Leaders in the making : Succession planning starts in library school

Abstract

Many of today’s library leaders are likely to retire in a decade or two at most. In order to prepare for the next generation of leaders, many libraries devise succession plans. Unfortunately, far too many do not consider their succession plan until the last minute. This article proposes that starting leadership and management training in library school is a preemptive measure that will result in already-prepared leaders, easing the burden of succession planning. It also briefly discusses the growing trend of librarian residencies as a form of extended library education, another potential way to produce successors.