Teaching your grandma?

Teaching your grandma? Rivers, Vickie The branch librarians' handbook. Jefferson, NC:McFarland and Company, 2004. 203p US$39.95 soft cover ISBN ISBNabbr.International Standard Book NumberISBNInternational Standard Book NumberISBNn abbr (= International Standard Book Number) → ISBN m0786418214 According to according toprep.1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians.2. In keeping with: according to instructions.3. the Australian Government Information ManagementOffice (AGIMO AGIMO Australian Government Information Management Office ), there are approximately 1550 public library branches inAustralia, each of which would have a branch manager of somedescription. This book has been written for those people and others whowork towards that role. Until now, branch managers have had their experience and managementdirection as supports in this role, among other resources. Vickie Riversnow brings them another resource to assist them, The branchlibrarian's handbook. It covers the issues that branch managersdeal with on a daily basis, from personal development, through staff andthe public to management. These issues include the library organisation,focus, administration, outside support, managing yourself, supervision,managing staff, computers, managing the branch, collections, patronswith special needs, the community, programming, outreach and careerdevelopment. Initial chapters serve as an introduction to public librarystructure and organising yourself to be a branch librarian. They givebackground to the role, setting it in context. Issues then turn tostaff, management and self on a more practical level, including adviceon how to manage general issues, including the stress of the branchmanager! Although it is based on the American public library structure,much of what is covered is still relevant to Australian publiclibraries. Even the appendices, which include many policies andguidelines, would have something of interest for Australian branchmanagers. Rivers does not offer comprehensive coverage of any of the includedtopics, but rather overviews of issues. Some of the content seemstrivial (eg 'your briefcase contents') and superficial in itscoverage. A lot of its advice is common sense, and existing policies andprocedures Policies and Procedures are a set of documents that describe an organization's policies for operation and the procedures necessary to fulfill the policies. They are often initiated because of some external requirement, such as environmental compliance or other governmental within a public library service would cover much of it. Having worked as a branch manager for many years, I was fascinatedby the idea of a handbook to assist in this position. Reading it took meback to my early years in this role and the issues that I had to dealwith. It also gave me some new perspectives on issues that I had notthought about in a while and some ideas on new issues to pursue. Anybranch manager would be able to get something out of it, as I did, butit is not a title that an experienced branch manager would necessarilyhave on hand for ready access. However, for those just starting out inpublic libraries or students who would like to work in this stream oflibrarianship, it is an ideal starter on the types of issues they willbe dealing with as a branch manager. Michelle McLean Michelle McLean was crowned Miss Universe in 1992. She represented Namibia, and became the first contestant from Namibia to win the crown.Before she became Miss Universe, McLean competed in Miss World 1991, where she finished in the top 5. , Casey-Cardinia Library Corporation