16 · Survey Results: Executive Summary
hierarchies in most organizations. The small growth
in the average number of senior positions in ARL or-
ganizations may be indicative of growth in the size of
the organization or simply reflect new ways of viewing
and describing responsibilities within organizations. It
may indicate the effect of the economic downturn on
library budgets. Senior roles now emphasize soft skills
and some, such as facility with change management,
are particularly critical yet these are challenging to
identify in recruitment.
It is clear that research libraries view effective lead-
ership of senior-level administrators as essential to
the success of the organization. As libraries continue
to transform and adapt to fulfill their 21st century
mandate, it is important that a well-developed senior
administrative team is ready to map strategic priori-
ties, shape the library culture, and manage change.
Investment in training and other professional devel-
opment opportunities is key to the agility of those in
senior-level roles.