What Makes a Leader? An Exploratory Study of Academic Library Employees' Perceptions

Leaders come from all areas of an academic library; however, certain factors contribute to leadership development. A 24-question survey was conducted with 459 respondents reporting personal characteristics, perceived level of job engagement, and quality of their library's vision statement. The results reveal that self-identified leaders tend to be older and have more experience; many also hold formal leadership positions. These leaders are more likely to know their library's vision statement and have a much more positive impression of it than nonleaders do, and they are more engaged in their jobs than others in the library. The findings underscore the importance of cultivating leadership at all levels within an academic library and purposefully engaging staff in the strategic planning process.