College and Research Libraries What Professional Librarians Expect from Administrators: An Administrator's Response Brian Alley In this article the author suggests that in addition to a recognized need for excellence on the part of library administrators, the librarians in the organization have an equal responsibility for excellence in their support of the library and its mission. Numerous opportunities exist for improving the lot of administrators and librarians through changes in library organization that allow for greater participation in the management process on the part of librarians, with increased opportunities to build trust and understanding. verall, I tend to agree with the author's suggestion that ad- ministrators should possess sufficient understanding, skill, and resources to provide the kinds of qual- ities discussed in the article. Nobody can argue that the list doesn't point to highly desirable attributes for any library admin- istrator. The author suggests that the list of thirteen qualities may be a bit idealistic, and I quite agree. However, without ques- tioning the value of these qualities I would suggest that there are a number of practi- cal alternatives that ought to be consid- ered, alternatives that I believe have the potential to correct some of the · deficien- cies existing in the traditional library orga- nization and contributing to misunder- standings between librarians and administrators. JOB FACTORS The term qualities bothers me a bit, and since the author also suggests job-related factors, I prefer the latter and will shorten it to factors. What are the factors involved in a sound library administration? Some are provided by the administrator in the form of personality traits, skills, management style, and other components of the per- sonal baggage we all assimilate over the years and carry with us from one position to the next. Other factors such as profes- sional salaries, good working environ- ment, and stability are in areas where the administrator can exert influence · to vary- ing degrees but, in doing so, must con- tend with a whole variety of outside forces that may have much more muscle in the influence department. The most con- cerned, sympathetic, and understanding administrators among us won't make much of an impact on salaries for librari- ans when those salaries are determined by state boards, legislative bodies, or collec- tive bargaining. Certainly there are oppor- tunities in each of these instances for some involvement but probably not to the point of effecting significant change. Others with more influence and control deter- mine the framework within which the ad- ministrator must operate. Within a given library there may be a number of factors over which the administrator has little or no influence, and it is important for every- one on the staff to recognize it. ORGANIZATION LIMITATIONS Academic libraries have always favored the classic pyramid organization chart Brian Alley is Dean of Library Services at Sangamon State University, Springfield, Illinois 62708. 418 11 0ur expectations simply don't mesh with reality . . . '' with the director at the top. Colleges and universities follow the same plan, so why should the library be different? Unfortu- nately the plan doesn't work very well, simply because we tend to place too much faith in the infallibility of the person at the top. We tend to expect the ultimate in rea- son, logic, and fair play from our college and university presidents, and when they consistently fail in one department or an- other we become upset. They've let us down. Rarely do we take time out to con- sider the nature of the job and the multi- tude of burdens it places on a single hu- man being. Many presidents recognize their own limitations and delegate when- ever and wherever possible. The library administrator, like the college president, must contend with a number of unrealistic expectations. In the traditional, top- down, authoritarian, academic library or- ganization, the chief administrator has . been set up as the authority, last word, fa- cilitator, benefactor, and provider for the whole organization. That's the role many job descriptions present. If administrators actually attempt to be all things to all peo- ple, they are bound to run into serious trouble. We frequently overestimate the ability of our administrators to perform in areas where they have. little or no real in- fluence or authority. Our expectations simply don't mesh with reality, and yet that doesn't prevent us from voicing our displeasure on such subjects as low pro- fessional salaries. EXPECTATIONS VERSUS REALITY Libraries are made up of people, collec- tions of materials, budgets, and physical plants to house them. The administrator's job is to deal with all of them successfully. That's what the job description says. In re- ality administrators will need to respond to demands of varying degrees of inten- sity that will determine what percentage of their time must be allocated to each area An Administrator's Response 419 of concern. The bigger the organization, the more time they will be required to de- vote to people and budget problems; ulti- mately, the budget will win out in the bat- tle for the administrator's time. The administrator who spends the bulk of the day embroiled in fiscal matters is going to have to delegate the other areas of concern to able assistants. Picking the assistants and determining when and what to dele- gate are clearly critical factors in the ulti- mate success or failure of that administra- tor. If the assistants turn out to be inept or ineffectual at carrying out their responsi- bilities, the administrator gets the blame. The administrator who has selected com- petent assistants can claim some of the credit when their efforts turn out to be suc- cessful. PROTECTIONIST THINKING On looking back at the thirteen job- related factors, I find that they seem to suggest a kind of protectionist attitude. It is like asking administrators to promise to perform all of their duties in an exemplary manner while, at the same time, keeping the barbarians on the other side of the wall so that the staff can do their work in rela- tive peace and harmony. I'm not at all sure that was the author's intent, but it