Hiring and Recruiting Library Workers: A Guide for Small and Rural Librarians, with Catherine Hakala-Ausperk

1. HIRING & RECRUITING LIBRARY WORKERS
AN ALA e-LEARNING WEBINAR / February 7, 2020
Catherine Hakala-Ausperk
A Guide for Small and Rural Libraries
an ALA e-Learning Webinar/ February 7, 2020
Catherine Hakala-Ausperk

2. TODAY
Why Are You Hiring?
How to Attract the
Right People
How to Pick the Right
Person
Recruiting by
Reputation
Some Advice From a
(Volunteer) Expert

3. Why Are
You
Hiring?

4. No one can whistle a
symphony.
It takes a whole orchestra to
play it.
- H.E. Luccock

5. STAFF
OR
TEAM?

6. “NO! We
don’t do
that!”

7. What Can
You Stop
Doing?

8. Aptitude
vs. Skill
Concierge
Dynamic Service
Leader
Knowledge Officer
Bubble Manager

9. How to
Attract
the Right
People

10. You’re not just recruiting
employees. You’re sowing
the seeds of your
reputation!
Integrity HR

11. You’re
Going to
Want to
Work
Here!
SELL
YOUR
LIBRARY!

12. Reputation
Matters
WHERE DO
YOU WANT
TO SPEND
YOUR TIME?

13. What’s In It For THEM?
•LOAN FORGIVENESS
•FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE
•APPRECIATION
•USE OF TALENTS &
EXPERIENCE
•SUPPORTING COMMUNITY

14. WORK-LIFE
BALANCE

15. FEELING
VALUED

16. Supervise department in the manager’s
absence. Provide on the job training for
system staff as needed. Monitor the work of
employees and ensure compliance with
policies and procedures. Issue, renew,
correct library registrations. Collect coin-op
money. Prepare and record monthly stats.
Communications frequently contain
confidential/or sensitive information
necessitating discretion. Position involves
frequent interruptions with maximum
flexibility required. The position is
responsible for modeling and promoting
organizational values within the library and
as a representative of the organization in the
community. High school diploma or GED
equivalent and a minimum of one (1) year of
library experience, or a combination of
related education, training and experience.
Work attendance will be considered.
FOCUS YOUR
ADVERTISEMENT ON
BENEFITS...
NOT REQUIREMENTS

17. B.O.L.O
&
C.A.S.E.

18. How to
Pick the
Right
Person

19. You can’t teach employees
to smile. They have to
smile before you hire
them.
Arte Nathan

20. START WITH THE END IN MIND
ATTRIBUTES
INITIATIVE
HONESTY
INTEGRITY
INSTINCT
CURIOSITY
LIFELONG
LEARNER
PERSONABLE

21. SHOOT FOR
THE MOON,
AND YOU’LL
LAND
AMONG THE
STARS

22. PAY
ATTENTION

23. PART AS
FRIENDS

24. HIRE FOR
ATTITUDE,
TRAIN FOR
SKILL

25. Recruiting
by
Reputation

26. If you have only ten people working in your library,
then those ten people will determine whether the
company succeeds or not. Each is 10 percent of the
company. If three were not so great, why would you
want a company where 30 percent of your people
are not so great?
Steve Jobs, co-founder and former CEO and chairman of Apple Inc.

27. STAY
CONNECTED

28. IF YOU
HAVE TO
SAY
GOODBYE

29. CELEBRATE
EVERY
SUCCESS

30. CONNECT YOUR TEAM
TO THE COMMUNITY

31. TELL
YOUR
STORY

32. HOW MANY
VOLUNTEERS
DO YOU
NEED?

33. “CHECK
OUT” A
PERSON!

34. THE NEXT
PERSON WE
BRING ON
WILL...

35. Train people well enough
so they can leave. Treat
them well enough so they
don’t want to.
Richard Branson

36. IDEAS FROM A VOLUNTEER EXPERT!
Kathy Smith, Library Director, San Manuel Library, Arizona

37. HOW DO YOU ATTRACT VOLUNTEERS?
•SHINE A LIGHT
ON LIBRARY
•CELEBRATE
TEAM
•TAKE MESSAGE
INTO
COMMUNITY

38. VOLUNTEERS TRAINING TIPS
•Seasoned Staff
•Reference Guides
•Customization
•Confidence Goal
•Open Communication
•Support

39. HOW CAN YOU MOTIVATE VOLUNTEERS?
•MEANINGFUL WORK
•FUN
•INTRINSIC VALUE
•INCLUSION
•COMMUNICATION

40. SAYING THANKS...
• CELEBRATE NATIONAL LIBRARY
WORKERS DAY
• FREE LUNCH
• PHOTO/VIDEO MONTAGE
• GIFTS
• SERVICE AWARDS
• INVITE FRIENDS & FAMILY

41. •Greatest Challenge?
• More Diplomacy
• No Recourse
• Stability
•Greatest Benefit?
• Passion
• Talent
• Dedication

42. KEYS TO HIRING & RECRUITING LIBRARY WORKERS
A Guide for Small and Rural Libraries
an ALA e-Learning Webinar/ February 7, 2020
Catherine Hakala-Ausperk
Be hiring for the right reasons – and the
right position
Make your library THE place to work!
Pick the right person – or don’t pick at
all
Use word-of-mouth to keep the best
people coming
Treat all staff - volunteer, paid, full-
time, part-time...like GOLD!

43. QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, IDEAS?
THANK YOU !
chakalaausperk@gmail.com

44. SOURCES
• HIRE FOR ATTITUDE, TRAIN FOR SKILL -
https://www.fastcompany.com/26996/hire-attitude-train-skill-2
• BUILD A GREAT TEAM: ONE YEAR TO SUCCESS
https://www.alastore.ala.org/content/build-great-team-one-year-
success
• SHORT-TERM STAFF, LONG-TERM BENEFITS: Making the Most of
Interns, Volunteers, Student Workers, and Temporary Staff in Libraries
- https://www.abc-
clio.com/LibrariesUnlimited/product.aspx?pc=A4952P