Boston Library Consortium, Inc.

The Boston Library Consortium, in partnership with the Professional Development Alliance of Library Consortia, will design, pilot, and assess a three-day leadership academy for BIPOC support staff library supervisors who do not have Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) degrees. The leadership academy will promote retention and development of a leadership skill set, as well as deliver training and education on current, front-line library topics. The project team will use a co-design approach to develop the curriculum by engaging BIPOC thought leaders, BIPOC library supervisors without MLIS degrees, experienced management consultants, and members of the consortia to co-create a curriculum that strikes a compelling balance between broader organizational issues and practical leadership skills. The initial pilot will develop and deliver a national leadership academy to 30 library staff members that support the long-term professional growth of a vital population of workers in libraries whose needs for training and professional development are currently unmet.