ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries 618 / C&RL News Leadership development By Rosie L. Albritton Director of the Intern-Scholar Program University of Missouri-Columbia A CLR internship program at the University of Missouri-Columbia for recent library school graduates. Faced with ever lessening resources and substan- term intern-scholar represents the combination of ­ program methods and activities emphasized in e planning and implementing the internship project. e The program is being developed as a two-year ­ experimental prototype that is supported by both . educational and behavioral foundations that uti­ c lize the following methods: 1) in-house seminars ­ and discussion groups, 2) formal university course- work, 3) mentoring arrangements, and 4) adminis­ s trative practicums with high-level campus admin­ e istrators. The library intern-scholars, who each ­ had less than three years of work experience, are i­ participating in a broad-based program designed . in part to build self-knowledge and teamwork s skills, and lead to greater involvement in the day- n to-day life of the library. The Council on Library Resources’ graduates e program grants are designed to support a few ex­ r perimental but promising programs undertaken by ­ research libraries that provide advanced training i­ and research opportunities for new staff members, s with the assumption that, ultimately, all staff will ­ benefit. d In accepting the Council’s support of this pro­ ­ gram, the UMC Libraries made a strong commit­ a ment to professional continuing education and n staff development. The CLR guidelines for pro­ y posals emphasized the following: 1) concentrate r­ program activities on the development of knowl­ e edge and perspective, rather than on specific skills is relevant to the day-to-day job; 2) introduce the e functions and purposes of the library as a whole, tial technological changes, leadership and man agement in academic libraries must increasingly b both effective and efficient. There is evidenc throughout the management development litera ture that leadership can be taught or developed However, most organizations, including acadami research libraries, do not have developmental pro grams for potential leaders. The University of Missouri-Columbia Librarie were awarded a two-year grant of $73,205 by th Council on Library Resources in June 1986 to de velop an experimental internship program for l brarians having less than three years of experience The program is designed to provide opportunitie for the development of leadership potential withi an extended postgraduate internship. The UMC Libraries submitted a proposal to th Council on Library Resources in early 1986 fo funding under the “Internships for Recent Gradu ates” program. The proposal was based on a defin tion of leadership that integrates personal qualitie in working relationships with situational interac tions that involve work performance, skills, an knowledge. The UMC Libraries were subse quently awarded the two-year grant to develop program to train up to eight junior librarians i leadership, administration, and advanced librar skills. The program is titled, “Developing Leade ship in Academic Research Librarianship: Th UMC Libraries’ Intern–Scholar Program,” and known as the CLR Intern-Scholar Program. Th 620 / C&RL News not just to the tasks of reference, cataloging, etc.; 3) seek to develop an awareness of the broader context of the university within which the library operates; 4) programs should benefit recent graduates al­ ready on the staff, rather than create new positions especially for interns; and 5) internships should be intellectually demanding and sufficiently wide in scope to add appreciably to the competence of newcomers to the profession. The program at UMC Libraries was funded to develop an innovative and unique scholarly in- service training program th at will enhance and ex­ tend the formal training of new librarians, while also providing the framework for expanding the scope and depth of current ongoing, library-wide staff development and continuing education pro­ grams. The Libraries’ active involvement in special projects and staff development programs are delib­ erate efforts to assist the staff in building knowl­ edge, skills and attitudes. Program goals and objectives The University of Missouri-Columbia Libraries were interested in developing a postgraduate in­ ternship program th at would provide a formal ex­ tension of training and professional development for recently employed librarians. The overall p u r­ pose of the program is to give recently graduated librarians an expanded view of their profession, a better understanding of the university environ­ ment, a broader understanding of research library management and operations, and to provide op­ portunities for the development of new skills and leadership potential. Program activities are based on intellectually de­ manding learning and development experiences from the fields of hum an relations, management and supervision, planning and decision-making, organizational behavior and organization develop­ ment. The program is designed to provide the basis for achieving the following goals: 1) To develop the leadership skills and experi­ ence necessary for effective management support of academic research libraries using methods that a. provide a climate in which participants feel free to discuss and express themselves; b. develop an atmosphere of mutual interests, p ro b lem -so lv