Target Audience: Firm/court/academic librarians thinking about taking on new supervisory duties or middle managers who want to know about supervising in different institutional environments Learning Outcomes: 1. Participants will be able to define best practice strategies for motivating and retaining staff in various library settings. 2. Participants will be able to summarize some of the unique challenges that may occur when supervising non-professionals, tenure track librarians, and unionized workers in libraries.
As librarians "move up" the career ladder, we are often confronted with new challenges as we take on more responsibilities, including staff supervision. This moderated panel discussion will explore some of the unique supervisory challenges that managers may face when trying to motivate employees in various library settings. Individual panelists will discuss supervising non-professionals, tenure-track librarians, and unionized workers. Finally, the moderator will briefly review tips for new supervisors and wrap up the presentation portion. Afterward, a panel discussion with audience participation will explore these major themes more thoroughly. Throughout the program, we will compare strategies that managers can use when confronted with new and difficult staffing situations. Speakers will also share some "best practices" that managers can use in any type of library setting. Comments will focus on motivating staff members, setting goals, staff development, and implementing management techniques that will help supervisors get the best performance from workers in all library settings. Speakers will also touch upon general strategies for supervisors who are new to these sometimes uncomfortable situations.