Survival Skills for the First Time Library Supervisor

Survival Skills for the First Time Library Supervisor

To paraphrase William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, "Some are born supervisors, some achieve supervision, and some have supervisory responsibilities thrust upon 'em."

• Are you a new supervisor?
• Do you feel uncomfortable in this new role? Unsure of what to do, exactly?
• Are you left "in charge" on the evening shift? On weekends?
• Do you see yourself becoming a supervisor, even if you aren't one yet?
• Do you worry about having to supervise volunteers or others who do not "officially" report to you?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, this course will help you develop your survival skills to supervise staff and/or, volunteers, and to work with your own supervisor to make your library staff a team.

Workshop Description: Through discussions, practical exercises, and library-based examples, this full-day workshop will help you understand more about successful supervision. The workshop will provide an opportunity for participants to share and receive help with their own experiences and frustrations with supervisory situations. Participants will learn strategies and develop skills for both immediate and long-term solutions.

Pre-workshop Assignment: We want to make this workshop as useful and practical as possible. Therefore participants should bring a supervising challenge or issue with them to the workshop. If you haven't yet encountered a specific problem as a supervisor, you can think of something from your perspective as a supervised employee, or make one up.

Preliminary Course Outline:

• What is a supervisor?
• Communication with all the staff
• Identifying priorities for staff
• Advocating for staff and for patrons
• Scripts to help in sticky situations
• Setting expectations and establishing priorities
• Providing feedback and resolving problems
• Leadership development for the future
• Special Situations
  • Working with volunteers
  • Emergency situations

Who Should Attend: Anyone in a California library with an interest in supervision, especially those new to supervision or anyone who may become a supervisor in the near future.

Prerequisites: None.

Please Note: There is a $75.00 fee for this workshop. Infopeople does not provide parking passes, lunch or refreshments.

Check-in: 8:30 to 9 AM Instruction: 9 AM to 4:30 PM

For information about training, or using materials found on this website, please contact the Infopeople Project Assistant by email at assist@infopeople.org or by phone at 650-578-9685.

© 2008 Infopeople Project. Material on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons License. The Infopeople Project is supported by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian.