Managing the Successful School Library: Strategic Planning and Reflective Practice

by Lesley S. J. Farmer

Overview

To ensure their libraries survive and thrive, school library managers need to be both responsive and proactive. Looking past the day-to-day operations of a school library, Farmer's book serves as a reality check: school libraries must align with school mission statements and policies, while simultaneously negotiating for proper budgets and resources alongside other departments. It's a daunting prospect, but Farmer demonstrates how it can be done with the proper attention and systematic planning. Taking a deeper, more professional look at management that applies theories and principles to real-world situations, this book

introduces the concept of school library programs and provides an overview of school library program management;

examines professional and legislated standards for school libraries, and discusses the part a manager plays in meeting them;

links management with leadership, differentiating the two, and showing how the school librarian can carry out both roles;

helps readers assess their own skills, knowledge, and dispositions in order to set short-term and long-term goals;

explains how to manage resources and learning environments to meet the needs of teachers, administrators, parents, and other stakeholders;

offers guidance for developing and working with budgets, obtaining additional funding, and using collaboration to support the school library program;

provides concrete advice on hiring, training, supervising, assessment, and recognizing library workers and other library team members; and

includes tools for communicating effectively and getting the message across.

More than just a compendium of management theories, this book provides much food for thought that will help readers gain important insights into their own roles as school library managers and leaders.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780838914946
Publisher:	American Library Association
Publication date:	12/16/2016
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	264
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Lesley S. J. Farmer, professor at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB), coordinates the Teacher Librarian Program and manages the CSU ICT Literary Project. She earned her MS in library science at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and received her doctorate in adult education from Temple University. Farmer has worked as a librarian in K–12 school settings as well as in public, special, and academic libraries. She chaired the Special Libraries Association's Education Divisions and IFLA’ School Library Section, and had leadership roles in several other library associations. Farmer is a Fulbright scholar and has received national and international grans. She has also been honored with several professional association awards, including the ALA Haycock Leadership Award. Farmer’s research interests include media literacies and data analytics. A frequent presenter and writer for the profession, Farmer has published three dozen professional books and more than two hundred professional book chapters and articles.

Table of Contents

Preface ix

1 Introduction 1

A Few Definitions 4

Managing School Library Programs 6

Management Principles and Theories 7

Management Roles 10

Bringing It Down to You 11

References 11

2 Ideal School Library Programs 13

Guidelines and Standards for School Libraries 14

Making Ideal School Library Programs Concrete 17

REAL School Library Programs 19

Impact on Management 21

Bringing It Down to You 22

References 23

3 The School Library's Context 25

The School as an Organization or System 26

School Vision and Mission 27

School Curriculum 29

School Resources 34

Facilities and Utilities 34

Material 36

School Culture 37

Factors That Impact the School 40

Bringing It Down to You 42

References 43

4 Starting with Yourself 45

What's Your Vision? 45

Another Growth Spurt 46

Looking from the Inside Out 47

What Is Your Role as a Manager? 48

What Do You Bring to the Role? 51

How Do You Decide? 52

What Is Your Management Style? 53

Issues in Personal Management 56

Bringing It Down to You 58

References 58

5 Planning 61

Why Plan? 61

Types of Plans 62

Steps in Planning 63

A Few Words about Change 75

Bringing It Down to You 77

References 78

6 Managing Resources 81

The Role of Resources and Resource Management 81

Analyzing the School Community 83

Analyzing the Library's Resources 86

Selection 92

Collection Development Policies and Procedures 95

Acquisitions 96

Processing 98

Cataloging Issues 99

Access 100

Circulation 101

Maintenance and Repair 104

Deselection 107

Green Resource Management 108

Bringing It Down to You 109

References 109

7 Managing Facilities 111

The Impact of Space on Learning 111

Learning Theories and Space 112

Learning Spaces and School Libraries 113

Functional Areas of the School Library 114

Access Issues 117

Furniture Issues 120

Technology Facilities Issues 122

A Word about Maintenance 123

Making Adjustments 123

Moving 126

Thinking Green 127

Renovations and New Facilities 128

Virtual Spaces 130

Disaster Planning 131

Bringing It Down to You 133

References 133

8 Managing Funding 135

The Hidden Cost and Funding of School Library Programs 135

Budget Basics 137

Ways to Optimize Fiscal Management 142

Finding Alternative Funding Sources 145

Administering Grants 148

Bringing It Down to You 149

References 149

9 Managing People 151

What Needs to Be Done? 152

Matching Functions with Personnel 155

Staffing from the Start 157

Training 160

Using Volunteers 162

Supervision, Performance Evaluation, and Improvement 168

Interpersonal Issues 172

Bringing It Down to You 177

References 178

10 Managing Services 181

A Systems Approach to Library Services 181

Optimizing Services through Management 185

Managing Specific Library Services 188

Bringing It Down to You 192

References 193

11 Managing Communication 195

A Communication Model 196

Marketing 210

Advocacy 215

From Communication to Relationships 218

Policies and Procedures 222

Bringing It Down to You 225

References 226

12 From Manager to Leader 227

Who Are Leaders? 227

Leadership Skills and Characteristics 229

Conditions for Leadership 230

Student-Centered Leadership 232

Representative Leadership Styles 233

Making the Change 235

Leadership for Results 236

Bringing It Down to You 237

References 238

Bibliography 241

Index 247

Editorial Reviews

04/01/2017
School librarians who are balancing the demands of curriculum and teaching, collection development, and technology may not see themselves as managers or leaders, but according to Farmer, they are. The author emphasizes how, beyond vision and mission statements, librarians need to take the time to analyze what it means to manage a successful school library in order to strengthen their programs. Delving into what an ideal school library program looks like and how the library should align with school goals, she challenges readers to examine their own schools and their cultures and to consider their personal management styles. Many helpful resources are included in each chapter, along with a list of references. "Managing Resources" offers some useful tools for maintaining print and electronic materials. In "Managing Funding," the author refers readers to websites that provide fund-raising advice, but there is no listing for library grants. That omission notwithstanding, the content is valuable. Throughout, "Food for Thought" boxes raise questions for contemplation. Each chapter ends by encouraging users to apply the tenets of school librarianship to themselves. VERDICT Whether readers have just begun their careers or have years of experience, they will benefit from this thorough dissection of each aspect of managing a school library. An excellent addition.—Laura Fields Eason, Parker Bennett Curry Elementary School, Bowling Green, KY

School Library Journal