Harvard Summer Institute Provides Insights on Library Leadership Success During Challenging...

Harvard Summer Institute Provides Insights on Library Leadership Success
During Challenging Economic Times

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., June 1 /PRNewswire/ -- The distinctive leadership
capabilities required during difficult economic times and the current
challenges facing library leaders will be among several important issues
addressed during this summer's Leadership Institute for Academic Librarians
(LIAL). Developed in collaboration with the Association of College and
Research Libraries, the institute will be offered at Harvard University on
August 2-7, 2009.

"Recent economic developments have affected all sectors of higher education in
ways that institutional leaders could not have predicted just a few short
months ago," noted Joseph Zolner, Director of the Harvard Institutes for
Higher Education and LIAL Educational Chair. "College and university libraries
and their leaders have certainly not been immune from the recent economic
downturn. Given this very different leadership context, we felt it was
important to consider the current resource picture during this summer's
institute." Toward that end, John Palfrey, Vice Dean for Library and
Information Resources at Harvard Law School (HLS), was recently added to the
LIAL faculty line up. Palfrey will describe a recent HLS Library
reorganization that provides a model for library restructuring during times of
retrenchment through a process that engages staff at all levels.

Veteran LIAL faculty members Joan Gallos, Jim Honan and Maureen Sullivan will
also incorporate new material into their sessions that highlights leadership
capabilities needed to survive and thrive in a resource-constrained
environment. Influence and political advocacy skills will become even more
important as the resource pie shrinks. The ability to innovate, become more
flexible and think more entrepreneurially will be of even greater value and
require more concerted cooperation among organizational units and across
entire institutions. Within college and university libraries, fundamental
questions about goals and purposes are up for renewed discussion and debate.
"We will certainly have lots of interesting issues to consider this summer,"
noted Zolner. "It should be another terrific institute."

About the Leadership Institute for Academic Librarians
LIAL provides information and insights that help academic libraries respond to
a rapidly-shifting landscape. It is designed for library leaders who must
think strategically about emerging needs of students and faculty, changing
expectations of library staff, new technologies and long-range planning.
Throughout the institute, participants learn how to build effective, cohesive
leadership teams; foster personal and professional growth in the workplace;
examine the roles and responsibilities of library leaders in planning
initiatives; and align operations and resources in ways to achieve strategic
objectives.

Limited space is still available in this summer's Leadership Institute for
Academic Librarians. Applications are being reviewed on a rolling basis. For
program information and application details, visit
www.gse.harvard.edu/ppe/highered/programs/lial.html or contact Jason Rabin,
Enrollment Coordinator, at 800-545-1849 or Jason_Rabin@gse.harvard.edu.

For more than 40 years, the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) has
offered professional development programs for educational leaders. HGSE is
committed to offering programs that make a difference -- in the lives of
students, in the work of institutions, and in the practice of educational
leaders. The Harvard Graduate School of Education's Programs in Professional
Education achieves its mission via three principal formats: professional
education programs, capacity-building projects and services, and
research-based initiatives.

SOURCE Harvard Graduate School of Education

Elli Plihcik of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, +1-617-496-1738,
Elli_Plihcik@gse.harvard.edu