in g an d m u tu a l resp ect am ong members—a support group, as it were, for all p ar­ ticipants, in which each willingly assists the other’s growth and is helped by others in his/her own growth; c. obtain an initial needs assessment in order to develop the program to meet the requirements and interests of all participants; d. co n tin u ally clarify developm ental goals through mutual discussions and surveys; e. utilize role-playing to allow for as much open discussion as appropriate and to m aintain an area in which hum an feelings and attitudes are regener­ ated; f. structure the experiences to achieve specific behavioral goals, with the structure coming from sound psychological principles and sound manage­ rial philosophy; and g. employ in-house sem inars and discussion groups on topics relevant to future library leader­ ship, such as hum an relations (including self- awareness, assertive behaviors and career planning processes), management planning, organizational change, and organizational behavior, all of which are conducted by senior-level librarians and visit­ ing scholars/practitioners. 2) To study the resources, services and perfor­ mance of the UMC Libraries and possibly other re­ search libraries and how they relate to the aca­ demic community, using methods th at a. relate the program to actual work situations; b. bridge the gap between the technical and rou­ tine functions of junior librarians during their first few years in librarianship and actual participation in the formulation, implementation, and evalua­ tion of library policy and operations; c. combine study and research in cognate subject areas in major academic disciplines, such as hum an resources m a n a g e m e n t in th e UMC Business School, and educational research, statistics and higher education studies in the UMC School of E d­ ucation, with relevant research methods in librari­ anship; and d. present advanced topics on recent trends and issues in academic research librarianship through formal coursework, seminars and special presenta­ tions by library school faculty and visiting librari­ ans. The intern–scholars F our junior librarians w ere selected for the 1986- 87 program in July 1986. The intern-scholars for 1986-87 are Isabel Pinto, Information Services Librarian, Health Sciences Library, B.S., Plant/ Soil Science, University of Connecticut, MLS, Co­ lumbia University; Ruth Riley, Information Sci­ ences Librarian, Health Sciences Library, B.A., Sociology, University of Kansas, MLS, University of Illinois; Paula Roper, General Reference L ibrar­ ian, Ellis Library, B.S., History/Education, Uni­ versity of Missouri-St. Louis, MLS, University of Missouri-Columbia; and Catherine Seago, Rare Book Cataloger, Ellis Library, B.A., Latin, Berea College, MLS and M .A., Classical Languages, University of Kentucky. Pinto, Riley, and Roper have begun their second year in the program, and Seago has recently accepted a position as mono­ graph cataloger at the University of Kentucky. Three more librarians have been selected in 1987- 88, bringing the total to seven. The intern- scholars for 1987-88 are N ancy E ls, M a rth a Shirky, and Shelley Worden. The Libraries’ intern-scholars, each of whom has less than three years of work experience, were required to complete applications for the program. November 1987 / 621 Candidates submitted a current resume along with a statement concerning their short and longer term career goals, how the program will relate to their goals, and a statement of w hat they hope to achieve from and contribute to the program. The applica­ tions were approved by immediate supervisors and department heads, and then submitted to the di­ rector of libraries for final approval. Program activities The program has focused on two major areas— 1) the development of leadership and managerial skills for academic and research library manage­ ment, and 2) the development of research and as­ sessment skills for determ ining the inform ation needs of a research university. Seminars/Workshops. The 1986–87 program ac­ tivities began in late August with an orientation seminar coordinated by the director of libraries, Tom Shaughnessy, and program director Rose Al­ britton. The seminar focused on the desired pro­ gram competencies for the interns. A “Program Guide” and “Resource Notebook” were compiled and given to each intern. Seminars were held on a bi-weekly basis during the fall semester and on a monthly basis during the spring semester. Seminar topics were related to both the program competencies and the resource readings and exer­ cises. The “Resource Noteþooks” provide theoreti­ cal as well as practical background for instruction and learning from the fields of hum an resource de­ velopment, organizational psychology, manage­ ment education, training and instruction, organi­ zation development, and library science. The five major subject sections are: 1) Managing Research L ib rarie s in th e In fo rm a tio n Age, 2) Self- Assessment and Self-A w areness, 3) Self- Development, 4) Group and Organizational Pro­ cess, and 5) L ead ersh ip D evelopm ent. The following topics were presented to the interns by the program director for an in-depth analysis and discussion: the Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator and psychological types, self-esteem, self-confidence, assertiveness, interpersonal communication skills, motivation, active listening, reaching consensus (“Subarctic Survival Simulation”), critical inci­ dents exercises on