,
The effectiveness and integrity of the Lending Library is severely compromised because:
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• New resource materials are not being processed into the Lending Library.
• District food service directors and the general public are denied the opportunity to
access relevant information and training.
• District food service directors and the general public are not properly informed of the
resource and training material that is available for them to use.
Currently there exist approximately 200 titles of resource and training materials waiting
to be processed to the Lending Library. This situation came about as a result of having
no defined process in place to deal with getting resource and training materials into the
Lending Library. It was assumed that the Training Team leader would do everything that
was necessary to process any resource materials to the Lending Library. The Training
Team leader had many other pressing responsibilities and could not always devote the
time and attention needed to process resource materials to the Lending Library. As a
result, the resource and training materials started to accumulate on an unoccupied desk
outside the office of the Training Team leader.
Methodology
The methodology used to find a solution to the Lending Library problem includes
identifying what information is needed and what information is already available.
Additionally, a survey ofpotential users of the Lending Library will inform us of how
they feel about the current and desired implementation of the Lending Library. Some
information that is needed includes:
1. Who should be assigned the responsibility of processing resource materials for the
lending library? (Receiving, reviewing, approving, and cataloging)
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2. What administrative support personnel and/or Education Associate staff is
available and capable of processing resource materials for the Lending Library?
3. What is the current inventory of resource materials waiting to be processed?
4. What are the various ways or methods that potential users of the Lending Library
can be informed ofwhat resource materials are available and how they can be
accessed?
The information that is available to us includes:
1. Current position descriptions of each SFSN staffperson and a skills assessment of
their capabilities.
2. An inventory of the training and resource materials waiting to be processed into
the Lending Library.
3. Current methods used by the State Agency for communicating and disseminating
information to districts, schools and S. C. citizens via mailings, email, and the
Internet.
A survey was given to all South Carolina food service directors to get their opinion of the
current implementation of the Lending Library. A copy of the survey is referenced in
Appendix A. The questions asked on the survey are listed below:
• Are you aware of the fact that the Office of School Food Services and Nutrition has a
Lending Library where you can access food service training and reference materials?
• Are you familiar with the types of resource materials included in the Lending Library
and how you can access those materials?
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• Have you ever used the Lending Library? If yes, please comment on how easy it is to
use and if the resource materials were helpful to you.
• What types of resources and training materials would you like to see in the Lending
Library?
• What suggestions do you have that can improve the Lending Library to better suit
your needs?
Survey Results
The survey was given to 85 South Carolina food service directors to get their input on
how they felt about the current implementation of the Lending Library. 54 respondents
(response rate of 64%) completed and returned the survey. A copy of the formal survey
results is found in Appendix B. Forty-six respondents answered yes to the question of
whether they were aware of the fact that SFSN has a Lending Library where resource
materials could be accessed. Eight respondents answered no saying they were unaware
that a Lending Library exists. When asked if they were familiar with the types of
resource materials included in the Lending Library and how they could access those
materials, 37 respondents answered yes while 14 answered no. The respondents were
asked if they had ever used the Lending Library and if so, then comment on its ease of
use and the value of the materials used. Twenty respondents said they had used the
Lending Library while 32 respondents indicated they had never used the Library. The
food service directors were asked, in question four of the survey, about the types of
resource and training materials they would like to see in the Lending Library. Most of
their comments centered around having access to resource and training materials that
would contribute to the day-to-day operation of the food service program. They ,want to
see resources that address the topics of sanitation, safety, customer service, employee
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certification, and preparing nutritious meals. All of the comments given in response to
question four are referenced in Appendix B.
The foodservice directors were then asked in question five what suggestions they have to
improve the Lending Library to better suit their needs. Most of their comments suggest
that more needs to done to inform them of the types of resource materials that is available
in the Lending Library and how those materials can be accessed. All of the comments
given in response to question five are referenced in Appendix B.
Summary and Conclusions
Based on the findings from the survey administered to all SC school food service
directors, it is evident that a new process for the Lending Library needs to be developed
to get the resource and training materials into the hands of all potential users. The first
step to developing the new Lending Library process is to identify all ofthe inputs to the
process. They are as follows:
• Books, tapes, videos, training materials, reference materials, nutrition presentations.
• Labor (Personnel), time, storage space, procedures, approvals.
• Website, brochures, flyers, email, Lending Library instructions.
Listed below is a tasks list, which details the steps and time needed to process resource
and training materials for the SFSN Lending Library.
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Periodic
materials in SFSN
Temporarily store library materials in SFSN
Training team members or appointed staff will review and
approve library materials for submission to the Lending Library
Write catalog summary for library materials
Add catalog summary to the Lending Library catalog document
Take new library materials to the SC State Library to be included
in the SFSN Lending Library
Update the Lending Library list to include new materials
1 hour
3 hours
1 hour
30 min.
1 hour
30 min.
the new materials added to the Lending Library and instructions
on how the materials can be accessed
Send an email to inform the SFSN staff of the new materials
added to the Lending Library
Update all website information with reference to the contents of
the Lending Library
Conduct an inventory of the lending Library and remove any
outdated materials
30 min.
