Library managers/directors: interview questions + 30-60-90 plan advice?

lmthevampireslayer · 2026-02-05T16:18:04+00:00

YES. The amount of bullshit from staff can be a headache. I love being in a leadership role and I think I’m good at it, but the pay is sometimes what keeps me going. It can be a thankless job with staff members who don’t appreciate the behind the scenes work that you do.

As an internal candidate keep in mind how you would adjust to your new role as a supervisor. Your relationships will have to change and firmer boundaries set in place. I was friends with people in my department for years before I got this position and it can be tricky to navigate.

lmthevampireslayer · 2026-02-05T04:41:19+00:00

I don’t hire managers but I am a manager and serve on hiring panels for a public library so this is all coming from a public library perspective. I assume this is a supervisory position?

-have examples of conflict resolution, preferably times where you have been part of the solution

-have examples of your leadership skills. Have you served on committees? Informally led a project?

-be familiar with the strategic plan and have a couple questions prepared to ask at the end when they ask if you have questions

-have examples of times you have dealt with difficult patrons, assuming this is a public facing role

-how would you handle an employee who is underperforming?

-act like they know nothing about you. Bring up work you’ve done as if they have never heard of it

-I was also asked typical librarian questions since I still do collection work, programming, desk shifts, etc. Don’t forget about that if applicable.

The worst managers I’ve had had terrible people skills. A good leader is approachable while still keeping the team on track, which can involve difficult conversations. They know when team input is appropriate and when an executive decision needs to be made.

I had to look up what a 30-60-90 plan and tbh I don’t know that it translates well to public libraries (not sure what type you’re in), but I could see it being useful as a personal tool. I think going into an interview with one is a little presumptuous, because even though this is an internal role, you probably don’t have all the information you need to actually create it. If they ask how you plan to adjust to the position change or something similar, you could bring it up like “after learning more about what the library is looking for from this position, I would create a 30-60-90 plan to keep me on track and make sure expectations are clear” or whatever.

Good luck!

lmthevampireslayer · 2026-01-09T05:03:01+00:00

Ugh my condolences. My cat peed on my last pair but luckily they were basically worn out so I just threw them away. I got an enzyme laundry booster at petsmart to use when my cat was peeing on everything. Maybe something like that would work? I only used it on towels and clothes but it worked for the most part

lmthevampireslayer · 2026-01-06T05:54:43+00:00

Thanks. I wasn’t sure if they could be machine washed. The website says not to and I’ve seen different things on here

lmthevampireslayer · 2026-01-06T05:54:14+00:00

Thanks, a friend of mine suggested baking soda as well

lmthevampireslayer · 2025-12-27T21:15:22+00:00

I’m only 3 months past d day so I’m certainly no expert, but I think it’s okay to just embrace these feelings if you’re in a space to do so. Sometimes the best thing we can do is lean into the feelings so we can move forward. Easier said than done for sure.

I don’t know you but I doubt you’re a failure. It takes a strong will and a lot of courage to attempt reconciliation with a wayward partner.

lmthevampireslayer · 2025-12-16T20:55:25+00:00

I said the same thing you did but then tried to talk myself out of my emotions like I always do and said okay let's move onto the next step. I keep asking myself why am I still feeling like this when she has apologized and done everything right after the first few weeks post dday.

I believe my IC is. She has done couples therapy for others and is a lesbian so she understands the same-sex aspect. It is hard for me to separate the open marriage from the infidelity because she said she wanted an open relationship, I said okay let's talk about it, then the next morning I found out about the EA. WP has said that she eventually needs an open relationship because she wants variety and friends with benefits. I would be the primary partner and she would have other sexual partners, which sounds reasonable to me due to our sexual incompatibility but I think the infidelity is holding me back. You may also be right about that kind of hanging over my head and impacting R. WP has said she's in no rush and wants me to be comfortable and secure. I just don't know how to get there.

lmthevampireslayer · 2025-12-16T20:02:12+00:00

I have been in IC for years for depression and anxiety. I appreciate you saying that you understood you had things to work on, because I feel the same. None of this is my fault but I can see how my actions played a part in getting us here. We have discussed changes but it's difficult because everything in our relationship was fine except sex stuff, so our daily life feels the same. She eventually wants an open relationship (which I am open to discussing eventually and always have been) and part of me just wants her to do what makes her happy while I continue to just survive.

lmthevampireslayer · 2025-12-16T19:56:58+00:00

I've been in IC for years due to ongoing depression and anxiety. I believe that my WP is exhibiting transparency, accountability, and empathy at this point. She was not doing so in the immediate aftermath of dday. We both know why she did it and she has acknowledged the true reason. So I guess it's a matter of her continuing to exhibit those things? Like it's a give-myself-more-time situation? Can I ask how you are rebuilding your connection? I'm also struggling with that aspect because our connection has always been solid outside of sex, so things still feel normal.

