CE NEWS

October 1, 2018

Table of Contents

• CE Calendar

• Webinars You Don't Want to Miss

• Preventative Building Maintenance for Library Directors

• Onboarding a New Library Director

CE Calendar

Visit the Library Development Training & Continuing Education calendar for a listing of free webinars of interest to librarians of all stripes.

Webinars You Don't Want to Miss

• Dreaming of STEAM: Hands-on Learning for Young Readers
• Public Librarians' Chat: Grant Writing
• DIY Escape Rooms and Other Immersive Experiences

Preventive Building Maintenance for Library Directors

Asset management, which involves managing the library building, supervising library staff and the overseeing the collection are a few of the many responsibilities that fall under a library director’s purview. While most library directors are comfortable supervising staff and managing the collection, some may find facility management overwhelming. Mastering building maintenance begins with an in-depth inspection of the building. If you are unsure where to start the Maintenance Checklist for Public Libraries lists thirty-six building related items that should be inspected regularly. Preventative maintenance, which involves conducting periodic building inspections and regularly scheduled repairs will keep heating-ventilation-air-conditioning (HVAC) systems, roofs, and plumbing and electrical systems running efficiently, and prevent minor problems from escalating into major costly repairs.

Once you have begun conducting regularly scheduled building inspections and recording the condition of your building and the building’s systems, the next step is prioritizing repairs and maintenance.   Reliable cost estimates from licensed contractors will help you determine which projects should be completed without further delay. Ignoring and deferring maintenance indefinitely invariably leads to costly repairs and interruptions of library service. Regularly scheduled inspections of your library’s exterior, interior and building systems will inform you of necessary repairs, allow you to strategically schedule repairs so you can minimize disruption to library operations and save money by mitigating costly emergency repairs.  The Librarian’s Facility Management Handbook written by Carmine J. Trotta & Marcia Trotta and published in 2001 provides an outline of basic building maintenance responsibilities, recommendations of simple methods for solving maintenance problems and information on how to design a maintenance plan for your library.

Onboarding a New Library Director

Success requires planning. How successful a new library director is in taking over the reins of the library depends on the quality of the onboarding they receive. According to Sharlyn Lauby, author of Manager Onboarding: 5 Steps for Setting New Leaders Up for Success, onboarding is, “a process that helps employees become productive in the most effective and efficient means possible.” Onboarding should not be confused with an orientation which covers the basics of what a new employee needs to know to become familiar with job. Orientation typically includes staff introductions, setting up an email address, reviewing policies and procedures and completing required forms.   Orientations are important and shouldn’t be ignored or handled in a haphazard fashion.  Human Resources for Results includes a helpful New Employee Orientation work form listing the orientation actions most beneficial for new hires.

The onboarding process is broader than an orientation.  Onboarding includes recruiting, orientation, performance management and employee management. The goal of onboarding is to inform the new hire how the organization operates, their role within the organization and weave them into the organization’s culture.  When done well the onboarding process leads to improved employee engagement, productivity and retention.  Socialization is an important aspect of onboarding, as studies have shown that workplace friendships increase job satisfaction, improve productivity and foster commitment, while decreasing stress and turnover.

Onboarding can have a positive impact on an organization’s bottom line as happy engaged employees tend to stay on the job.  Replacing top level managers is expensive, as it may take more than a year before a new manager is comfortable and confident in their new role.

In the article, First Impressions Really Do Count published in TD: Talent Development in March 2018, Loubna Noureddin describes five key ingredients in a successful onboarding program: connect, align, manage and plan and streamline.

Connect. Communicate frequently with the new hire and let them know what to expect in the coming months.

Align: Provide them with a guide, who will can answer questions as they arise and model leadership.

Manage. Dedicate time to sharing the organization’s vision, mission and goals. Develop a personalized training plan for the new hire.

Plan: Set weekly goals for the new hire and evaluate progress. Arrange meetings to introduce the new hire with stakeholders.

Streamline: Model positive communication by persistently asking for feedback.