The Leadership Reconsidered symposium: report.

Abstract

On May 22, 2002, a symposium was conducted at MLA '02, the 102d Annual Meeting of the Medical Library Association (MLA), to explore the concepts of leadership and management. The symposium was cosponsored by the MLA Leadership and Management Section and the Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries (AAHSL), with support from Majors Scientific Books and Aries Systems Corporation. The overall symposium goal was to develop a strategic agenda for leadership in health sciences libraries through defining the issues and recommending actions. Symposium objectives were to: obtain an overview of library leadership issues from national experts in the field; hear the latest research on the attributes that present and future library leaders need to possess; learn about existing library leadership development programs; brainstorm in facilitated discussions about the leadership challenges facing health sciences libraries; and engage in dialogue with leaders from MLA, AAHSL, the National Library of Medicine (NLM), and other MLA members about how the profession must respond to these challenges and provide recommendations for a strategic agenda for future action. Registrants included 100 health sciences librarians, representing both academic and hospital library environments, including eighteen colleagues acting as group facilitators and recorders. Seven speakers covered various aspects of leadership as well as examples of library leadership development programs in existence throughout the country. Participants also took part in group brainstorming sessions with the results reported to the symposium. A list of attendees can be found on the symposium Website.