the entrepreneurial librarian running the “business” of your library library card
TRANSCRIPT
The
Entrepreneurial
Librarian
Running the “business” of your library
Library Card
Obje
ctiv
es To offer library staff:
• An understanding of the basic strategy of the successful entrepreneur and how it fits within the library world
•To demonstrate three needed roles in every library - leaders, managers and coaches
The K
ey is
. .
. T
he S
trate
gic
P
lan
The well written strategic plan performs several important, functional purposes:
•Causes the organization’s shareholders to think about, discuss and put down on paper their goals for the library’s future.
•Sets measurable, defined and time specific goals
•Brings the mission and vision statement down to earth
•Defines the organization’s priorities and keeps the library “on task”
The K
ey is
. .
. T
he S
trate
gic
P
lan
The well written strategic plan performs several important, functional purposes:
•Allows the board, director, staff, volunteers and customers to know where the organization is going - Keeps the director, staff and the board accountable•Defines what is “success” for that library. Stick with the Plan - Do not allow
“good ideas” to get you off the track of a “great idea”.
The K
ey is
. .
. T
he S
trate
gic
P
lan
Do you have a successful library?
How can you say you have a
“successful library”
if you cannot define success?
Define
“Entr
epre
neur”
The Random House Dictionary:
“a person who organizes and manages any enterprise, esp. a
business, usually with
considerable initiative and risk.”
Etymology: French, from Old French, from entreprendre - to undertake
What
is a
n
Entr
epre
neur?
A Successful Entrepreneur starts or takes over a business and using
creativity, strategic planning,
targeted marketing and innovation,
positions that business to be ready to take advantage every
opportunity to become as successful as possible.
Success depends upon previous preparation,
and without such preparation there is sure to be failure.
Confucius
What
is a
n
Entr
epre
neuri
al
Libra
rian?
Focusing this on the library world…
The Successful Entrepreneurial Librarian uses:
creativity, strategic planning,
targeted marketing and innovation
To place their library in the way of success.
The ladder of success is best climbed by stepping on the rungs of opportunity.
Ayn Rand
What
is a
n
Entr
epre
neuri
al
Libra
rian?
The Successful Entrepreneurial
Librarian looks for ways to place their library in the best possible
position so it is ready to take advantage of
opportunities to meet the needs of their community, both present and future,
and
thereby be foundational in the success of the
community they serve.
An E
ntr
epre
neuri
al
Libra
rian
Creates a library that is foundational to the success of the community they serve…your library’s success is tied directly to the success of your community.
Your library cannot succeed without taking it’s community with it. . . If your library is successful, your community must also be successful.
You do not dare allow your community to find a way to succeed without your library being involved in that success.
25 C
om
mon
Chara
cteristics o
f a
Succe
ssful
Entre
pre
neur
1. Do what you enjoy.
2. Take what you do seriously.
3. Plan everything.
4. Manage money wisely.
5. Ask for the sale.
6. Remember it's all about the
customer.
7. Become a shameless self-
promoter. (without becoming
obnoxious).
8. Project a positive business
image.
9. Get to know your customers.
10. Level the playing field with
technology.
11. Build a top-notch business
team.
12. Become known as an expert.
13. Create a competitive
advantage.
14. Invest in yourself.
15. Be accessible.
16. Build a rock-solid reputation.
17. Sell benefits.
18. Get involved.
19. Grab attention.
20. Master the art of
negotiations.
21. Design your workspace for
success.
22. Get and stay organized.
23. Take time off.
24. Limit the number of hats you
wear.
25. Follow-up constantly.
25 C
om
mon
Chara
cteristics o
f a
Succe
ssful
Entre
pre
neur
1. Do what you enjoy.
2. Take what you do seriously.
3. Plan everything.
4. Manage money wisely.
5. Ask for the sale.
6. Remember it's all about the
customer.
7. Become a shameless self-
promoter. (without becoming
obnoxious).
8. Project a positive business
image.
9. Get to know your customers.
10. Level the playing field with
technology.
11. Build a top-notch business
team.
12. Become known as an expert.
13. Create a competitive
advantage.
