
Leadership in Libraries
A Focus on Ethnic-Minority Librarians
Maha Kumaran(Author)
Chandos Publishing (Oxford) Ltd
Published on 23. February 2012
Book
Paperback/Softback
212 pages
978-1-84334-658-6 (ISBN)
Description
The efforts of ethnic-minority librarians to become leaders in Western libraries are an important topic for any librarian working towards becoming a leader, with issues such as cross-cultural leadership relevant for all aspiring librarians.Leadership in Libraries covers leadership in various areas, provides examples of successful minority leaders in different fields and statistical data on minorities and librarians in several countries. The title probes library school programs and their efforts to develop leadership skills among librarians in general, and among minority librarians in particular. The book begins by introducing the concept of ethnic-minority leadership, moving on in the first chapter to definitions by culture, profession, and gender. The next three chapters consider managers as leaders, leadership styles, skills, and leadership in school, public and academic libraries in the US, the UK, Canada and Australia. The final chapter includes instances of bad leadership, and offers a conclusion.
Reviews / Votes
"Highly recommended for its contribution to our understanding of an important aspect of the information profession. While it has clear value to ethnic minority librarians, it deserves a much wider audience from all interested in leadership, library education and ethnic diversity in the workplace. --The Australian Library Journal"Leadership in Libraries is both intensely personal and incredibly informative. [...] The best and most useful parts of this book were its readability and applicability. [...] A copy of this title should be on the shelf of any library - public, academic, or otherwise - that is interested in developing and strengthening the leadership of its people. While Kumaran tells us that the focus of the book is on first-generation, visible minorities, I believe that it will serve not only this population but all people who work in the field of libraries and information sciences. This publication is not only useful, but relevant and a much needed addition to this area of literature." --The Canadian Journal of Library and Information Practice and Research
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Witney
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Woodhead Publishing Ltd
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
Weight
380 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-84334-658-6 (9781843346586)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
02/2012
Chandos Publishing
€61.95
Available for download
Person
Maha Kumaran is currently the Liaison Librarian for the Colleges of Nursing and Nutrition at the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada. As the liaison librarian she collaborates with faculty to teach undergraduate and graduate students. Students from the College of Nursing are located all over the province, the country and beyond. Depending on the locality of the students, she either teaches in-person or via Web-Ex, Skype, Blackboard Collaborate or by using the Remote Desktop Connection. She has recorded videos using Camtasia and has made it available for students through her nursing research guide. She would like to continue to explore how best to teach nursing students in a distributed learning environment. Her academic interests are in the area of multiculturalism, minorities and currently distributed learning environment.
Author
Liaison Librarian for the Colleges of Nursing and Nutrition at the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
Content
Dedication
List of figures and tables
List of abbreviations
Foreword
Acknowledgements
About the author
Introduction
What is ethnic-minority leadership?
Who are visible minorities?
Focus of this book
Diversity in diversity
Minority leadership
Literature on minority leadership in libraries
Conclusions
Chapter 1: Leadership as defined by culture, profession and gender
Abstract:
Leadership and culture
What is culture?
How does culture shape a person?
What is cultural intelligence?
What is social intelligence?
What is emotional intelligence?
Leadership and occupation
Can leadership be taught?
Managers as leaders
Leadership and discrimination
Women and leadership
So what is leadership?
Chapter 2: Managers and leaders
Abstract:
Who are leaders?
Who are managers?
The origin of managers or management
The evolvement of management
Are there differences between managers and leaders?
Commonalities
Libraries and their leaders and managers
Motivating ethnic minorities
Leaders and motivation
What is motivation and how does one motivate others?
Team motivation
Classical theory
Early behavioral theory
Contemporary motivation theories
Chapter 3: Leadership styles
Abstract:
What is leadership style?
Theories of leadership
Styles that work
Factors in leadership style
Do women leaders have a different leadership style?
Chapter 4: Leadership skills
Abstract:
Time management and being organized
Communication skills and cultural differences
Kinds of communication
Electronic communication
Language and communication
Critical thinking skills
Conceptual and decision-making skills
Fiscal skills
Technical skills
Human relations skills (or people skills)
Chapter 5: Leadership in school, public, and academic libraries in the US, the UK, Canada and Australia
Abstract:
School libraries and leadership
Lack of applications from school librarians
Public libraries and leadership
What are public libraries doing about ethnic-minority leadership?
Leadership programs for public librarians
How can leadership help public librarians?
Leadership in academic libraries
Leadership programs for ethnic-minority librarians in the US, Canada, the UK and Australia
Statistically speaking
Ethnic-minority librarians survey
Survey for deans and directors of libraries
Survey for deans and directors of library schools
Chapter 6: Conclusion
Abstract:
Bad leadership
Appendix A: questions for ethnic-minority librarians
Appendix B: questions for deans and directors of libraries
Appendix C: questions for deans and directors of library schools
Index
List of figures and tables
List of abbreviations
Foreword
Acknowledgements
About the author
Introduction
What is ethnic-minority leadership?
Who are visible minorities?
Focus of this book
Diversity in diversity
Minority leadership
Literature on minority leadership in libraries
Conclusions
Chapter 1: Leadership as defined by culture, profession and gender
Abstract:
Leadership and culture
What is culture?
How does culture shape a person?
What is cultural intelligence?
What is social intelligence?
What is emotional intelligence?
Leadership and occupation
Can leadership be taught?
Managers as leaders
Leadership and discrimination
Women and leadership
So what is leadership?
Chapter 2: Managers and leaders
Abstract:
Who are leaders?
Who are managers?
The origin of managers or management
The evolvement of management
Are there differences between managers and leaders?
Commonalities
Libraries and their leaders and managers
Motivating ethnic minorities
Leaders and motivation
What is motivation and how does one motivate others?
Team motivation
Classical theory
Early behavioral theory
Contemporary motivation theories
Chapter 3: Leadership styles
Abstract:
What is leadership style?
Theories of leadership
Styles that work
Factors in leadership style
Do women leaders have a different leadership style?
Chapter 4: Leadership skills
Abstract:
Time management and being organized
Communication skills and cultural differences
Kinds of communication
Electronic communication
Language and communication
Critical thinking skills
Conceptual and decision-making skills
Fiscal skills
Technical skills
Human relations skills (or people skills)
Chapter 5: Leadership in school, public, and academic libraries in the US, the UK, Canada and Australia
Abstract:
School libraries and leadership
Lack of applications from school librarians
Public libraries and leadership
What are public libraries doing about ethnic-minority leadership?
Leadership programs for public librarians
How can leadership help public librarians?
Leadership in academic libraries
Leadership programs for ethnic-minority librarians in the US, Canada, the UK and Australia
Statistically speaking
Ethnic-minority librarians survey
Survey for deans and directors of libraries
Survey for deans and directors of library schools
Chapter 6: Conclusion
Abstract:
Bad leadership
Appendix A: questions for ethnic-minority librarians
Appendix B: questions for deans and directors of libraries
Appendix C: questions for deans and directors of library schools
Index