Turning Around Staff Morale

When Elliot L. Shelkrot took over as president and director of the Free Library of Philadelphia, he faced crumbling buildings, leaky roofs, and decreased city funding.
He recalls:

The biggest thing was to turn around the morale of the staff, and I might say even of the board [of library trustees]. To say: "There are things we can do. Let's get on with thinking about things we can do rather than woe is me, how bad things are."

"Shelkrot has since weathered the city's fiscal meltdown and several annual budget crises--and has quietly stabilized library operations, in the eyes of many."

"Phila. library's president resigns"
The Philadelphia Inquirer, p. 1
Monday April 23, 2007