14. Invest in yourself.
15. Be accessible.
16. Build a rock-solid reputation.
17. Sell benefits.
18. Get involved.
19. Grab attention.
20. Master the art of
negotiations.
21. Design your workspace for
success.
22. Get and stay organized.
23. Take time off.
24. Limit the number of hats you
wear.
25. Follow-up constantly.
25 C
om
mon
Chara
cteristics o
f a
Succe
ssful
Entre
pre
neur
1. Do what you enjoy.
2. Take what you do seriously.
3. Plan everything.
4. Manage money wisely.
5. Ask for the sale.
6. Remember it's all about the
customer.
7. Become a shameless self-
promoter. (without becoming
obnoxious).
8. Project a positive business
image.
9. Get to know your customers.
10. Level the playing field with
technology.
11. Build a top-notch business
team.
12. Become known as an expert.
13. Create a competitive
advantage.
14. Invest in yourself.
15. Be accessible.
16. Build a rock-solid reputation.
17. Sell benefits.
18. Get involved.
19. Grab attention.
20. Master the art of
negotiations.
21. Design your workspace
for success.
22. Get and stay organized.
23. Take time off.
24. Limit the number of hats
you wear.
25. Follow-up constantly.
This
will
be
work
. . .
“It thus takes special effort for the existing business to become entrepreneurial and innovative.
The temptation in the existing business is always to feed yesterday and to starve tomorrow. It is, of course, a deadly temptation.
The enterprise that does not innovate inevitably ages and declines.
And in a period of rapid change, such as the present,
an entrepreneurial period, the decline will be fast.”
Innovation and Entrepreneurship – Peter F Drucker 1985 p 149
What
makes
a L
ibra
rian
“Entr
epre
neuri
al”
? Entrepreneuria
l Librarian
Plans to succeed
Proactive
Hires the Person
Community-based,
organization
Builds a Curriculum
Targeted Marketing
Cultivates “Loyalists”
Prioritizes “Upgrades
”
Manages, Coaches &
Leads
What makes a Librarian “Entrepreneurial”?
Entrepreneurial Librarian
Plans to
succeed Proactive
Hires the Person
Community-based,
organization
Builds a Curriculum
Targeted Marketing
Cultivates “Loyalists”
Prioritizes “Upgrades”
Manages, Coaches &
Leads
Has a set of measurable
, prioritized, attainable
goals for their
library with an ideal
timeline for reaching
those goals.
What makes a Librarian “Entrepreneurial”?
Entrepreneurial Librarian
Plans to succeed
Proactive
Hires the Person
Community-based,
organization
Builds a Curriculum
Targeted Marketing
Cultivates “Loyalists”
Prioritizes “Upgrades”
Manages, Coaches &
Leads
Anticipates issues
Institutes policies,
procedures and programs to meet the needs, solve the problems
and assimilate necessary changes
What makes a Librarian “Entrepreneurial”?
Entrepreneurial Librarian
Plans to succeed
Proactive
Hires the
Person
Community-based,
organization
Builds a Curriculum
Targeted Marketing
Cultivates “Loyalists”
Prioritizes “Upgrades”
Manages, Coaches &
Leads
Hires the person, not the skills.
“The successful candidate
likes working with people, has a strong
desire for good
customer service and is
able to be taught.”
What makes a Librarian “Entrepreneurial”?
Entrepreneurial Librarian
Plans to succeed
Proactive
Hires the Person
Community - based, organizati
on
Builds a Curriculum
Targeted Marketing
Cultivates “Loyalists”
Prioritizes “Upgrades”
Manages, Coaches &
Leads
Able to adjust and adapt to unexpected
changes with minimum delay or
resistance.
Flexible and Responsive
What makes a Librarian “Entrepreneurial”?
Entrepreneurial Librarian
Plans to succeed
Proactive
Hires the Person
Community-based,
organization
Builds a Curriculu
m
Targeted Marketing
Cultivates “Loyalists”
Prioritizes “Upgrades”
Manages, Coaches &
Leads
Develops seminars and
workshops based on the
needs of their
community and
accurately describes them as classes,
workshops, etc.
What makes a Librarian “Entrepreneurial”?
