SPEC Kit 331: Changing Role of Senior Administrators · 13
outside the confines of the research library field. These
candidates may also tend to be known quantities and
could be seen to lower the risk of making a bad or
unsuitable hire.
Necessary Skills and Qualifications
Responses to the open-ended survey question about
what skills senior library administrators must acquire
to manage the 21st century research library empha-
sized soft skills and personal competencies, particular-
ly strategic planning, change management, vision, and
big picture thinking, aligned with keeping up with
trends in libraries and higher education. They stressed
the importance of leadership (including campus lead-
ership), as opposed to management, although some
respondents also spoke to the need for understanding
the complexities of budget, funding, and management
of human and material resources, including collec-
tions. The need to have excellent communication and
interpersonal skills is clearly indicated, along with the
need for flexibility and adaptability. Collaboration,
internal to the institution and with external partners,
was also emphasized, and entrepreneurial skills were
highlighted. Respondents mentioned more than once
that understanding emerging technologies is neces-
sary, with some references to having an understand-
ing of and leadership in scholarly communication,
e-publishing, digitization, and digital management
and curation. Respondents also stressed the need for
senior administrative staff to view the operation of
the library as a whole, to work as a team, and to en-
sure the internal productivity, operational efficiencies,
and alignment necessary to accomplish the library’s
strategic goals and objectives. Overall, these are de-
manding and complex responsibilities, and the onus
seems to be upon the staff in these positions to (as
one respondent summarized) “identify opportuni-
ties and challenges and to develop strategic solutions
and directions” as well as to work collaboratively to
promote and safeguard the organizational health of
the whole enterprise.
All but one of the respondents reported that senior
library administrators acquired the skills necessary
for their jobs through participation in professional
developmental opportunities, such as the Research
Libraries Leadership Fellows (RLLF) Program,
the Harvard Leadership Institute for Academic
Librarians, or the Frye Leadership Institute (though
survey respondents were not asked if they had sent
staff to an institute or which institute was regarded as
most highly desirable.) Reading the professional litera-
ture (93%), attending professional conferences (91%),
and professional networking (91%) were similarly
important. Of the other methods that were described,
the most common revolved around practice and on-
the-job experience. The importance of mentoring rela-
tionships (with other library leaders and campus ad-
ministrators) was also underscored, as were in-house
leadership training opportunities. A few responses
also stressed the importance of advanced degrees and
graduate coursework. Since research libraries view
internal candidates for senior positions favorably, the
responses around experiential or on-the-job learning
aligned with in-house training opportunities and
mentoring are not unexpected and seem to indicate a
willingness to develop and promote a strong cadre of
internal candidates. Should the demand arise, these
candidates are then also available for recruitment into
other research libraries.
Necessary Qualities and Attributes
From a list adapted from one designed by Hernon,
Powell, and Young (2001) to describe the managerial
and leadership attributes of university library direc-
tors from the perspective of assistant directors, survey
respondents were asked to select specific qualities and
attributes that senior library administrators may need
to perform effectively in their positions (and that may
not be captured in a position description). Overall,
there was very high agreement with the qualities and
attributes that Hernon, Powell, and Young identified
but with a few key differences. Makes tough decisions
was the most highly rated managerial attribute in this
survey as it was in the Hernon, Powell, and Young list,
with Communicates effectively with staff immediately fol-
lowing in both lists. Manages fiscal resources/budgets was
also ranked highly in both. Respondents to this sur-
vey indicated that Delegates authority and Nurtures the
development of new programs and services/refines existing
ones as needed are very important. These qualities and
attributes are very much in keeping with the role of
senior library administrators who must work through
outside the confines of the research library field. These
candidates may also tend to be known quantities and
could be seen to lower the risk of making a bad or
unsuitable hire.
Necessary Skills and Qualifications
Responses to the open-ended survey question about
what skills senior library administrators must acquire
to manage the 21st century research library empha-
sized soft skills and personal competencies, particular-
ly strategic planning, change management, vision, and
big picture thinking, aligned with keeping up with
trends in libraries and higher education. They stressed
the importance of leadership (including campus lead-
ership), as opposed to management, although some
respondents also spoke to the need for understanding
the complexities of budget, funding, and management
of human and material resources, including collec-
tions. The need to have excellent communication and
interpersonal skills is clearly indicated, along with the
need for flexibility and adaptability. Collaboration,
internal to the institution and with external partners,
was also emphasized, and entrepreneurial skills were
highlighted. Respondents mentioned more than once
that understanding emerging technologies is neces-
sary, with some references to having an understand-
ing of and leadership in scholarly communication,
e-publishing, digitization, and digital management
and curation. Respondents also stressed the need for
senior administrative staff to view the operation of
the library as a whole, to work as a team, and to en-
sure the internal productivity, operational efficiencies,
and alignment necessary to accomplish the library’s
strategic goals and objectives. Overall, these are de-
manding and complex responsibilities, and the onus
seems to be upon the staff in these positions to (as
one respondent summarized) “identify opportuni-
ties and challenges and to develop strategic solutions
and directions” as well as to work collaboratively to
promote and safeguard the organizational health of
the whole enterprise.
All but one of the respondents reported that senior
library administrators acquired the skills necessary
for their jobs through participation in professional
developmental opportunities, such as the Research
Libraries Leadership Fellows (RLLF) Program,
the Harvard Leadership Institute for Academic
Librarians, or the Frye Leadership Institute (though
survey respondents were not asked if they had sent
staff to an institute or which institute was regarded as
most highly desirable.) Reading the professional litera-
ture (93%), attending professional conferences (91%),
and professional networking (91%) were similarly
important. Of the other methods that were described,
the most common revolved around practice and on-
the-job experience. The importance of mentoring rela-
tionships (with other library leaders and campus ad-
ministrators) was also underscored, as were in-house
leadership training opportunities. A few responses
also stressed the importance of advanced degrees and
graduate coursework. Since research libraries view
internal candidates for senior positions favorably, the
responses around experiential or on-the-job learning
aligned with in-house training opportunities and
mentoring are not unexpected and seem to indicate a
willingness to develop and promote a strong cadre of
internal candidates. Should the demand arise, these
candidates are then also available for recruitment into
other research libraries.
Necessary Qualities and Attributes
From a list adapted from one designed by Hernon,
Powell, and Young (2001) to describe the managerial
and leadership attributes of university library direc-
tors from the perspective of assistant directors, survey
respondents were asked to select specific qualities and
attributes that senior library administrators may need
to perform effectively in their positions (and that may
not be captured in a position description). Overall,
there was very high agreement with the qualities and
attributes that Hernon, Powell, and Young identified
but with a few key differences. Makes tough decisions
was the most highly rated managerial attribute in this
survey as it was in the Hernon, Powell, and Young list,
with Communicates effectively with staff immediately fol-
lowing in both lists. Manages fiscal resources/budgets was
also ranked highly in both. Respondents to this sur-
vey indicated that Delegates authority and Nurtures the
development of new programs and services/refines existing
ones as needed are very important. These qualities and
attributes are very much in keeping with the role of
senior library administrators who must work through
