The Rochester-Early-Career Information Professionals, a group I co-founded in 2013 put on a Leadership Summit to offer those in the greater Rochester area an opportunity to continue their professional development.
In order for early-career information professionals to develop into innovative library leaders, they need opportunities to develop strong professional networks, to share ideas and find avenues for collaboration, and to connect with established professionals for mentoring and advising.
A little bit about our group: believing that there was a professional development gap in our area for those early in their careers, I, along with other early-career professionals at the University of Rochester’s River Campus Libraries sent out a survey through our regional library council in the spring of 2013 to gauge interest from members in starting a group or initiative to fill this perceived gap.
In response to the survey, we founded the Rochester Early-Career Information Professionals, or RECIP. The mission of our group is to provide a space for those across different types of libraries to come together and share ideas and challenges. We wanted to learn more about projects, trends, and examples of innovation taking place throughout the Rochester area. Through monthly programming, RECIP bolsters Rochester-area libraries, schools, museums, and businesses by cultivating innovators and thoughtful leaders among new entrants to the information professions.
In the fall of 2014, we applied for and received the Harold Hacker Grant, which enabled us earlier this month to successfully put on what we called, a Leadership Summit. Specifically, the Summit provided the chance for early-career librarians to connect with leaders in the field and discuss topics such as mentoring, leadership, and innovation. It was designed and attended by all types of early-career librarians, including academic, public, school, and special librarians, as well as individuals working in related information fields and library/information studies students. 51 people attended.
We heard a great keynote talk given by ACRL strategist, Kathryn Deiss, and River Campus Libraries’ Modern Languages and Cultures Librarian, Kristen Totleben, about their co-mentoring relationship.
In addition, we asked Greg Benoit, Director of the Gate Public Library, Adam Traub, Electronic Records Librarian at Rochester Institute of Technology, Laura Osterhout, of the Rochester Regional Library Council, and Sue Kowalski, School Librarian at the East Syracuse Central School District to address issues of leadership skill development as part of a panel.
In the afternoon, Director of the Monroe County Library System and the Rochester Central Public Library, Patty Uttaro led us through a leadership skills workshop and encouraged us to mindful leaders and to consider ways to lead locally.
What ideas do you have for developing your leadership skills?