Leadership. Why do people take it on? In libraries it means making a transcendent commitment to some realm of your work. It means addressing all the problems that come up in that realm. It means juggling tasks like balls, and never having closure. It means descending into politics. It means doing things you’d rather not do. It means working while other people relax. It means making enemies, because you don’t lead without making some of those. Sound attractive?
Leadership is based in relationships. It is mostly art, but partly technique. Being a leader is not just about what you do, it’s also about what other people do. Leaders must have a visible, credible commitment to ideas that people can understand and sign onto. And they must have or develop the authority that makes people want to listen.
Leadership must have compensations, right? I’ll let the issue’s authors answer that question. I thank them for stepping up to write on the subject
Alki Editor: Cameron A. Johnson
Alki Editorial Committee: Lynn Barnes; Theresa Kappus; Brian Soneda; Rayette Sterling; Bonnie Taylor; Konny Thompson; Erin Krake, Intern; Mary Wise, Chair; Margaret Thomas, Asst. Editor
Cover by Joan Blacker and Kevin Duncan
Download the full-color PDF issue below.
Published December 2005
by Suzanne Milton, Eastern Washington University
by Monica Sands, King County Library System
by Margaret Thomas, Washington State University Energy Library
by Diane Huckabay, Kittitas Public Library
by Brian Soneda, Mount Vernon City Library
by Jennifer Lee Peterson, WebJunction.org
by Nancy Patton, Sno-Isle Libraries
by Bonnie Taylor, Mid-Columbia Library
by Carolynne Myall
by Cameron A. Johnson
by Elena Bianco and Nancy Slote
by Susan Madden
David Wright