Entrepreneurial Librarian
Plans to succeed
Proactive
Hires the Person
Community-based,
organization
Builds a Curriculum
Targeted Marketin
g
Cultivates “Loyalists”
Prioritizes “Upgrades”
Manages, Coaches &
Leads
Has considered Who they
wish to reach with
marketingWhere they
can be found And uses the right tools
to reach them
What makes a Librarian “Entrepreneurial”?
Entrepreneurial Librarian
Plans to succeed
Proactive
Hires the Person
Community-based,
organization
Builds a Curriculum
Targeted Marketing
Cultivates
Loyalists
Prioritizes “Upgrades”
Manages, Coaches &
Leads
Develops not only loyal customers
who use the library, but Loyalists
who believe in and are willing to volunteer,
advocate and financially
support the library.
What makes a Librarian “Entrepreneurial”?
Entrepreneurial Librarian
Plans to succeed
Proactive
Hires the Person
Community-based,
organization
Builds a Curriculum
Targeted Marketing
Cultivates “Loyalists”
Prioritizes
Upgrades
Manages, Coaches &
Leads
Encourages all
stakeholders to attend
training and makes
training a priority by attending sessions
themselves.
What makes a Librarian “Entrepreneurial”?
Entrepreneurial Librarian
Plans to succeed
Proactive
Hires the Person
Community-based,
organization
Builds a Curriculum
Targeted Marketing
Cultivates “Loyalists”
Prioritizes “Upgrades”
Manages,
Coaches & Leads
Models leadership by regular, open communicatio
n, and by allowing the team to work
as a unit within the
framework of the strategic
plan.
Manages, Coaches &
Leads
Entrepreneurial Librarian
Plans to succeed
Proactive
Hires the Person
Manages, Coaches &
Leads
Builds a Curriculum
Targeted Marketing
Cultivates “Loyalists”
Prioritizes “Upgrades
”
Community-based,
organization
Which ones are you doing?
Do you have staff, board or
Friends members that
you can delegate
something to? Which one do you need to work on the
most?
Leader,
Manager
or
Coach
?
Focuses on problem solving and day to day operations
It’s all about the team!
Tasks - Scheduling, ordering, logistics, organization
Manager keeps the organization running every day
Leader,
Manager
or
Coach
? Manager
Focus on the people in your organization
It’s all about the players!
Tasks – mentoring, regular meetings, training
Helps staff reach their goals and in turn, helping the library reach its goals
Leader,
Manager
or
Coach
?
Coach
Focuses on the future of the organization
It’s all about the goal!
Tasks – Planning, vision building, teamwork
Constructs a framework for organization growth and development for the future
Leader,
Manager
or
Coach
?
Leader
Leader,
Manager
or
Coach
?
Which one does your team need? You need all three.
You do not need someone to call you a manager, a coach or a leader to be one. . .
Leader,
Manager
or
Coach
?
No title needed. . .
Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.
Peter Drucker
All coaching is, is taking a player where he can't take himself.
Bill McCartney
Leader,
Manager
or
Coach
? A good manager is best when people barely know that he exists. Not so good when people obey and acclaim him. Worse when they despise him.
Lao-Tzu Chinese philosopher (604 BC - 531 BC)
What’
s nex
t?
Are you ready to be an Entrepreneurial Librarian?
creative thinking, strategic planning, targeted marketing,
innovation and at times, be a risk
taker
Library Card
The Entrepreneurial
LibrarianSuggested Reading
The Entrepreneurial Librarian: Essays on the Infusion of Private-Business Dynamism into Professional Service – Edited by Krautter, Lock and Scanion and
published by McFarland Press 2012
First Break all the Rules –Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman
Fish: A remarkable way to boost morale and improve results –Paul Harry and John Christensen
Innovation and Entrepreneurship –Peter F. Drucker
One Minute Manager –Ken Blanchard, Spencer Johnson, and Constance Johnson
Strategic Planning for Results – Sandra Nelson
Wooden on Leadership -John Wooden & Steve Jamison
Transforming our Image through Words that Work: Perception is Everything. Valerie Gross, Public Libraries,
Volume 48, Number 5, (2009).
The
Entrepreneuria
l Librarian
Andrea Berstler
www.EntrepreneurialLibrarian.blogspot.com
Twitter – AbintheLibrary