does seem to me to suggest a kind of protection- ist attitude. that I seriously doubt anybody, administrator or librarian, would really want. No single administrator can or should even attempt to operate on that scale. That calls for far more responsibility than anyone can reasonably be expected to handle, especially when the authority to go along with the responsibility is prob- ably going to be absent for at least 50 per- cent of what the administrator is expected to deliver. Up to now we haven't talked about the library as a team effort: a total commitment to serving the library clien- tele and furthering the mission of the insti- tution. That approach requires the in- volvement of the entire staff-cooperating and sharing in the successes as well as the failures. And that brings us to some thoughts about what administrators should expect from professional librari- ans. 420 College & Research Libraries DROPPING THE OTHER SHOE Selecting one element of an organiza- tion for special attention suggests that equal time ought to be given to turning the question around. What do administrators · expect from professional librarians? I doubt that there are as many as thirteen factors that should be considered, and if there were that many, I'm not sure that most of us would agree on all of them. Certainly, job performance is a major con- sideration. It includes a number of other factors such as communication skills, pro- fessional skills, responsibility, career de- velopment, leadership qualities, motiva- tion, and more. In most cases our jobs are what we make them. It is possible for a creative, motivated librarian to turn a po- sition into an exciting, rewarding experi- ence even when the book budget is suffer- ing, the air conditioning is faulty, and the anticipated 8 percent salary increase turned out to be half that amount. If the administrator must be accountable for the thirteen factors outlined in the article, the librarians certainly have an equal respon- sibility to fulfill the list of duties and re- sponsibilities in their position descrip- tions. And some of those duties and responsibilities may be just as difficult to carry out as those on the list the adminis- trator is working with. How is a librarian expected to accomplish all these things and still be required to staff the reference desk umpteen hours a week? That's a fa- miliar complaint, and it takes us right back to the expectations versus reality issue again. 11 Getting librarians and administra- tors to view their respective roles re- alistically and work together con- structively in a collegial, congenial, trusting partnership would seem to be the top priority.'' This is a good time to stop and read some of the ads in a current issue of the Chronicle of Higher Education. Whether we advertise for an acquisitions librarian, a September 1987 chief library administrator or a university president, we simply can't avoid the ten- dency to ask for more than most humans can reasonably be expected to deliver. We know it's true, but we do it anyway. If we need library administrators who will moti- vate, lead, support, and facilitate, then surely we need professional librarians who are creative, enthusiastic, dynamic, and determined performers. Getting li- brarians and administrators to view their respective roles realistically and work to- gether constructively in a collegial, conge- nial, trusting partnership would seem to be the top priority. A MIDDLE GROUND Administrators need to find ways to share the administrative process in a way that will provide opportunities for librari- ans to get administrative experience. Call it training or career development, it in- volves more librarians in various aspects of the administrative process and pro- vides them with experiences they wouldn't have gotten otherwise. These experiences ultimately result in a greater sense of appreciation and understanding of the administrative role. For example, the creation of an administrative cabinet will bring librarians into a consulting rela- tionship with the administration that in time would provide them with a sense of having a piece of the action, having real in- volvement in the decision-making pro- cess. The administrator benefits from the thinking of several librarians who are ac- tually participating in the administrative process: there is great potential for im- proved relationships and better under- standing for all concerned. No, it doesn't mean that the organization has deterio- rated into a library commune. It is merely a process for creating a more open situa- tion in which trust, sharing, and consult- ing can contribute to solving some of the problems created by the top-down, orga- nization chart pyramid, compartmental- ization of tasks, and lack of contact be- tween administrator and librarians. In this middle ground situation the need for elab- orate, detailed job descriptions is dimin- ished, and trust (hopefully, a team spirit) will emerge as mystery and misunder- l standing are removed from administra- tion. If this sounds a little too pat and Pol- lyannaish, remember the alternative: librarians and administrators pointing ac- cusing fingers at one another. If nothing else, by getting together they'll have a much better chance of keeping the barbar- ians on the other side of the wall. CONCLUSION Without doubt librarians have every right to expect a certain level of perfor- mance from their administrators. But in a traditional, authoritarian organization, how do they go about getting their con- cerns across without creating misunder- standing and confrontation? By the same An Administrator's Response 421 token, administrators are equally con- cerned about their expectations for the performance of professional librarians. Producing lists of factors suggests, to me at least, demands for performance stan- dards or similar means of measuring per- formance. Rather than see librarians con- fronting administrators in a no-win situation, I suggest that the traditional, authoritative library administration bend a bit, allowing more participation in the administrative process in order to build trust and understanding, while at the same time establishing a more creative, democratic, and collegial atmosphere for dealing with library issues.