Townsend-Crow_In-Basket
ITEM‑1
International
League November
28, Noon
Memorandum of
call
To: M. Stefan
From: Ms. C laudia Lowell
Alex Potter,
President of the Federation of International Librarians, died suddenly this
morning of a heart attack. He had expected to leave tonight for the conference
in Geneva. As the only other U.S. representative on the executive board, you
are expected to take his place. His secretary is en route by plane bringing you
Mr. Potter's plane ticket, his presidential speech, and other papers and
documents that must be taken to the conference. I will leave at 12:15 p.m. and
take a bus to the airport, get the materials from Mr. Potter's secretary when
she arrives, and return to the office as soon as possible. I should be here by
2:30 p.m. You should leave here by 3 p.m. and must be at the airport by 7:30
p.m. I have made a reservation for you to New York.
[**Tip
from Dr Dee: A significant number of actions are required regarding this fact
filled memo and related actions. Think creatively about this specific memo.]
1)
What to do –1)
clearly, I will be flying out today, so I need to empty out my in-basket
and leave no loose ends behind. It appears that I will have Mr. Potter's plane
tickets, but I will need to purchase plane tickets for my family (at my own
expense, of course) and to check on hotel accommodations and ensure that we
have rooms when I arrive. Also, I will need to check on transportation to and
from the airport as well as the conference. I will look over the speech and Mr.
Potter's notes on the plane. 2) I will
call Mr. Potter's family to offer my condolences before I leave today and to
find out when services will be held. Hopefully, I will be back in time to make
it. If not, I will have to make arrangements for a representative from this
library to attend, or perhaps the entire staff will want to go. 3) I should
also make certain that Mr. Potter's secretary has lodging for tonight. I will
need to write a memo putting Patricia (Heath), the associate director in charge
of things while I'm gone.
2)
Why? 1)
Someone has to deliver Mr. Potter's speech. I am the next qualified person to
do that. Since I will be gone for ten days, naturally, I want my family to
travel with me. I don't know what accommodation arrangements Mr. Potter or his
staff made for his trip, so I will make my own. 2) offering condolences to the bereaved family
is common decency and what I would want to have happen if it were me in their
situation; 3) It will be a difficult time for Mr. Potter's secretary, so she
may want to rest before she goes back to handle the rest of the business
involved in the aftermath of Mr. Potter's death. 4) I
will need to have someone in charge. My associate director, second in the
hierarchy, is the natural choice.
3)
Memos 1 through 3 (see attached)
ITEM‑2
International
League November 27
Memorandum
To: M. Stefan
From: Elsie
Wilson, Head, Technical Services
You will remember the lengthy correspondence we have had with Dr. Hans
Myer, Director of the International Institute in Berlin. (The complete file is
in your office.) The Institution is already a depository for our publications,
but many publications, particularly the official records, are not printed in
sufficient quantity (i.e., "Limited") for even the depository
designations to receive a copy. Dr. Myer is most insistent in his
correspondence, always attaching a long list of "Wanted"
publications, some long out of print. He is in the United States trying to
negotiate more favorable publications exchange agreements with libraries. He
came to see me today about our agreement. I explained to him that we were
sending him as many as we possibly could and that the agreement we have with
him indicates this. He is unhappy with my explanation and insists on talking
with you. I believe he has an appointment scheduled with you for tomorrow at
1:00 p.m.
[**Tip from Dr Dee: This
memo is filled with implications}
4)
What to do:
1) Keep the appointment with Dr.
Myer and discuss our agreement with him. Although I want to emphasize that
Elsie is absolutely correct in her assertions, perhaps Dr. Myer has a need that
he has not shared with us for more copies than he is currently receiving. 2) I
will have Dr. Myer's future correspondence directed to myself and handle his
requests personally. 3) If, after
speaking with him I can ascertain it to be the case that Dr. Myer has need of,
then perhaps we can negotiate something more amenable to him, but 4) I will have to talk with fiscal services to
see if our budget will allow us to grant him more copies of publications.
Perhaps Dr. Myer would be open to receiving digitalized copies? 5) Must check
with legal services to ensure copyright will not be infringed upon by this
solution.
