How Do You Manage? Case Study: Geeks Rule

"Go through those doors and turn right; it's at the far end of the hall," Bunshaft said.

"Thanks," the young man answered enthusiastically. He straightened his Sponge Bob tie and strolled off.

"Who was that kid?" asked Morris.

"I don't know; he wanted Bart. Maybe he wants to be a page."

An hour later, Director Howard entered the library's main floor with the young man in tow.

"Anna, Ginnie, I'd like to introduce you to Stuart Lieber, our new technical services coordinator."

The boy stuck out a small, fishy hand, which the two librarians shook in turn. "Thanks for the directions," he said, showing a mouthful of gleaming braces.

"My pleasure," responded a shocked Bunshaft, returning his smile.

"Let me introduce you to the rest of the staff, then I'll take you back inside so you can fill out the personnel papers and such," Howard said, leading Lieber away.

When the two men had passed back through the doors, the women turned to each other, covering their mouths to stifle laughter.

"It must be April 1, because this has to be a joke," chuckled Morris.

It was no joke.

Lieber had been hired to overhaul the library's homepage, OPAC, and all other electronic services. Once on board, he worked hard and was pleasant enough but nonetheless was often referred to as the geek by the librarians, some of whom had shared that moniker in their own salad days.

One fine spring day found Bunshaft sitting on a bench in the park adjoining the library, eating her lunch, when Lieber sat down beside her.

"Hi, Anna," the young man said pleasantly.

"Hey, Stuart. How's the job going?"

"Great. This library stuff is cake compared with my last job," he said.

"Weren't you in a library before?"

"No. I maintained the computer systems for this huge corporation. It was a killer. They had offices all over the world; guys would call me at three in the morning with computer trouble, and I'd have to get out of bed and help them out."

"Was that your first job after library school?"

"Oh, I didn't go to library school. I was offered that job while I was working on my bachelor's, so I dropped out of college."

"How long ago was that?" she asked.

"Oh, just last year. I couldn't take it for more than a couple of months though, so I came home and moved back in with my parents. These hours are much more regular, but the money isn't as good."

"Welcome to the world of library salaries," Bunshaft said with a smile.

"Yeah, I was making $90K before, and I'm only making $75K now, but I'm living at home, so my expenses are…"

Bunshaft halted mid-bite. "Did you say you're getting paid $75,000!"

"Um hmm," Lieber said."

"See you later, kid." Bunshaft hurried back to the library and straight to Howard's office.

"I just found out that Stuart not only doesn't have an MLS, he never even graduated from college, and he's getting paid more than any of the librarians on the staff," she fumed. "How can you justify paying staff with an MLS so little and paying this uneducated juvenile computer geek so much?"

By David A. Beronä, Head, Library Computer Systems, University of New Hampshire, Durham

The backbone to any viable library today is the computer systems office or, as in this case at the Treadwell Public Library, the technical services office. When the ability to deliver information to users extended beyond the traditional library reading room environment, the need arose for computer experts to manage the growing complexities of the integrated library system (ILS), network servers, operating systems, electronic resources, and web pages.

The value of computer "geeks" like Lieber not only became advisable but necessary to provide these extended library services to users. Bunshaft and Morris seem to function well in their traditional roles of "checking out books" but obviously do not have the capabilities to handle the technical functions to "overhaul the library's homepage, OPAC, and all other electronic services" that Lieber was hired to do.

The first thing that Director Howard should do to address this situation is to allow Bunshaft time to calm down. She is not in any state to hear the explanation that Howard would offer. He should ask her to return to his office in an hour. Initially, Howard should have cautioned Lieber about discussing his salary with the other staff, but he can clarify, when Bunshaft returns, that Lieber's salary falls within the range for general IT management.

Howard can explain that Lieber comes from a generation raised on computers. His obvious knowledge of computer technology is evidenced in his previous job where he "maintained the computer systems for this huge corporation." There is little doubt, since Lieber has "worked hard" since coming to the library, that he will ensure that the library's computer systems run smoothly and its web presence be eye-catching and functional.

