Library Leadership Training Resources

This resource list represents leadership development training opportunities for library professionals at all levels and specialties within the library community.

Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) and Harvard University, Graduate School of Education
Leadership Training: ACRL/Harvard Advanced Leadership Institute for Senior Academic Librarians

The Advanced Leadership Institute for Senior Academic Librarians enables senior library leaders to better understand and respond to a complicated set of leadership challenges facing academic libraries. The institute reviews foundational concepts from LIAL, applies them to the dynamic competitive environment now facing libraries and extends them to the leadership challenges confronting the 21st century library. The institute creates a highly-interactive and engaging learning environment that will strengthen your strategic leadership skills, enhance your ability to forge effective partnerships and help you better understand how to position the library for future success.

American Library Association (ALA)
Leadership Training: Emerging Leaders

The ALA Emerging Leaders (EL) program is a leadership development program which enables newer library workers from across the country to participate in problem-solving work groups, network with peers, gain an inside look into ALA structure, and have an opportunity to serve the profession in a leadership capacity. It puts participants on the fast track to ALA committee volunteerism as well as other professional library-related organizations.

Association of Research Libraries (ARL)
Leadership Training: Leadership Development

ARL's Leadership Development initiatives assist research libraries to meet the instructional and research needs of higher education. In 2006–07, an ARL Board Task Force on Leadership Development identified executive leadership development and succession planning in research libraries as priority activities. A limited number of leadership and management skills training events are available only to member libraries on demand.

Montana State University
Leadership Training: Tribal College Librarians Professional Development Institute

The Tribal College Librarians Professional Development Institute is held annually at Montana State in Bozeman and has promoted professional development activities for tribal college librarians. At the present, the institute is defined specifically for librarians at tribally-affiliated institutions with a post-secondary primary clientele.

North Carolina Library Association (NCLA)
Leadership Training: NCLA Leadership Institute

The Core Purpose of the Leadership Institute is to create excitement, energy, and passion across North Carolina for transforming library customer experiences. The Vision for the Future is to develop entrepreneurial and serving leaders who strategically build and creatively use high performance libraries to make a significant personal impact on customers and deliver measurable value for the communities they serve.

Pacific Northwest Library Association (PNLA)
Leadership Training: PNLA Leads! Pacific Northwest Library Association (PNLA) Leadership Institute

PNLA Leads responds to IMLS Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program Priority 6, Continuing Education, in that it will enhance a fledgling program of continuing leadership education and training for librarians and library staff in the Pacific Northwest. It will provide opportunities for emerging leaders serving in any capacity in a library in the Pacific Northwest with a desire to network with other leaders and increase skills. It will benefit multiple institutions and diverse constituencies, and meet well-understood library service needs in the region’s communities, particularly underserved rural settings.

Pennsylvania Library Association (PaLA)
Leadership Training: The PaLA Academy of Leadership Studies (PALS)

The PaLA Academy of Leadership Studies (PALS) is a cooperative initiative between PaLA and the Office of Commonwealth Libraries to offer leadership development for librarians. The PaLA Leadership Development Committee envisions having a multi-tier approach to leadership development. Ideally, the first tier would focus on new librarians, having worked as a librarian for less than six years. A second tier would focus on librarians who are in management positions and may need to enhance their leadership skills. There would also be a tier for those established leaders who may want to re-think their leadership roles or learn how to serve as mentors for upcoming library leaders. There will also be on line training options, 1-day workshops, and many other opportunities to develop your leadership potential. Obviously, this is a very ambitious goal and is actually several goals which will take place over several years.

Texas Library Association
Leadership Training: TALL Texans Leadership Development Institute

The program provides leadership training for the Texas Library Association membership by offering an annual Leadership Development Institute for librarians and laypersons.

Wisconsin Library Association
Leadership Training: Leadership Development Institute

The Leadership Development Institute is a highly immersive training program designed specifically for our profession. Based on several overarching leadership competencies, participants will interact in cohort groups throughout the six-month program. Each module includes the introduction of problem-solving skills and real-life applications. Instructors represent a wide range of disciplines both within the library community as well as outside of our profession.