Root Cause Analysis -- Revised

Methods:
Information for the Root Cause Analysis was collected through a focus group with five Circulation Desk student workers. Two of the student workers were freshman who started working at the Circulation Desk the second week of September. The other three student workers have worked at the Circulation Desk for a year or more.

Following the focus group, one-on-one interviews were held with both a Circulation Desk staff member and a Reference Desk staff member.

Questions that were investigated included:

• Do Circulation Desk student workers know how to perform the required activities?
• Do Circulation Desk student workers see the benefits in performing the required activities?
• What resources are available to aid in proper performance?
• Have expectations for performance been clearly communicated?
• Why don't Circulation Desk student workers refer research questions to the Reference Desk?
• Why don't Circulation Desk student workers refer patrons to the Reference Desk when a book is not available in the catalog?

(Questions from: Franklin, M. (2006, May). Performance Gap Analysis. (InfoLine, No 0604). Alexandria, VA: American Society for Training & Development) 

Performance Problem

Circulation Desk student workers do not refer patrons to the Research and Instruction desk when patrons ask a research question or when a book is not readily available in the library catalog resulting in patrons who leave the library without having their information needs met.

Factors Influencing Performance

Physical Resources There are no factors in this category influencing the performance problem.	Structure/Process Student workers are often left alone at the Circulation Desk without supervision.
Information Student workers are not given training material or handouts regarding answering and referring patron questions. Different members of the Circulation Desk staff train students workers at the beginning of the semester. The information covered varies according to the staff member. Student workers do not receive additional training throughout the school year.	Knowledge Student workers do not understand why they need to refer a patron to the Reference Desk when a book is not available.  Student workers do not understand what additional information the Reference Desk can provide for the patrons. Student workers often get confused as to which questions they can answer and which questions they should refer to the Reference Desk.
Motives   Students receive no incentive or acknowledgment for correctly referring patrons to Reference Desk for research questions and/or catalog searches where the book is not available.  Student workers receive no feedback from the reference librarians when they do refer a patron to the Reference Desk.	Wellness  There are no factors in this category influencing the performance problem.