Leading Libraries Conference Schedule
8:00 – 8:45 a.m. | Registration
8:45 – 9:00 a.m. | Welcome and Introductions
9:00 – 10:00 a.m. | Trends in Libraries, Library Design and Communities
Rebecca Miller
Keynote Speaker: Rebecca Miller, Editorial Director, Library Journal and School Library Journal
Explore the latest trends in libraries and library design and how they shape our communities. Rebecca Miller’s background in libraries dates to 1998 when she joined the book review staff of Library Journal. In 2013, Miller was named Editorial Director of Library Journal and School Library Journal. She directs the editorial strategy for both brands and is deeply involved in the original research Library Journal and School Library Journal conduct regarding how digital trends affect readers, libraries, and publishers. Miller initiated the annual LJ Index of Public Library Service (America’s Star Libraries), and envisioned and launched the New Landmark Libraries project.
10:00 – 10:15 a.m. | Break
10:15 – 11:15 a.m. | Breakout Sessions
| New Managers | Training & Development | Administration | Management Skills |
| Sorry, I’m New Here: Managing From the Middle for a New Supervisor | How to Provide Effective Staff Feedback to Improve Patron Services | Privacy Practicalities: When to Hit the Brakes | Leftover Problems Now on Your Plate |
11:15 – 11:30 a.m. | Break
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | Breakout Sessions
| New Managers | Training & Development | Administration | Management Skills |
| Youth Management 101 | Manage Yourself Un-program |
How to Get Your Library Recognized! | Yes, Scheduling Can be Fun! |
12:30 – 1:15 p.m. | Lunch
1:15 – 2:15 p.m. | Breakout Sessions
| New Managers | Training & Development | Administration | Management Skills |
| From Peer to Leader: A (Relatively) Painless Transition | Get on Board with Onboarding | Using Architecture to Transform the Community | The Right Answer: How Good Decisions are Made |
2:15 – 2:30 p.m. | Break
2:30 – 4:00 p.m. | Breakout Sessions
| New Managers | Training & Development | Administration | Management Skills |
| Inside the Manager’s Toolkit Un-program |
Time Management Woes Un-program |
Let’s Elaborate Before You Collaborate | Middle Manager Musings Unprogram |
4:00 p.m. | Adjourn
SESSION DESCRIPTIONS
Sorry, I’m New Here: Managing From the Middle for a New Supervisor
Presenters: Marisa Glaviano, Kelli O’Malley, Mary Harmon, Licking County Library
You’ve landed your first supervisory or middle management role! Gulp, now what?! #halp! Join new supervisors—and by new, we mean less than a year on the job—and their fearless managers as we dissect common stumbling blocks and offer tips and tricks to help make your transition to management as seamless as possible. We’ll discuss strengths-based leadership, how and what to delegate, strategies for self-care, time management tips, and more.
Ohio Public Library Core Competencies Addressed: Leadership
How to Provide Effective Staff Feedback to Improve Patron Services
Presenter: Eugene R. King, Esq., Grandview Heights Public Library
One of the most important roles of any manager is to provide effective feedback to staff members to acknowledge and promote good performance, correct poor performance, and improve services to library patrons. In this session, you will learn: (1) why managers should provide feedback to library staff; (2) what to address in feedback to staff (correct errors and reinforce good performance; (3) when to provide feedback (often and promptly); (4) where to provide feedback (public or private); and (5) a format to focus and structure how to present feedback that will be effective and specific enough to help staff expand their skills and improve customer service.
Ohio Public Library Core Competencies Addressed: Human Capital Management
Privacy Practicalities: When to Hit the Brakes
Presenter: Mark Roma, Dayton Metro Library
Imagine an ALA freedom to read librarian meets a mother determined to prevent a young child’s access, so what is the best way to direct staff? The public library holds dear the ideal of privacy of information and patron’s right to access information, but there are going to be times when we hit a roadblock and need to modify the course. There will be conflicts between ideals and the law or library policy. During this session, you will explore scenarios, look at effective tools to use when conflict arises, and discuss the need to be aware of policy and potential patron conflict.
Ohio Public Library Core Competencies Addressed: Ethics
Leftover Problems Now on Your Plate
Presenter: Cheryl Kuonen, Mentor Public Library
As a new supervisor you are sometimes faced with issues that haven’t been resolved from the previous supervisor. It’s your job to address them, but how? Learn best practices to create a positive work environment, how to effectively investigate lingering staff issues, and how to address these issues in the best possible way. Bring examples to share and discuss.
Ohio Public Library Core Competencies Addressed: Leadership
Presenter: Mandie Burns, Dayton Metro Libraries
Congratulations! You’re either a new youth services manager (or want to be one) — now what? The hidden secret of getting promoted is that most new jobs don’t come with an instruction manual. Learn tips and tricks to ease your transition into management and fill a personal toolkit with tested strategies. This session will cover creating culture, getting staff buy-in, fostering strong teams, having hard conversations, and much more. You’ll learn how to navigate the transition from co-worker to boss. Bring your business cards to network with other new and aspiring managers.
Ohio Public Library Core Competencies Addressed: Leadership
Moderator: Mary Frankenfield, Mansfield/Richland County Public Library
If you are finding it difficult to keep your desk, email, files, schedule or MIND organized, this is the session for you! Learn practical techniques for staying organized and managing time wisely during this audience-driven unprogram. Come prepared to share your favorite techniques for staying organized, managing big projects and being more efficient. You’ll leave this session will practical ideas that you can implement in your professional and personal life.
Ohio Public Library Core Competencies Addressed: Organizational Awareness
How to Get Your Library Recognized!
