First and foremost, a library needs a leader who is a Librarian that knows how to Library.

Because no one person can work everywhere, and no one person can work for eternity, the perfect library leader, even if you have them, will not be there forever. They may change jobs, or they may retire, or they may just call it quits.

When a library becomes responsible for selecting its next leader, especially in a higher education situation, it is likely that there will be some kind of headhunting organization pulled in to handle the initial search and screen. They may hold something called a “listening session,” which is supposed to be an opportunity for Librarians and Library Staff (resources) to share what they think the headhunters should look for in candidates. The resource’s hope is that the “listening session” will serve as a means to put a leader in place that meets the needs of the library.

Unfortunately, the “listening session” may only exist to placate folks. While the expectation may be that the resources speak and the headhunters listen, the reality may be that the headhunters speak and the resources listen. The expectation may be that the resources speak and the headhunters take their words to heart, working to meet the requirements throughout their process, but the reality may be that the words go in one ear and out the other. The headhunter’s hope is that the resources will feel heard, and will disregard an outcome that differs greatly from the resource’s requirements.

Hopefully, the resources will know quickly if the session is meant to serve or placate.

In the event that the session is meant to serve, here is what the headhunters need to hear:

First and foremost, a library needs a leader who is a Librarian that knows how to Library.

It is not enough to get a Librarian who knows a library has books. Or a Librarian who knows people can borrow them. Librarians who have only ever worked in public-facing roles will say “I’m so thankful for catalogers. I could never be one.” 99.99% of the time. That’s 100% a bad sign for a leader. The same is true for the public-facing Librarians who say “I worked in cataloging as a student. I am glad not to have to do it now.” or “My first job was in technical services.” Both are also 100% bad signs.

Now, this is not to say that the opposite is necessary. It is also not enough to get a Librarian that knows what a MARC 028 is. Or a Librarian who is on the institution’s IT Slack channel. Or, a Librarian that still thinks the future is online. All are also bad signs.

Instead, a library leader is a Librarian who knows public service is more than answering reference questions, checking out books, and telling a group of students how to use a database. A library leader is a Librarian who knows how acquisitions, description, physical processing, and collection management depend on each other to make the rest possible. A library leader is a Librarian who is the go-to for a donor, the one a faculty member calls when they have a non-reference question, and knows unionized non-library laborers by name.

A library needs a leader who isn’t obsessed with a blue sky.

One of the first marketing lessons anyone learns growing up with media outlets like newspapers, TV, and social media is that “sex sells.” Of course, that defines “sex” broadly as anything that is made to be attractive in some way, whether that is physical, emotional, social, or even professional. That sports car with the powerful engine and the pretty girl leaning on it? Sexy. That squishy mattress that makes you wake up refreshed? Sexy. The picture of a cute puppy you saved with your donation? Sexy. The trendy accessory that you see everyone else has? Sexy. The journal article that lets everyone know how many people came to a library event? Sexy.

Another widely understood phenomenon is that people only show us what they want us to see, not what is actually happening. There is something called “Instagram Reality” where people share photos or videos of what a scene looks like in reality vs. what it looks like after it’s been altered. Seriously, image modification technology is impressively advanced; go check it out. As a result, though, this phenomenon causes some folks to avoid talking about anything that isn’t perfect and polished. That then results in folks who outright refuse to hear about, see, or recognize the existence of anything that can be better.

Instead of dodging anything seen as an issue, something that needs improvement, or an aspect that has room for growth, a library leader is a Librarian who can recognize that weaknesses are actually opportunities to do good things and have a positive impact. A library leader is a Librarian who knows the library’s resources are more than expenditures, and likely knows best how to improve things. Ultimately, what is necessary is someone who understands that the first thing to do is listen. Purposefulness is useful, of course, allowing someone to build and create a strong library, but tunnel-vision ambition that answers more to a leader’s internal needs than to the real needs of the library is the opposite of beneficial.

A library leader is a Librarian who isn’t scared of the shadows. A library leader is a Librarian who welcomes ideas that aren’t their own. A library leader is a Librarian who asks more questions than they answer, gives library resources the room to get things done, and trusts that teamwork makes the dream work. There is a whole planet under that blue sky, and sometimes the forecast calls for clouds.

A library needs a leader who is not beyond.

Moreover, what a library does not need is a leader who is assumptive.

