Library resilience and leadership in a global crisis

Najmeh Shaghaei; Claire Knowles; Fiona Morley; Alexandra Eveleigh; Núria Casaldàliga; Emma Nolin; Andrea Tatai; Marc Cohen; Martine Pronk; Elke Ghesquière

doi:10.53377/lq.10930

Authors

Najmeh Shaghaei University of Southern Denmark https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7884-8576
Claire Knowles Head of Research Support and Digital Libraries, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6969-7382
Fiona Morley Head of Digital Programmes and Information Systems, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Ireland https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2435-8192
Alexandra Eveleigh Collections Information Manager, Wellcome Collection, UK https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8487-3420
Núria Casaldàliga Servei de Biblioteques, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5954-7375
Emma Nolin Head of Information Resources and Scholarly Publishing, Malmö University Library, Sweden https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0705-7635
Andrea Tatai Deputy Director of the University Library, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9842-6493
Marc Cohen Head of Library Resources and Collections, Queen Mary University of London, UK
Martine Pronk Academic Services Manager, Utrecht University Library, Utrecht, Netherlands
Elke Ghesquière Head of Libraries, KU Leuven, Belgium https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2437-4747

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53377/lq.10930

Keywords:

Research libraries, Resilience, Leadership, COVID-19

Abstract

Research Libraries, like other organisations during the COVID-19 pandemic, have been facing difficult choices concerning which services to offer, whilst minimising risk to their staff, communities, and users. As the post COVID-19 era beckons, library leaders are urged to adapt flexible strategic plans that apply to every facet of library operation to ensure the organisations remain both safe and resilient in the future.

This paper discusses leadership skills and practical techniques that can be applied to help build resilient libraries and deliver positive new change in the post-COVID-19 recovery period.

Our findings indicate that leaders need to find ways to realign library ambitions to this uncertain new operating environment. The focus should be directed to digitisation and supporting systems, as well as on sustainability and transformative services. These are a must for the future of libraries.