1. ©2003 Whitmell & Associates Succession Planning Strategies for Law Libraries Presented at the 2003 CALL Conference Yasmin Khan Canada. Dept. of Justice Vicki Whitmell Whitmell & Associates

2. ©2003 Whitmell & Associates Succession Planning For all types and sizes of libraries Important for individuals, libraries, the profession

3. ©2003 Whitmell & Associates Presentation Current hiring practices: do they still work? Demographic challenges Boomers v. Gen X

4. ©2003 Whitmell & Associates Presentation Succession Planning for your Library (Start Small, Think Big) – Where is your library going? – What skills do you have now/what will you need –Development of strategies and recruiting –Taking responsibility

5. ©2003 Whitmell & Associates How We Hire Now Little planning Waiting game Why a competitive hiring situation in the offing

6. ©2003 Whitmell & Associates Demographic Challenges Impact of the Baby Boom generation 25% of Canadians 38 to 56 years of age Average age of retirement in public sector is 58 Librarians are older and aging at a faster rate (ARL)

7. ©2003 Whitmell & Associates Demographic Challenges Up to 48% of librarians to retire by 2010 Impact of cost cutting, elimination of middle-management Library school enrollment static with graduates choosing other careers

8. ©2003 Whitmell & Associates Special Challenges Image of the profession/library sectors Specialized qualifications (children’s, cataloguers, bilingual) Smaller/rural locations

9. ©2003 Whitmell & Associates Older workers Interests and goals shift Need to provide flexibility/incentives Stereotypes (less productive, resistance to change, unwilling to learn, sick, accident- prone) But…reliable, honest, trustworthy, loyal, commited

10. ©2003 Whitmell & Associates Strategizing: Start Big or Small Step One: –Where is your library going? –Do you have a formal/informal strategy in place?

11. ©2003 Whitmell & Associates Start Big or Small Step Two: –What are the skills you need to meet your vision of the future?

12. ©2003 Whitmell & Associates Needed Skills Competency Profiles –Useful in identifying needed knowledge, skills, attitudes, work behaviours –Soft skills (fiscal management, interpersonal skills, time-management, innovation) v. hard skills (technical)

13. ©2003 Whitmell & Associates Competency Profiles –Association profiles: AALL, SLA, Cultural Human Resources Council –Do these make sense for younger workers?

14. ©2003 Whitmell & Associates Start Big or Small Step Three: – Set plans in place to find the skills you need –Focus on developing new skills, flexibility –Won’t groom for one position in the future

15. ©2003 Whitmell & Associates Strategies Step Three: –Reward those who mentor, train, support –Provide project opportunities –Fund and support training, learning, education –Capture the knowledge you have now Manuals, emails, COP

16. ©2003 Whitmell & Associates Strategies Step Three –Identify key people –Broaden job descriptions –Increase Salaries/Incentives –Loosen Reporting structures –Use evaluations as a tool –Be aware of the hiring environment

17. ©2003 Whitmell & Associates Recruitment Strategies Step Three –Promote your library as a good place to work (website) –Participate in job fairs –Identify and seek out possible hires –Connect lawyers to the profession –Keep in touch with alumni –Create good experiences for students

18. ©2003 Whitmell & Associates Strategies Step Three –Job rotations/Experiences in different types of libraries –Mentoring program –Individual career plans –Communication is key (up and down) –Become an ‘employer of choice’

19. ©2003 Whitmell & Associates Change your Organization Reduce hierarchies Focus on coaching Broaden duties and responsibilities Reduce dead end jobs Shorten hiring process Hire those who are different Create a challenging environment

20. ©2003 Whitmell & Associates Impediments Time Cutbacks/downsizing Imagining anything different Contract hiring Lack of funding to plan Individual library challenges Location, funding, salaries, reputation

21. ©2003 Whitmell & Associates Benefits Trained/interested people when needed Better retention Better morale Development of groups/teams Learn from each other

22. ©2003 Whitmell & Associates Who’s Responsible? Responsibility lies in libraries, in individuals, in the profession Individuals: –Take responsibility for own career development, take advantage of opportunities, take on interesting assignments

23. ©2003 Whitmell & Associates We’re Responsible Each of us: –Take responsibility for getting young people into the profession –Make sure our libraries listen, mentor, provide feedback and training, know where they are going and how to get there

24. ©2003 Whitmell & Associates How to Be Responsible Managers –Look beyond day-to-day concerns Libraries –Recreate themselves –Reduce divisions, create opportunities, listen, respond, follow-through

25. ©2003 Whitmell & Associates Responsibility of Associations Library associations: responsibility for overall growth of profession, recruitment programs, training, flatten structures, help members to get involved, develop commitment develop workshops and events that interest young people, create student chapters

26. ©2003 Whitmell & Associates Effective Plans Big Picture Activity Start Small=Big Results Include everyone