Leading the Virtual Workforce

How Great Leaders Transform Organizations in the 21st Century

Praise for Leading the Virtual Workforce

"Strong leadership in the best of times is difficult to achieve, but in today's rapidly changing business environment, leaders are tested in many new ways. Once again, Lojeski has a fresh take on what it takes to lead today's widely dispersed workforce."
--Ellen Pearlman, former editor-in-chief, CIO Insight magazine

"Karen Lojeski has distilled the essence of the leader's role in 'managing' virtual teams. Her very relevant case stories illustrate that to be successful, the authentic leader must be able to create context and a collaborative lexicon for virtual knowledge sharing and must work diligently to build the social capital that is so vital to the success of virtual work groups. Karen's key contribution in this and her previous book, Uniting the Virtual Workforce, is the 'discovery' and clear articulation of her theory of the Virtual Distance Index, which leaders can use to measure and manage the process of virtual teamwork."
--Dave Davison, Chairman, Virtual Visuals Inc.

"I agree entirely with Karen when she says that today, more than ever, effective leaders are desperately needed. She skillfully defines the dislocation and demarcation of leaders from followers through the 'Virtual Distance, ' and yet paradoxically calls leaders to 'stoke the flames of innovation and cooperation in a complex, interwoven world.' This gives rise to her exploration of the Virtual Distance Leader. As Karen points out, the twenty-first-century leader must, amidst the conditions of pressure, change, and transformation, bring human endeavor and action to value and meaning for others."
--Adrian Machon, Director, Executive & Leadership Development, GlaxoSmithKline

Covering the most common subject specialties and departmental liaison roles found in colleges and universities, this guide is for early- and mid-career librarians looking to move up in their chosen specialty as well as for established academic librarians interested in changing fields or for librarians taking on liaison roles in areas outside their expertise. Becoming a subject specialist is a rewarding career path for academic librarians: it allows you to pursue intellectual passions as well as move up in the organization. In this practical guide, experienced academic and research librarians describe how to succeed in various subject fields, presenting expert perspectives on the coursework, work experience, and core knowledge necessary for librarians interested in joining their specialty areas. For each specialty, an expert identifies useful or necessary coursework, provides insights on work and internship experiences, and pinpoints core knowledge areas necessary for success. The chapters offer valuable advice for early- and mid-career librarians on how to advance their career goals through building relevant skills, professional development, networking, and participating in professional associations. This book is crucial reading for library and information science students—and those who teach and advise them—as well as new librarians preparing for their careers and mid-career-changers.

Librarians have long looked for a single, comprehensive text to provide a solid introduction to the art and craft of instruction. With this book, now they have it. Information Basics for College Students provides critical information and knowledge relevant to library instructors-both for those just starting out in the field as well as experienced and seasoned pros-all in a single volume. It approaches topics directly relevant to instruction, such as preparation, assessment, teaching techniques, and communication with academic faculty. It also provides invaluable guidance for new instructors in developing personal processes by which they can continue learning, such as strategies for evaluating new classroom technologies and recommended national organizations for library instructors. The book also details the various roles that library instructors can play in campus planning and governance-activities that can be instrumental to career growth and advancement. Information Basics for College Students is essential reading for academic library instructors as well as those who are training to provide academic library instruction. Academic faculty and teachers interested in development of research skills at the college level will also benefit from selected sections of this book.