The Accidental Library Manager

by Rachel Singer Gordon

Overview

Most librarians enter the field intending to focus on a particular specialty, but eventually need to take on certain supervisory or managerial responsibilities in order to move forward. In The Accidental Library Manager, author Rachel Singer Gordon provides support and background for new managers, aspiring managers, and those who find themselves in unexpected management roles. Gordon fills in the gaps left by brief and overly theoretical library school coursework, showing library managers how to be more effective in their positions and how to think about their work in terms of the goals of their larger institutions. Included are insights from working library managers at different levels and in various types of libraries, addressing a wide range of management issues and situations. Not to be missed: comments from library staff about the qualities they appreciate-and the styles and attitudes they find counterproductive-in their own bosses. This readable and reassuring guide is a must for any librarian who wishes to succeed in a management position.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781573878968
Publisher:	Information Today, Inc.
Publication date:	09/19/2011
Series:	The Accidental Library Series
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	1 MB

Table of Contents

	Acknowledgments	ix
	About the Web Page	xi
	Introduction	xiii
Chapter 1	Becoming a Library Manager	1
	Library Skills and Managerial Challenges	3
	Sidebar: Rachel's Laws of Library Management	4
	Making That Transition	5
	What a Library Manager Does	10
	Women in Management	11
	Nonlibrarians as Library Managers	13
	Paraprofessional Managers	13
	Volunteer Managers	14
	Nonlibrarians (New to Libraries)	15
	Managing Yourself	17
	Charting a Management Path	19
	Sidebar: Some Suggested Sources for Reading on Management Issues	24
	Notes	26
	Recommended Reading	27
Chapter 2	Levels of Management	29
	Directors	31
	Sidebar: Interview with Meredith Goins	32
	Assistant Directors	37
	Department Heads	37
	Supervisors	39
	Co-Managers	40
	Sidebar: Interview with Valerie Viers	40
	One Person Library (OPL) Managers	43
	Sidebar: Interview with Judith Siess	44
	Project Managers	51
	Other Managers	53
	Differing Institutions	54
	Notes	55
	Recommended Reading	55
Chapter 3	Managing People: Personnel Issues	57
	Hiring	60
	Interviewing	65
	Coordinating and Scheduling	68
	Reviewing	71
	Promoting	74
	Reprimanding...and Firing	75
	Professional Development	79
	Core Competencies	81
	Training	82
	Mentoring	86
	Notes	87
	Recommended Reading	88
Chapter 4	Managing People: Managing Different Groups	91
	Diversity Issues	93
	Managing Across Generations	95
	Managing Diversity	100
	Managing Different Groups	104
	Managing Professionals	104
	Managing Paraprofessionals	105
	Managing Students, Volunteers, Temps, Contractors and Interns	106
	Managing Mixed Groups	109
	Managing Customers	110
	Notes	111
	Recommended Reading	111
Chapter 5	Managing People: Communication and Leadership	113
	Communication	114
	Technology	120
	Meetings	121
	Conflict Resolution	125
	Building Relationships	127
	Leadership	128
	Delegation	129
	Motivation	131
	Goal Setting	136
	Coaching	137
	Team Building and Collaboration	138
	Decision Making	140
	Notes	142
	Recommended Reading	142
Chapter 6	What Library Staff Want	145
	Potential Pitfalls	146
	Preferred Patterns	156
	Notes	166
	Recommended Reading	166
Chapter 7	Managing Facilities and Technology	167
	Systems Management	168
	Facilities and Collections Management	170
	Facilities Management	171
	Collection Management	176
	Outsourcing	178
	Notes	180
	Recommended Reading	180
Chapter 8	Managing Change	183
	Your Change Options	184
	Internal vs. External Changes	185
	Ongoing Change vs. Crisis Management	186
	Overcoming Resistance to Change	187
	Encouraging Innovation	190
	Technostress	192
	Strategic Planning	194
	Notes	200
	Recommended Reading	200
Chapter 9	Managing Money	203
	Accounting	205
	Budgeting	207
	Doing More With Less	213
	Getting More	215
	Fundraising	216
	Referenda	217
	Grants	218
	Donations	220
	Partnerships	221
	Fee for Service	221
	Making Your Case	222
	Statistics and Performance Measures	224
	Notes	225
	Recommended Reading	226
Chapter 10	Managing Upward and Outward	229
	Your Own Manager	231
	Your Peers	234
	Your Community	235
	Your Institution	241
	Library Boards	242
	Unions	244
	Politics	246
	Marketing, PR, and Advocacy	249
	The Press	251
	Networking	252
	Sidebar: Associations for Library Managers	253
	Notes	255
	Recommended Reading	255
Chapter 11	Theories of Management	259
	Management Theories and Principles	261
	Benevolent Neglect	262
	Chaos Theory (Complexity Theory)	262
	Contingency Theory	263
	Dimensional Theory of Behavior	263
	Diversity Equals Strength	263
	Emotional Intelligence	264
	FISH!	264
	Franklin-Covey (7 Habits of Highly Effective People)	265
	The Golden Rule	265
	Herzberg's Theory of Motivation	266
	Jazz Combo	266
	ISO 9000	267
	Lead by Example	267
	Learning Organizations	268
	Management by Objectives	268
	Management by Walking Around	269
	Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs	269
	McGregor's Theory of X and Y	270
	Myers-Briggs	271
	The Pareto Principle (80/20 Rule, Pareto's Law)	271
	Participatory Management	273
	The Peter Principle	273
	Ranganathan's Laws	274
	Reverse Hierarchy	274
	Risk Management	275
	Scientific Management	275
	Servant Leadership	276
	Six Sigma	276
	Strategic Management	277
	Systems Theory	277
	Team-Based Management (Teamwork)	277
	Total Quality Management (TQM)	278
	Classic Management Titles	280
	Notes	285
	Recommended Reading	285
Chapter 12	Philosophical, Legal, and Ethical Issues	289
	Privacy	291
	Business Ethics	293
	Intellectual Freedom and Censorship	294
	Copyright	295
	Personnel/Labor Law Issues	297
	Managing Legal Issues	298
	Setting Policies	299
	Notes	300
	Recommended Reading	300
Chapter 13	Where to Go from Here	303
	Defining Goals	304
	Sidebar: Selected Professional Development Opportunities	305
	Stepping Back	307
	Sidebar: Interview with Priscilla Shontz	309
	Staying Put	313
	Lateral Moves	315
	Moving Up	315
	Sidebar: Interview with Mary Pergander	316
	Changing Fields	322
	Going Solo	322
	Managing Stress and Burnout	323
	Notes	328
	Recommended Reading	328
	Conclusion	331
Appendix A	Library Management Surveys	333
Appendix B	Web Sites	339
	About the Author	345
	Index	347

