Creating the next generation of library leaders

The paper aims to answer the question: “Where is our profession going and who is leading us there?”

The article presents results of a survey directed to leadership institute attendees and attempts to determine the impact of such institutes on librarians' careers, and their willingness to move into administrative positions (department head, director, etc.) or leadership roles (project leader, committee chair). This paper was developed from the poster session, “Follow Me! Are Leadership Institutes Creating the Next Generation of Library Leaders?” presented at the American Library Association's Annual Conference in Washington, DC, June 24, 2007. Survey questions allowed data collection on the nature and impact of the leadership institute experience, attendees' supervisory and administrative experience, and their future professional goals. The role of leadership mentors and the potential of mentorship to increase the number of library leaders was also considered.

Librarians who attended leadership institutes felt it had a direct impact on their careers because they are more willing to move into leadership, management, and administrative roles. The majority of attendees find their leadership institute experience professionally valuable and would recommend it to others. Additionally, survey findings reveal the importance of professional mentors.

The survey was limited to librarians who attended a leadership institute. Approximately 75 percent of respondents were female, with only 25 percent male, which reflects the general demographics of the profession as a whole.

Leadership institutes should be developed to focus on particular constituencies. A variety of formats – retreats, year‐long – will also help address different needs among potential attendees. Current library and institutional administrators should encourage librarians to develop their leadership potential.

This paper addresses the insufficient number of librarians both willing and prepared to take on leadership roles both within individual libraries and the profession at large, which is a growing concern to the library profession.