Jo Henry is reference and instruction librarian at the Horry- Georgetown Technical College Library (Georgetown Campus), South Carolina. Previously she was a librarian at the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library and the information services librarian at South Piedmont Community College. She obtained her MLIS from the University of North Carolina Greensboro and a master’s degree in public administration from Georgia Southern University. She has coauthored four books: Fundamentals for the Academic Liaison (2014), The Personal Librarian: Enhancing the Student Experience (2014), The Mindful Librarian (2016), and The Dysfunctional Library: Challenges and Solutions to Workplace Relationships (2017). Henry has presented at numerous library conferences and has co-facilitated library workshops (alongside Richard Moniz and Joe Eshleman) both online and in North Carolina and South Carolina.
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Item Number:
978-0-8389-1623-0
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216
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A, C, I
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- Description
- Table of Contents
- About the Authors
- Reviews
Frankly, it’s not something we like to talk about. There is an unfortunate stigma to acknowledging workplace dysfunction, let alone trying to grapple with the problem. But negative behaviors such as incivility, toxicity, deviant behavior, workplace politics, and team and leadership dysfunction not only make the library a stressful workplace, they also run counter to the core values of librarianship. An important tool for library leaders and managers as well as library staff, this book examines these negative relationship-based issues and suggests practical, research-based solutions by
- discussing the importance of understanding oneself as related to the library workplace;
- identifying attributes specific to libraries that foster personal success;
- showing how organizational dysfunction is rooted in problems such as poor communication, inadequate leadership, and lack of employee engagement;
- breaking down relatable scenarios to analyze what’s behind them and how to defuse them, ranging from a gossipy coworker who fails to contribute to the organization to workplace bullying and mobbing;
- exploring causes, results, and potential solutions in the areas of cyberloafing, fraud, theft, and sabotage;
- delving into the importance of conflict management, surveying a variety of approaches and applications;
- examining the use of teams in libraries and the impact of favoritism, nepotism, and sexism; and
- providing techniques for successful collaboration, leadership, organizational communication, and other key management topics.
By tackling the dysfunctional library head on, managers as well as library workers who find themselves in a toxic situation will be poised to better meet library goals and move the library forward.
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Chapter 1 The Dysfunctional Self
Chapter 2 Dysfunctional Organizational Culture
Chapter 3 Incivility in the Work Environment
Chapter 4 Toxic Behaviors of Staff
Chapter 5 Organizational Deviance and Workplace Politics
Chapter 6 Poor Communication in the Workplace
Chapter 7 Conflict Management
Chapter 8 Ineffective Collaboration
Chapter 9 Difficulties with Team Composition
Chapter 10 Leading Away from Library Dysfunction
Conclusion
About the Authors
Index
"Not only a good resource for new managers, but for veteran managers and library staff, as well. The authors use many real-life scenarios that will be relateable to many.”
— VOYA
"Although our work environments may range from from spectacular interiors, brightly colored spaces, or all electronic collections, the reality is that workplace dynamics in libraries are very typical of any workplace. Library employees are no less likely than other workers to encounter workplace bullying, poor communication or colleagues who are so passionate about their ideals, they overrun the ideals of others. As an employee or a manager, how do you manage? Reading [this book] is an excellent place to start.”
— Journal of Hospital Librarianship
"In essence, this book should be essential reading for library leaders, and is useful for library workers at any level. It summarises the challenges faced by all industries in terms of their people management and adds vital information specific to libraries. At times difficult, perhaps uncomfortable for some, but a ‘must read’ nonetheless.”
— Journal of the Australian Library and Information Association
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