Presenter: Rebecca Miller, Library Journal and School Library Journal
Gain a better understanding of how the America’s Star Libraries and the Library of the Year processes work. Rebecca Miller initiated the annual LJ Index of Public Library Service, which is how the Star Libraries are determined. During this session, you’ll learn more about the process and have an opportunity to ask her questions.
Presenters: Cari Dubiel and Lori Holmes, Twinsburg Public Library
Have you spent hours laboring over your staff schedule? Are you stressed every time you have to hire a new employee? It doesn’t have to be so hard. In fact, scheduling can be fun! During this interactive session, you will learn how to give your schedule a makeover and save yourself precious time that you could be using for other tasks. You’ll learn more about automated tools that can expedite the scheduling process, how to assess staffing needs, and work more efficiently.
Ohio Public Library Core Competencies Addressed: Human Capital Management
From Peer to Leader: A (Relatively) Painless Transition
Presenters: Mary Frankenfield, Mansfield/Richland County Public Library; Cheryl Kuonen, Mentor Public Library
You’ve been promoted! How exciting — until you realize that you are now in charge of your peers! Navigating the rocky terrain of becoming a supervisor to former peers can be stressful for all involved, but there are many ways to ease the transition. During this session, you will learn how to: build a foundation with your co-workers; use tips and techniques to start off in a positive way; be a boss without ending positive relationships with former peers; and how to handle former peers who are not responding professionally to your new position.
Ohio Public Library Core Competencies Addressed: Leadership
Presenter: Missy Littell and Elizabeth Wuest, Cuyahoga Falls Library
Do you have a solid training process in place for new hires across all departments of your library? A purposeful and streamlined onboarding process offers a richer experience for new staff, promotes confidence and clarity for seasoned staff, and provides a consistent, trackable experience for new hires. The payoff is a well-trained (and happier) team who understands expectations, how to meet customers’ needs efficiently, and contributes to your library’s goals. Learn how to create a valuable training experience for your library staff that is concise, flexible, organized and able to be used across all departments.
Ohio Public Library Core Competencies Addressed: Staff Training
Using Architecture to Transform the Community
Presenters: Nancy Levin, Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library; and Adam O’Brien, CBLH Design
In 2015, the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library embarked on a plan to revitalize an existing library branch. Having marketed and passed a bond issue to raise funds, an architectural design team, a construction manager, and an owner’s representative were hired immediately to determine the scope, schedule and cost of these improvements. The team engaged the community, built relationships with city leaders, and ultimately developed a successful program. Responding to community wishes, the library chose to invest $4.5 million to renovate and expand the University Heights Branch Library. During this session, you will learn how to build relationships with the community, city leaders and key stakeholders; determine a facility’s limitations and capabilities; and build trust in consultant expertise to elevate internal project management capabilities.
Ohio Public Library Core Competencies Addressed: Facilities
The Right Answer: How Good Decisions are Made
Presenter: Jeff Regensberger, Worthington Libraries
Decision-making is murky territory for most of us. Even as we make decisions we rarely consider the process itself. On those occasions when we do reflect on our decisions, we usually credit some nebulous combination of data collection, past experiences, and informed hunches for our result. These things are fine as far as they go, but they don’t really provide a framework for decision- making, and they certainly don’t offer the chance to improve our decision-making ability. During this session, you will gain a better understanding of the decision-making process including the OODA decision model as well as some of the cognitive biases that can impact our decisions.
Ohio Public Library Core Competencies Addressed: Problem-Solving
Inside the Manager’s Toolkit (Un-program)
Moderator: Denise Scretchen, Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County
Promoted to management? Congratulations! Join both new and seasoned managers as we discuss supervisory successes and failures and common challenges. Come with questions and share your tips as we explore together best practices for addressing performance issues, leading staff and resolving problems to tackle the challenges of management. Through discussion and networking, you will come away from this session with competency-based strategies and tips for success.
Ohio Public Library Core Competencies Addressed: Human Capital Management
Time Management Woes (Un-program)
Moderator: Susan Allen, Worthington Libraries
In public services we have a lot on our plates. Everyone can relate to being super busy while handling multiple responsibilities. Between covering service points, programs, outreach events, and finding some time to plan and prepare, scheduling can become a nightmare. Are you looking for a way to balance it all? Or maybe you have some tips and tricks to share! During this audience-driven unprogram, you’ll learn from others and also tell about what has worked (or not) for you. You’ll come away from this session with ideas for how to better achieve goals and handle priorities in your library.
Ohio Public Library Core Competencies Addressed: Organizational Skills
Let’s Elaborate Before You Collaborate
Presenter: Katy Hite, Upper Arlington Public Library
This session will provide an overview of co-working software and project management tools to keep you and your staff on the same page when collaborating on a program, project, or deadline. You’ll learn tips for using Basecamp, Google Apps, and other collaborative software options to keep your library’s projects organized.
Ohio Public Library Core Competencies Addressed: Collaboration
Middle Manager Musings (Un-program)
Presenter: Miriam Matteson, Kent State University School of Information
Musing is defined as a period of reflection or thought — something that most middle managers don’t have time for as they juggle responsibilities up and down the hierarchy. Yet, taking time to reflect on big ideas and new thoughts can help open the mind to new ways of thinking or new approaches to work. Everyone needs time to be creative, think about things in new ways, and try on alternative ideas. This session isn’t about the specific or nitty-gritty, and it’s not about three action items you can immediately take back to your library. Rather it’s a chance to sit back, let go of the day-to-day details of being a middle manager, and dedicate some free flowing, engaging time with others to discuss ideas about library management. Open-ended questions will guide the discussion, but the session will be open to the direction the participants take it.
Ohio Public Library Core Competencies Addressed: Leadership
