Person-Centered Management in Academic Libraries

A recent study published in the Journal of Library Administration draws a sobering conclusion: the accelerated exodus of library workers from the profession in the last several years is partially due to strained relationships between staff and their managers. Often, administrators and managers operate within structures which may encourage or enable poor managerial practices. This volume shines a light on a different path forward for the field, one that focuses on the people who work in libraries and how their managers can support them with empathy and skill. Stemming from insights presented at the Conference on Academic Library Management (CALM), the contributors illustrate what person-centered management looks like in practice and point the way towards implementing this approach at readers institutions. This book incorporates a variety of institutional perspectives, including community colleges, technical and special colleges, liberal arts institutions, and large research universities; defines the concept of person-centered management in the context of libraries and explains why it offers such a valuable framework for improving workplace conditions; demonstrates why lack of workplace satisfaction and the low morale experience of library staff is often tied to the culture created by management; discusses building person-centered systems, interacting with student employees, setting healthy boundaries, and practicing reflection and self-care; shares positive, proactive management practices that create space for criticism, sharing of lived experiences, and a willingness to investigate and, if needed, make changes to the status quo; and explores such key topics as communication, working virtually, mentorship, intellectual humility, shared leadership, and many others.