This document outlines ten basic management topics for library supervisors: 1) Know yourself and your values, 2) Know your staff's motivations, skills, expectations, and jobs, 3) Manage your staff by understanding library goals and principles, 4) Understand personnel policies, 5) Maintain a productive relationship with your director by sharing information and helping with their job, 6) Prioritize excellent customer service by understanding patrons' needs, 7) Manage conflicts using different styles like collaborating or compromising, 8) Prepare for changes by maintaining a positive outlook, 9) Use stress management techniques like breathing, humor, and exercise, and 10) Communicate regularly with staff and patrons through updates, feedback, and thanks.

1. STRONGER TOGETHER
The Accidental
Library Supervisor
Deb Hoadley, Advisor
Massachusetts Library System
dhoadley@masslibsystem.org
http://guides.masslibsystem.org/supervisor

2. STRONGER TOGETHER
Top Ten Management Basics
1. Know thyself
2. Know your staff
3. Managing your staff
4. Personnel Policies
5. Director Relationship or whoever you report to
6. Customer Service
7. Conflict Resolution
8. Change
9. Stress Management
10.Communicate, communicate, communicate!
2013

3. STRONGER TOGETHER
Know Thyself
• Many types of
assessments to get to
know yourself better
• Looking at values –
important to align with
your staff and their
values
2013

4. STRONGER TOGETHER
Know Your Staff
• Motivation
• Skill levels
• Expectations
• Know their job description/ know their job
HOW?
Listen to what they are saying
Watch what they are doing
Be proactive
2013

5. STRONGER TOGETHER
Managing Your Staff
Definition: Achieving institutional goals through the people &
resources available to you
What is “Library Management?”
• Ability to collect & analyze information
• Urge to share information
• Ability to organize knowledge
• Tendency to build networks
• Belief in the principle of equality of access & treatment
Underlying principles and core mission and vision of library
must be understood by everyone.
2013

6. STRONGER TOGETHER
Personnel Policies
• Employee handbook: Know it thoroughly
• Employee assistance: Where can staff get help
and how do they access it?
• Private conversations: When are they
appropriate; when should you bring someone in
• Union staff: Know the rep and the parameters
• Policies are your guiding principles: Use them to
your advantage
• Know the laws: Age discrimination, ADA,
Harassment, OSHA
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7. STRONGER TOGETHER
Director Relationship
• Share information regularly
• Know library’s strategic plan
• How can you help the Director do their job? Focus on
this when you are asking for something and you will be
more successful.
• Know the governing board – ask to periodically
present something to them.
“A manager's task is to make the strengths of people
effective and their weakness irrelevant--and that applies
fully as much to the manager's boss as it applies to the
manager's subordinates.”
--Peter Drucker
2013

8. STRONGER TOGETHER
Customer Service
“Value you create for your patrons depends almost
entirely on the actions of the library’s staff. The staff are
the library’s first patron.”
1. Does your staff understand customer service and
how it impacts what they do? (funding, additional
staff, additional hours, etc.)
2. Meet regularly to discuss how to hear from
customers (are you doing surveys, suggestion box,
informal patron feedback, etc.)
3. Need to know what the frontline staff does and
recognize and address any problems/situations to
increase better customer service.
2013

9. STRONGER TOGETHER
Conflict Management
Five Conflict Management Styles:
1. Collaborating
2. Competing
3. Avoiding
4. Harmonizing
5. Compromising
Sometimes there is a reason to use one style over another,
even if it is out of your comfort zone
Be aware of how you are negotiating a conflict
Two types of Conflict: Task oriented (constructive &
functional) or relationship oriented (destructive & reduced
morale)
2013

10. STRONGER TOGETHER
Ever-changing Landscape
Look at positive side of
moving forward.
Change usually causes
the biggest conflicts
Have good negotiation
skills
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11. STRONGER TOGETHER
Stress Management
Mindful breathing
Shift your perspective
Laughter & humor
Listen to music
Take charge of your
schedule
Healthy eating
Exercise/Walking
Get up and shake
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12. STRONGER TOGETHER
Communicate, Communicate,
Communicate
"A Short Course in Human Relations
The 6 most important words: I admit I was wrong.
The 5 most important words: You did a great job.
The 4 most important words: What do you think?
The 3 most important words: Could you please.
The 2 most important words: Thank you!
The most important word: We.
The least important word: I."
Attribution: http://www.citehr.com/59079-human-relations-quotes.html#ixzz267W9C2hP
2013

13. STRONGER TOGETHER
Questions? Thank You!
Contact Information:
Management & Supervisor Essentials Guide
Link:
http://guides.masslibsystem.org/supervisor
Deb Hoadley, Advisor, Mass Library System
dhoadley@masslibsystem.org
2013