Library Leadership Podcast

As librarians, how many times do we tell people what we do and have them say, “Oh, that’s nice. It must be so relaxing?” While it may be cliché, I bet we’ve all heard this a time or two. The truth is that library work can take its toll. On this show, I talk with Jenn Carson, Director of the LP Fisher Public Library in Woodstock, New Brunswick, Canada.

She is a yoga teacher, a positional therapist, and the author of Yoga and Meditation at the Library: A Practical Guide for Librarians . She’s also the creator of YogaintheLibrary.com. Whether you are knotted up over work, personal issues, or politics this show teaches how we can take care of ourselves and unwind. 

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As presenters, research says that an audience will develop an impression of us within 15 seconds. If we’re giving a presentation and fail to have a great opening, people will basically tune us out. We are asked to present all the time in libraries to stakeholders, governing bodies, in programs, and to one another.

On today’s show, I speak with Victor Baeza, Graduate Initiatives and Engagement Coordinator and Business Librarian at Oklahoma State University. He shares excellent ways to warm-up your audience to ensure successful presentations, something we all can use.

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There are differences between leading and managing. How often do we stop to think about what those are and how we can apply them for best results? On today’s show, I speak with Diana Weaver, Director of the Basehor Library in Kansas. She shares how leadership and management are distinctive but complimentary. 

We can use this knowledge to create organizational structures that really work. I enjoyed this conversation filled with information we all should know and I think you will, too.

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What leaders need to be successful can be developed in a variety of ways. But, as a profession, how often do we think of having a youth services skillset as an ideal path to leadership? Today, I talk with Amadee Ricketts, Director of the Cochise County Library District based in Bisbee, Arizona. When her career path led her into administration, she was struck by how her youth services skillset applied directly to leadership.

So, she conducted a survey to explore this further. We are fortunate to get to hear about what she learned that will hopefully inspire and build great leaders in libraries, from youth services beginnings. 

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What a pleasure it was having the opportunity to talk with Wanda Brown.

2019-2020 American Library Association President. She is the Director of Library Services at the C.G. O’Kelly Library at Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina. She’s been an ALA member for over 30 years, and held multiple positions within many divisions of the organization, including governance in the Black Caucus which recognized her in 2015 with their Award for Excellence. She shared with me her vision for her presidential year, how all of us can lead from any position, some secrets for success, and what she’s seeing out in the field that is inspiring her. Tune in for this motivating message.

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When you interact with someone in the workplace do you ever stop to think about the position you’re coming from being an influence on your interactions? Just as in language and grammar, when we use, “I, You, and They,” the positions of first-person, second-person, and third-person can change the outcomes in our dealings.

On today’s show, I talk with Pat Wagner who, along her husband Leif Smith, owns Pattern Research, Inc., a research, consulting, and training business in Denver. Most of her work for the last 40+ years has been for libraries, higher ed, local government, and small businesses.  She talks with me about why it is important to understand positions in our libraries, how we operate within those, and how we can learn to change positions for best results. 

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There are two types of leadership, Adaptive and Technical. Adaptive Leadership hits people in the heart. It takes long-lasting and sustained effort to affect change in this area. Technical Leadership is work that can be done with the head, thinking through steps to fix a situation, and then you’re done. 

Are you ready to determine which one you’re dealing with in your organization and then use knowledge of yourself and ways to engage others to benefit your library? You will be after listening to Robin Newell, Director of the Emporia Public Library in Kansas, as she teaches us leadership principles based on work she’s done with the Kansas Leadership Center.

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Have you ever wanted to push the envelope on implementing digital resources in your library, and in particular Virtual Reality? On today’s show we have a fantastic guest to help us lead the way in this area of service as I talk with Pete Schreiner, Research Librarian for Design at North Carolina State University Libraries and a 2019 Library Journal Mover & Shaker.

He helps us understand some of the intricacies of incorporating VR into our libraries. From breaking down barriers, to evaluating tech gadgets for ease of use, to developing step-by-step guides for users – he aids us in leading our organizations in this continually evolving and fast-paced realm. 

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Have you ever felt a twinge of nervousness when it came to hiring personnel? While hiring may sound easy on paper, in practice, it can be daunting to find the right employee for the right position. With proper implementation, an effective hiring process can save us time and money, as well as set our employees and our organizations up for success.

On today’s show, I talk with Kelly Skovbjerg, Director of the Patrick Heath Public Library in Texas, to gain insights about the best practices for bringing on employees. Whether you’re new to hiring, a seasoned professional, or someone who simply wants to learn more about what it takes to employ people as one of our most important assets – this information will help take the anxiety out of hiring. 

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