Libraries Connected has appointed Birmingham Leadership Institute to deliver their programme to drive diversity in library leadership.

Funded by Arts Council England, Leading Libraries aims to help library services to better reflect their communities and to transform leadership throughout each library service. Libraries Connected and Birmingham Leadership Institute will work together to deliver a practical learning programme in 15 library services that will engage leaders at all levels and aims to benefit the whole team as well as the wider sector.

The institute is part of University of Birmingham and is at the forefront of the research and development of leadership practice. They run a wide range of leadership development programmes and will bring the latest, evidence-based thinking to Leading Libraries.

Isobel Hunter, Chief Executive, Libraries Connected:

‘Diversity in leadership is key to helping libraries to overcome the challenges they face and to meet the needs of their increasingly diverse communities. This vital programme will help current library leaders to identify and support their emerging leaders and help support more leaders who reflect the communities they serve. The Birmingham Leadership Institute’s ground-breaking work in this field will bring huge value to this work.’

Mags Patten, Executive Director, Communication and Public Policy, Arts Council England:

‘Arts Council England is committed to supporting cultural leaders to flourish by addressing issues such as diversity in leadership, opportunities for emerging and early career leaders, and the development of executive skills at senior levels. Our Transforming Leadership programme, supported by the National Lottery, will address these issues by providing library leaders with the means and tools to help them deliver transformational change. I’m delighted that we are supporting the Leading Libraries project and look forward to seeing how Libraries Connected, Birmingham Leadership Institute and the library services develop the programme.’

Professor Christopher Pietroni, Director of the Birmingham Leadership Institute:

‘We are delighted to be partnering with Libraries Connected to deliver the Transforming Leadership: Leading Libraries Programme. Libraries Connected and their partners have developed a holistic and sophisticated vision for the role that libraries can and do play in supporting and enabling thriving communities. They are now investing in the development of the people who lead libraries to ensure that vision is realised. We will be bringing our expertise in systems leadership and a range of innovative approaches to leadership development drawing on the latest research from the University of Birmingham and internationally. Together we aim to grow even more effective leadership across libraries which can have a positive impact for the citizens and communities they serve.’

Libraries Connected is also delighted to announce the 15 library services from across the country that will take part in the programme:

1. Bolton
2. Buckinghamshire
3. Cambridgeshire
4. Cumbria
5. Dorset
6. Hammersmith and Fulham
7. Inspire Nottinghamshire
8. Kirklees
9. Lambeth
10. Norfolk
11. North Tyneside
12. Redbridge
13. Staffordshire
14. Surrey
15. Tower Hamlets

The libraries applied to take part and were selected for their understanding of the challenges of achieving diversity in their local environment and their commitment to drive diversity and inclusion in leadership across their entire library service.

Leading Libraries is supported by CILIP, the Local Government Association, Chief Cultural & Leisure Officers Association, Diversity in Libraries of the North, and the CILIP BAME Network.

For media enquiries email: media@librariesconnected.org.uk