Message 1:

Subject: FW: [SERIALST] Letters of Reference
Date: Mon, 23 Feb 2004 10:09:20 -0500
From: "Lafferty, Cindy" <CLafferty@sf.edu>

Also, what if my former supervisor has also moved on? My best reference
was my boss for 3 years but no longer works at the newspaper where she
supervised me. If our former employer adopted that rule, how could it
apply to her?

Cindy Lafferty
Librarian Assistant
University of Saint Francis
Clafferty@sf.edu
260-434-7454

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Message 2:

From: GSpears758@aol.com
Date: Mon, 23 Feb 2004 10:41:04 EST
Subject: Re: [SERIALST] Letters of Reference

This is an interesting thread. Since I am in the job market this makes me
wonder to if this is a trend that we are seeing? It certainly looks like
that

GAIL
gspears758@aol.com

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Message 3:

Date: Mon, 23 Feb 2004 08:38:41 -0800
From: "Aline Soules" <asoules@csuhayward.edu>
To: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum <SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU>
Subject: Re: [SERIALST] Letters of Reference

This is not a new policy for organizations, just one that is spreading.
 During the years I worked at the University of Michigan, we were
required to get references on candidates, but were told that if
references were requested, we were to verify dates of employment only.

The concern is obviously lawsuits, so my assumption is that the
restriction on providing references will grow. I also think that giving
a "personal" reference as an individual, which I saw recommended in a
different e-mail on this topic, won't really work. You are still an
employee of the campus and if you give a reference, then you give a
reference. It's a very difficult issue.

I think the only possibility is to ask the candidate for other
references. If there are none, then I'm not sure what to suggest.

aline

Aline Soules, Associate University Librarian
California State University, Hayward
25800 Carlos Bee Blvd.
Hayward, CA 94579-1358
tel. 510-885-4596
fax 510-885-2049
e-mail: asoules@csuhayward.edu
web: http://www.library.csuhayward.edu/staff/staff_profiles/asoules.htm

Karen Nadeski wrote:
 > I haven't had much luck searching the archives of AUTOCAT or SERIALST on
 > this topic, so I thought I'd post to the lists.
 >
 > Recently one of my references informed me that the new Human Resources
 > policy at his institution restricts him to simply verifying my dates in
 > employment when contacted by potential employers. He suggested that
 > because of this I should find an alternative reference in the future.
 >
 > I know this restriction is not new to the workplace, but it is the
 > first time it has affected me personally and I would like to know how
 > other people are handling or would handle this situation -- whether you
 > are seeking employment, on a search committee to fill an open position,
 > or someone who writes or has written letters of reference (with or
 > without this institutional restriction).
 >
 > I am also feeling at a loss because this particular reference is the
 > only person who can comment upon certain skills that I acquired while
 > working at his library (i.e., in my work experience, they were unique to
 > that position).
 >
 > Thanks in advance for any thoughts, suggestions, recommendations, etc.
 > you can give me!
 >
 >
 >
 > Karen Nadeski
 >
 > Project Cataloger, Connecticut History Online
 > Connecticut State Library
 > 231 Capitol Ave.
 > Hartford, CT 06106
 > 860-757-6544
 > knadeski@cslib.org
 > http://www.cthistoryonline.org/ <http://http://www.cthistoryonline.org/>