Library administration and library personnel management are topics in which librarians have long expressed interest—whether it’s by taking classes as students, attending conference sessions as professionals, or reading the latest literature. Be a Great Boss will help satisfy this interest. Explicitly not intended to be a textbook, this workbook is part of the “ALA Guides for the Busy Librarian” series and is designed for recently hired supervisory librarians. Given the author’s twenty-five years of experience as a public librarian, it is no surprise that the main intended audience is public library professionals.

The author’s stated plan is for readers to complete the workbook in a year. Accordingly, there are twelve chapters in the book—or rather, twelve “months,” if one is to borrow the author’s terminology. Each month covers a different subject. Communication—with customers, employees, supervisors, trustees, and other librarians—is emphasized. Leadership, funding, and planning for the future also are highlighted. The worksheets are particularly illuminating, and the questions that are asked are similarly insightful.

One drawback is that the workbook’s emphasis is wholly on public libraries, and very little mention is made about the challenges faced by people working at other types of libraries. For that reason, supervisory librarians who do not work in public libraries would be better served to take their own communities into account and consider them in place of examples used in the book. That being said, the author does provide useful general recommendations that can be applied in any type of library. Therefore, this book is definitely recommended for use by not only budding supervisors but also experienced ones as well.