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DESIRABLE ATTRIBUTES FOR DIRECTORS OF ACADEMIC LIBRARIES
BELONGING TO THE ASSOCIATION OF RESEARCH LIBRARIES

        There is a growing concern about the future pool of candidates for directorships of large academic research libraries in North America. A large number of current academic research library directors will be retiring during the next several years, and it is important that well qualified individuals be hired to replace them. Present-day directors must possess a wide variety of attributes, and it may be difficult to achieve an optimal match between the director and the institution. In addition, there are indications that a number of potential candidates for directors▓ positions are not interested in becoming directors. Therefore, a study was conducted in order to identify the desirable attributes of current and future directors of university libraries belonging to the Association of Research Libraries √ an association of the largest research libraries in North America.
        This study used multiple means of data collection. In the first phase, a review of the professional literature and a content analysis of job advertisements were conducted in order to create an initial list of desirable attributes for ARL directors. Interviews were then conducted with 20 current directors of ARL libraries; 15 interviews were conducted face-to-face and five were done over the telephone. The final list of attributes contained 121 items organized into three broad categories - organizational attributes, individual characteristics, and general areas of knowledge - and into 11 subcategories. The list of attributes follows:
        Organizational Attributes
Directing
     communicate with staff
     compromise
     collaborate
     delegate authority
     empower staff
     facilitate the group process
     implement action
    keep commitments
     maintain a productive work environment
     make tough decisions
     manage public relations activities
     manage/shape change
    manage human resources
     motivate staff
     promote professional growth of staff
     sense problems when working with staff
     support staff diversity
     ■think on one▓s feet■ - ⌠wing it■
Leading
     advocate for the library
     build relationships
     concentrate on the ⌠big picture■
     develop a campus visibility
     function in a shared decision-making environment
     function in a political environment
     gain external support (university administration, state legislature)
     keep the library focused on its mission
     synthesize and represent the ideas of others
     think ⌠outside the box■
     understand the library▓s complex environment
     understand the academic community and how it operates
     use different decision-making styles depending on the situation
Organizing
     resolve conflicts
Planning
     acquire grants
     allocate resources effectively
     balance access to and ownership of resources
     build a consensus
     develop a vision for the library
     develop programs and services
     engage in fund-raising
     engage in systems analysis
     manage fiscal resources/budgets
     plan use of information technology
     respond to different pressures from different constituencies
     set priorities
     solicit donations (development)
     work with consortia, networks, etc.
Status
     be perceived as an equal of faculty and deans
Individual Characteristics
Dealing with Others
     accessible
     approachable
     articulate
     caring
     common decency (in dealing with people)
     controls emotions
     diplomatic
     enjoys being in groups
     even-handed
     even-tempered
     good interpersonal/people skills
     have social graces/skills
     like people
     not compelled to please everyone all of the time
     objective
     personable
     self-confident
     sense of humor
     sense of perspective
     socially confident
Fiscal Matters
     business skills
     comfortable with numbers
Leadership
     adaptable
     change focused
     emotional control
     enabler and facilitator
     enthusiastic
     extrovert
     flexible
     good judgment
     good listener
     good values/ethics
     imaginative
     inspire trust
     mature thinker
     optimistic
     persuasive
    political skills
     reasonable risk-taking skills
     resilient
     self-awareness of strengths and weaknesses
     stamina
     take the initiative
     team-building skills
     tolerance of ambiguity
     understanding that he/she does not have all of the answers
     willingness to admit (learn from) mistakes
     willingness to explain decisions
Personal Strengths
     able to handle stress
     analyze and solve problems
     balance diverse activities simultaneously
     balanced view
     broad knowledge
     comfortable with ambiguity
     committed to job and profession
     energetic
     honest
     intelligent
    intuitive
     like to travel
     oral and written communication skills
     synthesize and represent the ideas of others
     tolerant of ceremony
     variety of experiences
     work on multiple tasks simultaneously
Planning and Organizing
     committed to service
     entrepreneurial
     negotiation skills
     networking skills
     organizational skills
     results-oriented
Visionary
     creative
     innovative
     love libraries
     love to learn
    open minded
     organizational agility
     sense of direction for the library
General Areas of Knowledge
    community▓s view of the library
    digital libraries
    higher education
    information delivery systems
    information literacy
    information technology
    intellectual property rights
    management issues
    outcome assessment
    publishing industry
    resource sharing
    scholarly communication
    /information needs
        The next phase of the study will employ a Delphi technique to refine the list of 121 attributes and to rank-order them according to degree of importance.

 
 
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