Public Libraries : A Necessary Competency For Library Leaders

The author starts off with a rhetorical question: “What kind of problem is a library?” urging the readers to think about this question as they continue to read the article. The question grabs the readers’ attention, and intrigues them to read on to find and answer. She further utilizes this technique of rhetorical questions throughout the article for the same purpose of emphasis on the vitality of the role of public libraries. Moreover, Smith extensively employs the use of metaphors and personification. For example, she describes the internet as libraries’ “universal death knell”, which portrays the internet’s negative impact on the development of

“Competency models describe the behaviors and skills managers need to exhibit if an organization is to be successful” (Hughes, Ginnett, & Curphy, p. 252). In many organizations, competency models can differ between the different hierarchies of managers. As a person’s leadership role evolves so do the behaviors and skills he or she must possess to be an effective leader. This statement holds firm as with the case of Andra Rush.

As new technologies are rapidly introduced, people are able to find any information with the access of internet. This leads to people questioning the relevance of libraries and its true purpose. Public libraries cultivate the value of increased education and a social unity to advancing as a society.

The Long Branch Free Public Library was established 100 years ago with a mission to enrich the lives of Long Branch residents by providing resources and opportunities for life-long learning (Long Branch Free Public Library, n.d.). Currently, the library provides a wide range of services such as a computer lab, employment center, after school youth programs, notary services, faxing, and much more. These features make this library more than just a place to get a book, and the library has been nationally recognized for its innovative services, marking a shift in the idea of what a library can be (Kelly, 2014).

There are an enormous amount of people in the United States that depend on the librarian to do different tasks that they cannot do. Patrons may think it is simple, but before you can become a librarian you have to learn how to conquer some patrons that come in, you have to learn how to work the desk and learn how to work the shelves.

There are many competencies that one may find important in a health care organization. Competency is a functional and behavioral quality that makes an excellent leader. It is hard to condense down what competencies that a leader should have. The competencies of a leader helps define the culture and the environment in an organization. Two competencies that really stand out is compassion and organizational agility.

The King County Library System is the fifth largest library system in circulation in the United States. The current director of the KCLS, Bill Ptacek, started with the organization three years ago and is in the process of working towards a new strategic plan titled "The Year 2000 Plan, which has a long-term goal of integrating all the resources of the library system equally and to coordinate all the efforts to ensure it was providing the best possible service to the community. In the three years, Ptacek worked to expand the mission to cover services for the community to include children, life-long learning, career development, and literacy (case study, 1996, pg.2) The reworking of the mission and services of KCLS was in full swing, but there were still many organizational issues dealing with advocacy, encouraging public service motivation, and both human resource and structural problems.

Within the library profession, a key component is management.Proper Management is vital for successful libraries.I think library managers must possess qualities of friendliness, vision, approachability, and decisiveness. As a future archivist, of a museum or school library like Shepard Library, I would want to be a leader that embodies these qualities. Along with great qualities, I would need to master skills such as problem-solving, and finance skills to become a true leader. In my experience with my employees I have gained and developed my management style.In this essay, I will discuss my personal philosophy of library management by detailing my learning style, strategies for improvement, development, as well as my learning process.

Utilizing their resources and helping patrons are just a couple of the many task faced in the library profession. With a fully committed services to academia, the Binghamton University library has been instrumental to both students and the community. An interview with assistant reader service coordinator Sean Bustard allowed to have an in-depth look at what the job and task entitles as hundreds of students and faculty seek help and advice. In looking at what is available in terms of funding and resources as well as how the library and structured and organized to fit the needs of all fellow patrons.

The DC Public Library has many gaps; however the one that seems to be a problem is communication, staff & technology. Staff needs better communication and more training to be up to date with technology as it surges forward. A rapidly changing information service environment are pushing libraries to think of new ways of how to provide better information services to their users. Technology seems to be the biggest informational Gap; those Librarians must be equipped with the necessary skills to provide better reference help to library users. SMART is a new way to keep libraries in track of learning new goals and reinforcing what they learn to managers, colleagues and library users. SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound

In 2015 research was conducted over the rising concerns of public library budget cuts, declining patron statistics, desired programs, and services. The key question was if the library was still a needed public service due to technology takeover of electronic resources. The Pew study supports that the public library is still a much-needed service, however, the users desire more technology and digital literacy (Horrigan, 2015).

Since their establishment, libraries have served as a gateway to knowledge and services that revolutionized the way the public attains information. Unlike many other institutions, public libraries have grown and evolved along with society by adopting new technology and offering resources tailored to the needs of their local community.

The Pateman & Vincent statement from 2010 suggests that the library profession is either oblivious to, or choosing to ignore the plight of those most in need in society. Seven years on, there is no halt in the growing gap between rich and poor and public libraries are still justifying their existence, in a climate of declining funding for services. Changes to the UK welfare system have accelerated, with a drive for government services to be ‘digital by default’ (Rust, 2014). Public libraries and their staff are amongst the best placed in society to provide not only access to technology but the support required for customers to use it to navigate the complicated benefits system and other services which are now only available

Recent leadership changes and budget cuts have created a period of organizational crisis in the library, albeit a crisis put into perspective in comparison to the Great Chicago Fire. This situation has meant that many important priorities, like updating the mission, vision, and values statements of the organization have been ignored in lieu of seemingly more pressing issues. The old mission statement of the CPL is not even easily discoverable on the new organizational website.

Now a day‘s libraries are more powerful than before, offering fast and easy information and making fewer barriers to access information. Now in this changing scenario, information professionals give more importance to human behavior than resources.