From good to great managers The case for a structured continuing education program in library management

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to examine the perceptions of librarians toward continuing education (CE) in library management. Design/methodology/approach - The study followed survey design to collect perceptions of librarians from around the USA. In total, 166 usable surveys were returned and the bulk of the analysis examined responses from non-directors (n = 96). Findings - Non-director librarians identified knowledge areas important for success as a manager including human resources, leadership, and organizational behavior. The majority of respondents assessed their own level of management knowledge as average to above average. In all, 38 percent of respondents indicated their management knowledge came from workshops, webinars, and conferences. Respondents reported that the opportunity for a salary increase, as well as a personal desire to learn were motivators for seeking CE in management. Practical implications - A CE program in management should extend the knowledge learned in the MLIS degree, address knowledge, skills, and individual development, be flexibly scheduled and reasonably priced, and offer clear benefits to the library and to the learner. Originality/value - This research demonstrates the importance of building a CE program in management that compliments other educational offerings in order to help librarians develop the knowledge and skills needed to lead libraries.