Administration and Staffing in Public Libraries

Prepared by Roxanne Peña

Introduction

• Library workers activate the mission of the public library.

• The use of collections, community partnerships, and one-on-one service that supports lifelong learning to people of all ages are facilitated by a qualified and committed staff.

• Many people—the library board, library workers, and volunteers—working together shape a library that functions as the heart of the 21st

century community.

Library Boards

• Commonly appointed by a governing body, but sometimes elected.

Library Boards

• They have the responsibility for a range of functions:

• Analysis of community needs

• Hiring, recommending, and evaluating the public library director

• Acting in an advocacy role to develop community support for bond issues and taxation

• Budget review and approval

• Policy review and approval

• Commitment to freedom of inquiry and expression

• Formulation of long range planning.

Library Director

• Works closely with the library board to realize the public library mission, develop long-range plans and implement policies for the library’s operations.

Library Director

• Directors are expected to handle numerous responsibilities, such as the following:

• Lead the planning cycles

• Organize human resources

• Represent the library in the community

• Oversee financial operations

• Interact with local, state, and national library entities

• Develop the library’s fiscal base through development and fundraising

• Manage facilities and technology

• Plan, design, and evaluate services

Library Director

• Don Sager (2001), summarized the knowledge and skills required by public library directors:

• People skills

• Vision

• Marketing ability

• Communication

• Collaborative skills

• Technical Skills

• Customer service skills

• Problem-solving ability

• Risk taking

• Self-renewal

Organization of Public Library Staff

• Public library staffing is structured in response to community needs.

Organization of Public Library Staff

• The Library Support Staff certification Program began in 2010—a national certification program that allows library support staff to demonstrate their competencies and be certified by the ALA.

• There are no national standards that govern staffing patterns for public libraries.

• Staff is viewed as a resource to be used as efficiently and effectively as possible and engaged in activities that are most important to a library’s mission, goals, and objectives.

Organization of Public Library Staff

• Nelson, Altman and Mayo (2000), identified the aspects of staffing:• Identifying activities and when and where they

will be performed

• Identifying abilities needed to accomplish activities

• Determining the number of staff in relation to patron use and staff workload

• Understanding how staff currently use their time

• Determining how to find staff to accomplish the library’s priorities

Unions

• Unions contribute to a stable, productive workforce—where workers have a say in improving their jobs.

• Library workers have organized in unions for better wages, working conditions and benefits.

• Unions can help make libraries better by offering a collaborative model for employee relations that management might want to emulate.

Volunteers

• Libraries actively solicit the support of volunteers for library operations serving in all the areas:

• Shelving books

• Checking materials in and out

• Staffing reference and information desks

• Providing behind-the-scenes support

Broad-Based Issues Relating to Staffing

Recruitment

• Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program, funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)—recognizes the key role of libraries and librarians in maintaining the flow of information critical to support formal education and to create a climate for democratic discourse.

Recruitment

• Support to educate the next generation of librarians has focused on public librarians, certification of rural librarians, recruitment of people of color, and youth services librarians.

• Public librarians and their associations continue to work to broaden the diversity of staff at all levels to reflect the diversity of the US population.

Staff Development and Continuing Education• Continuing education is critical to the

development of excellent library service.

• Public Library Association (PLA) provides ongoing staff development and continuing education for public librarians through national conferences, meetings and publications.

Staff Development and Continuing Education• Staff development and continuing education for

library staff are central to positive performance.

• Opportunities are made available in variety of formats, both internal and external to the employing library depending on the library’s size and structure.

• Library-based staff development programs include curricula targeted to new knowledge or skills generally planned by a staff development committee.

ALA-APA and Certification

• American Library Association-Allied Professional Association (ALA-APA) promote mutual professional interests of librarians and other library workers. This new organization focuses on certification of individuals in specializations.

ALA-APA and Certification

• Library Support Staff Certification provides education for competency sets including foundations, technology, and teamwork.

ALA-APA and Certification

• Certification can also take place at the state level. Many states have certification requirements for library directors and other staff.

• State library agencies have different requirements regarding certification and, as one might expect each state is different.