Managing in the Middle

by Robert Farrell (Editor), Kenneth Schlesinger (Editor)

Overview

Fully a third of all library supervisors are “managing in the middle:” reporting to top-level managers while managing teams of peers or paraprofessional staff in some capacity. This practical handbook is here to assist middle managers navigate their way through the challenges of multitasking and continual gear-shifting. The broad range of contributors from academic and public libraries in this volume help librarians face personal and professional challenges by Linking theoretical ideas about mid-level management to real-world situations Presenting ways to sharpen crucial skills such as communication, productivity, delegation, and performance management Offering specific advice on everything from supervision to surviving layoffsBeing a middle manager can be a difficult job, but the range of perspectives in this book offer strategies and tips to make it easier.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780838911617
Publisher:	American Library Association
Publication date:	12/18/2012
Series:	ALA Guides for the Busy Librarian
Pages:	144
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

Robert Farrell has served as coordinator of information literacy and assessment at Lehman College, City University of New York, since 2008. He received his BA in philosophy from Columbia University in 1999, an MLS from SUNY Buffalo in 2002, and an additional MA from the CUNY Graduate Center in 2010. Over the past decade, Professor Farrell has worked in libraries at Columbia and CUNY, managing at various levels. His research interests include library management, the phenomenology of professional skill acquisition, and information-seeking behaviors as well as a variety of topics in philosophy.

Kenneth Schlesinger has been chief librarian at Lehman College, City University of New York, since 2007. Previously he was director of media services at LaGuardia Community College and also worked in the archival collections of Thirteen/WNET and Time Inc. Professor Schlesinger has an MLS in information and library science from Pratt Institute, MFA in dramaturgy and dramatic criticism from Yale School of Drama, and BA in dramatic art from University of California, Berkeley. His research and publication interests include library management, performing arts collections, digital preservation, and international libraries.