Competency D

Management in a library setting is an overlooked, yet critical, aspect of the information profession. The public does not generally think about what goes in to effectively running a library, they just see the end results. However, successfully running a library requires much effort. Regardless of the type of library environment, managing a library requires a multifaceted approach, as one must master several skills, such as planning, management, marketing and advocacy in order to effectively run a library or similar organization.

Planning

Any successful organization has a clearly defined strategy or plan. Any project or program will need to have a clear set of short and long-term goals, and the current state of affairs must be evaluated to determine how to proceed. To do this, a library must establish a strategic plan, which, according to Rosenblum (2018), "focuses the attention of an organization on its mission and identifies places where resources might be more effectively directed while at the same time reinforcing a sense of teamwork" (p. 232). Resources must be properly allocated according to the mission of the organization, and plans consisting of short-term and long-term goals must be established within that context. Strategic plans place more emphasis on long-term goals and outcomes, and Disher (2010), highlights that "the short-range plan might be thought of as an incremental step used in helping you meet your longer-range plans" (p. 64). The short-range goals should focus on the immediate future, but overall, they will help achieve long-term success.

The process of developing a strategic plan requires, well, planning. Needs assessment exercises must be performed, taking shape in the form of an environmental scan and an analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) of the organization. An environmental scan begins "the process of gathering the necessary data to identify significant trends in its environment and any emerging issues that will likely have strategic implications on your library's future" (Disher, p. 65). What does that mean? It means looking at data. It means doing research about different library environments, demographics, trends and emerging technology. You use surveys, questionnaires, the internet and professional journals. The focus is more objective and looks outward at external factors.

A SWOT analysis has an internal focus, but also examines external factors. It breaks the analysis into 2 categories, internal (strengths and weaknesses) and external (opportunities and threats). Identifying the strengths and weaknesses is important because it lets you know what you are excelling at and what needs improvement. Identifying these issues can help determine how to best proceed toward the stated mission. Next, the external factors are examined, of which there is little to no control over. The external factors can be either opportunities (positive) or threats (negative), and they affect your organization either way. Opportunities have the potential to help your organization succeed. Consequently, threats can have a negative impact on your organization. For example, I conducted a SWOT analysis on a local library for my INFO 204: Information Professions class. Opportunities identified were proximity to the subway line and expansion of housing developments. These were potentially positive factors because the proximity to the subway line, which was the central hub for the region, could increase public awareness and visitation to the library. Additionally, the increase in housing developments means a larger community being served, which could theoretically result in increased funding and expansion of services offered. Threats identified were a neighboring library and the homeless population. The competing library was only 3 miles away and could potentially draw away visitors if they have better resources. Additionally, the homeless population that gathered in the surrounding park could further drive patrons away. These factors are not within the control of the library; however, they must be identified to create plans to deal with the issues if necessary.

Management

The quality of a successful library depends heavily on the quality of the management team. Any library will have a multi-leveled management team, usually following some form of an established management theory, with executive, manager and supervisory levels. The theories are numerous, and it is not practical to outline every single one here. However, the management theory or model that a library chooses to employ will usually be a combination of many theories. One important thing to remember is that management is not the same as leadership. I elaborate further on leadership in competency M in this portfolio, but for now it is crucial to understand that, as Kendra Albright (2018) explains, "management tends to be more operations, to focus on stability and to provide strategies on how to cope with complexity. Leadership...is an additional skill that is added to the technical expertise of specific work and focuses on how to cope with change" (p. 468). Thus, management is more focused on setting goals and the overall direction of the library. There are usually three levels of management within any organization: executive, manager and supervisory. Executive personnel (directors) deal with the overall direction of the library, managers are responsible for their specific department within the library, i.e. budgets, collections, etc., and supervisors will ensure that daily operations are properly performed within those departments. All levels are essential for the overall ability of the library to properly serve the community.

Marketing

If an organization is to be successful, a comprehensive marketing campaign must be conducted to ensure the public is aware of the organization and any programs or services offered. It all starts with the strategic plan discussed earlier. Establishing the goals and conducting needs assessments will help determine what the services and programs the library will offer. Alman (2018) explains that "information organizations need to promote the resources and services that are available and to provide evidence that they add value to the communities served" (p. 339). Any programs or services advertised need to have some form of positive cultural impact. Services can't just be randomly picked by library staff. They must conduct research to determine what services the community is interested in, and then market the services once established. Luckily, part of this is already done with the SWOT analysis. The rest can be done with a variety of information-gathering tools like surveys, questionnaires and demographic research. The marketing plan will differ based on the intended target. For example, teen programs may be advertised on the library website, via social media or by some agreement with local schools. Adult literacy programs may be marketed at local community centers, newspapers or transportation centers. A shared goal remains the same, however, inform the community about the services offered.

Advocacy

Much like marketing, advocacy is crucial to the survival of an information organization. Advocacy can be thought of as marketing the organization itself. The goal is to have a well-funded organization. The information professional accomplishes this by demonstrating the value of the organization within their respective communities. However, funding is not the only reason for advocacy. Cheryl Stenstrom (2018) highlights that advocacy can also bolster cases involving intellectual freedom, increase information literacy in classrooms, aid in the construction or expansion of library spaces and strengthen diversity services (p. 344). So, where does all this advocacy occur, with whom, and by whom? Advocacy includes promotion, public relations, marketing, networking, persuasion and lobbying (Stenstrom, pp. 344-345). Advocacy occurs everywhere and is conducted by every information professional. While an organization has specific personnel appointed to carry out the efforts with city or university leaders, every information professional can advocate for their respective organization in a variety of ways. The important aspect of advocacy is to highlight how the organization is beneficial to the community, and how having necessary funding can help improve the services offered to the communities, and by extension, can improve the community members themselves by making them more informed.