Staff Profile - September 2015

Eric Cusaac, Library Clerk at Mandarin Branch, has been with JPL 24 years.  He began as a part-time clerk at Mandarin Branch in 1991, then transferred to old Main as a driver for distribution when JPL still owned that service. Later he moved to Brentwood, then to West Regional before going back to KR in 2009.  There he serves as a supply and property clerk and is responsible for reporting building issues to JPL Facilities. 

The Library Awards Committee (formerly R and R Committee) awarded Eric a Challenge the Process Award on July 9, 2015, for his diligence in resolving the constant clutter of boxes that became a big nuisance and safety issue in the staff workroom at KR.

Q: You volunteered to reclaim KR’s work space, What relationships had you already solidified that helped you solve the problem of hundreds of boxes of books that stacked up weekly ?

A:  I used my experience as a driver to communicate with the current distribution staff.  We could understand each others' problems and work together towards a solution to KR’s clutter.  Additionally, I had a good working relationship with KR’s staff and we wanted to see the clutter diminished.  We had a common goal that would benefit everyone.

Q:  How did you get your vision across to staff?

A:  I met with staff, outlined a plan for streamlining the donation process, listened to suggestions, kept good communication going between staff and myself, my supervisor and Region Manager.  I first secured my superiors’ input, suggestions, and approval before proceeding with the plan.

Q:  What steps did you then take to set your plan in motion for diminishing the clutter and safety hazard in the staff workroom?

A:  I had worked elsewhere on Sundays and observed how those branches handled donations and adapted some effective measures for KR.  I organized carts for sorting donations and weeded materials.  I created book sale and recycling signs for carts so donations could be sorted and packed quickly, saving much time and energy for all concerned.

Q:  Life is a learning process for all of us; was there something beneficial that you learned during this process?

A:  Laundry carts are not the most efficient way to store items for recycling.  Current distribution trucks are smaller than the ones we used at old Main.  They don’t have the capacity to hold lots of  laundry baskets and they don’t have tailgates to load them on their trucks.

Q:  What is something we may not know about you that you would share?

A:  I like to stay in touch with my family and I travel to Atlanta, Orlando, and Florence, SC as often as I can to see them.  I like sports, particularly bowling and fishing, and my favorite football team is the New York Giants.