Human Resource Management in Libraries

Human resource management is one of the most complex activities in any library. The library management must balance many competing forces and there is no magic formula to determine which of these forces should get priority in a given situation. Each situation brings with it unique circumstances as well as common ones. The challenge of human resource management is to be clear and objective. The management has to clarify which issues are important and should be considered before making a decision. Each consideration should be placed in its proper perspective, and should reach to a balanced, unbiased judgement that serves the organisation in the long run. There are no simple recipes for dealing with people and no one can possess all the necessary knowledge. There should be participative and collaborative efforts among the library personnel both at the personal level and group level. The managers must have good understanding of the psychological and sociological forces that affect worker attitude and performance. The people in the library are heterogeneous in varying ages, levels of education, skill and expertise, career expectations, satisfaction characteristics, personalities and interpersonal relationships. The supervisors must understand now these factors interact in work situation in different circumstances. Library management always requires understanding the people as individuals and feel their particular needs and requirements for better performance. This book is intended as a useful source of information and guidance on human resource management in libraries. The book is written from a management perspective with the principle that every employee should be respected as a worker and as a person. Performance of every person can be improved within a human resource development climate.