By Brian M. Hildreth, Executive Director – Southern Tier Library System
Friday, May 15th, 2015
Skill sets are assigned to STLS consultants based on areas of expertise. It is the responsibility of the consultants to train new library directors on these competencies. Every new library director has a checklist, and STLS team members work together to implement training in a timely manner. The goal is to make certain all new directors receive the same type of training within 12 months on the job.
STLS is happy to announce two new directors have joined us in the last two months. Liz VanHouter is the new director at 20th Century Club Library in Almond, and Melanie Miller is the new director at Alfred Box of Books Library. In an attempt to publically welcome both Liz and Melanie, I reached out to some of our other newer directors. Michelle LaVoie of Wellsville, Peggy Braun of Friendship, Heidi Robinson of Canisteo and Carlene Hardy of Belfast are new to STLS within the last eighteen months.
Each director was kind enough to answer my questions, and provide insight as to what can be expected during the first twelve months. I genuinely appreciated their participation because their voices speak from experience, and serve as a learning tool for all of us.
Online Interview with Michelle LaVoie, David A. Howe Public Library, Wellsville
Brian: “What were some things you did during your first week as library director?”
Michelle: “Other than going through job applications to choose candidates to interview for a full-time position at the library, I spent the time reading through informational documents left behind by the previous director to serve as a guide to frequently performed tasks (ordering, calculating circulation statistics, items required for reporting to the board of trustees, important contacts, etc.). I asked many questions of the interim director on policies and procedures. I looked through files in the directors office and in the director’s online documents to get a feel for the kinds of important things I might need to be aware of. I went around to the different departments to talk to staff and to get a sense of the best aspects of their jobs and what they perhaps found must frustrating.I also met many of our most dedicated patrons as well as important members of the community who took time to come in and talk with me. Getting to know the building was also an important part of the first week (the layout and the problem areas).”
Michelle: “The methods for figuring out circulation statistics seemed difficult compared to in my previous job. I also found board reporting to be very cumbersome compared to my previous director’s position as well – it was especially difficult to write narratives on topics of which I was still barely familiar, especially building issues and finishing up grant projects begun under the previous director. Also, staff challenges became apparent within the first couple of months, which was especially difficult to deal with being new amongst people who’d been here for a long time.
Brian: “What resources do you find to be the most helpful specific to your position?”
Brian: “What do you find rewarding about your position? “
Michelle: “Seeing planned programs succeed, and the staff members involved in planning them feel proud and excited to plan the next activity. Meeting community members who support the library and express the reasons why. Giving my support to staff members to try new things, and to help promote what they are doing to the community and to board members.”
Brian: “Was it helpful or annoying for the previous director of your library to still be involved with STLS? Feel free to answer this one honestly.”
Michelle: “No, I find it helpful. Yours were big shoes to fill here, let me tell you! I just do my best with grants and with choosing what I feel is most important to address as far as building projects. Having you at STLS makes it easy to reach out to you, and you have always been friendly and willing to help.”
Brian: “What were some things you did during your first week as library director?”
Peggy: I freaked out. I had no library experience, and was in over my head, which led me to contact STLS for help. Mandy came out to the library and walked me through workflows and whatever else she thought I would need to know. This led me to start learning all I could about my library and it’s patrons.Brian: “What was one of the most difficult things to learn, or greatest challenges in the first few months?”
Peggy: “That change, even if it is for the better, is very hard for a lot of people to handle. When I got here this library was stagnant, and I upset a lot of people as I made changes to make the library current and viable. I weeded out the book collection (heavily), because the shelves were crammed with out dated books. I removed all clutter from the library and cleaned it top to bottom. This involved letting go of items that were donated, but never really belonged in the library. I stopped all automatic editor’s choice monthly book orders. I chose instead to watch and listen to the patrons and order books that fit this community. Because of my changes some patrons stopped coming in. In time however, most came back and they are happy with the changes, and several have thanked me.”Brian: “What resources do you find to be the most helpful specific to your position?”
Brian: “What do you find rewarding about your position?”
Peggy: “To me, what I find most rewarding is the laughter and joy that I hear here at the library. As I am writing this a group of about 10 boys are downstairs participating in our first pokemon club meeting and I can hear the sound of their laughter and happiness upstairs here in my office. I love when the kids come running up the stairs, go to their section, so excited to see the new books on the shelves. They sit or lay down on the floor as they go through the books trying to find just the right one. Then they skip to the front desk with a huge smile clutching their pick, telling me how much they love the book. Then there is the smile I get from the adults when you have that book that they have been waiting for.”
Brian: “What is the most exciting thing you have going on, or coming-up at your library?”
