Stronger Together, Excellence in Library Leadership
Program Overview
The Stronger Together, Excellence in Library Leadership Program was created as part of the formal partnership that the HBCU Library Alliance has established with Brown University Library, welcoming Brown into its community of practice as its first invited, non-HBCU affiliate member. The program for emerging library leaders is the first leadership program to intentionally unite emerging library leaders from two distinct communities of practice, HBCUs and Brown University. The curriculum and immersive exchanges of this intensive, nurturing program will develop core leadership competencies: Courage to Lead and Change Management; Fundraising and Advocacy; Changing Technology; Social Justice; Disaster, Emergency, and Recovery; Mental Wellness and Emotional Intelligence; and Collection Stewardship.
The first cohort will also focus on the leader’s role in promoting organizational healing from the disruption of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and in ensuring that libraries are sites of intentional social justice work. Over 12 months, the cohort of six emerging leaders will gain the tools, skills, and knowledge to develop leadership plans. Through workshops, discussions, activities, and site visits, the hybrid program will allow for the cohort to gather virtually and in-person. They will graduate from the program with stronger skills to support the core mission of the HBCU Library Alliance to strengthen HBCU libraries, which serve a unique and indispensable role as cultural stewards of the African-American experience.
The 2022–2023 Stronger Together, Excellence in Library Leadership Program will be held from June 2022–May 2023. The program will be open to librarians, archivists, or other cultural heritage staff who are members in good standing of the HBCU Library Alliance or current staff of Brown University Library. Participants should expect approximately an eight-hour time commitment per month. The program will be fully funded. The program applications will be made available March 1, 2022. For more information, contact: Sandra Phoenix 404-702-5854 sphoenix@hbculibraries.org or Tiwanna Nevels 919-516-4150 tsnevels@st-aug.edu.
COVID-19 Requirements
While most of the program will occur virtually and the cohort will participate from their home institutions, there will be two in-person meetings. To ensure that participants are as safe as possible, COVID-19 vaccination and verification will be required for participation. Vaccination is the most effective way to protect yourself and fellow attendees.
Steering Committee Members
- Sandra Phoenix (HBCU library Alliance)
- Delisa Minor Harris (Fisk University)
- Tiwanna Nevels (Saint Augustine’s University)
- Flavia Eldemire (Allen University)
- Monika Rhue (UCLA)
- Amanda Strauss (Brown University)
- Kenvi Phillips (Brown University)
HBCU Library Alliance Mission
The HBCU Library Alliance works to transform and strengthen its membership by developing leaders, preserving collections, and planning for the future.