5)
Why? I am keeping the appointment with Dr. Myer
because it is good public relations to do so and because Elsie said that he
insists on talking with me. 2) I do however support my staff and Elsie implies
that Dr. Myer's correspondence is becoming burdensome. 3)
Since the mission of the Institute is "achieving peace, justice, and security; of promoting, by cooperative
actions, economic, social, and cultural development; and of strengthening
collaboration among the member states" it stands to reason that any
cooperation we are able to give Dr. Myer will be mutually beneficial. 4) Since
there will be increased cost in providing Dr. Myer with more materials, Fiscal
Services needs to be called in to ascertain whether our budget will allow this
increase. To offset this cost, I will suggest to Dr. Myer that we can provide
his Institute with digital copies of what he needs, 5) contingent upon this
solution not being in violation of national or international copyright laws.
6)
Memos 5 through 7 (see attached)
ITEM‑3
International
League October 3
Memorandum
To: Mr. Stefan
From: C laudia Lowell
Jerry Bush, a correspondent for World News, a periodical with no
advertising and a discriminating group of subscribers, wants background
information about upcoming elections in Uruguay and names of people in the
International League with whom he should seek interviews. I made an appointment
for November 28th at 1:30 p.m.
7)
What to do – I am not familiar with this
publication. I want to examine it before establishing an official relationship
with Mr. Bush and his publication. I
realize that time is a factor since the elections are upcoming and if World
News is a periodical with which we wish to be associated, we will need to work
fast. I am going to delegate to Patricia both the appointment and the checking
of Mr. Bush's credentials. I will leave the disposition of this request to
Patricia's discretion and expertise in my absence.
8)
Why? The International League is a reputable
organization. Mr. Bush is requesting sensitive information and, while
transparency is paramount in all we do, World News is not yet a member
organization of the league.
9)
Memo (see attached Memo 7)
ITEM‑4
International
League November 27
Memorandum
To: Ms. Stefan
From: Ms.
Patricia Heath, Associate Director
The other day as I sat listening to the speeches at the commemoration of
the 25th anniversary of the Fairfax Memorial Library, I realized that in three
years this library will be fifty years old. Perhaps it would be well to plan a
program in celebration of the event; also to get out some publication about the
history of the library, its development, present services, and its
bibliographical activities.
10) What
to do – what an excellent idea! We have
three years to plan and implement something, so it can wait until my return.
11) Why?
Because we have three years to plan this and I have three hours – less now – to
empty my in-basket and go to Geneva
12) Memo
(see attached Memo 8)
ITEM‑5
205 West Byner Street
Seadon, Kentucky
November 13
M. Stefan,
Director
International
League Library
Dear M.
Stefan:
This letter expresses appreciation for assistance that I recently
received in the photographic section of your library from Mr. Paul Daniel.
A few weeks ago, time was sweeping me inexorably toward the deadline for
presenting a program on United States‑C hinese
history. I felt the need for a suitable vehicle to transport the audience
mentally into an unfamiliar environment. In fact, I was almost too late in
sensing the need for visual aids in my presentation.
Thanks to Mr. Daniel, however, I met my deadline with pictures capturing
the historical detail that I intended to present and the particular mood that I
hoped to evoke. In short, Mr. Daniel's kindly and patient attention to every
detail of my needs and his knowledge of the library's holdings enabled me to
portray graphically that which words had failed to describe.
With my appreciation.
I am very sincerely
yours,
Naldo Macklin
13) What
to do – first of all, pass this letter on to Paul. A copy goes into his record
for future reference.
14) Why? He does excellent work and deserves to know
that he is appreciated. This will be taken into account when Paul comes up for
evaluation and promotion.
15) Memo
(see attached memo 9)
ITEM‑6
Medical
News
Sixty East Montgomery Street,
Big Town
Director November 13
International
League Library
Dear Director:
Your library has been so helpful in the past when we needed pictures. I
hope you can furnish us some of the following, which we need for a feature
story on wild game dishes. We will not include any pictures of people shooting
or carrying home wild game, or of fish.
C aveman
or primitive eating or preparing wild game
Greek and Roman ditto,
Include feasts
Medieval ditto
Renaissance ditto
National wild game, such
as Latin American iguana and armadillo steaks, U.S.
Buffalo, venison,
partridge, pheasant, include barbecues.
Exotica: hippo burgers,
elephant steak, snake, wild pig cooked whole with apple
in mouth (possibly
English).
Very truly yours,
Dana Todd
[**Tip from Dr Dee:
Consider all of the many aspects of this memo]
1)
What to do – I am forwarding this request to our Public
Services department, although photos of "hippo burgers" may be
difficult if not impossible to acquire since the Congo has outlawed hunting
hippos for their meat.