library work-related situations, the integrative management education model, life­ styles inventory, group resources, management training for research libraries and access to infor­ mation. University courses. Each intern selected a three- hour course from either business management or higher education administration for the fall and winter term enrollments. Courses were selected from an approved list from the following fields of study: business and public adm inistration, eco­ nomics, management, computer service, higher education administration, statistics, educational research, and library and information science. The following courses were completed by the interns during 1986-87: college administration, organiza­ tional theory, organizational behavior, economics, 622 / C&RL News statistics, and fundamentals of management. M entoring arrangements. In addition to the seminars and university coursework, the intern- scholars are also involved in a formalized men­ toring program with selected senior UMC librari­ ans for approximately two hours each month. Four librarians were selected in October 1986, based on recommendations of interns, to serve as mentors during the first six-month mentoring cycle for De­ cember 1986 to May 1987. The mentors were Judy Pallardy, database searching coordinator; Erlene Rickerson, head of bibliographic control; Mary Ryan, head of reference services; and Sally Schil­ ling, regional government documents librarian. Mentors and interns met periodically through­ out the six-month period to discuss library, profes­ sional and career issues. Each intern-mentor rela­ tionship was tailored to the individual interest of the intern and influenced by the expertise of the mentor. Mentors were encouraged to do their ad­ vising in the style most comfortable for them. Some approaches used by other mentors in similar for­ malized mentoring programs were recommended by the program director, such as advice on career goals, instruction in technical and m anagerial skills, counseling for improving job performance, encouragement, and actual opportunities to per­ form new skills. Internships. The intern-scholars are required to participate in some aspect of university govern­ ance, administration, or operation which is exter­ nal to the University Libraries. Participation may take the form of direct involvement (for example, by providing staff assistance), participant observa­ tion (for example, by serving as library liaison to a campus program ), or by developing an applied re­ search practicum in which the intern would re­ ceive criticism and feedback on his or her work from appropriate campus faculty or officers. Some of the areas to which interns may be assigned are th e C h a n c e llo r’s O ffice; th e assistant vice- president for academic affairs; the Office of Cam ­ pus Computing; the dean of the College of Arts and Science; the assistant vice-chancellor for student services; the vice-chancellor for student, personnel and auxiliary services; the vice-chancellor for ad­ m inistrative services; the vice-chancellor for alumni relations and development; the dean of the School of Medicine; the dean of the G raduate School; director of UMC Hospitals and Clinics; and the Provost’s Office. The objective of this com­ ponent of the Intern-Scholars Program is to ac­ quaint participants with the context in which the libraries operate, to increase their awareness of some of the issues and problems facing higher edu­ cation, and to increase their understanding of pos­ sible unmet information needs on the campus. The internships were the last phase of the pro­ gram to be implemented. The first cycle of intern­ ships were scheduled from February through June 1987. The interns were assigned to the following administrative offices for up to four hours each week: assistant vice-president for academic affairs; dean of the College of Arts and Science; the Pro­ vost’s Office/Center for International Programs and Studies; and the vice-chancellor for students, personnel and auxiliary services. During the sec­ ond cycle of internships, planned for September through December 1987, interns will be appointed to a new group of administrators. Other program activities. During the fall term, the interns attended a variety of library meetings, including administrative (e.g., Library Council, divisional, heads of units, and special projects); ap­ propriate library committees and task forces; and all regular staff training and development pro­ grams, especially those featuring well-known li­ brary scholars. During the spring term, the intern- scholars conducted a panel p resen tatio n and discussion on their program activities for the li­ brary staff. Interns have attended a variety of professional m eetings, conferences, and in-service training workshops on campus and away from the Univer­ sity, e.g., BRS workshop, Kansas City; NLM On­ line Services Update, St. Louis; Technical W riting Skills W orkshop, U niversity of M issouri- Columbia; ALA Midwinter Meeting in Chicago; ALA Annual Conference in San Francisco; and the Medical Library Association Conference in Port­ land, Oregon. Program evaluation Evaluation of the program is being conducted on two levels, by the participant interns and the in­ structional facilitators/senior librarians/mentors, special guest presenters, other library managers, campus administrators, project director, and the director of libraries. Evaluation questionnaires are given to each participant at the end of each activ­ ity. During the first semester orientation seminar, each participant establishes individual program goals and objectives. The intern’s progress is moni­ tored throughout the program, with review and progress reports from m entors, adm inistrative sponsors and written self-reports at the end of each academic term. Long-term outcomes for the intern-scholar par­ ticipants will serve as a further method of evalua­ tion. The career development patterns of each par­ ticipant will be monitored for a period of three to five years after completing the program . W hether or not job performance evaluations consistently re­ flect high ratings by supervisors and the rate of early promotion to senior-level positions will even­ tually play a significant role in the final evaluation of the program. Significance of program The outcomes of this program are expected to be useful to other libraries that may be planning or considering post-master’s internships as extensions of formal training, or as variations of ongoing staff November 1987 / 623 development, in-service training or continuing ed­ ucation programs, for the purpose of developing more effective staff development and training pro­ grams for library leadership, and for the purpose of predicting the effects of com petitive in-service methods on library staff. The program will provide schools of library and inform ation science w ith pertinent models and case studies to strengthen the design of courses in library m anagem ent and the im pact of organizational changes on library func­ tions. Significant issues currently being raised in the m anagem ent literature concerning the process of developing leadership potential in organizations th at are related to the training of academic re­ search lib ra ria n s are: 1) self-confidence and a s s e rtio n — n a tu r a l p a r tn e r s to effe c tiv e m anagem ent—come both from experience and personal development; 2) personal development can be greatly assisted by developmental programs which nurture the participant’s self-awareness and understanding of his or her relationship style to others; and 3) one-day programs do not constitute “leadership development” unless they are p art of an ongoing process. Thus, the use of a combination of instructional methods, including cases, struc­ tured experiential activities, discussions, and small group exercises, is fundam ental to the goals of this developmental program . The methods rest on the assum ption th a t learning comes not only from reading and w riting, but also from interaction and systematic reflection on th a t interaction. E d ito r’s Note: Funding fo r this program was pro­ vid ed by C ouncil on L ib ra ry Resources G rant #3103. The UMC Libraries proposal was devel­ oped by the author, who was a C LR Fellow during her studies at the University o f Michigan, which in­ cluded an internship in library administration at Northwestern University. Parts of the above article appeared in Show–Me Libraries 38, no. 9 (June 1987). ■ ■ ACRL staff profile Alia Al–T aq i (aka E m m a M iller) joined the ACRL staff in November 1986. She was m arried last spring and now goes by her m iddle name. For a year and a half she was as adm inistrative assis­ ta n t to JoAn Segal. In May 1986 Alia was pro­ moted to program assis­ tan t, staff liaison to the A C R L M em b ersh ip Com mittee, and liaison to ACRL’s 38 chapters. Alia works w ith the A C R L M em b ersh ip C o m m itte e to m a rk e t th e A ssociation. Such d u tie s in c lu d e im p le ­ Alia Al-Taqim enting prom otion, re­ c ru itm e n t, an d r e te n ­ tion cam paigns. One large prom otion for 1987 included m ailing re c ru itm e n t posters to ALA- accredited library schools. More than 100 inform a­ tion requests were returned, resulting in 20 stu­ dents joining the Association. Now th a t the ACRL Membership Com m ittee has added the task of re­ cruitm ent to the profession to its charge, joint m em bership program s are being planned w ith other ACRL units and ALA divisions. As c h a p te r liaison, Alia edits and publishes C hapter Topics; prom otes and m arkets ACRL chapters; participates in the ACRL chapters orien­ tation meetings at M idwinter and Annual Confer­ ences; and coordinates chapter program m ing. As p a rt of the ACRL Strategic Plan, the C hapters Council has taken on the tasks of developing a model recruitm ent plan, establishing a scholarship program , recom mending joint programs between chapters and other groups, and supporting re­ search. Alia is originally from Albuquerque, New Mex­ ico. She received a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Illinois in 1983. ■ ■ Letter Yiddish Library Development Program To the Editor: R egarding the cover photo on the Septem ber 1987 issue, it is perhaps understandable not to iden­ tify the staff member holding up the book—but not to id e n tify th e book t h a t is d isp la y e d ? H ow unlibrarian-like! It would be nice for book and bearer to identify th e m .—Ross Day, Librarian, The Robert Goldwater Library, Metropolitan M u ­ seum o f A rt, N ew York. Y o u ’re absolutely right! Our excuse is th a t the choice fo r the cover photo was made at the very last m in u te . H ere is th e p ro p e r id e n tific a tio n : “Devorah Sperling, director of the Yiddish Library Development Program , Amherst, Mass., displays a volume of Der Groyser Kundes (The Rig Wise Guy), a journal of political hum or and cartoons edited by Jacob M arinoff in New York City in the 1910s and 1920s.” ■ ■