Human Resources Crash Course for Library Managers

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A three-part webinar series taking place Mondays, May 6, 13, and 20, 2024, at 11:30am Pacific/12:30pm Mountain/1:30pm Central/2:30pm Eastern each session.

Most managers come to the position with no HR training, and while they may have skills that teach them how to be an effective librarian, they may not necessarily have the training to be an effective manager. 

This series will provide current or future managers and directors the foundation they need to excel in their new role. Participants will go through the life cycle of an employee, focusing on how they can create inclusive and welcoming environments by applying an EDI lens to HR decisions while also covering how to navigate various HR laws.

Event Outline:

  • Session 1: Laying the Foundation
    • Creating a job description
    • Developing strong policies 
    • Navigating legal issues and HR laws to know
  • Session 2: Getting & Keeping Staff
    • How to hire staff, including crafting interview questions 
    • How to successfully onboard and train staff
    • How to provide ongoing feedback and annual evaluation of staff
  • Session 3: Saying Goodbye
    • When and how to discipline an employee
    • Handling a termination 
    • Prepare for the future with succession planning

Kathy Parker is a retired library director, now library consultant, who does work as an interim director and provides training and mentoring to library trustees and staff. She is passionate about educating people in the library field and is the co-founder of Directors University, an Illinois training program for new library public directors. Prior to retirement, she was the director of the Glenwood-Lynwood (IL) Public Library District for 16 years and has over 40 years of library experience in public and private libraries. Kathy has served on numerous state committees, including the Illinois Library Association, and has served as a library trustee for her local library and the regional library system, Reaching Across Illinois Library System. In 2016, she was the recipient of the American Library Association’s Trustee Citation award.

Kate Hall is the Executive Director of the Northbrook Public Library after serving as Director at the New Lenox Public Library and in various library positions for over 20 years. Kate is the recipient of the 2021 Illinois Library Association Librarian of the Year Award and has served in leadership positions in state and national library groups, including the American Library Association, Illinois Library Association, and Reaching Across Illinois Library System. She has served on the committee and chaired Director’s University, an intensive training that has trained over 300 new Illinois Public Library Directors.

This event will be hosted in Zoom. Automatic captions will be enabled for this event. This event will be recorded, and registrants will receive access to the recording within a day after the event ends.

If you have questions or requests regarding accessibility, contact us at ce@ala.org or at 312-280-5100.

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