Why Children’s Librarians Should Run the World (or at least the library)

I’ve been thinking about leadership a lot lately as the Managing Children’s Services Committee has played a role in the ALSC Mentoring Program.  I’m always blown away by the quality of people we have working in the children’s department, and equally surprised that we don’t have even more children’s librarians who are moving up into management positions. Perhaps it is because being a children’s librarian is really high up there on the fun scale when it comes to jobs. Perhaps it is because children’s librarians love working with children directly so much that they don’t want to give up that time. Regardless of the causes, here are some reasons that children’s librarians are prepared to run the world (or at least the library).

Multitasking. I know, I know. There are all those studies that say multitasking doesn’t work. Yet, the reality is if you work in a library setting then you know how impossible it is to work on one task at a time. “Oh, I’m sorry patron. Could you wait to have a technology crisis until I’m done helping this kid find a source for a report?” We are always multitasking, and as long as you are employed by a library whether effective or not, you will have to master the skill.

Public speaking. I know storytime isn’t exactly the same thing as public speaking, but it pretty much is. Every week we step onto a pseudo stage, we read the audience, and we give a combination of practiced performance with a hint of improv to a pretty challenging audience. I would say it primes us perfectly for speaking in the community, before the board, or wherever we can to advocate for the library.

Mediating. Two kids, one device. Whatever the circumstances we have all been there, mediating a situation so a fight doesn’t break out in the library. Management is a lot of that, only with adults. By having to practice these skills on a daily basis, children’s librarians will be set to handle things when the stakes are even higher.

All the scheduling. As a children’s librarian, you learn pretty quickly the necessity of good scheduling. Both for yourself (can I really say yes to one more thing this week?) and for your department (nobody is scheduled on the desk for three hours today). Whether you are responsible for scheduling in your department or not, you still understand the difficulty and importance of knowing where you are going from one hour to the next.

These are just a few of MANY skills that make you all the amazing leaders that you are. What other skills would you add to the list?

So with these in mind, go forth and lead. Whatever capacity it might be in. Just remember, nothing will ever be as difficult as your worst storytime disaster, and working in the children’s department has prepared you for anything!