Practical Tips for Successful Library Management

This title will be available Fall 2026. You may place an order and the item will be shipped when it becomes available. Customers outside of North America (USA and Canada) should contact Facet Publishing for purchasing information.

ALA Member
$64.79
Price
$71.99
Item Number
978-1-78330-032-7
Published
2026
Publisher
Facet Publishing, UK
Pages
224
Width
6"
Height
9"
Format
Softcover

Primary tabs

You don't need to be an ALA Member to purchase from the ALA Store, but you'll be asked to create an online account/profile during the checkout to proceed. This Web Account is for both Members and non-Members. 

If you are Tax-Exempt, please verify that your account is currently set up as exempt before placing your order, as our new fulfillment center will need current documentation. Learn how to verify here.

  • Description
  • Table of Contents
  • About the author

Today's library and information service managers need to be multi-skilled practitioners, demonstrating knowledge and understanding of multiple professional disciplines while working in operational and strategic managerial and leadership capacities. Managers need support in order to effectively work in such a diversity of professional environments and roles. Drawing from an international field including all types of libraries, this book takes management theory and practice and places it within a library and information context so that readers can see how the practical tips provided can be applied in their own roles. Readers will find flexible tips and implementation advice on such topics as

  • leadership and self-awareness;
  • organizational awareness;
  • project management;
  • strategic and business planning;
  • staying in touch with developments and innovations in the field;
  • time management;
  • budget and people management;
  • working in a team;
  • quality assurance and performance measurement;
  • liaison and communication;
  • evaluation and responsiveness; and
  • career planning and work-life balance.

Introduction to leadership and management

  • What makes a good leader?
  • What makes a good manager?
  • What's the difference?
  • Leading and managing library and information services
  • Leading and managing multi-disciplinary teams

1. Operational management

  • Business planning
  • Administration
  • Organisational skills
  • Time management

2. Managing people

  • Recruitment and selection
  • Staff training and development
  • Motivating staff
  • Dealing with difficult situations
  • Managing change
  • Supervising staff

3. Managing resources

  • Financial management and budgets
  • Recurrent finding
  • Capital bidding
  • Managing print and digital information resources
  • Managing other budgets (non pay)
  • Managing access to library services
  • Sector developments and innovations
  • Horizon scanning

4. Influencing

  • Business plans
  • Strategic groups (boards, user groups, stakeholder groups, etc)
  • Negotiation skills
  • Selling ideas and vision
  • Institutional initiatives

5. Strategic management

  • Organisational awareness
  • Strategic alignment
  • Library and information vision and mission
  • Workforce planning
  • Strategic planning

6. Project management

  • Project planning
  • Project teams and resources
  • Strategic projects
  • Programme management

7. Quality assurance and performance measures

  • Performance measurement
  • Surveys
  • Key performance indicators
  • Statistical measures
  • Demonstrating impact and value
  • Kitemarks
  • Benchmarking

8. Partnerships and collaborations

  • Internal partners
  • External partners
  • Cultural partnerships
  • Consultations
  • Consortia

9. Communication

  • Liaison
  • Marketing
  • Web pages
  • Campaigns and social media
  • Publicity
  • Annual reporting

10. Understanding yourself

  • Self awareness
  • Career planning
  • Work-life balance

Leo Appleton

Leo Appleton is Director of Library Services at Goldsmiths, University of London and is a researcher for the Centre for Social Informatics at Edinburgh Napier University, where he is currently undertaking research in the value and impact of public libraries in the UK. He has worked in numerous leadership and management roles in universities and further education colleges throughout his career and is a fellow of CILIP, the Library and Information Assocation. Leo is the editor of CILIP’s Multimedia, Information and Technology journal, associate editor of the New Review of Academic Librarianship, and co-editor of UKSG eNews.