Plenary Sessions
Be a Leader Not Merely a Follower
Dr. Peter Hernon
(Graduate School of Library and Information Science, Simmons College)
The presentation examines leadership and its importance to libraries as they cope with the challenges of the present and the future. It highlights both the challenges and opportunities posed by leadership throughout the organization, from those serving on teams to those in supervisory and managerial positions. Still, leadership is a misunderstood concept and other concepts such as those relating to customer service may be more appealing for many librarians. Clearly, leadership requires new attributes and abilities for librarians who become leaders. No all of those in top managerial positions, Hernon argues, are leaders.
Peter Hernon is Professor at the Graduate School of Library and Information Science, Simmons College, Boston, where he teaches courses on research methods, evaluation of library services, academic librarianship, leadership, and government information. Dr. Hernon received his Ph.D. degree from Indiana University, Bloomington, and has taught at Simmons College, the University of Arizona, and Victoria University of Wellington (New Zealand). Besides he various activities in New Zealand, he has delivered keynote address in eight other countries: Canada, England, France, Finland, Greece, Portugal, Spain, and South Africa.
He is the co-editor of Library & Information Science Research, founding editor of Government Information Quarterly, and past editor-in-chief of the Journal of Academic Librarianship. Professor Hernon is the author of more than 290 publications, more than 40 of which are books. He has received a number of awards for his research and professional contributions, including being the 2008 recipient of the ACRL Academic/Research Librarian of the Year Award. The first edition of this book, Assessing Service Quality, was the 1998 winner of the Highsmith award for outstanding contribution to the literature of library and information science in 1999.
Intention to Action: Influencing Others When You Don’t Have (or Can’t Use) Authority
Melanie Hawks
Library organizations are full of people with talent, insight, energy, and ambition who don’t necessarily have the formal authority to make and implement decisions on their own. Even those in management roles often find that using authority is not the most effective way to get things done. Working with and through other people is an essential skill for anyone who wants to see their ideas take root. This interactive session will help you discover how to shape others’ opinions and move your ideas forward without relying on positional power.
Melanie Hawks is the Learning and Development Coordinator at the University of Utah's J. Willard Marriott Library. Melanie has more than fifteen years of experience as a trainer and facilitator in the nonprofit and higher education sectors. She designs and delivers both online and in-person learning events for library professionals throughout the United States and Canada. Melanie has a Master of Professional Communication from Westminster College and has recently authored the ACRL Active Guides on Life/Work Balance and Influencing Without Authority.