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Despite the constant, if not escalating, need for professional development within the library workforce, the discourse of professional development lacks critical and evidence-based considerations. This paper discusses major factors that complicate the notion of professional development including the commodification of education, the rise of contingent labour, and a heightened emphasis on individualism. These difficulties point to a desperate need for a broader discussion and research focus on professional development so that library workers and library leaders can make informed and strategic decisions about the skills and knowledge required for the 21st century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this review of library leadership education given by the two main library schools in Norway, the Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences (HiOA) and University of Tromsø (UiT), the focus is on the perspective from the library school: Is library leadership something special, or is it similar to other kinds of leadership of public organisations. To what extent is it possible to infer something about the perspective from the course descriptions and the required reading lists? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Asian Americans (AAs) are underrepresented in leadership roles in academic libraries in the USA. Instead of exploring the factors contributing to their under-representation, the purpose of this paper is to focus on exploring the major factors that have helped AA academic librarians, albeit small in number, to attain, maintain, and advance further into leadership positions in academic libraries. Design/methodology/approach – A survey was conducted to garner responses from AAs who have held or currently hold senior leadership positions in American academic libraries. In total, 12 participants participated in the study: five women and seven men. The participants included three retired deans/directors/university librarians; seven deans/directors/university librarians; one associate dean/associate director/associate university librarian; and one assistant dean/assistant director/assistant university librarian. The participants represented a multiplicity of institutions, including community colleges, Ivy League institutions, and small as well as large private and public universities. Findings – The results of the survey revealed several important success characteristics of AA academic library leaders, including wanting to serve, willing to assume leadership roles, taking non-AA traditional career path, seeking visibility, and developing communication skills. Originality/value – This is the first and most comprehensive study on AA academic library leaders in the USA. Its goals are to: fill a gap in the literature on AAs and academic library leadership; raise awareness about the challenges facing AAs in their efforts to attain leadership positions in US academic libraries; and highlight some characteristics of successful AA academic library leaders that aspiring AA academic leaders will want to develop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently University Librarian at Thompson Rivers University (TRU) in Kamloops, BC, Brenda Mathenia is a featured library leader from the PNLA region. While she has a considerable history in the region and in librarianship, Mathenia is a relatively new academic library leader. She has taken risks in all aspects of her life and career, including making major moves from Michigan to Montana to Nevada to Alberta, before landing in British Columbia. Not only is Mathenia recently appointed to her position, the post of University Librarian at TRU is itself new. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Library leaders may not be fully equipped to deal with the demands and rigours of the digital age and its consumers. Theadvent of the internet, search engines and social media require a paradigm shift in the development of these leaders.Whilst much has been written about the required competencies, there seems to be no clear guiding principle on how thedevelopment should take place. The authors propose that the development of library leaders is a process, best illustratedthrough movement through Drotter’s Leadership Pipeline. The importance of thinking preferences, based on Herrmann’sWhole Brain Model, is highlighted and it is shown how these often clog development through this Pipeline. Utilising datafrom the Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument (HBDI) assessments of the 120 participants in six of the Centre forAfrican Library Leadership (CALL) development programmes, the authors show how the thinking preferences of theselibrary leaders could enable or detract from their readiness to develop the appropriate competencies in the digital age.Recommendations are made on how best to overcome this to prepare library leaders to deal with the requirements of thedigital age consumer.

Library leaders may not be fully equipped to deal with the demands and rigours of the digital age and its consumers. The advent of the internet, search engines and social media require a paradigm shift in the development of these leaders. Whilst much has been written about the required competencies, there seems to be no clear guiding principle on how the development should take place. The authors propose that the development of library leaders is a process, best illustrated through movement through Drotter's Leadership Pipeline. The importance of thinking preferences, based on Herrmann's Whole Brain Model, is highlighted and it is shown how these often clog development through this Pipeline. Utilising data from the Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument (HBDI) assessments of the 120 participants in six of the Centre for African Library Leadership (CALL) development programmes, the authors show how the thinking preferences of these library leaders could enable or detract from their readiness to develop the appropriate competencies in the digital age. Recommendations are made on how best to overcome this to prepare library leaders to deal with the requirements of the digital age consumer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public and school libraries often allow high school students to serve as volunteers out of their own interest, to fulfill community service requirements for graduation or for court-ordered obligations. Community college libraries often rely on college students on work-study but starting a high-school-age volunteer program would create a bridge to the community and provide the students with a taste of college. This article provides a framework for how to start a volunteer program at a community college for high school students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]