WNYLRC/RRLC 2009 Leadership Institute

In January 2009, I was accepted as a fellow in the WNYLRC/RRLC Leadership Institute. The fellows met once a month in March, April, May, June, September, and October. Graduation took place on November 18, 2009. Maureen Sullivan, owner of Maureen Sullivan Associates, Professor of Practice in the Simmons College Graduate School of Library and Information Science Ph.D. Program in Managerial Leadership, and recipient of the 2010 Association of College and Research Libraries Academic/Research Librarian of the Year Award, facilitated the Institute. The topics covered included:

• Leadership in Libraries Today
• Understanding Your Work and Leadership Styles
• Building Effective Relationships
• Introduction to Project Management
• Effective Interpersonal Communication
• Risk Taking
• Creativity and Innovation
• Power and Influence
• Inspiring Shared Vision
• Transforming Libraries: Leading Change
• Transforming Libraries: Creating a Culture of Commitment and High Performance
• Valuing Differences and Diversity
• Managing Disagreement and Conflict
• Enabling Others to Act: Working with Groups and Teams
• Developing Others
• Recognition and Appreciation

I was able to put what I learned to work in July 2010 when I facilitated the creation of shared values and a shared vision for the Medaille College Libraries. This has solidified and focused the work the staff is doing to achieve our unit mission and goals which support the mission of the College.

I have also used the techniques discussed at the Institute to improve my work as the Managing Editor of the Journal of Library Innovation. The first issue of the journal was published in March 2010 after almost two years of work by the Editorial Team.