Application: PLA Leadership Academy, 2025
Application
Applications for the 2025 cohort have closed.
Selection Criteria
The PLA Leadership Academy is for mid-career public library leaders who are at a career transition point and ready to commit to an intensive program and active community of professionals.
To be eligible for the PLA Leadership Academy, a candidate must demonstrate:
- Current employment at a public library
- At least five years’ experience working in public libraries
- A history of increasing responsibility in their roles
- Residency in one of the 50 states and Washington, DC, or a US territory
- Current PLA membership (Become a Member or Renew Your Membership)
- A willingness to engage in deep, rigorous, and respectful open exchange
- A proven commitment to the field, as illustrated through their career or volunteer leadership
- A compelling vision for how participation will support a meaningful and impactful next step for the individual and the field
- A commitment to active participation in a community of leaders following the in-person training
Application Materials:
- Applications Questions
To apply for the Leadership Academy, go to the application.
You will need an Apply ALA /Foundant account to complete an application (registration is free). Note, your login details are separate from your ALA/PLA membership credentials. Select “Create Account” under the login information prompt, and you’ll be taken to the Foundant Account Creation page. Registration in Foundant calls for information about yourself, your institution, and your executive officer. Once you have completed registration and created your account (which takes about 5 minutes), you will be taken to our program application page, where you can click the "Apply" button for this opportunity.
For a detailed account setup tutorial, see this guide.
Please email plaacademy@ala.org if you need assistance.
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Letter of Recommendation
A letter of recommendation from a supervisor, colleague, or partner describing your qualifications, strengths, and leadership potential. Upload a PDF file to your application in Apply ALA/Foundant.
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Letter of Endorsement
A letter of endorsement from your current library leadership describing how the library will continue to support your leadership development, post-Academy (If you are a library director, a letter from your Board or from a state library agency or consortium would be acceptable.) Upload a PDF file to your application in Apply ALA/Foundant.
Both letters must be received by the July 6th deadline. An application is considered incomplete until we receive all required letters of recommendation.
Each application we receive that meets the above requirements will be reviewed by seasoned library leaders who will evaluate the quality of your application and letters of recommendation using a shared criterion.
A Note on AI
While generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools may be used for initial research, brainstorming, or early drafts of your PLA Leadership Academy Application, we ask that your final submission represent your own, original work.
Evaluation Rubric
You can download a PDF of the evaluation rubric below.
Acceptance
In preparation for the Leadership Academy, selected participants will be required to: Attend an orientation webinar, Complete the required readings, and complete the Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment.
Selected applicants will be notified by email on or before August 15th. To secure a spot in the academy, accepted individuals will be required to review and agree to certain terms by September 5th.
