by Elaina Norlin
American Library Association, 2021
Paper: 978-0-8389-4798-2
Library of Congress Classification Z678.N66 2021
Dewey Decimal Classification 023.0973

ABOUT THIS BOOK | AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY | REVIEWS | TOC
ABOUT THIS BOOK

Gallup’s 2019 State of the American Workplace Report found that 70 percent of employees are disengaged at work. Why is worker engagement so important? Engaged workers lead to engaged libraries — vibrant institutions that nurture their workers’ dedication, creativity, and innovation so they can serve their communities most effectively. This guide walks library managers and administrators through concrete steps to change their organization’s culture so that it fosters worker engagement, using first-hand accounts from library staff to illustrate both successes and failures. Readers will discover



  • why libraries often fall short at hiring good leadership and ways to develop better recruitment strategies moving forward;

  • how lack of trust pushes workplace culture towards incivility, hostility, and lower morale, and what library leaders can do to rebuild it;

  • methods for using recognition and praise as tools for sustaining a positive work environment;

  • the rationale for eliminating annual performance reviews in favor of less formal one-on-one conversations and “just in time” continuous feedback;

  • the secrets behind high performing teams, strategies to support dysfunctional teams, and tips on how to develop remote teamwork; and

  • why viewing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as separate from workplace culture is counterproductive, since it is actually the positive result of a strong foundation, with advice on combating the factors that contribute to low retention rates of BIPOC librarians.