Systems Thinking in Libraries

Hopwood has pulled off an incredible feat with this brilliantly written book, which may be the single most important publication I’ve encountered in library literature in my 30-plus-year career. In a mere ten chapters (and an introduction that had me thinking, “this intro alone is worth the price of the book”), she has managed to convey the depth, breadth, and power of systems thinking.

Each chapter clearly conveys key concepts, connects them to the real-world challenges of libraries, and provides practical tools, actions, and reflection questions that reader can use to begin immediately applying systems thinking to improve operations, outcomes, and organizational health. The material is powerful and profound, and yet presented and contextualized in a way that makes it accessible, engaging, and actionable. The thoughtful appendices reinforce the suggestions for practical application that appear throughout the work and offer both a deeper dive into specific tools and methods and a useful set of worksheets, templates, tools, and a facilitation guide to help teams use systems thinking to support their success.

I highly recommend this book for LIS students, library veterans, front-line library staff, leadership teams, and library boards. I look forward to sharing copies with our team and using Hopwood’s clear, rich text to inspire and inform our approach to building a healthy and sustainable organization that consistently delivers high quality experiences and outcomes—in a deeply human way—for staff and community alike.

* Peter Bromberg, Library Director, Somerset County Library of New Jersey, USA *
This is a book that makes systems thinking make sense for libraries. Clear and approachable, it turns what can seem complex into ideas that library leaders and staff can put into practice. * Linda W. Braun, Principal, The LEO Group, USA *
This book is an excellent introduction and practical guide to systems thinking, a long-overdue useful resource for everyone working in libraries today. It will be especially helpful to library leaders as a guide for staff development and cultural change. Systems thinking is a critical ability for making sense of the work we do and for effective performance in the complex and ever-changing workplace. This practical guide is rich with learning activities and tools. I will use this in my consulting practice and in leadership institutes. I will recommend it to library leaders across the profession. * Maureen Sullivan, Educator and Consultant, U