From Accidental to Intentional Library Management: The RISWS Approach
In the Library with the Lead Pipe, (2017)Abstract
Considering that just one of the two ALA-accredited MLIS programs in Illinois requires completion of even a single management course, good management practice is often left to on-the-job happenstance. How do you manage the personnel and political dynamics of your team when you can’t stop the clock and go to a management seminar? How do you find out what’s making your people dread coming into work and find solutions that engage and empower them and benefit your library? This article describes the process and findings from a project, funded by a grant from Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois (CARLI) for the 2015-2016 academic year, to train a small cohort of academic librarians in a practical, hands-on management system called Recording/Interpreting/Solving Workflow Solutions. RISWS involves a weekly reporting process that formalizes employees sharing information on both issues affecting their work and achievements they might not otherwise report to their managers.