Well-Being in the Library Workplace: A Handbook for Managers
Well-Being in the Library Workplace: A Handbook for Managers
Well-Being in the Library Workplace: A Handbook for Managers
Description
Description
Fostering well-being in today's library workplaces is no longer a luxury but a necessity, particularly for managers tasked with guiding and supporting their teams. Amidst budget cuts, attempts to ban or restrict books, attacks on library staff online and in-person, and potentially hostile and aggressive patrons, taking care of ourselves and our staff by putting good policies and practices into place is more important than ever. In this book, Newman and her expert contributors will lead you through creating an environment that nurtures the health, satisfaction, and well-being of its workers and helps prevent or reduce the internal factors that create an unhealthy workplace. You will receive actionable advice on
- navigating the pitfalls of vocational awe, which can lead to unrealistic expectations and self-neglect;
- setting and recalibrating healthy boundaries;
- approaching difficult conversations by creating spaces for positive staff communication;
- overcoming limited budgets;
- the proper mindset for encouraging realistic performance expectations among employees;
- using recognition, appreciation, and staff professional development as tools for wellness;
- nurturing social connections and collaboration to combat loneliness;
- effective techniques for addressing sensitive issues such as disabilities, confronting anti-fat bias, and moral injury;
- emotional and invisible labor mitigation; and
- self-care methods for library leaders at risk of burnout.
About the Author
About the Author
Bobbi L. Newman (she/her) is a librarian, Certified Wellness Practitioner, and workplace well-being expert dedicated to helping libraries create environments where individuals feel empowered, supported, and free to bring their best selves to work. Bobbi specializes in evidence-based strategies to cultivate psychologically safe workplaces that foster trust, collaboration, and open communication. As a consultant, speaker, instructor, coach, and well-being advocate, her comprehensive approach includes workshops, keynote presentations, strategic consulting, and coaching to help organizations establish sustainable practices that reduce burnout, increase engagement, and ensure team members feel genuinely valued. Author of the book Fostering Wellness in the Workplace: A Handbook for Libraries, she also writes about workplace well-being on her blog, Librarian by Day, and is a sought-after speaker at state, national, and international conferences.
Critical Reviews
Critical Reviews
"No matter your management style or where you sit on the management org chart, this gift of managerial wisdom is a keeper ... This sagacious compilation will benefit library managers whether they read it cover to cover relaxing at home or dive into when, to their utter astonishment, things quiet down for a few moments during their hectic workday."
-- Booklist "Offers 18 chapters filled with valuable insights from frontline professionals ... This important work should be part of every supervisor's toolkit to help improve their own management skills, empower their staff, and promote a robust, responsive workplace culture. Appropriate for small and large public and academic libraries seeking to better manage organizational health."
-- Library Journal (starred review)
-- Booklist "Offers 18 chapters filled with valuable insights from frontline professionals ... This important work should be part of every supervisor's toolkit to help improve their own management skills, empower their staff, and promote a robust, responsive workplace culture. Appropriate for small and large public and academic libraries seeking to better manage organizational health."
-- Library Journal (starred review)
Publishing Information
Publishing Information
Publisher:
ALA Editions
Pub date:
2025-04-02
Length:
280 pages
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