Library and Information Science Commons^™

Taking Advantage Of Opportunities For Informal Leadership, Linda Miles, Susanne Markgren

Publications and Research

We contend that informal leadership (IL)—the type that does not come from an official title or decree—not only helps our organizations function, it can be vital in helping mid-career academic librarians grow and succeed, and such pursuits should be encouraged and supported no matter where they emerge within an organizational structure. We aim to define and explore IL and provide strategies for mid-career librarians who may want to identify, seek out, and step into IL opportunities. We begin our discussion by considering concepts emerging from the literature on leaders and leadership in general and what it means to lead when …

Gratitude At Work, Ginger H. Williams

Forsyth Library Faculty Publications

Guest columnist Ginger H. Williams is a new dean at Fort Hays State University, a regional comprehensive university in western Kansas. Ginger reflects on aspects of her work she is grateful for, such as a challenging renovation project and other new-to-her duties that help expand her skills. She also considers the many people whose support she relies upon. Readers are encouraged to consider what they are grateful for in their own professional lives and to find ways to express gratitude in a professional setting.

The Impact Of The Interim Leadership Experience On Library Middle Managers, Ashley T. Hoffman, Amy E. G. Barker

Faculty and Research Publications

Serving in an interim leadership role can be a great way to gain experience, but can also be stressful, negative, or traumatic for interim library leaders at the middle management level. In this exploratory mixed-methods study, researchers conducted a national survey and semistructured interviews of interim middle managers from public and academic libraries to explore the personal and professional impact of their interim role and recommend ways to improve the interim experience. The study revealed effects on individual well-being such as increased stress, but also increased confidence and positive career outcomes, particularly for librarians with a prior interest in leadership.

Thriving Through Human Centered Approaches To Change, Annie Bélanger, Megan Musolff

Presentations

Can you think of a time when you have thrived through change? What made that possible? How did the change effort center on organizational values and engage those impacted? Most traditional change management practices focus on process and implementation over listening, compassion, and healing. By using human-centered change leadership approaches, we will explore ways to align change efforts with organizational values. We will identify factors that can lead to a change that harness the strengths of the team, while also make space for voices to be heard. Together, participants will consider how the Bridges’ Transition Model enables effective and compassionate …

Academic Libraries And Toxic Leadership, Alma C. Ortega

Dissertations

Toxic leadership has yet to be officially recognized as an area of inquiry in the field of library and information studies. Indeed, the literature on academic libraries is only now beginning to address the topic. None of this should be surprising because leadership, in general, continues to be an under-discussed topic in the library and information studies literature.

The topic of leadership, of course, is the central theoretical construct of the leadership studies field, and, in this field, toxic leadership has been systematically studied and discussed. This literature reveals the negative consequences of having a toxic leader as the head …

Professional Development In Libraries: One Size Does Not Fit All, Patricia D. Sobczak, Agnes K. Bradshaw

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

With the constantly changing landscape in 21st century libraries, it would seem that professional development would be more important than ever. However, research indicates that few libraries have formal professional development programs and there are mixed messages from library leaders regarding the necessity and importance of professional development. It is no secret that libraries always seem to be facing budget cuts and funding for professional development is often seen as a low priority. We were curious to understand how professional development is viewed and executed in other academic libraries.

Professional development means different things to different people. To some, professional …

A Phenomenological Study Exploring The Leadership Development Experiences Of Academic Research Library Leaders, Beth Mcneil

Beth McNeil

This phenomenological study describes the leadership development experiences of academic librarians currently working in leadership roles in academic research libraries to discover their experiences of being a library leader and to explore how they describe their own leadership development. Study participants identified as having experienced positive leadership development experiences during their careers as academic research library leaders and were, at the time of this study, employed and actively working in leadership positions reporting directly to the head of their academic research library. The goal of this exploration was to understand what the academic library leaders had experienced, with regard to …

Claiming A Seat At The Table: Inclusive Paths To Leadership In Academic Libraries And Beyond, Megan Hodge, Patricia Sobczak

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

The topic of leadership development in academic libraries is recent area of interest for the profession. There is nascent scholarship in the areas of how to prepare librarians to advance into a first formal management position as well as in the area of leadership capacity-building for librarians and library organizations. This poster combines two independent research projects with the common theme of leadership development in academic libraries. It is not often that separate scholarship integrates effectively and cogently, but these studies coalesced in such an impactful way that all parties felt the need to share the content as well as …

A Phenomenological Study Exploring The Leadership Development Experiences Of Academic Research Library Leaders, Beth Mcneil

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Scholarship

This phenomenological study describes the leadership development experiences of academic librarians currently working in leadership roles in academic research libraries to discover their experiences of being a library leader and to explore how they describe their own leadership development. Study participants identified as having experienced positive leadership development experiences during their careers as academic research library leaders and were, at the time of this study, employed and actively working in leadership positions reporting directly to the head of their academic research library. The goal of this exploration was to understand what the academic library leaders had experienced, with regard to …

The 2014 Leadership Academy: Six Months Out, Beau Steenken, Valerie Aggerbeck, Susan David Demaine, Patrick Butler

Law Faculty Popular Media

In this article, the authors discuss what they learned at the AALL 2014 Leadership Academy, and how they have applied those lessons in their professional lives.

Overview Of Uls Leadership Development Program, Karen S. Calhoun

Karen S Calhoun

Describes the leadership development program for selected librarians and staff in the University Library System, University of Pittsburgh. Prepared for an informal, brief presentation for the ACRL Personnel Administrators and Staff Development Discussion Group at the 2014 ALA Midwinter meeting.

Rfp Development: Collaborative, Iterative And Empowering, Lori Bowen Ayre

Collaborative Librarianship

No abstract provided.

Conscientious Conservation: Global Collaboration, Leadership Development, And 21st Century Fundraising, Maria Gonzalez

Maria E Gonzalez

No abstract provided.

Collaborative Leadership, Nicole C. Engard

Collaborative Librarianship

No abstract provided.

Libraries And Sustainability In Developing Countries: Leadership Models Based On Three Successful Organizations, Athena Michael

Collaborative Librarianship

The purpose of this study is to examine leadership styles highly effective in building sustainable libraries in developing countries. The author studies the leadership of three organizations: Room to Read, Central Asia Institute (CAI), and the Hester J. Hodgdon (HJH) Libraries for All Program, each focusing to some extent on libraries and literacy in developing countries. Following a review of the history of sustainability in the library community, aspects of Andy Hargreaves’ and Dean Fink’s principles of sustainable leadership are referenced in an analysis of the leadership styles found in these organizations. The author concludes that, although Room to Read, …

Making The Leap To Management: Tips For The Aspiring And New Manager, Femi Cadmus

Faculty Scholarship

As the result of innate ability, a fortunate few are able to effortlessly transition from line positions. However, most of us need to plot the path to management astutely and with deliberation. Library professionals might also become "accidental" managers, finding themselves thrust into an unplanned and perhaps unwanted managerial position for which they were not prepared. This is particularly true in the current climate of constrained budgets characterized by restructuring, job freezes, and layoffs.

Going Up To The Balcony: The Organizational Danceand Creative Leadership, Audrey Defrank

Criss Library Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

This presentation features: Are You Okay; Leadership is Daunting; Leadership is Potent; Leadership Defined; Going Up to the Balcony: The Organizational Dance and Creative Leadership; Curtains and Tiebacks; Reframing Leadership; Structural Frame; Human Resources Frame; Political Frame; Symbolic Frame; The Frames in Action; What's Your Favorite Dance Step?; The Organizational Dance; Creative Leadership; and Ready to Dance?