INTRODUCTION
Stereotypical librarian by Randy Vernier
Despite the persistent popular myth that librarians are somehow stern, lonely, “queer” and / or “bookish”, the reality is that librarians have always worked within team settings to deliver service to their clients (McDiarmid, 1943, p. 83). Way back in 1936, for instance, “effective relations with people [co-workers and the public]” was classed as one of the four key traits required in a librarian (Howe, 1936, p. 112). Now that we live in a world dominated by online information and media technologies, including social media, the importance of effective teamwork and networking has only increased. As stated by Inglis (2003):
No one person can know everything or have enough items or access
to enough data to meet all information needs. This shortage of intellectual, physical or
electronic resources forces people to turn to others for assistance. Many times those
‘others’ are librarians. In the same way, individual librarians and libraries habitually
turn to each other to meet their and their users’ needs (p. 29).
The content of this website is intended to help you, as an aspiring information professional, refine your ability to lead in this environment. More particularly, the aim is to direct you to some key resources you can use to assess your existing leadership traits, and to develop the skills and competencies you will need to achieve your future goals. That being said, there is no one way of being a leader, and no universal leadership skill-set or self-help program that, once learned, can be applied in any environment. Instead, Sheldon (2010) suggests that your goal should be to develop a personal definition of leadership and to develop a personal leadership development plan by exploring a range of resources and self-assessment tools (p. 79).
To help get you started on the path of leadership self-assessment and development, this site is divided into the following sections:
Home:
Here you will find some background information on what “leadership” means and the common ways in which it is
assessed and developed. This section also includes some thoughts on the changing roles likely to be played by librarians /
information professionals in the 21st century.
Colour Personality Test:
Because it can be daunting to get the self-assessment process underway, we have included a simple test to get you
started.
When you complete the test, you will be directed to one of four colour-coded personality profiles (Blue, Green, Yellow, Red).
Each profile briefly describes the traits and characteristics usually associated with that personality type and how those traits
might relate to professional LIS work.
Resources:
Here you will find links to various resources (blogs, career counselling services, Twitter feeds, self-assessment tools, books,
videos) that may help you develop your personal leadership development plan.
"Nancy's Story":
An fictional account of how one LIS student began her leadership development journey.
No one person can know everything or have enough items or access
to enough data to meet all information needs. This shortage of intellectual, physical or
electronic resources forces people to turn to others for assistance. Many times those
‘others’ are librarians. In the same way, individual librarians and libraries habitually
turn to each other to meet their and their users’ needs (p. 29).
The content of this website is intended to help you, as an aspiring information professional, refine your ability to lead in this environment. More particularly, the aim is to direct you to some key resources you can use to assess your existing leadership traits, and to develop the skills and competencies you will need to achieve your future goals. That being said, there is no one way of being a leader, and no universal leadership skill-set or self-help program that, once learned, can be applied in any environment. Instead, Sheldon (2010) suggests that your goal should be to develop a personal definition of leadership and to develop a personal leadership development plan by exploring a range of resources and self-assessment tools (p. 79).
To help get you started on the path of leadership self-assessment and development, this site is divided into the following sections:
Home:
Here you will find some background information on what “leadership” means and the common ways in which it is
assessed and developed. This section also includes some thoughts on the changing roles likely to be played by librarians /
information professionals in the 21st century.
Colour Personality Test:
Because it can be daunting to get the self-assessment process underway, we have included a simple test to get you
started.
When you complete the test, you will be directed to one of four colour-coded personality profiles (Blue, Green, Yellow, Red).
Each profile briefly describes the traits and characteristics usually associated with that personality type and how those traits
might relate to professional LIS work.
Resources:
Here you will find links to various resources (blogs, career counselling services, Twitter feeds, self-assessment tools, books,
videos) that may help you develop your personal leadership development plan.
"Nancy's Story":
An fictional account of how one LIS student began her leadership development journey.
Please remember that the tests and resources provided on this website are just meant to get you started on your
leadership development journey. As you go along, always keep your eye out for other tests and resources that
address your particular needs and values.
leadership development journey. As you go along, always keep your eye out for other tests and resources that
address your particular needs and values.