Leading the way: the managerial skills of library managers in South African university libraries

Abstract

This study was undertaken in 2008 to determine the managerial skills of library managers in university libraries in South Africa. South African universities have experienced a large number of changes since 1994 which have inevitably affected the libraries of these universities. Library managers have been faced with a number of challenges. The study surveyed library managers and a selfadministered questionnaire was used to gather data. Of the 124 library managers 86 responded yielding a response rate of 69.4%. A crucial finding of the study was that more than half the library managers in university libraries had received management training. The library managers had performed various core managerial activates to a varying degree. The study therefore recommended that the principles of change management and leadership competencies should be work-shopped to all library managers.

Innovation, no.45, December 2012