Toolkit

Leadership
Practical Suggestions
What Works
What Hinders
Success Stories
Videos
Written by the 2015 ALA
Emerging Leaders–Team A
Many of us are natural leaders. We may take for granted skills and dispositions
that led us to become librarians—or not even realize that we have these strengths.
This section will help you recognize and utilize your existing skill set as a leader to
better promote your school library program and to increase student engagement by
increasing your presence in the school community.
When working in a team environment such as a school, promoting ourselves can
be uncomfortable because of concerns we won’t be viewed as team players. In fact,
nothing could be further from the truth. Advocating for yourself and your program
can make you more of a team player by ensuring that all of your stakeholders know
exactly what you and the library can do and all of the services you offer.
When thinking about leadership and advocacy, it is important to recognize
and identify the various stakeholders who have a vested interest in the school
library program. These obviously include students, school staff, administrators, and
parents, but thinking deeper is essential. Do student teachers work frequently in
your school? Do substitutes float in your building? The more people you can reach
with your promotion the better off (and stronger) your program will be. For more
on reaching your stakeholders, visit the “Advocacy” section of this toolkit.
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