Renewed NLM support for NLM/ AAHSL Leadership Fellows Program

The National Library of Medicine (NLM) is pleased to announce that it has renewed its funding for an additional three years (2005-8) for the leadership program jointly sponsored by NLM and the Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries (AAHSL), offered in cooperation with the Association of Research Libraries' Office of Leadership and Management Services (ARL/ OLMS). The NLM/ AAHSL Leadership Fellows Program is focused on preparing emerging leaders for director positions in academic health center libraries.

NLM Director Donald A.B. Lindberg said, "We are impressed with the early successes of this leadership development program in preparing promising library managers for directorship positions. It has been a highly effective collaboration with AAHSL and ARL, and we look forward to continued participation in the program."

AAHSL president J. Michael Homan said, "The demographics of the current leadership of the nation's academic health sciences libraries are well known. Many will be retiring as the `baby boom generation' segues into its next life cycle in the coming 5-10 years. The highly successful NLM/ AAHSL Leadership Fellows Program has become of strategic importance in preparing the next generation of directors capable of meeting the many challenges and opportunities that will exist for our profession-through an exciting program of education, mentoring, and career guidance."

The program, inaugurated in 2002, provides fellows with the opportunity to develop their knowledge and skills in a variety of learning settings, including exposure to leadership in another environment. They are paired with mentors who are academic health center library directors and participate in a year-long program that combines in-person leadership institutes with the cohort of other fellows and mentors, site visits, and an online learning community.

Fifteen fellows have participated in the first three years of the program, and several have already assumed positions of greater responsibility. Applications from potential fellows and mentors for the fourth class are currently being accepted for the August 19, 2005, deadline. Information is available at http://www.arl.org/olms/fellows/.

Last updated: 11 August 2005
First published: 11 August 2005
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