This study examines the benefits to leaders, managers, and employees of developing emotionally intelligent work teams to improve library services and project outcomes. These high performing teams form a cohesive identity based solely upon trust. The characteristics of these groups are considered and their contribution to enhancing organizational…

Librarians are continuously expected to update their job knowledge and renew their job related skills to enable them compete effectively in our changing society. These professionals are also expected to acquire extensive education and training to enable them function properly and be productive in their organisations. Agreeably, for librarians to…

High-quality customer service is an important aim of the library experience. Its importance is evidenced by attention given to the topic in scholarly literature and academic conference proceedings. This article describes the challenging process of creating and delivering a blended customer service training curriculum to all library staff working…

Like other disciplines, organizational and technological innovations have influenced the standard philosophies of librarianship. These innovations have changed the basics of information retrieval and delivery in libraries. As a result, library authorities are demanding competency-based job performance. Nonetheless, there is a scarcity of research…

Frederick Winslow Taylor (1856-1915) was an efficiency expert whose concerns were less about avoiding worker fatigue and more about increasing profit margins by any means necessary. Taylor was devoted to finding the One Best Way to carry out a task and then training workers to do that task unvaryingly; attempts by employees to improve their own…

Organization of electronic resources workflow is critical in the increasingly complicated and complex world of library management. A simple organizational tool that can be readily applied to electronic resources management (ERM) is the use of checklists. Based on the principles discussed in The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right, the…

The results of a recently conducted Web-based survey of Access Services department supervisors are presented in this article. The survey, which was completed by 94 respondents, identified 19 core tasks completed by student assistants and further found a high overall approval of student assistant job performance. The information generated by the…

Fieldwork exists as a component of many library schools' curricula. Site supervisors, students, and the schools themselves all play a role. A final part of most fieldwork experiences involves the use of an evaluation form filled out by a site supervisor about the student. In this study, forty seven evaluation forms were collected and analyzed…

This article recounts successful strategies for increasing student staff commitment to the organization's vision and deadlines, inviting "buy in" for projects, and enhancing staff work relationships. The discussion will outline activities that have resulted in increased employee satisfaction with work, smoother interactions between coworkers,…

This document contains validated activities and competencies needed by information professionals working as records and information managers. The activities of information professionals are listed by function: records and information program management; systems analysis; records center administration; general administration; planning; financial…

This document contains validated activities and competencies needed by librarians working in a public library. The activities and competencies are organized according to the functions which public librarians perform: acquisitions; cataloging; circulation and reader services; collection maintenance; interlibrary loan; management; reference; and…

This document contains validated activities and competencies needed by librarians working in a special library. The activities and competencies are organized according to the functions which special librarians perform: acquisitions; cataloging; circulation and user services; collection maintenance; interlibrary loan; management; reference; and…

This document contains validated activities and competencies needed by librarians working in a database distributor/service organization. The activities of professionals working in database distributor/service organizations are listed by function: Database Processing; Customer Support; System Administration; and Planning. The competencies are…

This document contains validated activities and competencies needed by librarians working in an academic library. The activities and competencies are organized according to the functions which academic librarians perform: acquisitions; cataloging; circulation and reader services; collection maintenance; interlibrary loan; management; reference;…

This manual provides librarians and library managers with a performance appraisal system that measures staff fairly and objectively and links performance to the goals of the library. The following topics are addressed: (1) identifying expectations for quality service or standards of performance; (2) the importance of a library's code of service,…