Third Annual CARL Conference, October 20-21, 1995

Panel: "Librarians as Leaders"
Introductions: Bonnie Gratch, Session Chair and Mary Ellen Bobp, Moderator

Joanne Euster, University Librarian, UC-Irvine
"The Director's Role in Mentoring and Developing Librarian Leadership."

Judy Clarence, Music/Instructional and Interpretive Services, CSU-Hayward.
"A Fresh New Voice: Librarians as Leaders in Academic Planning and Policy."

Najwa Hanel, Head of Reference and Information Services, Science and Engineering Library,
University of Southern California.
"Bridging the Academic Gap."

Lorrita Ford, Instructional/Network Services Librarian, Diablo Valley College.
"Those Darn Committees: Participation for Preservation and Growth."

Bonnie Gratch, Head of Information and Instructional Services, Saint Mary's College.
"Influencing Curricular Reform Without Faculty Status."

Comments/Questions and Strategy Summarizing. Notes/Questions for Panelists Ideas for Getting Involved . . . Leadership Evolves!

• Seek appointment on library advisory committee; Friends of the Library; campus curriculum committees; committee task forces charged with projects that interest you or impact the library; or nomination to academic senate. Once appointed, be an active member.
• Volunteer to edit your library newsletter and solicit articles from academic administrators and faculty.
• Create alliances with other units to co-staff or co-plan workshops, information technology training, and information fairs (e.g., library and faculty development director; library and academic computing staff; library and student affairs staff.)
• Participate in campus academic colloquia and celebratory events, such as fund-raising activities sponsored by the campus development office.
• Solicit and involve disciplinary faculty and students to help plan and implement user/use studies.
• Take initiative in preparing or coordinating a written response to academic documents in draft form, such as academic strategic plans, accreditation self-studies, campus technology plans, etc.
• On a regular basis, request time on department agendas to keep disciplinary faculty informed of library developments and to stay current with curricular changes.
• Seek involvement and endorsement of library research/information literacy objectives at all appropriate levels-- library director, disciplinary faculty, curriculum committees, and academic senate.
• Increase your visibility and contacts by seeking more informal outlets, such as lunching more often at the faculty dining room and participating in campus faculty/staff recreational and cultural activities.
• As a committee member, use your library research skills to do background research to help advance the work of the committee.
• Join and become active in disciplinary and higher education professional associations.
• Attend leadership development workshops and institutes.
• Instigate and participate in programming activities that promote library, media center, and disciplinary partnerships.

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  * Some of these ideas are taken from the upcoming, November 1995, article in C&RL News by Stephanie Bangert and Bonnie Gratch, "Accreditation: Opportunities for Librarian Leadership."