Competencies for public library managers: diversity in practice

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify competencies in common across public library managers.

Design/methodology/approach

The request for public library managers to participate in this survey was posted to the public listserve. Participants were asked about the tasks they do regularly, to identify the skills currently seen as most important in their work. They were then given a list of competencies, and asked to identify those they felt were most important for current public library managers, for those in future managers.

Findings

Some commonalities emerged, but there was not a substantial amount of overlap between skills identified by directors and non-director managers as important now or into the future.

Research limitations/implications

Further research into managerial competencies focussed on specific job titles is necessary to see what kinds of skills each may value. Likewise, a broader look at public library managers may provide a better set of common competencies that will be useful for both training and hiring.

Practical implications

Understanding strategies for managerial competencies will be useful in building successful training programs.

Social implications

Learning in this study that it will be challenging to carry out training relevant to all types of public library managers is useful; instead it can be tailored to different levels of managers for more success.

Originality/value

This is an original study, building on other work the author has carried out. The value is in understanding the real needs of managers, not just anecdotal stories.

Citation

Wilkins Jordan, M. (2015), "Competencies for public library managers: diversity in practice", Library Management, Vol. 36 No. 6/7, pp. 462-475. https://doi.org/10.1108/LM-12-2014-0139