Conflict is inevitable in any workplace, and libraries are no exception. Some of the factors that can cause conflict may be similar within a generational cohort but can vary substantially across age groups. For managers who lead intergenerational teams, an understanding of how different age groups function can help you deal effectively with conflict should it arise.
Source: Managing conflict in the intergenerational library workplace
Bury your nose in tales of neurosyphilis, gender identity, the medical mysteries of sleep disorders, and more.
Following a library’s evaluation of their social media efforts, data revealed an interested fact about their Twitter platform. The students weren’t engaging as they expected, but faculty were! Armed with this information, they shifted gears and started making faculty their new target audience.
As a librarian, I had managed numerous projects in my line of work. One of the most challenging aspects of project management is juggling project tasks. I had to ensure that these tasks are completed on time within the allocated budget and manpower; especially the critical ones.
I tried out a few project management tools to help me better manage, monitor and track the project tasks. Among them are:
Some are offered for free while you may need to get a few days/weeks of trial period for others. There are a few things to consider when you are choosing the “right” tool. Some of them include:
I am using Trello for my stuff that is to track life/family events and To-Dos and use Basecamp for my office work. Both work well, and there are pros and cons. An important thing to note is that you need to be comfortable in using them and it suits your needs. This criterion may vary from person to person. There’s not a one size fits all solution. Check out these tools, and I’m sure you’ll find one that fulfills your needs.
Effectively managing the budget of the library is an important and continuous task. Any strategies to help promote library services, raise awareness for libraries and attract library visitors at a low cost are enticing for libraries to review and potentially implement. Egor Gerashchenko, chief of Marketing & Development Department, Central Library System of Moscow Region
It’s summer, a time of year for academic librarians to reflect, assess and revamp. For this librarian, it is a time to reflect on social media activities, both successes and failures, that have become an essential way the academic library connects with its students.
Source: Tips for social media committees in academic libraries
Just had a quick read on an article on reading faster. For those who are interested, you’ll probably want to check out the article. Three main points brought out by the author that constitutes bad reading habits are:
I read an interesting article on “Libraries have a People Problem” written by Jill Hurst-Wahl. I do agree with her opinions and her suggestions on job swapping/rotation as well as doing the same thingy for long periods. I felt the need to move out of my comfort zone – to learn more about myself and others, to expand my horizon, to broaden my thinking and to share and acquire knowledge in my work area and to seek new challenges.
Throughout my 20 years in the library field, I have had the opportunity to work within my country Singapore and then move to the Graduate Research Library located in the Middle East. After working there (Middle East) for nine years, I decided to come home again.
What I’ve learnt?
These are the five main ones amongst others. I am sure you will have yours. Do share them.
I recalled the ‘euphoria’ of landing the job – as an expat librarian in the Middle -East. I remembered sharing this with my wife, and she reminded me that it was kind of long overdue – apparently, she had wanted us to move abroad after getting married. Well, better late than never.
Back to the topic. Before making the BIG move, do your research, extensively. My wife even got on board to find more information about the place, the people, the climate, etc. Know what are the dos and don’ts of the area, the cultural aspect of the region – this includes social and work culture. Take note of the climate as well. (Get ready those skin cream if needed). It would also be worthwhile to know specific administrative rules, policies, and procedures: such as applying for the driving license, buying a car, registering kids to local/international schools, making that doctor’s appointment for health check-ups, etc. The information obtained will help you and your family prepare your mindset so that you and your family won’t come in ‘blindly’ and get a ‘rude shock.’
Don’t forget to reach out and network to those who had been there and done that. For me, I was fortunate to re-connect with a friend who was working in the region at that time. I conducted an informal ‘reference interview’ with the person. It was a fruitful session. There were surprising answers to questions which I thought are quite straightforward. One of the most important lessons that I learned was to ensure that before you sign on that dotted line, make sure that these 3 things (among others) are covered for you and your family: medical coverage, housing or housing allowance, and your children’s education.
Here’s a quick list of information sources that I’ve used:
Rain D Librarian 