[Publib] RE:roaming librarians

[Robert L. Balliot]

Greetings Fred,

 

I am not sure what is meant by 'efficient' use of staff.   I have had to
manage hundreds

of people through a variety of settings - military, academic libraries
(unionized and non-unionized),

public libraries (unionized and non-unionized), and private corporations
(non-unionized).

 

I think that it can be helpful to read a variety of texts on management and
economics and

accounting to gain perspective of successful management practices. However,
most of 

what I have learned boils down to a few things that I believe to be
'truths'.

 

1.	In order to manage, you need to understand the process and lead by
example - not by privilege.
2.	Customer service is personal.  Parts of it can be measured in
aggregate, but it is a relationship between individuals.
3.	Customer service is a result of internalized philosophies.

 

An example of #1 comes from the Marines.  In Viet Nam, the Marine officers
who put their

people first were most successful.  Enlisted eat before officers.  Marine
officers lead the troops.

Marine officers participate.  The Marines who were in senior management when
I worked for

them had been part of that extreme example of leading by example.  Staff
always come first.

 

An example of #2 comes from a story that was related to me by the business
manager at Brown

University. - When the new Rockefeller library held its grand opening, a
myriad of the society elites

showed up.  Dressed in furs, jewels, and all of the other trappings of
riches they garnered all of

the attention, while no one noticed the woman who had not dressed to
impress.  The library had

been named after her husband.

 

One of best examples of #3 comes from a specific hiring decision.  I had the
opportunity to hire

a person who had been a customer service counter person prior to the
downsizing of a major

airline.  Their internalized perspective as a result of dealing with all
sorts of people and caring

about and responding to their needs was exceptional and infectious.

 

In leadership and as employees our internalized philosophies can manifest to
affect all of

those around us.  

 

We should, first and foremost:  Always Look
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHPOzQzk9Qo&feature=related>  on the Bright
side of Life

 

:-)

*************************************************

Robert L. Balliot

Skype: RBalliot

Bristol, Rhode Island

http://oceanstatelibrarian.com/contact.htm

*************************************************

  _____  

From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org [mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org]
On Behalf Of Fred Beisser
Sent: Saturday, April 05, 2008 6:39 PM
To: Joseph.Gasparro at boontonholmeslibrary.org
Cc: publib at webjunction.org
Subject: Re: [Publib] RE:roaming librarians

 

And for another professional view on the evolving role of reference
librarians, self check-in/out and more eficient use of staff, see the
following essay by Jamie LaRue, district director of Douglas County
Libraries in Colorado:





http://www.libraryleadership.net/LaRue031708.asp





Fred Beisser


Trustee


www.elbertcountylibrary.org


(Colorado)












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