Staffing for Results: A Guide to Working Smarter by Diane Mayo

Library Journal

Change is a constant companion in today's libraries. It seems as if new services are added daily, but there are patrons who value and need the services we "have always offered." So, the question is how do library managers allocate human resources to make sure everything gets done and the patron is served? Helping to answer this is another great entry in the Public Library Association's "Results" series (The New Planning for Results, Managing for Results, and Wired for the Future). Mayo, vice president of Information Partners, Inc., and coauthor of the latter two titles, and consultant Goodrich, former deputy director of the Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR, have combined their talents to write a guide on how to assess a library's staffing needs. Each of the six chapters gives step-by-step instructions on how to gather data that allows the manager to identify the staffing needs of the library system, analyze those needs, and implement the needed changes. Each process is also enhanced by an easy-to-follow set of work forms and case studies that walk readers through the process. Mayo and Goodrich also take into account the human factor. Many staff members will react adversely to having their work practices scrutinized and studied; the key to keeping staff from envisioning their own worst-case scenario is effective communication. Involve the employees whose work will be evaluated, and keep everyone else in the system informed of what is happening. This helpful title is recommended not only for public libraries but also for any library that needs to assess staff needs. Tim Daniels, Asheville-Buncombe Lib. Syst., NC

Booknews

This guide for library administrators offers step-by-step guidance for gauging staff performance and output, and using that knowledge to maximize productivity. Using common library tasks as examples, the book details the processes of measuring work, identifying best practices, assigning costs to each activity, analyzing resource allocation, and communicating results. Thirty-six figures and thirteen customizable forms are included. The authors are library consultants. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Product Details

• Table of Contents

Table of Contents