Updated fundamentals of library supervision

CHICAGO — Supervising a library, managing people, stepping forward as a mentor, and being a leader in your community, whether you run a small, one-person library or work in a large research university library, is no small feat. The new fourth edition of Beth McNeil’s “Fundamentals of Library Supervision, Fourth Edition,” published by ALA Editions, shares practical advice on many of today’s management opportunities and challenges. Whether you're new to supervision or already have experience, you will find that the topics covered here, along with examples from various libraries, constitute a matchless overview of the many tasks and responsibilities of a manager and supervisor. Packed with clear and concise wisdom that will give you confidence in the role, inside this handbook you will discover:

• step-by-step guidance on fundamental skills such as hiring, onboarding and orientation, scheduling and service provision, performance appraisal and management, budgeting, space planning and safety, and conducting meetings;
• insights on core leadership competencies essential for supervisors to balance organizational priorities with the individual needs and desires of staff;
• guidance on helping library employees to learn and grow in their jobs, becoming adept at change management, setting priorities and managing time effectively and efficiently, being a good collaborator, modeling self-awareness and emotional intelligence, and other keys to success as a supervisor;
• a new discussion of the changed organizational climate and how to create and sustain environments that foster a sense of belonging among all staff;
• chapter summaries with critical takeaways; and
• helpful extras like a positive messaging worksheet, new employee welcome email template, and information about additional resources.

Examination copies are available for instructors who are interested in adopting this title for course use.

McNeil is dean emerita and Esther Ellis Norton professor of library science at the Libraries and School of Information Studies at Purdue University. She served as dean of libraries at Purdue from 2019 to 2025 and at Iowa State University from 2015 to 2019. She received a PhD from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and earned master’s and bachelor’s degrees from the University of Illinois. Author of several books and journal articles on aspects of library leadership and management, she also co-edited the recent collection “Leading in Libraries: Perspectives from Lived Experiences.” McNeil is active in the Association of College and Research Libraries, a division of the American Library Association.

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