From the Director

The Rochester Public Library recently received two workplace recognition honors for wellness and workplace flexibility, and I wanted to share the good news with you.
We received a bronze award at the 2011 Workforce Wellness Conference on September 28, 2011, in Rochester.
Wellness Works, a coalition of small and large organizations, confers the award on employers who have invested in and are excelling at offering varying levels of worksite wellness services. The library was one of seven workplaces that received either a bronze, silver or gold award. The award is based on fulfilling various criteria. Since we established a Wellness Committee in December, 2010, the committee organized a community supported agriculture program with a local farm for fresh vegetable delivery for the 2011growing season, recommended changes that were adopted by the library board for healthy options in public and staff vending machines, and organized a program by a dietician on healthy lunch time alternatives for a general staff meeting.
On October 20th the library received an Alfred P. Sloan Award for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility. The ceremony, part of the Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Member Event, took place at the Rochester Event Center. The Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce encourages organizations to submit nominations. The award recognizes model employers for innovative and effective practices that make work better for both the employer and the employee. The award is given to employers who rank in the top 5% nationally. The Sloan Awards are part of When Work Works, a research-based initiative to highlight how effective and flexible workplaces can yield positive business results and help employees succeed at work and at home.
For the award we highlighted information on our telecommuting and job sharing policies and the Wellness Committee. The Library was also a champion of a city-wide Flexible Work Arrangement policy that was approved by city council on October 17th. The policy creates a process for employees to request flex time, compressed work weeks, phased retirement and other options to promote flexibility and win/win situations for the city and employee. We strive for a culture of flexibility.
We not only want the library to be a great place for the community, but we also want to be a great place to work.
Audrey Betcher, Rochester Public Library Director