The Accidental Library Manager

"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."--Jacket.

Offers advice to administrators of libraries of all sizes to dealing with succession planning and other aspects of change, detailing how to spot potential leaders, encourage professional growth, motivate employees, and develop high-quality performers.

An American librarian who has worked in a wide range of situations over the past quarter century, MacKellar offers a guide for people who find themselves working as a librarian but have had no training in the field. Among her topics are what libraries and librarians are, developing a collection, retrieving and disseminating information, management essentials, removing barriers, public access computers, and librarian certification.

This volume comprises papers prepared for the 8th World Conference on Continuing Professional Development (Bologna, Italy, 18-20 August 2009). Within the broad theme of creating a positive work environment for a multi-generational workforce in library and information organizations, the conference addresses managing between and across generations, mentoring and coaching, attracting people to the profession and developing a new generation of leaders, re-skilling and transferability of skills, succession planning and passing on knowledge.

The Small Library Manager’s Handbook is for librarians working in all types of small libraries. It covers the everyday nuts-and-bolts operations that all librarians must perform. This handbook, written by experts who are small librarians themselves, will help all small librarians to do multiple jobs at the same time.

Here is a highly readable guide to strategies and projects that have helped over 100 public libraries gain community support and funding during challenging times. Marylaine Block integrates survey responses from innovative library directors with her research, analysis, and extended interviews to showcase hundreds of winning programs and services. The strategies explored include: Youth Services; The Library as Place; Partnerships; Marketing; Stressing the Economic Value; Library 2.0; Outreach; and Helping the Community Achieve Its Aspirations. Projects are described in practitioners own words, with additional examples drawn from libraries long-range plans, annual reports, programs, and Web sites, as well as from news stories and library literature. The result is a rich source of ideas and inspiration for those who want their libraries to thrive, not merely survive. Supported by the author's Web page.

In this updated and expanded second edition of her popular guidebook, Searcher columnist Irene McDermott once again exhorts her fellow reference librarians to don their pith helmets and follow her fearlessly into the Web jungle. She presents new and improved troubleshooting tips and advice, Web resources for answering reference questions, and strategies for managing information and keeping current. In addition to helping librarians make the most of Web tools and resources, the book offers practical advice on privacy and child safety, assisting patrons with special needs, Internet training, building library Web pages, and much more

Every day, people are promoted into the ranks of management . . . even if they never intended to become managers. They agree to their new responsibilities either to stay employed or to make more money. It is a universal phenomenon. But for these ""accidental managers,"" it makes more sense to manage well than to manage badly, and this book tells them how. Using examples and real-life case studies, The Accidental Manager gives readers the tools they need to make the most of their situation, showing them how to: * Develop their people by having them work on their own and with others * Actively listen in order to build trust and increase communication * Give positive and constructive feedback to keep employees on track * Motivate by providing the best possible environment for each team member The book reveals the ten worst types of managers (and how to avoid being one of them), and features a special Management Assessment tool. The Accidental Manager gives managers the skills they need to shine in their new -- accidental -- positions.