Hi,
Today is a very special day for me. I received the FIRST EVER farewell party for myself. Admittedly it was more of a family affair in Harvard's Widener Library's Sage Cafe -rather than a gala show--but I was rather touched esp by the card signed by ALL members of the conservation department. My Boss -Ethel Hellman -who speaks a little of Hindi and has been to my brithplace - Muzafferpur (Bihar) and Kate Rich - my supervisor-have taught many many things-----starting with effective business commuication (as is evident in the precise detailed instructions of our weekly diary-attached.)
I had read about Operations Research in MBA and also about buisness communication --even got a chance to practice it - in Jaipur School -while dealing with workers there.There I had indeed managed the work-schedule of workers --detailing the amount of time required to do each task and the total time required to do all the cleaning-reparing dusting tasks---and managed to reduce a worker as well--by effective time planning. They kept leaving after learning the skills in electric repair and bus driving etc--and we didn't hire another in his place.
However, it was a shock to me when I was given a 2 hour induction training with lots of detailed instructions. The slow deliberate tone of my supervisor - at that time seemed rather unnecessary - but later I realized that this was reallly effective -since then I remembered clearly all she had told me --and didn't need repetition. In Jaipur School, the workers many a times gave the excuse that they didn't follow my oral instructions and had misunderstood --I used to speak in the normal conversational tone.
We have a big department here so I was not bale to get acquainted with everyone except those in immediate proximity --but I learnt a lot about current American society---about their kids and day care, their shopping and vacations, their ongoing pursuit of college education - about Israel, Iran and other places where we had colleagues from.
Ofcourse, I learnt about the complex and intriguing world of Library Management. Though Taxila and Nalanda Universities in India were the oldest Univs in the world (about 700BC)--but were destroyed by invaders from the west at around 1000AD. So for tha past 1000 years India has had no concept of libraries. Public libraries in India have outdated, flea bitten,dog eared texts and only current newspapers and magazines. Here in USA the Library Association is the largest professional association in the country. Their annual meetings draw as many as 10,000 members to discuss latest techniques in conservation and management. We keep getting new methods of keeping track of our work. Our work is becnhmarked against some secret time sheet --so we never know how quick we are supposed to be --and so always on our toes.
The other day I was packing a newspaper from Latin America and was surprised to see lots of photos of Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi in 60s --and even I think MadhuBala the Indian film actress. I learnt about India, Japan, China , Kingdom of Hawaii in 1800s, slavery in US, World Wars as about the inventions, dress-fashions etc from the newspapers advts and articles of those times, while going about my work.
Like professors (and students) are the mind of the University, so too the books and their keepers are the heart of the univ. (hidden in the basement just like the heart under the ribs.)
This is the department , which bandages and operates upon rare books, manuspcripts and even day to day books of professors and libraries. Just like a human hospital we too have an emergency telephone number --to call us if ur book got damaged by water, fire or chemicals etc.
But, I think even Harvard can learn from Jaipur School when it comes to employee relations. For the Annual Function or Farewell Party for graduating students we invite/expect all satff members (including librarian and clerical staff) to be present and partake in the festivities. Some ofcourse are busy with security arrangements. I was dismayed to overhear that my colleagues, who gave me my first farewell party were not allowed to join in --and since they happen to work in Harvard Yard where the festivities will be held --they would not even be coming to work that day. I would have given my two tickets -to be used for family members to my bosses to see the ceremony --but it seemed inappropriate--since they are my bosses at Harvard.
Is there something to be learned from it?
Umesh
PS: The Farewell Party when I left Indian Express office to transfer from Jaipur to Bhopal -was funded by me -upon the insistence of my then colleagues that since I was the one one unmarried I could afford it and also since I was the one who had requested for the transfer in the first place. While leaving Bhopal I did not expect a farewell since I had resigned after stiff tiffs with my lazy, dominating boss--who wanted to convert his yound subordinates to hen-pecked husbands of his sisters. I blew the whistle on him then. He was shunted out soon after I left.
Nobody gave me fareweel party at Jaipur School -though individually students were very happy to see me come to Harvard and also the workers , office staff and some teachers. I enjoyed singing with the little girls (when I first saw them-now grown up)-in the school choir for the last time. Subsequently I trained to join -and later joined the Harvard Radcliffe Chorus.Univ President Summers can learn about greatness/power of the female mind -by following the logic "strength respects strength" -- if he became a subordinate of the Michiavellian , female , Academic head of Jaipur School. I think women in US are too subjugated in the work-place to even develop Anti-Christ like tendencies. Maybe I am wrong.
Note: forwarded message attached.
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