The Entrepreneurial Librarian Running the “business” of your library Library Card

Objectives 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 Key is... The Strategic Plan 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 Key is... The Strategic Plan 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 Key is... The Strategic Plan Do you have a successful library?

How can you say you have a “successful library” if you cannot define success?

Define “Entrepreneur” 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 an Entrepreneur? 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 an Entrepreneurial Librarian? 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 an Entrepreneurial Librarian? 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 Entrepreneurial Librarian 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 Common Characteristics of a Successful Entrepreneur 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 Common Characteristics of a Successful Entrepreneur 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 Common Characteristics of a Successful Entrepreneur 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 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

What makes a Librarian “Entrepreneurial”? Entrepreneurial Librarian Plans to succeed ProactiveHires 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 ProactiveHires the Person Community - based, organization 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 ProactiveHires the Person Community- based, organization Builds a Curriculum 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 ProactiveHires the Person Community- based, organization Builds a Curriculum Targeted Marketing Cultivates “Loyalists” Prioritizes “Upgrades” Manages, Coaches & Leads Has considered Who they wish to reach with marketing Where they can be found And uses the right tools to reach them

What makes a Librarian “Entrepreneurial”? Entrepreneurial Librarian Plans to succeed ProactiveHires 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 ProactiveHires 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 ProactiveHires the Person Community- based, organization Builds a Curriculum Targeted Marketing Cultivates “Loyalists” Prioritizes “Upgrades” Manages, Coaches & Leads Models leadership by regular, open communication, 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 BC)

What’s next? 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 Librarian Suggested 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 Entrepreneurial Librarian Andrea Berstler Twitter – AbintheLibrary