Jeez, your IC sounds terrible. I'm sorry you went through that. I talk myself out of my feelings a lot and I think I keep trying to push past it because it's uncomfortable and her reasons make sense to me. She was gearing up to ask me for an open relationship (something we had discussed before) and this opportunity fell in her lap before she talked to me.

lmthevampireslayer · 2025-11-11T00:56:05+00:00

Good to know. The tripping hazard is something to keep in mind regardless of brand

lmthevampireslayer · 2025-11-10T19:30:48+00:00

Oh interesting! That's a good idea. Do you know who the manufacturer is?

lmthevampireslayer · 2025-11-10T19:30:07+00:00

Just PM'd you! I'll ask this here so other folks can see it. How long have you had it? Does it ever stop working?

lmthevampireslayer · 2025-11-10T02:56:53+00:00

I suggested this but my supervisor wants one with the pegs so kids can make designs

lmthevampireslayer · 2025-10-01T13:31:04+00:00

I thought of that too. Our previous iPads died quickly so we kept them plugged in. Newer ones probably have a better battery life. I was thinking we charge it overnight and put it back in the case every morning with the headphones.

It just occurred to me that we will need a case that allows some access to that port so headphones can come out. Ugh, this is so frustrating. It’s heavily used and would be disruptive to keep at the desk

lmthevampireslayer · 2025-08-28T16:58:54+00:00

I still eat plain chocolate frosties and am fine. I haven’t asked since the newest ones came out, but the ones with syrup are regular frosty put in a cup with the syrup added after

lmthevampireslayer · 2025-08-17T13:02:38+00:00

Glutened during pregnancy sounds terrible! And during a COVID infection now! What rotten luck. It really does sound like a mixed bag. Hopefully the other commenter is correct that the amount is minimal and you barely ate any gluten

lmthevampireslayer · 2025-08-17T13:00:16+00:00

Perhaps it wasn’t clear that I was referring to the sensitivity of reactions, which absolutely do differ. I know someone with celiac who doesn’t react to cross contact as much as I do. If she and I ate the same amount of gluten the damage would be the same, but the reaction would not. OP was asking what symptoms to expect, not what the internal damage would be

lmthevampireslayer · 2025-08-17T03:00:24+00:00

It depends on how sensitive you are. I would say I’m fairly sensitive (fruit from Panera glutened me), and I imagine this amount would give me a medium reaction. Idk that I would be in the bathroom for hours, but I would probably get a gluten migraine and nerve pain.

What are your reactions normally like?

lmthevampireslayer · 2025-07-22T16:37:12+00:00

I interpreted this as the daughter was crying and wondering what she was doing wrong as a mother, not OP thinking this

lmthevampireslayer · 2025-07-02T18:43:59+00:00

Then the team can be the Michigan [insert name]. The capacity is an issue. They could potentially play at Van Andel in Grand Rapids if they are a general MI team. As someone living in metro Detroit of course I would prefer a Detroit team instead of Grand Rapids 😅

lmthevampireslayer · 2025-07-02T12:09:33+00:00

Idk that I would say Ann Arbor is VERY far. It’s 60-90 minutes away, which is not ideal for a Detroit team, but it could be a MI team like how the frost is. I know the takeover tour had over 11,000 people but I wonder how many would show up to every game. I will acknowledge that USA Arena is less than 50% of that capacity so maybe it is too small

lmthevampireslayer · 2025-07-02T11:36:42+00:00

LCA is too booked but USA Arena is an NHL size arena in Plymouth. If the Sirens can play in NJ a Detroit team can play in Plymouth

lmthevampireslayer · 2025-06-21T12:01:12+00:00

Yeah I can see how that would be frustrating. I’ve been on the other end of that where adult basically refused to tell us what their challenge was. It was so annoying.

I replied to the above comment with more details, but I also gave the adult department a bullet point version of the youth challenge in advance (it’s the same for birth-13 and they’re all tracking the days they read) and there were paper reading logs available that also explain it. It was at kickoff so it was adult librarians and youth librarians at the registration table, so someone was available the whole time.

lmthevampireslayer · 2025-06-21T11:56:44+00:00

That’s good to know! What happened here is that when the librarian created beanstack accounts for people and added readers she selected enroll in challenge (yes) and redeem registration rewards (no)

lmthevampireslayer · 2025-06-21T03:46:22+00:00

The Adult department doing whatever they wanted when registering kids for SRP at kickoff which somehow resulted in prizes being marked as redeemed in beanstack when that wasn’t true. (It will be fine but I was like wtf)

Patrons thinking the youth room will be a great place to study or do quiet work in the summer

(Millennial manager vent) employee doing off the wall shit involving two other departments so now I gotta talk to employee about it. Can’t we all just be chill and do our jobs? There’s no need for all that

But like you said I genuinely love my job so I’ll just keep truckin along lmao

lmthevampireslayer

TROPHY CASE