ILEAD U
ILEAD U: Illinois Libraries Explore, Apply and Discover
The 21st Century Technology Tools Institute for Illinois Library Staff
The Illinois State Library requested funding from the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program for Project ILEAD U — Illinois Libraries Explore, Apply and Discover: The 21st Century Technology Tools Institute. The three-year continuing education initiative will directly address the need to expand Illinois librarians’ leadership abilities to use participatory technology to effectively engage their libraries’ constituents. ILEAD U incorporates training in leadership development; needs assessment; technology; project management; and project implementation strategies. ILEAD U is a model program that could be easily replicated.
ILEAD U is a competitive, application-only program with applicants applying in teams of five members representing different types of libraries in a geographic area. One application packet is submitted for each team. A statewide Steering Committee reviews the applicant pool and selects eight teams for participation in the two cohort cycles. Each team is comprised of library staff members from all over Illinois who are committed to fully participate in the nine-month program. Each project team consists of staff members from at least three different organizations with multitype libraries’ inclusion emphasized. ILEAD U participants remain with the five-member team throughout the program and are assigned two mentors who keep participants motivated; offer expertise; and provide guidance and advice throughout the entire cohort cycle.
ILEAD U consists of two three-day in-person sessions spread out over the course of nine months. Intersession virtual meetings and mandatory activities scheduled at biweekly intervals allow participants to hone newly acquired skills; experiment with participatory technology tools; and to continue communication with the ILEAD U network of participants, mentors and session instructors. The Steering Committee, team mentors and Instructor Corps work collaboratively to implement a comprehensive curriculum for both in-person sessions and intersession virtual activities/training.
As part of the application process, ILEAD U program cohort teams identify a single group project of the team’s design that will address at least one identified need within their communities of users. For example, a project could address and meet the needs of a community related to the economic crisis. Teams use the skills and training acquired throughout the sessions to develop, implement, manage and evaluate the projects. In addition, within the application, each team member identifies a user or patron within the team member’s community who will serve as an advisor throughout the grant period and who will serve as a conduit for feedback about programs and services.
ILEAD U does not take a “sink or swim” approach to continuing education; rather, it is learning by immersion — buoyed by instructors, by mentors and by the participating librarians who work collaboratively to match the assessed needs of their users with the appropriate technology tools.
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