The Entrepreneural Librarian

The Entrepreneural Librarian
Presented by Andrea Berstler

Over the past decades there was much talk about "running a library like a business".  It was the new trend. But I never bought into that idea. Business was all about bottom line. Libraries are not. We develop a plan of service for our community, and then budget to meet that plan.

Andrea Berstler shared information that in a sense dovetails the "business model" library, but deals more with the energy of the individual leader or Director.

An entrepreneurial librarian will use creativity, strategic planning with a targeted market and innovation to position their library to take advantage of opportunities to meet the needs of their communities. The goal is to position the library so that the community cannot succeed without the library. They succeed with you. The library must be relevant and have a seat at the table.

Do not "whine" in the community. Project a positive image. People want to back a "success".

What makes a librarian "entrepreneurial"?

• Plan to Succeed: Has a set of measurable, prioritized goals for their library with an ideal timeline for reaching those goals.
• Pro-Active: Anticipates issues. Institutes policies, procedures and programs to  meet the needs, solve the problems and assimilate necessary changes.
• Hires the Person: Hires the person, not the skills. Job ad verbiage: "The successful candidate likes working with people, has a strong desire for good customer service and is able to be taught."
• Manages, Coaches and Leads: Models leadership by regular, open communication and by allowing the team to work as a unit within the framework of the strategic plan.
• Builds a Curriculum: Develops seminars and workshops based on the needs of their community.
• Targeted Marketing: Has considered who they wish to reach with marketing.
• Cultivates Loyalties: Develops loyal customers who not only use, but believe in the work of the library and who are willing to volunteer, advocate and financially support the library.
• Prioritize Upgrades: Encourages stakeholders to attend training and makes training a priority by attending sessions themselves. WebJunction should be a training tool for staff.
• Community-Based, Organic: Able to adjust and adapt to unexpected changes with minimum delay or resistance. Flexible and Responsive.

Library staff are educators. Do not allow the staff to demean what you do. You teach people how to use computers, you teach people how to find the information and how to interpret and analyze the information.

[Continued in the Blog Post, Writting a Strategic Plan]