Professional Development Books for Library Staff

Updated June 10, 2025
Drag items up and down to your preferred order then select the "Save Order" button.
The black belt librarian : real-world safety & security
Graham, Warren Davis.
Paper Book
Sharing expertise gleaned from more than two decades as a library security manager, Graham demonstrates that libraries can maintain their best traditions of openness and public access by creating an unobtrusive yet effective security plan. In straightforward language, the author ...
The dysfunctional library : challenges and solutions to workplace relationships
Henry, Jo
Ebook
By tackling the dysfunctional library head on, managers as well as library workers who find themselves in a toxic situation will be poised to better meet library goals and move the library forward.
The librarian's guide to homelessness : an empathy-driven approach to solving problems, preventing conflict, and serving everyone
Dowd, Ryan
Paper Book
Homelessness is a perennial topic of concern at libraries. In fact, staff at public libraries interact with almost as many homeless individuals as staff at shelters do. Empathy and understanding, along with specific actionable advice that's drawn from experience, makes all the difference in...
The library : a fragile history
Pettegree, Andrew
Paper Book
Perfect for book lovers, this is a fascinating exploration of the history of libraries and the people who built them, from the ancient world to the digital age.   Famed across the known world, jealously guarded by private collectors, built up over...
The library : an illustrated history
Murray, Stuart
Paper Book
Throughout the history of the world, libraries have been constructed, burned, discovered, raided, and cherished--and the treasures they've housed have evolved from early stone tablets to the mass-produced, bound paper books of our present day. The Library invites you to enter the...
Prepared libraries, empowered teams : a workbook for navigating intellectual freedom challenges together
Calzada, Becky
Preliminary data for 2023 from ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) shows an all-time high number of book challenges, shattering the previous record set only the year before. Anticipating and preparing for challenges can only be done effectively when the library has a unified team. This...
The six-step guide to library worker engagement
Norlin, Elaina
Paper Book
Gallup's 2019 State of the American Workplace Report found that 70 percent of employees are disengaged at work. Why is worker engagement so important? Engaged workers lead to engaged libraries -- vibrant institutions that nurture their workers' dedication, creativity, and innovation so they can...
Strategic planning for results
Nelson, Sandra S.
Paper Book
The PLA Results Series has long served to help public librarians envision, evaluate, and respond to community needs with distinctive programs and services. Building from this proven model, Strategic Planning for Results is the fully revised version of Planning for Results, the...
A trauma-informed approach to library services
Tolley, Rebecca
Paper Book
We are only now coming to terms with how common trauma really is; a landmark Kaiser study that surveyed patients receiving physicals found that almost two-thirds had experienced at least one form of abuse, neglect, or other trauma as a child. Though originating in the fields of health and social...
Well-Being in the Library Workplace: A Handbook for Managers
Newman, Bobbi L.
Fostering well-being in today's library workplaces is no longer a luxury but a necessity, particularly for managers tasked with guiding and supporting their teams. Amidst budget cuts, attempts to ban or restrict books, attacks on library staff online and in-person, and potentially hostile and...
Whole person librarianship : a social work approach to patron services
Zettervall, Sara K.
Paper Book
Whole Person Librarianship guides librarians through the practical process of facilitating connections among libraries, social workers, and social services; explains why those connections are important; and puts them in the context of a national movement. Collaboration...

Library staff! You can create and contribute to lists. Contact your catalog administrator or log in here.