2)
Why – Public services houses our photo retrieval
services
3)
Memos – (see attached memo10)
4)
ITEM‑7
International League Library
Memorandum November 26
To: M. Stefan
From: William Rank, Head, Indexing Section
On November 30th, clerks will start data entry on the list of
periodicals, which will be included in the forthcoming supplement to the Index
to African Literature. I have asked C laudia
to make an appointment in the next day or two so that I can discuss with you
the form of the list of periodicals for the supplement, the sample pages which
the publisher has sent for your approval, and several other details.
The lengthy correspondence relative to this supplement is filed in your
office. Briefly, here is the situation to date. In 1995, you remember, we
signed an agreement with Index Publishers, Inc., to publish the Index to
African Literature 1950‑1985. Last January, we signed an extension of this
agreement to publish the supplement covering the years 1986‑1995. In February
we sent the supplement covering the years 1986‑1995. We also sent the publisher the official title
of the supplement, a description of the supplement for their advertising flyer,
a representative sequence of 60 entries to serve as models for them to
determine the dimensions of their final layout, and some suggestions for new
sources for their mailing lists.
Last month I estimated that my
staff couldn't have the entries ready for shipment to the publisher until
December 31st because we still have to: 1) check the alphabetizing, 2) coordinate
author and subject headings of entries, and 3) insert a considerable number of
cross references. At that time, I estimated there were about 45,000 entries,
but since then one of my staff has made a closer estimate and believes the
number of entries will not exceed 35,000.
5)
What to do – Since I am having Mr. Bush meet with Patricia,
I will go over the correspondence before I meet with William today at 2:00 to
go over the supplement before I leave for Geneva. Have the clerks start the
data entry on schedule and let Patricia know if you need more staff to complete
the data entry on time. I will be back long before the package is ready to be
shipped to the publisher so I can check format and accuracy of entries then.
6)
Why – Since the correspondence regarding this
index is lengthy, a quick review before meeting with William can be
accomplished much more easily than having Patricia read through the entire file
now filed in my office.
7)
Memos – (see attached memo11)
ITEM‑8
PAKISTAN‑AMERIC AN
C ULTURAL INSTITUTE
November 13
Dear Director
Stefan:
On behalf of this Institute, it gives me great pleasure to invite you to
a reception honoring Mr. Ahmad Jammu, Minister of Education, and three members
of his staff.
We do hope it will be possible for you to attend the reception, which
will be held at the Institute on November 29, of the current year from five to
seven.
RSVP: 723‑5512
Sincerely,
Abdul Karim
Secretary
8)
What to do – Send my regrets to Secretary Kim
and see if Patricia can attend in my place since
9)
Why – I will be in Geneva tomorrow.
10)
Memos – (see attached memos 12 and 13)
ITEM‑9
International
League Library November 27
Memorandum
To: Ms. Stefan
From: C laudia Lowell
Here are copies of the photographs taken last week in the C ouncil Room during the visit of the group of
administrators from Singapore. Do you want to dictate a note to accompany them?
Should they be sent airmail all together, or a separate communication and
picture to each person?
11)
What to do – This can be addressed when I return
12)
Why – I want to dictate a personal note to each
administrator and send the photos with a note individually.
13)
Memos – (see attached memo 14)
ITEM‑10
Department of State
Washington, DC
M. Stefan,
Director November 26
International
League Library
Dear M.
Stefan:
A group of twenty libraries from many different countries has been chosen
to come to the United States to study library buildings and organization. They
will arrive in Washington on January 6 and will spend the next three months in
this country. After a week of orientation here in this department, they will
then visit libraries all over the nation according to an itinerary we are
working out for them. For their first library visit, we would like to spend a
week in your library starting about January 14-21. Will this be acceptable to
you, and if so, will you make the necessary arrangements?
Enclosed is a list of these distinguished librarians.
John T. Warden
14)
What to do – Have Claudia draft a letter
expressing our pleasure at the prospect of such a visit. Please make the
necessary arrangements for the visit, including security clearances,
accommodations during their stay and allocate staff members to escort the
visitors through each department. I will go over and confirm or amend these
arrangements upon my return. I will go over the list of visiting librarians to
ascertain whether any of them are attached to libraries that are members of our
group and perhaps invite those who are not to join the League.
15)
Why – It is good public relations. The potential
of new members may allow an exchange between our libraries and allow new
materials to be added to our international collection.
16)
Memos – (see attached memo 15)
ITEM‑ 11
743 Lockwood Ave.
November 13
M. Stefan,
Director
International
League Library
Dear M.