Peggy: “I am in the process of putting together a music room so kids and adults in the community have a place to take music lessons. I am working on getting a flute, clarinet, saxophone and trumpet. I want to be able to offer the children of Friendship music lessons earlier than 6th grade, which is when the school program starts. As soon as the room is finished we will start with piano and guitar lessons. Then I will move to the auditorium and renovate it so I can offer tap dance, ballet, and ballroom dance lessons to children and adults. I am also taking the upstairs computer room and turning it into the teen/young adult room. I will be painting the walls, moving the computers downstairs, putting up new curtains, and adding art work and new furniture to the room. I want to make the library a place that adults and children of Friendship can be proud of.”
Online Interview with Heidi Robinson, Wimodaughsian Library, Canisteo
Brian: “What were some things you did during your first week as library director?”
Heidi: “During my first week I spent time learning the routines for opening and closing, with all the little details, so that I could do it alone as soon as possible. I also spent most of open hours staying right in the main circulation desk area so that I could be introduced to people and try to learn what kind of community I was serving.”
Brian: “What resources do you find to be the most helpful specific to your position?”
Heidi: “My best resources are people I know, and experience. I love being able to call someone at STLS, or someone else I know, who can help me deal with a situation and give me some perspective. I also like asking a question of all the directors and getting different opinions on how to handle things. As far as experience goes, stuff that seems like old hat to me might be very new since I moved here from a very urban area in another state. It can be a good excuse for messing up, or impress folks because of my “new” ideas. In a small town such as mine, it helps to be connected to other local officials (my brother is the town justice, my grandmother ran the library for many years) so I might seem unconventional but I also get the benefit of the doubt because I was really well-behaved growing up out here and for some reason a lot of people think I’m really intelligent.”
Brian: “What do you find rewarding about your position?”
Heidi: “I find it very rewarding when a new person comes to the library and decides to come back because we made them feel good about being here. I also like when someone tries a book I recommended and they come back and tell me they really liked it. (I like to say we “sell” books, just not with money.) My clerk also helps patrons find new authors and books, so like me, she “sells” the books. I am very fortunate that my clerk is a reader! A great way to connect with patrons is that I ask them how they liked a book, and what worked or didn’t work for them. My patrons love giving feedback and feeling that we are really listening to them.”
Brian: “What is the most exciting thing you have going on, or coming-up at your library?”
Heidi: “The most exciting thing going on at our library is the development of good library habits for everyone. We have more children coming in, and we respond to make them feel welcome, and bribe them with candy on their way out so that they will want to come back. We also like encouraging people to think of the library as a venue for community events, which seems to be a new direction since I came. I think, before me, that most of the issues, programs, etc were about the library getting more books, or programs for kids in the summer. In addition to those things, we support the community as best we can, with things like a drug awareness seminar, a bone marrow registry drive, etc. These are things we do for people in the community and not for ourselves, except that it may attract more people to come to the library if they come for one of these events. It keeps people feeling that the library is an essential part of the community, which is what we should all want.”
Online Interview with Carlene Hardy, Belfast Public Library, Belfast
Brian: “What were some things you did during your first week as library director?”
Carlene: “One of the things I did repeatedly my first week was to call the librarian that had retired and ask for help! I also made contact with the company that we get supplies from and our book reps to introduce myself.”
Brian: “What was one of the most difficult things to learn, or greatest challenges in the first few months?”
Carlene: “The most difficult thing to learn was the likes, wants and needs of my patrons.”
Brian: “What resources do you find to be the most helpful specific to your position?”
Carlene: “STLS has been my greatest resource. Everyone there is helpful, kind and patient. I also reached out to veteran directors.”
Brian: “What do you find rewarding about your position?”
Carlene: “I think the most rewarding part of my job is when I find a book that makes someone light up with excitement. I also love it when my patrons want to sit and visit and share their day with me, whether it is good or bad.”
Brian: “What is the most exciting thing you have going on, or coming-up at your library?”
Carlene: “The most exciting thing we have coming up right now is our summer reading projects. We have local artists and musicians who will be entertaining our community and we will be raffling off 2 refurbished computers that were donated to us by the Kinney Foundation.”
End of Interviews
I want to thank Michelle, Peggy, Heidi and Carlene for taking time to answer my questions. I know most directors can think back to their own first experiences, and relate to many of the things these directors discussed. I encourage all member library directors to reach out to their fellow directors as much as possible. It is what makes being part of a cooperative library system so great.
Have a great weekend everyone. As always, thank you for your continued support and many efforts. Please call or write with questions.
Kindest Regards,
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| Photo courtesy of Filomena Jack. |
Brian M. Hildreth, Executive Director
Southern Tier Library System
Follow me on Twitter: @comlibpartner