There are so many infographics out there that list the differences between managers and leaders. Generally, they all boil down to two main differences: managers are egoists that make demands without giving anything in return and couldn’t care less about morale, while leaders empower those around them, amplifying their ideas and supporting their efforts. Managers take and even fake glory when they didn’t earn it; leaders simply receive glory because they allow worthy things to happen at the hand of their resources, then share it with those resources.

The concept of ‘servant-leader’ is someone who will not just direct others to do work, they will also do the work. Anyone who “won’t catalog because it’s too hard,” or who “wouldn’t be caught moving books from one shelf to another because it’s below their pay grade,” or who “doesn’t do that sort of thing because they have people for that” is not what any library needs. And, if they have never worked in an environment where they felt the need to leave the building just so they could see the outside but had to limit that outside exposure to a mandated amount of time, or the need to leave their workspace simply to know other humans exist, they are not qualified to lead an organization where that can describe half of the resources.

Think of it this way: A church is a building, a church is a community, and a church is a set of beliefs and practices. So is a library: a building, a community of resources, and a set of values and efforts. A leader who is focused on the design of the public seating but maintains a “just put it wherever” attitude for everything behind the scenes is not the leader for a library. One who makes sure the entrance of a building is inviting but considers moving resources to dark corners without basic amenities like HVAC is not the leader for a library. And someone who thinks the greater good is achieved by trending is not the leader for a library.

A library leader is a Librarian who understands how both space (physical) and place (conceptual) are defined through collaborative efforts. Those efforts include doing or at least observing the work of everyone involved. At a bare minimum, a library leader must trust that the right work is being done in the right way and do what they can to better understand what the right work is and why it’s done the right way. A library leader is a Librarian who respects their resources enough to know that the spaces where they spend their time have a direct effect on morale which has a direct effect on all outcomes. A library leader is a Librarian who is capable of balancing fun furniture with helping to create good citizens for a strong society through the content it provides.

A library needs a leader who can see the whole sky, not just the sun.

A prime example of this is the Open Access landscape. Library managers, when part of the conversation about providing the available OA content, may only hear about the OA content that requires a cost per article. When an article requires a cost, even if it is written by a researcher in their institution, may not make the cut.

But, a library leader is a Librarian who knows that their researchers take advantage of publisher agreements that allow them to place a pre-print in their repository, making them freely available whether or not the published output is at a cost. The whole of a library provides more than any one part.

A library needs a leader who understands that a library isn’t what it holds, OR who it serves, but how it connects the two.

As it turns out, all aspects of library operations affect, and are affected by, library users and their needs.

• Collections are developed to fit a curriculum
• Instruction is integrated into courses where it will be beneficial
• Descriptions are written to provide information users find necessary to look for relevant materials
• Circulation policies are set to allow users enough time to work with an item but also make it available to others
• Paperback books are bound into stronger covers so that they can withstand the wear and tear of use

The same can be said for any aspect of library operations as well: that it affects, and is affected by, all other aspects.

When a collection is accurately described, arranged, managed, and marketed, it means that:

• Library users can find it on the shelf and check it out
• Circulation staff can easily figure out where it belongs and put it back
• Access to objects in a digital collection are added to catalog records so that when a user finds a resource, they can click on a link and go right to it
• A collection development librarian knows what the library has and can avoid spending money on unnecessary duplicates
• When an object arrives at the library, the person responsible for bringing it into the library can be sure it is connected to other titles if it is part of a set
• A reference librarian can help a user find items that are relevant to their research
• An instruction librarian can teach a class how to look for library materials with the peace of mind knowing that it will work correctly for the students after the class session
• Library users know where to go to find something
• When a library user finds something they need, they can also find things that they also might need very nearby
• It is easier to determine what kind of physical treatment something needs, such as a specialized folder, hardcover binding, or labels that indicate usage guidelines

When any area runs into a problem fulfilling its responsibilities, many times those problems can be fixed by another area pitching in.

And there it is. A whole library. A library leader is a Librarian who knows that everything fits together. A broken circle is just a curvy line. And a Librarian who understands that can Library effectively.

This Librarian has worked in 4 distinctive library settings in higher education. To date, she has worked with 5 very different Deans, and in hierarchies consisting of 15 varied middle and lower managers.

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Disclaimer:
All words and images are my own. If they are not, they are cited as such to give proper attribution to the intellectual property owners.
No words or images reflect the opinions or viewpoints of my current, former, or future employers and educational institutions. They are from my own viewpoint.