Paraprofessional Punch.

This paper presents an outline for a plan for increasing OCLC cataloging statistics in the monograph cataloging unit of a medium-to-large academic library, along with the evaluation process used to achieve this goal. The focus of the plan was on a group of upper level paraprofessional staff. First, OCLC cooperative cataloging was redefined to include all member copy regardless of quality, with editing done to update obsolete name and subject headings and verification of call numbers. Staff members unfamiliar with the Library of Congress schedules received training. Evaluation was based on monthly statistics, with individual targets set through monthly conferences. Failure to meet quotas was met with commiseration, additional training, and reevaluation. The plan was successful, with an increase of 2,700 titles over the course of one year, 1,800 of which were contributed by the paraprofessional staff. In addition, morale and professional/paraprofessional cooperation increased, and quota setting eventually became unnecessary, with the paraprofessionals now setting and maintaining their own pace, and managing their own time and workloads. (EW)