Stefan:
For my high school social studies course, I am writing a theme about
literacy in Iceland. Will you please send me some books and pamphlets on this
subject and a bibliography of periodical articles?
Sincerely,
Joe Graves
17)
What to do – Have a staff member draft a letter
to Mr. Graves explaining that our materials are not available for loan to the
general public, but as a courtesy, perhaps someone in Public Services can
create a basic bibliography of resources that be readily obtained at most
public libraries.
18)
Why – Our materials are not available for loan
to the public, but in the interest of public relations, I would like to offer
what assistance we can to this young man.
19)
Memos – (see attached memo # 16)
ITEM‑12
International
League Library November 27
Memorandum
To: M. Stefan
From: Mrs.
Madeline Fairfield, Head, Public Services
I have an appointment scheduled with you for 2:30 p.m., November 29, to
discuss two personnel problems. In case you wish to review the background, I am
supplying some data. More information about each person is available in the
personnel office.
Ms. Rama
Singh-
Ms. Singh's contract expires on December 6th of this year. No provision
for further extension has been made. Her visa will permit her to remain in this
country one more year for library practice work. At the end of that time, she
will return to India to use her library education there. Her knowledge of
several Indian languages is invaluable in reference and bibliography. In
addition, I believe what she is learning in this library will be valuable to
her as a librarian in her native country. She is a most willing employee, even under
the difficult and demanding situation within the reference and bibliography
unit. She is pleasant, adaptable to any kind of work, quick to comprehend, and
therefore, in my opinion, a most desirable person to keep on our staff.
You remember we called this appointment to the attention of the League's
personnel office about five weeks ago but no action has been reported to me. If
Ms. Singh's contract cannot be extended, she must soon make travel arrangements
to return home.
Mr. Jose
Francisco:
You will recall that I reported to you a month ago that Mr. Francisco's
performance was unsatisfactory. His probationary period will end on December 1.
I suggest that you take up his case with the personnel office and recommend
that they ask for his resignation. If he refuses to resign, I recommend that he
be disengaged from the library, leaving to the discretion of the personnel
office the decision concerning transfer to some other department or section of
the League.
He has not accepted the job requirements of the position. An employee in
the services area must respond not only with attitudes of service and
selflessness but also with initiative to lead and supervise the personnel under
him. His unit should operate smoothly and responsibly because it is an important
key to good library service. He has been incompetent and disagreeable, and has
created a poor morale situation in his unit.
Replacement
for Mr. Francisco:
If it appears that the personnel office will remove him from the library
staff, I suggest we start searching for a replacement. The job requires the
following:
1. Supervisory responsibility
of personnel in the maintenance of the stacks: obtaining and reshelving books,
reading shelves, and keeping the collection orderly and clean;
2.
Receiving,
sorting, and distributing the mail;
3.
Recording
periodicals in the inventory records;
4.
Sorting and
arranging documents received from international agencies;
5.
Preparing
shipments to the United States Book Exchange and to the bindery.
[**Tip from Dr Dee: Think carefully and creatively
about the facts of this complex memo]
1)
What to do – First, we must absolutely work for
the retention of Ms. Singh. I will have Madeleine draft a letter to Personnel
to check the status of our request as I have not heard from them, either and
have her insist that all necessary paperwork and forms to be filled out be
expedited. First order of business should be an emergency extension of Ms.
Singh's visa. Second, in the case of Mr. Francisco, he has already been warned
and he is on probation. I suggest that we can find his replacement in his own
department: Paul Daniels.
2)
Why – Ms. Singh is an excellent worker and is an
asset to our organizations, so every attempt to keep her on should be made. Mr.
Daniels has demonstrated excellent customer service and already works in the department so his
training to a supervisory position will be expedited.
3)
Memos – (see attached memo 17)
ITEM‑13
779 River
Street
Pocatello, Idaho
November
21
M. Stefan,
Director International League Library
Dear Director:
My wife and I are planning a trip to Mexico this summer. We would be most
grateful if you would personally recommend to us some good travel guidebooks.
Sincerely,
Joe Kokes
20)
What to do – delegate this request to Associate
Director Patricia Heath and explain to Mr. Kokes that I have been called out of
the country on an urgent matter and cannot see to this request myself.
21)
Why – Because I am pressed for time today and
cannot fill this request myself, even though Mr. Kokes asked for a personal
recommendation.