30 min.
1 hour
2 days
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Assuming that the new Lending Library process is approved, the following
implementation plan will be implemented:
Implementation
Week Ending 2005Plan
2/18 2/25 3/11 3/18 4/1 4/8 7/15
New Lending Library process is
•approved by SFSN Director
SFSN Director makes
assignments ofLending Library •
responsibilities
• Assign someone to collect
and receive Lending Library •
materials
• Assign someone to store
Lending Library materials •
• Assign someone to review
Lending Library materials •
• Assign someone to approve
Lending Library materials •
• Assign someone to write the
catalog summary ofLending •
Library materials
• Assign someone to take the
library materials to the State •
Library
• Assign someone to update
the Lending Library catalog
•on documents and the
website
• Assign someone to send
emails to the SFSN staff and •
directors
• Assign someone to conduct ,
periodic inventory of •
Lending Library materials
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Implementation Week Ending 2005Plan
2/18 2/25 3/11 3/18 4/1 4/8 7/15
• Assign someone to remove
outdated Lending Library •
materials
Conduct any training needed to
•use the Lending Library
Begin using new Lending
•Library process
Evaluate the new process after
•the first pass
Make any adjustments necessary
•to correct first pass errors
Conduct a periodic inventory of
the Lending Library and remove •
any outdated materials
The successful implementation of the new Lending Library Process will depend largely
on the management support and execution of the tasks listed above. Management must
make these assigned tasks a part of the responsible individuals' job description, which
should be communicated to them orally and in written form.
The new Lending Library process will be evaluated periodically by executing the
following actions:
• An evaluation of the new process will take place after the first group ofnon-
cataloged resource materials is processed and taken to the Lending Library.
• The new process will be evaluated in reference to the time required, the effort
involved, and overall efficiency of the process.
• Another survey, on the use, knowledge, and satisfaction of the Lending Library,
will be given to all South Carolina food service directors three months after the
new process is implemented.
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• Adjustments to the new Lending Library process will be considered and
implemented based on the findings of each evaluation.
When the new Lending Library process is fully implemented, school food service
directors in South Carolina will have more resources at their disposal to assist them in
delivering healthy and nutritious meals to all students who choose to participate in the
school food program.
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Appendix A
Lending Library Survey
Survey Questions YES NO COMMENTS
1. Are you aware of the fact that the Office
of School Food Sen-ices and Nutrition has
a Lending Library where you can access
food sen-ice training and reference
materials?
2. Are you familiar with the types of
resource materials included in the Lending
Library and how you can access those
materials?
3. Have you ever used the Lending
Library? Ifyes, please comment on how
easy it is to use and if the resource
materials were helpful to you.
4. What types of resource and training
materials would you like to see in the
Lending Library?
5. What suggestions do you have that can
improve the Lending Library to better suit
your needs?
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Appendix B
Lending Library Survey and Results
Survey Questions #of #of COMMENTS
YES NO
1. Are you aware of the fact that the Office
of School Food Senrices and Nutrition has
a Lending Library where you can access 46 8
food senrice training and reference
materials?
2. Are you familiar with the types of
resource materials included in the Lending 37 14Library and how you can access those
materials?
3. Have you ever used the Lending
Library? Ifyes, please comment on how 20 32
easy it is to use and if the resource
materials were helpful to you.
4. What types of resource and training
materials would you like to see in the
Lending Library?
5. What suggestions do you have that can
improve the Lending Library to better suit
your needs?
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Question # 4:
What types of resource and training materials would you like to see in the Lending
Library?
1. Current nutrition education materials for middle school age and up.
2. Serve Safe tapes
3. Safety issue videos
4. Surveys to help determine what foods students like and dislike.
5. Topics on sanitation.
6. Foreign language applications for Free and Reduced students.
7. Training Kits for F&R meal applications and verification.
8. Customer service training videos
9. Materials that can be downloaded from the internet
10. Resources that will contribute to SFS employee's certification.
11. More standardized menus.
12. HACCP and Safety materials.
13. Turnkey programs with pre and post tests
14. Materials that can be duplicated and passed out at manager's meetings.
15. Serving Line setup and using proper utensils.
16. Production Records Training.
17. "Zero In The Snow" Recent version.
Question # 5:
What suggestions do you have that can improve the Lending Library to better suit
your Needs?
1. Need more materials that contribute to visual learning.
2. Briefdescriptions ofwhat materials are included in the library.
3. Keep users informed ofwhat is in the library and delete outdated information.
4. Better notification ofwhat materials are available and how to access it.
5. Have Lending Library resources on-line and updated regularly.
6. Everyone in SFS needs to know that the Lending Library exists.
7. SFS directors should get emails when something new is added to the Library.
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CPM PROJECT COURSE
Office Of Human Resources
I release the materials submitted and final copy of my CPM project
paper for reproduction, distribution, publication or other educational
purposes by the Office of Human Resources.
Signature:
Name:
~Ra44~w~
~{)Y'- CS, Wl! tl: a ~V\S
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Lending library resource catalog and dissemination

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Lending library resource catalog and dissemination

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