Mississippi Library Leadership Institute 2014

The Mississippi Library Commission announces the opportunity for up to thirty librarians in the state of Mississippi to participate in the 2014 Mississippi Library Leadership Institute (MLLI). MLLI is an in-residence leadership training program open to librarians employed in public, academic, school, and special libraries in the state of Mississippi. Funded with a Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library services (IMLS), the Institute is designed to develop the next generation of leaders in the field of librarianship in Mississippi.

The 2013 Mississippi Library Leadership Institute had 27 participants, including librarians from archives and from public, community college, school, and university libraries. Their studies were focused in the areas of team building, improving communication skills, and strategic planning. They did group work, gave four presentations over the course of the program, and engaged in numerous hands-on learning activities designed to enhance the content of the lectures and presentations. Participants also took the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) personality test and received training on using MBTI in the workplace. After reading The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable by Patrick Lencioni, Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us by Seth Godin, and Disciplined Dreaming: A Proven System to Drive Breakthrough Creativity by Josh Linkner, participants completed assignments designed to develop their skills as leaders in their institutions. Participants also received $1000 to implement a special project in their library with a community partner. Examples of projects include oral history projects, college entrance preparation, and digital literacy training.

The Institute consists of four three-day retreats held in Jackson over the course of one year. Eligible applicants must:

• Have a master’s degree in librarianship accredited by the American Library Association (ALA)
  or be currently enrolled in an ALA accredited Master’s degree program in librarianship
• Have less than fifteen years of professional experience
• Be employed by a Mississippi library
• Be nominated by their direct reporting authority such as Library Director, Dean, Administrative Board of Trustees Chair, Principal, Provost, etc...

The only cost to selected participants is transportation to and from Jackson. Dates of the 2014 retreats are:

• April 2-4, 2014
• July 16-18, 2014
• October 22-24, 2014
• January 14-16, 2015

Applications to the Mississippi Library Leadership Institute must be post-marked by Friday, January 17, 2014. Applicants will be notified of selection status by Friday, February 28, 2014.

Participation in the Institute is intensive; however, it is also extremely rewarding and fun. We look forward to seeing you!