22)
Memos – (see attached memo 18)
ITEM‑14
University of
Lincoln November 21
Department of
Geography
International
League
Dear Director:
This department is engaged in a research contract concerning basic
physical environment studies. One of the tasks is the compilation of a source
file for physical environment data and information that must include coverage
for all land areas of the world. Particular emphasis is being placed on the
extent, accessibility, reliability, means, and methods for retrieval of the
information from established repositories.
Below is a list of the types of information that I am interested in
during the initial stages of the project:
Soil and surface maps
Disease maps and atlases
Geological atlases,
structure maps, and indexes
Insect distribution maps
Bibliographies of
pedological and geological maps
Topographic and relief
amps and indexes
Bibliographies of biotic
realm subjects
Air photos and indexes
Ground photos and indexes
Weather maps
Landform maps, atlases,
and bibliographies
Manned and unmanned
satellite photography
Vegetation maps, atlases
and bibliographies
General atlases
Land use maps and atlases
Stream, river, or lake
data and maps
Groundwater data and maps
Hydrology maps, atlases
and bibliographies
Geophysical activities
Astrophysical activities
General physical
geography manuals, handbooks, etc.
Sincerely,
George M. Bartholomew
Research Geographer
23)
What to do – forward this request to Ms. Madeline Fairfield, head of Public services
to fill this request from the Univeristy
24)
Why – That is her department and with Mr.
Francisco not doing his job, it's up to her to see that the request is
fulfilled.
25)
Memos – none necessary
interoffice memorandum
to: Claudia Powell
from: P. Stefan
subject: Mr. Potter's Memorial
date: 2/11/2015
Claudia, please call Mr. Potter's office in the next few
days to ascertain when and where -- or
if – memorial services will be held. I would like a good representation of our
Institute in attendance if possible. Please make out staff aware of the date
and time and let them know I am strongly encouraging their attendance. Call me
in Geneva at the hotel with the date and time
– I have left the details of my itinerary on your desk. I will attend
myself is at all possible.
interoffice memorandum (memo 4)
to: Elsie Wilson, Head, Technical Services
from: P. Stefan
subject: Dr. Myer
date: 2/11/2015cc: Patricia
Heath, Associate Director
I will be keeping a 1:00 appointment with Dr. Myer today to discuss our agreement
with him. Although I want to emphasize that you are absolutely correct in your
assertions, Elsie, perhaps Dr. Myer has a need that he has not shared with us
for more copies than he is currently receiving. If, after speaking with him I
can ascertain it to be the case that Dr. Myer has need of more materials, then
perhaps we can negotiate something more amenable to him, but I will have to talk with fiscal services first
to see if our budget will allow us to grant him more copies of publications.
Perhaps Dr. Myer would be open to receiving digitalized copies. I will discuss
this with him and check with legal services to ensure copyright will not be
infringed upon by this solution.
In addition, I will have all of Dr. Myer's future
correspondence sent to me and will handle his requests personally.
interoffice memorandum (Memo 5)
to: Fiscal services
from: P. Stefan
subject: Dr.
Hans Myer, Director of the International Institute in Berlin
date: 11/28/12
cc: Patricia Heath, Associate
Director
I will be talking
with Dr. Myer today to discuss our current agreement with him. If, after
speaking with him I can ascertain it to be the case that Dr. Myer has need of
more materials, then perhaps we can negotiate something more amenable to him,
but I will need to know if our budget
will allow us to grant him more copies of publications. Please contact me with
costs and budgetary matters on this as soon as possible as I am leaving for
Geneva in a matter of hours and would like to give Dr. Myer an answer today.
interoffice memorandum (memo 6)
to: Legal services
from: P. Stefan
subject: Dr.
Hans Myer, Director of the International Institute in Berlin
date: 11/28/12
cc: Patricia Heath, Associate
Director
I will be talking
with Dr. Myer today to discuss our current agreement with him. If, after
speaking with him I can ascertain it to be the case that Dr. Myer has need of
more materials, then perhaps we can negotiate something more amenable to him.
If I hear from Fiscal services that this out of our budgetary allowance, then I
would like to suggest that digital copies of publications might be an
acceptable substitute to print materials. After speaking with Dr. Myer, I will
have a better idea of what Berlin is requesting and will forward the
information to your department. Please contact me regarding on any possible
copyright infringement, either national or international, on this as soon as possible as I am leaving
for Geneva in a matter of hours and would like to give Dr. Myer an answer
today.
interoffice memorandum (memo 16)
TO:
MS CLAUDIA
HOWELL
from: P. Stefan
subject: Request for materials
date: 11/28/12
Encl:/ Request for materials from Joe Graves
cc: Public services
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