Results by title

Foreword by Jane Slaughter

Interest in unions and the real, day-to-day benefits they secure for employees is on the rise—including among library workers, who are beginning to realize that on their own they have little leverage. But with a union they have the power of numbers, and their working conditions are decided by a collectively negotiated agreement rather than by the malleable judgement of an individual administrator or library board. This handbook will equip readers with the knowledge, skills, and strategies necessary for organizing and maintaining a union at their library. Peppered throughout by illuminating stories from successful library union leaders and members, this book

• discusses why library workers need unions and explores some of the benefits that a collective bargaining agreement can assure, such as job security, increased salaries, codification of the rules for overtime pay and time off, and protection from harassment by patrons;
• explains why a contract won't limit employees' autonomy;
• walks readers through how to launch a union drive, including the basics of talking with co-workers, combating apathy and fear, and running a campaign;
• offers an overview of the steps involved in building a new union, from forming an organizing committee to getting recognition and setting up a governance structure;
• sketches out the key issues relating to contracts, the details of bargaining and negotiation, and arbitration;
• lays out approaches and strategies for dealing with supervisors and administrators in the context of your union work, including effective communication between labor and management, contract enforcement, and handling bad behavior such as unfair labor practices and retaliation;
• gives advice on pursuing changes in your workplace in a right-to-work state;
• explores the constructive roles that bosses can play to support the union efforts of the workers who organize them; and
• provides an Action Plan at the end of each chapter with suggested readings, questions for reflection, and activities designed to help deepen your knowledge, broaden your network, and practice important skills.

A recent study published in the Journal of Library Administration draws a sobering conclusion: the accelerated exodus of library workers from the profession in the last several years is partially due to strained relationships between staff and their managers. Often, administrators and managers operate within structures that may encourage or enable poor managerial practices. This volume shines a light on a different path forward for the field, one that focuses on the people who work in libraries and how their managers can support them with empathy and skill.  Stemming from insights presented at the Conference on Academic Library Management (CALM), the contributors illustrate what person-centered management looks like in practice and point the way toward implementing this approach at readers’ institutions. This book

• incorporates a variety of institutional perspectives, including community colleges, technical and special colleges, liberal arts institutions, and large research universities;
• defines the concept of person-centered management in the context of libraries and explains why it offers such a valuable framework for improving workplace conditions;
• demonstrates why lack of workplace satisfaction and the low morale experience of library staff is often tied to the culture created by management;
• discusses building person-centered systems, interacting with student employees, setting healthy boundaries, and practicing reflection and self-care;
• shares positive, proactive management practices that create space for criticism, sharing of lived experiences, and a willingness to investigate and, if needed, make changes to the status quo; and
• explores such key topics as communication, working virtually, mentorship, intellectual humility, shared leadership, and many others.

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.

Fostering well-being in today's library workplaces is no longer a luxury but a necessity, particularly for managers tasked with guiding and supporting their teams. Amidst budget cuts, attempts to ban or restrict books, attacks on library staff online and in-person, and potentially hostile and aggressive patrons, taking care of ourselves and our staff by putting good policies and practices into place is more important than ever. In this book, Newman and her expert contributors will lead you through creating an environment that nurtures the health, satisfaction, and well-being of its workers and helps prevent or reduce the internal factors that create an unhealthy workplace. You will receive actionable advice on

• navigating the pitfalls of vocational awe, which can lead to unrealistic expectations and self-neglect;
• setting and recalibrating healthy boundaries;
• approaching difficult conversations by creating spaces for positive staff communication;
• overcoming limited budgets;
• the proper mindset for encouraging realistic performance expectations among employees;
• using recognition, appreciation, and staff professional development as tools for wellness;
• nurturing social connections and collaboration to combat loneliness;
• effective techniques for addressing sensitive issues such as disabilities, confronting anti-fat bias, and moral injury;
• emotional and invisible labor mitigation; and
• self-care methods for library leaders at risk of burnout.

The best kind of learning is that which never ends—and a culture of training means that staff will be more flexible and responsive to new ideas and strategies, imperative in today's libraries. In this practical resource, leading workplace trainers Reed and Signorelli offer guidance on improving the effectiveness of training programs. Their book takes readers through the entire process of developing, implementing, and sustaining training programs and communities of learning, in order to

• Empower individuals to become leaders and teachers by cultivating a culture of ongoing learning
• Connect library staff and users to information resources so they can effectively use them to their benefit
• Develop skills among both managers and workers for practicing continuous formal and informal training