All library politics is local… Or is it? As a library leader, how you interact with the various political leaders in your circle of influence can make or break your current and future success. You may deal with local elected or appointed officials, like Library Boards; with City Council members and the county Board of Supervisors; with Planning Boards; with Community Development Boards; with Friends of the Library; and even with the Friends of Trees. You may have to make your case for capital improvements, more budget dollars or personnel, or changes in policies, to elected or appointed people who know a lot or a little about running a library. You may have to work with the administrators of federal government programs; with state library associations; or with local community groups. You will need to present your needs, often in a public forum, using data, documentation, and justifications they can agree upon, vote on, and sign-off on. How you manage these relationships will require tact, communication skills, and good Social Intelligence (the ability to read the room and say or do the right things based on who is in that room).
About the Speaker
DR. STEVE ALBRECHT. Since 2000, Dr. Steve Albrecht has trained thousands of library employees in 28+ states, live and online, in service, safety, security, and supervision. His programs are fast, entertaining, and provide tools that can be put to use immediately in the library workspace with all types of patrons. In 2015, the ALA published his book, Library Security: Better Communication, Safer Facilities. He is currently writing the sequel, The Safe Library: Keeping Users, Staff, and Collections Secure, for Rowman & Littlefield. Steve holds a doctoral degree in Business Administration (D.B.A.), an M.A. in Security Management, a B.A. in English, and a B.S. in Psychology. He is board-certified in HR, security management, employee coaching, and threat assessment. He has written 24 books on business, security, and leadership topics. He lives with six dogs, two cats, and three chickens. (Not all in the same room, of course.)