What People are Saying About This

Julie Todaro

"This in-depth look at library management includes sound, practical advice from the author and from a variety of experts in diverse settings. One of the great strengths of the book is the broad coverage of the management of people, facilities, and budgets. Highly recommended for the first time or veteran manager."
—Dr., Management Consultant, author of The Truth is Out There, and Dean, Library Services, Austin Community College

Gail Sweet

"Informative, thorough, and well documented. The text covers many of the situations you hope never to encounter (but inevitably do!) in a practical manner and with a nice touch of humor."
—Director Burlington County (NJ) Library System

Pat Wagner

"A comprehensive, practical guide to the mysteries of management in the library workplace. Vital for both new and experienced library managers."
—Principle Pattern Research, Inc.

Editorial Reviews

Gordon, well known for her work on generational issues in librarianship (including writing LJ's NextGen column), is the author of several books on career development in the profession, among them The Accidental Systems Librarian and The Librarian's Guide to Writing for the Profession. This time she takes on library management. Designed to help "those who became library managers `by accident,' without a planned step-by-step progression up the career ladder," her book addresses a range of management concerns, including managing personnel, facilities, money, and change. She also includes a primer on management theories and addresses philosophical, legal, and ethical issues. Each chapter offers a wealth of practical tips and commonsense advice; there are lots of quotes from library managers and staff to illustrate key points and provide real-life examples. The book offers a readable, enjoyable overview of library management for new and potential managers; its only weakness is that the information is sometimes a bit general. New managers in academic libraries looking for more specific, how-to info should also consider Pixey Anne Mosley's Transitioning from Librarian to Middle Manager, while public librarians might look at Edward Evans and Patricia Layzell Ward's Beyond the Basics: The Management Guide for Library and Information Professionals. Recommended for graduate and professional collections.-Janet A. Crum, Oregon Health & Science Univ. Lib., Portland Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

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