Last August, 40 librarians gathered at the Eaglewood Resort and Spa in Itasca, Illinois, to participate in the first ALA Leadership Institute. Facilitated by ALA past-president Maureen Sullivan and Association of College and Research Llibraries content strategist Kathryn Deiss, the group learned about models of leadership and group dynamics, and shared ideas and research. They covered such essential issues as leading in turbulent times, interpersonal competence, power and influence, the art of convening groups, and creating a culture of inclusion, innovation, and transformation.

“It was a think tank of 40 professional librarians who were as passionate as I am about their careers, clientele and purpose…an empowering learning experience that left me committed to applying what I learned,” Rayburne “Ray” J. Turner, assistant branch manager/reference services manager at Otranto Road Regional Branch-Charleston County Public Library in North Charleston, South Carolina told ALA. “The Institute helped me to identify my personal strengths and allowed me to examine my areas of needed growth as a leader, while also allowing me to help the other 39 individual do the same in a collective body through examination of theories, methodologies and individual case studies.”