Are you a leader in your library service? You may be surprised! Think about all that you do in your day-to-day role. Have you put forward an idea for a project, improved a library session or involved new users?

Exploring Leadership will develop the leader in you and help you to fulfil your potential. This is a new short course drawing upon some of the core concepts of the current Leading Libraries programme developed and led by the Birmingham Leadership Institute at the University of Birmingham.

Since 2019 Libraries Connected have worked with the Birmingham Leadership Institute at the University of Birmingham to deliver a Transforming Leadership programme with 60 delegates from 15 library services.  As a result of the positive impact of this longer programme, we have now worked with the Leadership Institute to develop a short leadership course picking up the same themes.

The course is designed for those in the earlier stages of their career who want to develop their leadership skills. In line with our ambition to develop and retain a diverse and thriving public library workforce which reflects our society, we aim to recruit a diverse cohort of 20 people. We particularly welcome applications from people who may have experienced personal or social barriers to their leadership development.

About the course

The course will be delivered through informal online taught sessions and the completion of a leadership challenge project within each participant’s own workplace. This challenge is a small project agreed by you and your Head of Service which meets a service need and allows you to practise your leadership skills.

The course will run from October 2021 to March 2022 and will include five one-hour webinars. Each webinar will cover one of the pillars of the Leading Libraries programme. For example, 21st century Public Servant and leadership for inclusion, resilience, dialogue and innovation. Participants will also join challenge groups of approximately five people. Challenge groups will meet online between webinars to provide guided peer challenge and support the real-time application of learning to their work. Challenge groups will be provided with resources and exercises to work through.

Leading a small project within your own service to apply your learning, the project should be identified and supported by your Head of Service. Members of CILIP may wish to map these skills to the Professional Knowledge and Skills Base.

Eligibility

The course is open to English Public Library workers. Priority will be given to public library services who have not been part of the Transforming Leadership Programme.

​'The opportunity to network with professionals in the same field has been incredibly beneficial especially in terms of placing our service agenda in the context of the wider network.' Transforming Leadership participant

 

To apply

Complete the application form beneath this article and return with any attachments to sarah.mears@librariesconnected.org.uk with Short Leadership Course in the subject field by close of business on Friday 17 September 2021.

About the Birmingham Leadership Institute

The most pressing contemporary challenges – local, national and international – are frequently characterised by complexity, difference, disruption and conflict. The Birmingham Leadership Institute exists to research and develop the leadership required to make progress on them. You can find out much more about their mission and the course leaders for Exploring Leadership in our Key Information section.