Mission-oriented management: librarian-trained directors in nonlibrary settings - The Library Director

Library Trends, Summer, 1994 by Rebecca T. Lenzini, Bonnie Juergens

ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS, GOALS, AND required skills of librariantrained managers who choose careers in nonlibrary, but libraryrelated, settings different from those of directors of libraries? This question will be explored by executives from two library-related organizations--one a not-for-profit library cooperative and one a private sector information vendor. Methodologies for exploring this topic include interviews with colleagues in nonlibrary settings, analysis of executive position descriptions from library-related organizations, a review of associated professional literature, and observations of the authors.

INTRODUCTION

Are the characteristics, goals, and required skills of librariantrained managers who choose careers in nonlibrary, but libraryrelated, settings different from those of directors of libraries? Readers can determine the answer to that question after comparing the characteristics described later with those ascribed to library directors by other contributors to ths compilation.

The authors have chosen to explore this topic by interviewing eight colleagues (including each other) who currently hold senior or top management positions in organizations directly related to or serving the North American library community. The authors conducted the interviews in person or via phone using the survey instrument attached as Appendix A. Information and opinions provided by the interviewees were examined for similarities among the contributors, but these data were compared only in informal and anecdotal ways to characteristics generally ascribed to traditionally employed librarians and/or library directors. The authors also analyzed executive position descriptions from library-related organizations, and it is interesting to note that only three of the eight interviewees' organizations have established position descriptions on file for these top management positions. Position descriptions for three additional positions of interest in analyzing nontraditional librarian careers are incorporated into this discussion (see Appendix B). A review of the professional literature and observations of the authors complete the methodologies used to prepare this report.

This discussion will focus on the characteristics of a representative set of individuals who currently serve in managerial or leadership positions in nontraditional, but library-related, settings, and who also have in their educational background a master's degree in library science. The authors wish to acknowledge with thanks the interviewees identified in Table 1. All comments expressed by the interviewees are the opinions of those individuals and are in no way intended to reflect the opinions or policies of the organizations they represent professionally.

TABLE 1

LIBRARY DIRECTORS IN NONLIBRARY SETTINGS

COLLEAGUE INTERVIEW LIST

1. John Garralda
   Director of Operations
   The UnCover Company
   Denver, Colorado
2. Bonnie Juergens
   Executive Director
   AMIGOS Bibliographic Council, Inc.
   Dallas, Texas
3. Rebecca T. Lenzini
   President
   CARL Systems, Inc.
   Denver, Colorado
4. Catherine F. Nevins
   Vice President, Member Services
   OCLC, Online Computer Library
    Center, Inc.
   Dublin, Ohio
5. Ward Shaw
   Chief Executive Officer
   CARL Systems, Inc.
   Denver, Colorado
6. Debra Wallace
   Manager, Marketing and
    Business Development
   ISM Library Information Services
    (formerly UTLAS International)
   Toronto, Ontario
7. Robert A. Walton
   Executive Vice President and
    Chief Financial Officer
   Innovative Interfaces, Inc.
   Berkeley, California
8. Peter R. Young
   Executive Director
   U.S. National Commission on Libraries
    and Information Science
   Washington, D.C.

The eight interviewees represent four senior managers and four top managers of seven library-related organizations. Five of the organizations are headquartered in the United States; two are chartered abroad, one in Canada, and one is a partnership between U.S. and U.K. companies. Four are for-profit companies, two are not-for-profit corporations, and one is a U.S. federal government agency. All eight interviewees hold M.L.S. (or equivalent) degrees.

Defining the Nonlibrary Setting

Increasing numbers of librarians find themselves working in what are referred to as "nonlibrary settings." Some leave the profession entirely. Some embark upon entrepreneurial careers as self-employed information specialists who seek and serve information-hungry clients. Others create or seek employment in organizations that exist primarily to serve or support libraries.

In analyzing career choices of M.L.S. graduates from the University of Pittsburgh, Detlefsen and Olson (1991) determined that roughly one-third of the graduates studied were not working in libraries at the time of the survey. The "leavers," or those who depart the profession, were defined as "those who were not working at all or who identified themselves as being in some other field entirely, as in real estate, law, teaching, the business sector, etc." (p. 293). These individuals exhibited a number of characteristics in common with the interviewees for this report, as will be reflected in their comments.