Human Resources

Introduction

I feel like I've always had a good handle on managing other people, especially when it comes to group projects. But I know that this is something that I need to work on. That's why I have included plenty of reading material, especially from my textbooks. Still, after reading everything that I have collected on human resources, I feel like I would rather hire someone to be in charge of human resources, but if I had to do it myself, I'm sure I would be okay.

My favorite article out of everything that I pulled is the Hixson article. It's short and sweet, plus Hixson "hits the nail on the head" when he talks about exactly what an HR person is in charge of. It will be great for quick reference.

Textbook Chapter


1. Gordon, Rachel Singer. 2005. The Accidental Library Manager. Medford, New Jersey: Information Today, Inc. 57-143. This is actually a compilation of three chapters all on managing people. Chapter 3 focuses on personnel issues like hiring and professional development. Chapter 4 focuses on managing different kinds of people from generational differences to students, volunteers, and temps. Chapter 5 focuses on communication and leadership among your staff.

2. Stueart, Robert D. and Barbara D. Moran. 2007. Library and Information Center Management, 7th ed. Westport, Connecticut: Libraries Unlimited. 235-345. This resource is much more in-depth than the book by Gordon. It contains examples of forms and tables which can be used in a work environment when appraising staff work and development.


Article from Prof Library Literature


1. Kieserman, Robert H. "Issues in library human resources management." The Bottom Line: Managing Library Finances 21, no. 2 (2008): 67-72. Kieserman lays out the steps to improving relations with employees in the library. He uses the acronym LISTEN (learning, involvement, structure, training, empathy, and assessing and meeting needs) for library directors. I like this article a lot because it's easy to remember Kieserman's methods.



Article from Prof Management Literature


1. Hixson, Ronald. "Human Resources Management." Annals of Psychotherapy and Integrative Health 14, no. 2 (2011): 74-75. This is a short, succinct article on the need for human resources specialists in the health field. But I chose it because Hixson took the time to lay out the main pillars of human resources management and how important good HR can be in an office environment.



Examples of Library Policies and Procedures


1. Rutgers Human Resources Policies and Procedures- Human resources policies and procedures are universal in an academic institution. I chose this example because I like how Rutgers has addressed access to human resources policies and procedures at their institution. Everything is laid out up front and parts of it are bilingual. These policies and procedures may not be specifically for Rutgers' libraries, but they would still be applicable to their libraries.



Other Resources


1. All About Human Resources and Talent Management- The Free Management Library has been one of my favorite online resources during this class. This section explains all of the different facets involved in HR.