Cultural Practices: Beyond Ethics

James Agee, MS, MA, MLS

University LibrarianAmerican University of Phnom Penh

Cambodia

Leaning International: Recipes from the Field

International Connections Committee of the International Relations Round Table (IRRT)

American Library Association San Francisco, 28 June 2015

You “lean” toward an international posting?

While it may seem that I should give you answers, I’ll take the opposite approach.

For the next few minutes you’ll get some “Case Studies”

that should help raise questions and guide your thoughts about the realities of work abroad.

Come to the Session if you seek insights on how to deal with such situations!

Just a few notes about these HYPOTHETICAL Case Studies

• None of these situations reflect or are related to my current employment.

• Each of these situations is based on very real experiences, either mine or colleagues; but the situations and positions are fictional.

• While some aspects of these “Case Studies” may seem humorous, they are in fact very sincerely based and not intended to be funny.

• My apologies for the text-heavy presentation!

Case Study 1 (“Connections”)

• You are in a senior management position at an academic library in a very foreign nation.

• You have about 30 library staff, none with an MLS, some with a local BLS, and most have some non-Western library work experience.

• REMEMBER: You are essentially a “Guest” in this country with a Work Permit and Visa; your documents are all in order.

Case 1 … the opportunity

The university Vice President of Finance mentions to you in a hallway conversation that he has someone for you to hire for a library job.

He feels it would be a good opportunity for the prospect, and for the Library, if this person is

hired to work in the Library.

Case 1 .. the prospect

You learn that the prospect has just returned home from Europe where he studied

Economics at university.

• The prospect speaks good English.• The prospect has never worked in a Library.• The prospect has no library credentials.• The prospect is related to a highly placed

Cabinet member of the national government.

Case Study 1

Do you take any action, and if so … what action do you take?

Case Study 2 (“Connections”)

• You are in a Reference & Instruction position at an academic library in a very foreign nation.

• You work with about 30 library staff, none with an MLS, some with a local BLS, and most have some non-Western library work experience.

• REMEMBER: You are essentially a “Guest” in this country with a Work Permit and Visa; your documents are all in order.

Case 2 … the opportunity

A clerk from the Purchasing Department of the University approaches you one day with a clipboard. He looks at the clipboard of names and asks that you give him $25.00 (equivalent).

Surprised, you ask, “Why”?

He smiles and explains that the Vice President of Operations just had a new grandchild born!

Case 2 .. the prospect

You learn that it is local practice for everyone on staff to contribute (a designated amount) so that a gift can be purchased on such occasions.

Library colleagues explain that these senior staff are very important people.

Your birthday or other life events will not be recognized in such a way.

(Unless you expect lower-level Library staff to give contributions for a gift when you have a birthday.)

Case 2 .. the prospect (cont’d.)

• You are assigned a contribution (the equivalent of $25) based on the status of your position.

• You very indirectly report to this V.P., but have never met her after 10 months on the job.

• This V.P. has approximately 150-200 staff who indirectly report to her.

• Colleagues tell you this happens often for any senior administrators, so that gifts can be given to celebrate new children or grandchildren, marriage anniversaries, sympathy for deaths in their families, or other celebrations or reasons …

Case Study 2

Do you take any action, and if so … what action do you take?

Case Study 3 (“Contracts”)

• You are employed as a Librarian at an academic library in a very foreign nation.

• You work with about 30 library staff, none with an MLS, some with a local BLS, and most have some non-Western library work experience.

• REMEMBER: You are essentially a “Guest” in this country with a Work Permit and Visa; your documents are all in order.

Case 3 … the opportunity

You are told by the Library Director that the university administration has not approved the requested funds for travel to a conference.

You – an international librarian – and two local colleagues hoped to participate in a relevant conference, and received the Library Director’s endorsement.

Case 3 .. the prospect

The Library Director is determined to get financial support for conference participation.

• There are several large companies (as in the ALA Exhibit Area) who frequently visit the Library and sell the Library Director expensive database subscriptions. These are both direct corporate representatives, and intermediary company representatives who handle products from numerous book and E-resource providers.

Case 3 .. the prospect (cont’d.)

• The Library Director approaches the company that has been paid the most for subscriptions this year, and asks for conference support.

• The Library Director will go down the list of suppliers and ask more contracted vendors if necessary to get sufficient funds.

• The Library Director may expect you to pay the balance that is not provided.

Case 3 .. the prospect (more cont’d.)

• A company agrees to provide financial support for three people to go to the conference:

Registrations, Flights, Hotels • Travel approval is now dependent upon the

University Director General, who agrees to approve the travel if the Vice President of Management is one of the participants who will have their expenses paid. She will learn more about Libraries, and she enjoys that city because there is excellent shopping.

Case Study 3

Do you take any action, and if so … what action do you take?

Join our ALA session: International Relations Round Table –International Connections Committee

A panel of Librarians with international work experience in such places as Afghanistan, Bermuda, Cambodia, China, Kazakhstan,

Mozambique, and Semester-at-Sea will share their experiences.

• 28 June 2015 at 1:00 – 2:00 pm (13:00-14:00) • Moscone Convention Center, 3001 (W)

These Case Studies, and many similar topics, will be discussed with participants!!!

Thank-you