Since Lieber was hired to overhaul the library systems, it would appear that those systems and the web presence were less than functional or desirable. Correcting these functions alone should change the public's perception of the library and ease the work of the staff. Even Bunshaft certainly would have experienced frustration and embarrassment with the public when she encountered problems while checking out books in their ILS with a network and system that were unstable.

Howard should also address with Bunshaft the changing role of the library in the 21st century. The reality of libraries is that a revolutionary shift in accessing information has occurred and this technology will continue to develop and change libraries in the future. Maintaining this technology becomes as important as any of the traditional roles of the library such as collection development.

Howard should make it clear to Bunshaft that if a staffer is perceived as doing clerical work, then the public will associate an equivalent salary. Technology offers librarians a chance to jump away from that clerical stereotype. With Lieber handling the IT functions, Bunshaft and her colleagues can use their expertise as librarians—to collect, classify, preserve, and instruct—to assume more technical roles such as providing classes on online searching, offering online 24/7 reference chat, or initiating collaborative efforts with the Treadwell town office to digitize historical records and photographs on the web.

Bunshaft could classify these historical items using metadata standards and employ Lieber's technical skill to create a searchable database of digitized items that can be served on the web. The effect of projects like these would highlight to the public the growing technical skills of the library's staff and provide justification for future raises in their salaries.

An investment in Lieber's IT skills not only supports library users but also promotes the value of the library staff within the Treadwell community.

By J. Robert Verbesey, Library Management Consultant and former Director, Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library, NY

While faced with the labor realities of the computer world, Director Howard neglected to prepare his staff for the economic and hiring arena he faces. Staff members do not like surprises, especially unpleasant ones. A good manager knows and respects this fact and acts accordingly.

Having no other information to contradict it, one can accept two things: Lieber is talented and knowledgeable enough "to overhaul the library's homepage, OPAC, and all other electronic services" and that $75,000 is the going rate in a competitive market for Lieber's skill set.

Then where did Howard err?

First, he should have made an attempt to mitigate the sting that librarians were inevitably going to feel with the situation. Was the position posted? Were the skills and education required clearly stated? It does not appear that they were.

Why else would the staff be upset? Lieber was being paid more than even veteran librarians. He was being given a professional title and a misleading one—technical services coordinator. He did not even have a bachelor's degree, much less an MLS. And that he was apparently the quintessential young male computer nerd coming into a profession dominated by well-educated and underpaid women should have been a red flag to Howard.

A standard definition of a technical services coordinator might read, "Under general direction, plans, organizes, and directs the ordering, cataloging, and processing of library materials and the automated functions of the library system. Work involves placing orders for materials and receiving and checking shipments from publishers, cataloging materials, and making materials shelf-ready and maintaining the automated system."

Lieber is drastically underqualified for most of the responsibilities normally exercised by a technical services coordinator. He will only be responsible for a portion, albeit an important part, of that job description. He should have been given a different title. Automation services coordinator would have been a more accurately descriptive title and possibly more palatable to the staff.

Howard's biggest failure was not preparing his staff ahead of time for this hire. The culture of the computer world differs markedly from that of libraries. Education is less important than knowledge. Formal education is generally not a requirement for the kind of work that Lieber was being asked to perform (think Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, for example). In fact, his experience and skills are in high demand and appear to qualify him to overhaul the library's electronic services. That same experience and skill set certainly do not qualify him to, among other responsibilities, select, train, and supervise staff; develop, implement, and evaluate policy and procedures; oversee the department budget; maintain a relationship with vendors; and many other typical technical services management functions.

Howard should have discussed the needs of the library for such a position with his professional staff before the hire. He should have solicited their input on how to structure the position and its qualifications. During this process, Howard could have sensitized the staff regarding the law of supply and demand as it relates to the job market for computer "wizards." Apparently he did none of this. He needs to take or retake Management 101.