Special Collections Leadership Seminar

Organizational leadership and management require a portfolio of skills and strengths that are often difficult to develop within the traditional functional areas of special collections librarianship. These skills and strengths include strategic thinking and planning, building and managing diverse collections, designing and managing facilities, fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace, development and fundraising, public relations and marketing, managing through others, grant writing, data-driven decision making, and administering complex budgets. This course provides an introduction to these competencies and an opportunity to discuss and explore them as a class. Faculty from the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business will visit the class to facilitate sessions on leadership. During the week, students will assess their own strengths and areas for growth and will develop a personal professional development plan. This course is intended for mid-career librarians and archivists interested in leading and managing in a special collections context. Participants are expected to bring a laptop with them to class.