Menu:
But I Want To Hold It In My Hand! Print Resources
Giesecke, Joan and Beth McNeil. Fundamentals of Library Supervision. ALA Fundamentals Series. Chicago: ALA Editions, 2005. ISBN 0-8389- 0895-0. $42.00 ($37.80/ALA Members). Purchase from Amazon.com.
Are you a new supervisor who, like me, didn't take enough management electives in library school? If so, this book is a good place to start building your management knowledge base. At only 166 pages, it is the Cliff's Notes for library personnel management. You'll find a solid overview of the major areas a new supervisor needs to master, including communication skills, diversity, hiring, managing performance, and managing meetings. Each chapter begins with a brief outline, followed by an overview of major concepts in clear, concise prose. My only complaints? First, a section on the "challenges" posed by generational differences reads like a litany of negative stereotypes. Second, a list of recommended reading at the end of each chapter would make the book much more useful. Nevertheless, this book provides a good introduction to personnel issues for new supervisors. To develop broader and deeper expertise, also consider one of the other recent books on library management, such as Pixey Anne Mosley's Transitioning from Librarian to Middle Manager or Rachel Singer Gordon's The Accidental Library Manager.
Janet Crum is Head, Library Systems & Cataloging at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland.
---
Montgomery, Jack G. and Eleanor I. Cook. Conflict Management for Libraries: Strategies for a Positive, Productive Workplace. Chicago: ALA Editions, 2005. ISBN 083890890X. $42.00 ($37.80/ALA Members). Purchase from Amazon.com.
Conflict Management for Libraries should be required reading for all library school students and for librarians everywhere. The book is creatively organized in three parts. The first part covers the many types of conflict possible in libraries, and dispels the myth that libraries are peaceful, serene settings. Part Two includes seventeen case studies from real libraries, followed by the authors' analyses as well as those of two experts in conflict resolution. The final section of the book suggests strategies for "managing conflict before it manages you." The authors have crafted a practical and well developed manual for conflict management within the library environment based on a survey the authors conducted in 2000; over 500 library employees responded. The authors warn readers that ignoring and avoiding conflict is to invite disaster - because the longer things fester, the harder they are to overcome. This book is not sugar-coated at all, and the authors point out that sometimes the situation is so bad the only option is to leave. A well-written and -researched must read; highly recommended for everyone!
Lisa A. Ennis is a reference librarian at the University of Alabama at Birmingham's Lister Hill Library of the Health Sciences.