FDLP Succession Planning: Real coordinators' experience

This coordinator from a large academic library shared her experience coming into the position as depository coordinator, without any information from the previous coordinator who left suddenly. 

Her comments on what would have helped:

• Contact information for our regional depository
• Who to contact at GPO
• List of our selections
• Guidelines on collection maintenance
• Rules on weeding
• Internal workflows
• Maintenance guidelines
• Where the collection is located
• How physical items are cataloged and processed
• How e-resources are made available in our OPAC
• How often our collection is evaluated
• How to make sure we're compliant with rules/guidelines set by FDLP
• Preserve longtime institutional knowledge
• Succession planning prevents wasting time searching for the information on where to start

This coordinator from a small academic library shared her experience as a new coordinator who had access to succession documentation.

"My predecessor left me a USB drive with electronic files which included:

• Past and planned projects
• Processing instructions
• Cataloging procedures
• Other documentation

She also left a private LibGuide which includes:

• Logins 
• Contact information
• First Steps

How the information helped:

• It was helpful having the electronic files available to me
• It gave me an idea where she had started and where she was planning to go
• The most beneficial aspect was her willingness to chat with me about the collection and the library in general
• It inspired me to leave my contact information along with my all my files on the same flash drive for my replacement
• My predecessor's willingness to provide advice helped me adjust to my first position out of library school