A Comprehensive Survey of Research Library Organizational Structure

Research library structures have grown in size and complexity over the past several decades. There is no single template for how to organize a library in the 21st century, but it is unclear how much variance in structure truly exists between libraries. This study sought to identify the essential features and characteristics of these structures through the collection and analysis of organization charts. Specifically, this study analyzes the roles and position of senior leaders (e.g. Associate University Librarians, Associate Deans, etc.) as well as how scholarly communications activities are positioned within research libraries. Findings indicate wide variance in the structure of senior leadership roles as well as how a relatively recent library function fits with other units

Change Management in Libraries: The Case of the University of Ghana Library System (UGLS)

In 2018, the University of Ghana Library System (UGLS) experienced an unprecedented rotation of staff within its main library and satellite libraries. The changes were long overdue as the regular rotation of staff by the Human Resource and Organisational Development Directorate (HRODD) somehow, never affected library personnel. Fifty (50) Junior and senior library staff who had been in one position for more than a decade were rotated within the UGLS. This paper reflects on how the change was achieved, the pre- and post- interviews of staff involved, and lessons learned one year later. Findings emphasize the value of communication, the structured process and transparency to make the change easier and implementation smoother. The paper concludes that regular rotation of staff and the management of such change are significant for the development of the UGLS and for the university as a whole. Recommendations for libraries in Ghana and in Africa embarking on similar staff rotation are captured in the paper

Recruiting, Hiring, & On-Boarding Non-MLS Liaison Librarians: A Case Study

A case study of how the University of Oklahoma Libraries recruited, hired, and then on-boarded three Science Liaison Librarians who held advanced subject degrees but no Masters in Library Science. This study provides suggestions for modifying job postings, interview processes, and on-boarding to appeal to non-MLS subject experts and to fully inform them of the scope of liaison work

Library Administrative Core Duties: an Annual Guide for Planning and Sequencing Events

Library Administrative duties are varied and complex. While a very large portion of duties require administrators to respond to unique and disparate projects and to develop novel programming and new tasks, a portion of administrative duties are cyclical and can be anticipated on an annual basis. Creating a macro level list of tasks and commitments by utilizing a GANTT chart will allow administrators to more effectively operationalize strategic plans. Additionally, this organizational tool will allow departmental project planners to track staff and funding availability in order to ascertain when additional resources will be available for programming. While the GANTT chart we provide here is not exhaustive, we believe it highlights many of the core tasks and duties performed on an annual, cyclical basis and can serve as the granular planning tool to assist administrators in effectively operationalizing institutional strategic plans

A View from the Top: Library Leaders’ Predictions for the Future of Science Liaison Librarianship

Library leaders at academic institutions in the United States at the level of University Librarians, Library Directors, and Library Deans were surveyed about their predictions for the future of science liaison librarianship and the importance of science subject specialization. Responses from 71 library leaders at institutions ranging from community colleges through large, research intensive universities provide insight into evolving roles for academic science librarians. Key findings include that library leaders perceive functional roles such as data management and scholarly communication growing in importance, yet they are rarely seen as replacing traditional subject-based ones. Subject specialization is still seen by many as a desirable qualification for science librarians, even though smaller institutional size and budget constraints may necessitate a more generalist approach. While there was no consensus on the necessity of science subject specialization, and whether or not science liaison librarianship would retain this characteristic in the future, there was a widespread acknowledgement of the value of liaison relationships with science faculty and others at their institutions

Assessment of Training and Development of Library Staff in Federal University Libraries in Nigeria

The study assessed the training and development strategies employed in federal university libraries. The survey method was adopted for this study using questionnaire as instrument for data collection. The stratified random sampling technique was used to come up with the six federal universities selected from each of the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria. The responses were analysed descriptively using frequency distribution and percentages table, while the inferential statistics were analysed using ANOVA. The result of the study showed that the training strategies most employed by the federal university libraries are on-the job training and skills training. It is recommended that federal university libraries should adopt best practices, by encouraging university library staff to go for training outside the university or abroad to acquire technical skills which can increase their technical abilities and improve their job related competencie

Exploring Internal Communication in Public Libraries: Challenges and Opportunities for Library Leaders

Effective internal communication is essential to library staff being able to fulfill their duties, work together as a cohesive unit, and carry out the library’s mission. However, there is often a lack of coordinated focus on clear internal communication that includes all staff members in libraries. This can create environments where there is disconnect among staff and library departments leading to rumor mills and lowering morale. This exploratory study looked at the current state of internal library communications in public libraries and ideas to improve internal communications. Library leadership has the potential to create environments and cultures where internal communication is effective and supports library staff, their work, and the effective functioning of the library as a whole

Too Many Spoons: Library Workers and Disabilities

A desk attendant gestures in my direction where I am waiting for an interview at a library on campus. I am nervous. My hand is shaking over my assistive device. Beside the desk attendant stands an impeccably dressed, tall woman who adjusts her glasses. “Where is she sitting?” “There, near the gray couches,” the desk attendant answers. She leans over and says, “It’s that person with the assistive device,” as if she’s trying not to out me as a leper. Any person with a disability reading this who has applied for jobs and gone on interviews has experienced some version of the above exchange. You arrive for an interview, something you feel fortunate for, and think for a split second “They want me! I could be hired here!” Only once you get there, staff members look you over, silently deciding for themselves how much your disability limits what you can and can’t do, walking too quickly and expecting you to keep up, and worst of all, making judgments without speaking to you. The above experience has happened to me at academic libraries, public libraries, and other institutions

A Good Jobs Strategy for Libraries

In the 2014 book "The Good Jobs Strategy" management and organizational theory scholar Zeynep Ton identifies a set of key issues in job design, operational models, and staffing that enable organizations to both create good jobs and, as a result, deliver better products and services. Written primarily about retail, the key concepts in the framework relating to building teams, defining services, and supporting and empowering staff are also relevant to library organizations. Ton’s framework focuses on four principles; offer less, standardize and empower, cross-train, and operate with slack, each of which are relevant to varying degrees to library and archives organization contexts. This essay brings together points from the framework and connects them to issues in library management and organizational theory literature to explore the extent to which issues in the framework connect with issues facing libraries. The paper ends with recommendations for how libraries can similarly benefit from implementing a good jobs strategy that both supports library workers and enables better functions for our organizations