Creating Leaders for Today and Tomorrow

Virginia Library Leadership AcademyChapter Relations Committee2012 American Library Association ConferenceAnaheim, California

Presenters: Constance Gilman, Ph.D. & Elizabeth Hensley

Virginia Library Association

Approved by Virginia Library Association (VLA) Executive Committee, February 2007

Leadership Development Forum

Purpose

To encourage and support the developmentof current and future library leaders,whether professional or paraprofessional,in all types of libraries in Virginia.

Objectives

To develop a training program for library supervisors upon assessing needs and investigating potential models for such a program

To increase awareness of the ways that professionals and paraprofessionals can take leadership roles in VLA

To develop a variety of continuing education opportunities of interest to current future library leaders in Virginia

First Meeting, May 2007

After introducing ourselves, we talked about

o why we were drawn to this forum, o what we hoped it would be, and o how we could make it work.

Plan

Research other models

Design a survey to assess needs of potential attendees

Other Models ALA’s Emerging Leaders Program California Library Leadership Training Program Leading from Any Position: A Workshop for Leadership

Development Maryland Library Leadership Institute Mountain Plains Library Association Leadership Institute Nebraska Library Leadership Institute New England Library Leadership Symposium New Jersey’s Super Library Supervisors Program New York Library Association Leadership and Management

Academy North Carolina Library Association Leadership Institute Sunshine State Library Leadership Institute Synergy: The Illinois Library Leadership Initiative TALL Texans Leadership Development Institute

Survey & Decision

Conducted survey of VLA membership in 2008 to determine level of interest in this type of training and priority of topics to be covered

319 people responded to the survey with a substantial majority in support of this initiative

Based on survey results, we decided that a 2-day face-to-face training with a consultant was the best approach

Virginia Library Leadership Academy(VALLA)

In January 2009, we voted to hire

Dr. Robert Burgin of RB Consulting, Inc.

to lead the training Dr. Burgin has many years of experience

working in a variety of libraries and has been a professor for the library science program at North Carolina Central University

Virginia Library Leadership Academy

VALLA components: 2-day on-site training with some

remote participation ahead of time Participants agree to complete a

project within the year following the on-site training

Participants are matched with a mentor to help advise them as they work on their projects

VALLA Project Requirement

Broad parameters mean that a project can relate to:A participant’s individual goal, e.g.

becoming a better public speakerthe sponsoring library’s goalsVirginia Library Association endeavors

VALLA Timeline

We launch the online application during our fall annual conference (usually October)

Applications are due mid-January Applicants are notified by March 1 VALLA takes place in mid- or late-April

VALLA Cohorts

2010 23 total applicants MLS: 22 Women: 21, Men: 2 Currently in supervisory

positions: 15 Public libraries: 20 Academic: 2 Special: 1

2012 23 total applicants MLS: 21 Women: 21, Men: 2 Currently in supervisory

positions: 13 Public libraries: 19 Academic: 4

VALLA Project Requirement

Participants can work alone or in groups of up to 3 people

Participants submit an action plan 2 months after on-site training and a final report one year after the on-site training

Part of the project requirement includes sharing lessons learned with the library community through sessions at the annual VLA conference, writing an article for our association journal Virginia Libraries, or by hosting a continuing education event

Lessons LearnedApplication

We used an Adobe fillable PDF for the 2010 application

Submitting is difficult for people who do not use Microsoft Outlook software

For 2012, we used Qualtrics software provided by Radford University

Qualtrics was easier for the applicants, but a little more cumbersome for the collectors

We are considering using Google Forms for 2014

Lessons LearnedBudget & Funding We were fortunate that VLA could give us some

additional funds to launch VALLA in 2010. Tuition in 2010: $275 for VLA members; $350 for non-

members (training, one night in hotel, and 5 meals) By 2011, when we were planning for VALLA 2012, we no

longer had that flexibility. Tuition in 2012: $325 for VLA members; $400 for non-

members (training, one night in hotel, and 4 meals) As VLA President now, Connie recommended that the

VLA Executive Committee add a line item to the VLA budget for VALLA so that VLA can plan for it and ensure that funds are available.

Lessons LearnedChanges in Leadership When a longtime Executive Director of VLA retired in

2011, we had a learning curve for how to handle VALLA 2012.

Since VALLA 2010 was a new initiative, we did not have an established set of procedures for how we implemented it.

The Leadership Development Forum Chair for 2011-2012 had to step down, and Elizabeth resumed the position because she knew the most about what needed to be done.

We are in the process of writing up VALLA procedures so that the expectations and timeline are clear to the people who will work on it in the future.

Lessons LearnedMentors

A lot more time for participants to meet with their mentors

Give the mentors guidelines and expectations for their role

Lessons LearnedProjects Participants needed more time to focus on their projects

and more help in choosing their project Participants had a difficult time understanding the

required “sharing” component of their project, i.e. Leaders don’t just go off and do great things, they share what they have learned with others through presenting or writing in some way, shape or form.

We revised our project suggestion list to address this, changed the schedule of the 2-day training to allow for more emphasis on the projects, and increased our communication about the expectations for the project

Lessons LearnedEvaluation After VALLA 2010, we realized that we needed to assess

the participants’ level of understanding and attitudes before and after the on-site training.

For VALLA 2012, our consultant, Dr. Robert Burgin, created a leadership questionnaire which he distributed before the on-site training and afterwards to determine what impact the training had on participants.

The largest difference between the pre-test and the post-test was seen on the statement, “Leaders tend to focus on the positive.” Prior to VALLA 2012, just over half of the respondents

somewhat or strongly agreed with this statement. After attending the Leadership Academy, roughly 5 out of 6

respondents agreed with this statement.

SuccessesVirginia Library Association Involvement

One graduate developed a pre-conference session on leadership for the 2010 VLA annual conference as her project. She then went on to expand it and offered one-day leadership workshops in 2 libraries in 2011, reaching 40 attendees and raising over $1,000 for VLA.

Three graduates wrote articles for Virginia Libraries: “Library Advocacy Day,” July-September 2010 “My Experience as a Bridge,” April/May/June 2011 “Kill a Watt Energy Meters Program: A VALLA Initiative,”

July/August/September 2011 One graduate joined the VLA Continuing Education

committee and has recently become a co-chair for that unit

SuccessesPosition Advancement

Three graduates who were in non-supervisory positions when they participated in VALLA all moved into managerial positions within a year after the on-site training.

Three other graduates received promotions, all the way up to director.

One graduate participated as a volunteer and is now gainfully employed.

VALLA 2010Evaluation Comments

“This conference provided the leadership training I missed in library school and would be a great help for library managers of all types & sizes.”

  “Really enjoyed the conference & learned much

to take back and apply. My favorite professional development experience in VA so far. Might be nice to offer a mini-conference at VLA.”

VALLA 2012Evaluation Comments

“This was the best use of my time since library school. Very informative and should be offered through more venues.”

  “I thought that I would not enjoy this experience

but very pleased that I did – although a lot of info covered in so short a time, still picked up valuable tips/tricks – feeling renewed!”

Contact Us

Constance Gilman, Ph.D. cgilman@pwcgov.orgVirginia Library Association PresidentBranch AdministratorChinn Park Regional LibraryPrince William County Public Library System

Elizabeth Hensley ehensley@cclva.orgVLA Leadership Development Forum ChairTechnical Services & Collection Development CoordinatorCulpeper County Library

For more information and articles about VALLA,please visit the Virginia Library Association’s Leadership

Development Forum site: http://tinyurl.com/VLALDF