Leadership Development
The Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries (AAHSL) has made a concerted effort to recruit and develop the next generation of academic health sciences library directors. The leadership program provides a continuum of opportunities for career growth and development. It offers a sequence appropriate for different stages in an individual career path and one that addresses different points along the pipeline of future directors. It includes an introductory continuing education course, scholarships, fellowships, and a new directors' symposium.
Continuing Education Course
Library Director: Knowledge, Skills and Career Paths is a half-day, face-to-face course is designed to introduce attendees to the issues of becoming an academic health sciences library director. The course touches on four key areas: self-awareness relevant to the skills, qualifications and expectations required of a library director; the politics involved in being a library director; the library director's role in budgeting; and the process of applying to be a library director.
AAHSL Leadership Scholarships
AAHSL Leadership Scholarships support leadership training for persons interested in developing skills relevant to becoming academic health sciences library directors. They may be used for participation in established educational programs or for individually designed learning opportunities. Reports from recipients evaluate their experience and indicate programs supported in the past.
NLM/AAHSL Leadership Fellows Program
The NLM/AAHSL Leadership Fellows Program, jointly sponsored by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) and AAHSL, is focused on preparing emerging leaders for the position of director in academic health sciences libraries. It offers the opportunity to work closely with a mentor who is a current director and to work collaboratively with other fellows and mentors. The one-year program design provides a variety of learning settings, including in-person leadership institutes, attendance at an Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) annual meeting, and a virtual curriculum on issues of library leadership. The fellow/mentor relationship culminates in site visits to the mentor's home library, giving exposure to leadership in another environment. The program creates a cohort of leaders who can draw upon each other for support throughout their careers.
New Directors Symposium
The New Directors Symposium is designed to help new directors be successful as leaders in their institutions and to enhance familiarity with the community of their AAHSL peers. It includes sessions on administrative skills, meetings with leadership of selected organizations, and opportunities for discussion among newly appointed and experienced directors.
