To survive and be successful in the current rapidly changing library environment, staff learning, and developing library staff, are key drivers for the effective management of academic libraries. This book focuses on important issues of library staff development within higher education libraries. It examines sources of change in library and network environments, analyses changing roles of library professionals, and their flexible patterns of work, potential uses of virtual learning environments, and staff development needs for current and future strategic management of academic libraries. It also discuses the best ways to develop management skills for the future in a wide range of academic library staff such as competency maps, skills assessment tools, work‐based learning and e‐learning. It also discusses management and leadership development and the role of staff development in library human resource management.
The recommendations for the future of workplace development are at four levels: individual staff member, individual library, region and sector. It also evaluates the implications for proactive continuing professional development activities. The 11 contributors to this book are practising managers in higher education institutions. Their articles are drawn from experience, case studies and relevant international initiatives.
The book contains the following ten chapters:
- 1.
Human resources for higher education in the 21st century, by Sally Neocosmos
- 2.
Rethinking professional competence for the networked environment, by Sheila Corrall
- 3.
Developing the academic library managers of the future, by Patrick Noon
- 4.
Converging on staff development, by Biddy Fisher
- 5.
Developing the academic librarian as learning facilitator, by Chris Power
- 6.
Development routes for academic library support staff, by Jo Webb
- 7.
Lifelong learning at work: staff development for the flexible workforce, by Sue White and Margaret Weaver
- 8.
Developing staff development using a virtual learning environment, by Moira Bent
- 9.
Collaborative staff development, by Philipa Dolphin
- 10.
Taking the strategic approach to staff development, by Margaret Oldroyd
Each chapter stands alone, and no attempt has been made to link them in any way. This leads to occasional repetition, but overall the content is illuminating and useful for academic library managers concerned with staff development.
