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The Library & Information Science Professional's Career Development Center |
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Leadership for New
Librarians |
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I used to believe that leadership meant having a vision, managing staff, or running a large organization. After doing some research on leadership for a course in library school, I discovered that many of my fellow students and I were well on our way to becoming leaders even before we completed our studies. Each of us already possessed some of the skills, knowledge and attitude that could help us become leaders in our new careers. According to Judith Siess, editor of The One Person Library (www.ibi-opl.com), “the first requirement for being a leader is wanting to make a difference in society and to the profession.” The desire to make a difference and to change lives is one of the reasons many of us originally decided to become librarians. To determine what makes a great leader I looked at the attributes of leaders who have inspired me. Here are ten ways for new librarians (and seasoned ones) to become leaders: Do the right thing Ethics is a concept that seems to be overlooked by many business and political leaders these days, but true leadership requires the ability to recognize and weigh ethical issues. I took a course in ethics in library school and the most valuable advice I received in that class was “if it feels wrong, it probably is.” For some decisions and actions there is no clear right and wrong, so you need to determine what is right for you. Begin to closely examine the decisions you make and the decisions you see others make. Ask colleagues about the thought process behind their decisions. Remember, your professional reputation begins the first day of your first library job and that reputation will follow you throughout your career. Doing the right thing may not always be easy, but it will always be worthwhile. Keep learning Part of our job is to keep learning and stay current in the library field. There are many ways to do this, including attending workshops and conferences, joining professional organizations, subscribing to electronic discussion lists, and reading journals. You are probably doing many of these things already, but to be a leader, you need to take your learning one step further. Share the information you have learned with others. Forward interesting online discussion threads, copy relevant articles, and distribute workshop handouts. By sharing information, you are helping others, showing initiative, and most importantly, saving your co-workers time. Use your skills and interests In just one of my classes in library school there was an accountant, a nurse, a library custodian, a marketing consultant, a computer programmer, and a career counselor. Imagine what a talented and diverse staff we would have been together in one library. It is important to note that the reason most of us were becoming librarians was to escape our former careers. Even if you too have successfully escaped from another career, don’t forget to use the valuable skills that you have acquired outside the library world. Your interests are also important. Do you like antiquing, have you traveled extensively, or do you speak another language? Skills and interests such as these add to your professional value and to the overall expertise of the library in which you work. Know yourselfWe all have personal and professional strengths and weaknesses. It is important that you know what yours are so that you can use your strengths and improve your weaknesses. The first step is to know yourself; then you can determine if your job best fits your abilities. If you are a terrific storyteller but your job does not involve storytelling, you need to either seek ways to use storytelling in your job or find another position that can use your strengths. If your computer skills are rusty or if your organizational skills leave something to be desired, take a class or enlist a colleague you admire to help you to improve your skills. Most great leaders surround themselves with people who have skills that complement their own. Begin to build a network of people who can help you with your weaknesses and encourage your strengths. Volunteer Volunteer to work on committees within your library, your community, or in local, state or national library organizations. You will not only pick up valuable leadership skills, but you can also make friends and professional networking contacts. As a former trade show and convention manager, I volunteered to work on both my local and state library conferences. Volunteering with librarians from different kinds of libraries, both locally and statewide, has given me a perspective that I never would have gained from only working in my own library. I also recommend volunteering for committees because it is simply a lot of fun to work together with like-minded colleagues on a common goal. Never underestimate the importance of having fun in your career. Embrace change During our careers we will probably all be faced with new computer systems, new directors or supervisors, new policies, and new buildings. In each of these situations we have a choice: we can either cling to the comfortable past or we can embrace change. As new librarians, it is easier to embrace change because we are not so invested in the status quo. In a short time, however, we might find change to be as uncomfortable as some of our more seasoned co-workers. For this reason, as we progress in our careers we must remember to never, ever say the following seven words: “but we’ve always done it this way.” Be a mentor You don’t need a lot of experience to be a mentor. You just need to know a little bit more about something than someone else. Mentoring also doesn’t have to be a long term or formal arrangement. I decided to become a librarian because of the encouragement of a former co-worker. She had only 6 credits toward her M.L.S. at the time, but she guided me throughout graduate school by suggesting classes, professors and internship opportunities. Once I started school I also shared what I learned from her and from my own experiences with other students and classmates. All leaders need mentors and all leaders need to be mentors. Be grateful If you have a job, be grateful. If you like your co-workers, be grateful. If you have a supportive supervisor, be grateful. If you don’t have any of these things, do something about it, but don’t complain. Complaining is easy and provides immediate gratification; unfortunately, it also makes everyone around you unhappy, creates a negative work environment and doesn’t solve your problems. You have chosen a wonderful career. Be grateful for what you have, and the next time everyone around you is complaining, just walk away. Be positive; look for creative solutions to problems and you will gain the added benefit of being a much happier person. Be passionate Think of any leader from the past or present, whether known nationally or only in your library or community. They all have one thing in common: they are all passionate about something. You can’t be a leader without feeling strongly about a cause, a goal, or an interest. Your passion can be about anything from helping others to digitization to the Patriot Act. A passion is something you are interested in, you are good at, and most importantly, you care deeply about. A librarian who is passionate about adult literacy will learn everything there is to know about it. She will recommend setting up adult literacy programs in her library. She will be familiar with the latest developments in adult literacy and other librarians will seek her out for her expertise in this subject. Her passion will enable her to be a leader. Lead with loveLove is not a word that is often used in the workplace, but love is what you need to be a leader. As librarians, we have the opportunity to truly make a difference in the lives of others. Love your job, love your career, and love your profession. Love your co-workers, supervisors and clients/patrons. Be inspired by leaders who help you to recognize the value of your contributions to society and be humbled by the opportunity to make a difference in the world. Have you ever met someone who truly loves her work? Her love remains constant even when faced with tedious tasks, boring meetings and difficult colleagues. The basis for her love is the fact that she knows that the work she does makes a difference. Figure out how you can make a difference in your job and career and you will lead with love. Susan Sloan is an Adult Reference Librarian at the Elwood Public Library in Elwood, New York. She received her MLS in May 2005 from the Palmer School for Information and Library Science in Brookville, NY. Article published Aug 2005 Disclaimer: The ideas expressed in LIScareer articles are those of their respective authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the LIScareer editors.
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Page last updated
10/03/2005
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