Pay It Forward: Proactive Planning For Library Staffing Transitions

Like any other organization, libraries need to be prepared for staffing transitions, whether expected or unexpected. Pay It Forward helps ease staffing changes by suggesting practical approaches that help pave the way for new personnel and lessen the learning curve. Attendees will consider succession planning questions like: what are the library’s annual routines? Likely budget prep, policy review, and job evaluations. Where are those documents found? What vendors does the library use for print purchases? For digital subscriptions? Is there an instruction manual for the ILS system? How about a password management system? Answering these questions and then assembling paper and/or online documentation helps light the path for incoming staff.

Presenter: Bonnie McKewon is a consultant with the State Library of Iowa (Northwest District office in Sioux City) providing library management training and consulting for 90 public libraries in 14 Northwest Iowa counties. She conducts workshops and webinars for public library staff and boards on a wide variety of topics, from presentation pointers to formulating smart survey questions, from fostering relationships with city government to customer service tips. She has presented at PLA and ARSL conferences, at the Iowa Library Association conference, the Nebraska Library Association conference, as well as presenting national webinars for WebJunction. Before joining the State Library of Iowa, Bonnie was the Administrator of the Northwest Iowa Regional Library System and formerly the director of Spencer (IA) Public Library.

*Recording will be available in CALL Academy for 3 months.

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