Personal reflection points

• ■ What does leadership mean to me in the context of academic teaching librarianship?

• ■ Do I/could I see myself as a leader? Why? Why not?

• ■ What can I do to feel confident in taking on a leadership role?

• ■ How does my institution support or hinder the work of academic teaching librarians?

• ■ What do I think an ‘information literacy culture’ should look like in HE institutions?

• ■ What kind of professional relationships do I have with other stakeholders in my institution (e.g. academic faculty, administrators, IT or EdTech support, Teaching and Learning units, etc.)?

• ■ How would I describe my professional community?

• ■ How does my professional community support me and my work?

• ■ How do I/could I contribute to my professional community?

Introduction: leadership, management and culture

Now that you have reflected on whether you wish to actively pursue a teaching role in your career as an academic librarian, and explored how you can develop, maintain and document this role on a medium- and long-term basis, we move on now to explore the potential next stage of your professional development journey. Whether you are looking down the road into the future, are on the cusp of stepping into a management-level role or are currently working in a formal leadership position, the topics discussed are of relevance to you. In this chapter, we expand our previous focus on the frontline teaching role and turn to examine the managerial and strategic aspects of academic teaching librarianship. In the sections that follow, you are encouraged to reflect on your understanding and experience of leadership in the context of your instructional role and responsibilities, to consider how an institutional culture that is conducive to information literacy development and the mission of academic teaching librarians might be fostered in your institution, and to understand the personal and professional benefits of engaging with, and contributing to, the wider community of academic teaching librarians.

Leadership and the academic teaching librarian