(30 Apr 2025) Retention issues—driven, among other factors, by staff dissatisfaction and burnout—are a key concern in public library systems. To solve the problem, we first need to close the leadership competency gap.
Library and information science programs have traditionally covered topics such as archives and records management, information policy, information literacy, and collection development. More recent additions to the curriculum have focused on the impact and utilization of new technology in librarianship, including artificial intelligence, digital information and analytics, and electronic information storage and retrieval. These technical competencies are central to our professional mission. But for the most part, library school programs lack formal training in staff performance management, customer service and marketing, service planning, budgeting, and other vital leadership competencies.
This lack of training means that unless new professionals served in leadership roles in other industries, they are routinely thrust into library leadership roles without formal administrative management training or sufficient exposure to skills like conflict resolution and effective communication. For example, librarians are routinely assigned to manage staff—such as pages or library assistants—as part of their job duties, requiring that they address and coach performance issues and interpersonal conflicts. Within a short period, any individual deficiency in basic leadership competencies turns daily tasks, like coaching staff or applying administrative policies and procedures, into a source of anxiety and stress, not only for the leader, but also for the staff members they supervise.
Jeffrey Serpico, the director of human resources of the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District shares his experiences here.
