Peabody Professional Institutes

Academic Library Leadership

The Institute for Academic Library Leadership focuses on the higher education context in which libraries exist. The institute explores new roles for libraries that may emerge from that context to support the goals and priorities of the parent institution. Participants identify ways to position their libraries to be agents for change within their institutions, in order to strengthen support for the library’s services and resources. The institute is highly participative and tailored to the interests of those selected as summer fellows.

The institute derives its content from the book Higher Education and the Internet Age: Libraries Creating a Strategic Edge, by Patricia Senn Breivik and Gordon Gee. The institute format provides focused exposure to content, fosters networking among participants, and provides opportunities for continuous learning outside of the formal sessions.

The focus on understanding leadership and the external environment, coupled with an in-depth understanding of the higher education context of libraries, distinguishes Vanderbilt’s institute from others, which emphasize management skills and the internal library organization.

“The institute changed my perspective. Instead of asking, ‘How can I do my job better?’ I am now asking, 'How can I help position our library so that it is recognized as being a tremendous asset to the university?'” – Laura Kane, Assistant Director for Information Services, University of South Carolina