Job Posting - Beaumont Public Library Interim Director

The BEAUMONT PUBLIC LIBRARY is hiring for the full time interim position of Library Manager


Reporting directly to the Library Board, the Library Manager is responsible for the operation and enhancement of the library facility and services provided, the direction of both library and programming staff and support of the Library Board in policy, planning and budgeting.

Qualified applicants will possess:

• Masters of Library Sciences or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• 2 or more years relevant experience in a library setting
• Experience leading staff and change management
• Knowledge of the budgetary process
• Proven ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with staff, board and community partners
• Excellent public relations and interpersonal communication skills
• Demonstrated ability in the management and use of library technology

Qualified applicants, once contacted, will be provided with a detailed role description.

strategy + business Best Business Books 2010

strategy + business have released their list of the Best Business Books of 2010. The list is arranged categorically and includes an essay analysis of the different books, with suggestions of which books complement one another. I recommend downloading the pdf file, which includes all of the essays and the recommended books.

You will need to create a free profile to access the article.

Originally spotted on the 800ceoread blog.

It's always the quiet ones

Analyzing Effective Leaders: Why Extraverts Are Not Always the Most Successful Bosses summarizes some of the research by Wharton professor Adam Grant which asks, which type of person is the most effective leader, an introvert or an extravert?

According to the article, it depends on the group the person is leading: introverts do better with a proactive team that needs someone to listen and act on their ideas, whereas as extraverts do better with a less proactive team, firing them up and motivating them.

What I also found interesting was the bias against introverted people as leaders:

Given these conclusions, why does the popular view persist that extraverts are better leaders across the board? The authors point to several possible reasons: One is that extraverts are often perceived as more effective because of a "halo effect." "This may occur because extraverted leaders match the prototypes of charismatic leaders that dominate both [Western and Eastern cultures] and are especially prevalent in business," they write. One online survey of 1,500 senior leaders earning at least six-figure salaries found that 65% actually saw introversion as a negative quality in terms of leadership.

It is also possible that an introverted person could believe that they would not make a great leader because they believe the bias and may not actively seek out opportunities for advancement. If you are an introvert with this belief, reading this article and some of the associated research may help to conquer your self-defeating beliefs.

I think these guys could use some librarians

According to an article in the November 15 edition of Bloomberg's Business Week, banks are losing paperwork, which can lead to a foreclosure even while the person is in a program to stop that very action. Jessica Yellin from CNN suggests, based on feedback from participants in the Making Home Affordable program, believe that banks are deliberately losing paperwork. With all of the problems associated with robosigning, it may be time to hire some trained document managers to get things organized.

Smile or die

Barbara Ehrenreich talks about the perils of positive thinking and encourages realism and vigilance.

Bloomberg's Top Business Book Picks

Bloomberg's Business Week has published a list of their top business books for the past year. 800 CEO Read places them into a subject list.