developing the next generation of library leaders

I've been a bit busy getting the new Library, Information, and Media studies program at Chicago State University going, so I've been collecting a number of items to post and will be doing that over the course of the next few weeks.

The first item relates to what we can learn from the IT industry in developing the next generation of library leaders. While it is true there are many differences between libraries and information technology organizations, there are many similarities as well. For example, just as "the next 10 to 20 years are going to be challenging" for IT, so they will be for libraries as well.

As is the case in IT, the work of librarians is shifting from being based on technical skills to more broadly focused positions where strategic knowledge is the key to long term success. Against that backdrop, library administrators need to actively groom replacements as well as the next generation of leaders who are able to integrate the role and functions of the library into their organizations.

While some of the details may differ between a library and an IT organization, the article at CIO Magazine points out the importance of mentoring, developing, and succession planning in the coming years. As so many of the baby boomers retire and the number of people pursuing advanced academic studies drops, we need to get more creative about how we're going to work in the future.