Leadership Competencies in Library and Information Science: Marketing as a Component of LIS Curricula

Abstract

Leadership competencies are an important component of the research literature and organizational study in the private sector. Leadership competencies serve to define the nature of effective leadership, the leadership qualities and areas of knowledge needed by those who contribute to organizational success, and help to define the types of educational preparation needed by leaders. The organizational, societal, and competitive changes affecting library and information service organizations emphasize the need for effective leadership and the identification of leadership competencies in the profession. This article proposes the articulation of an important component of such a statement of leadership competencies, that of marketing as a leadership competency in library and information science, for professionals who play a key role in ensuring value and relevance for their employing organizations. The research presented here identifies a rationale for such a statement and addresses the extent to which library and information science (LIS) education provides the type of educational preparation needed by leaders in the area of marketing.