Many librarians successfully make the transition to library manager, decide that it was a positive career move, and settle into a middle manager role for a period of years. After a few years they become recognized as experienced or senior managers. But what does being an experienced or 'senior' manager really mean? Is it a destination unto itself or a transitional role? What should one do to prepare for moving on? How best to stay put without stagnating?
Pixey Anne Mosley, author of
Transitioning from Librarian to Middle Manager
(2004) offers insights into the nature of professional growth, and caveats against the many destructive traps that managers who have been in the same role for several years can all too easily slip into. Essential reading for anyone beyond the salad days of their career, but particularly managers whose advancement has stalled or are in the early stages of questioning their effectiveness.