Applications open for 'Leading Libraries: Thriving in Complexity'

Libraries Connected is delighted to invite applications for its new Leading Libraries: Thriving in Complexity short programme, delivered in partnership with the Good Governance Institute (GGi) and funded by the Foyle Foundation. 

Its purpose is to: 

  • increase participants’ confidence in their leadership capabilities in a changing local government landscape 
  • increase participants’ effectiveness in terms of positioning and advocating for their service within local government   
  • deepen participants’ understanding of collaborative leadership with communities  
  • enable participants to form a supportive cohort that sustains beyond the programme  

Underpinned by New Local’s model of Radical Leadership, this programme will empower twelve new and emerging Heads of Service to lead in local government with confidence, clarity, purpose, and a strong community focus. 

Commitment 

The programme will run from the end of November 2025 to the end of March 2026; it will include two in-person days and three online sessions. The programme delivery is fully funded. However, applicants will need to fund their own travel and accommodation (if required). We have a small hardship fund, and applicants should indicate in their application if they may need this financial support to attend. Our Steering Group will agree how the fund will be allocated.  

Applicants must secure the support of their line manager before applying and confirm that they can commit to attending all sessions and fully engaging with the programme learning opportunities. 

We require participants to contribute to the programme evaluation to help us take any learning forward into the development of future leadership development opportunities. 

Eligibility 

Please review the eligibility criteria carefully before submitting your application. If you have any questions, please firstly review the FAQs and then if needed contact projects@librariesconnected.org.uk 

Applicants should: 

  1. Be employed in a local authority funded or commissioned public library service in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, or the Crown Dependencies. 
  2. Be either: 
  • A recently appointed Head of Service (less than two years), or 
  • An Emerging Leader with current responsibility for any of the following, and who also has the potential to progress into a Head of Service role:  
  1. A service-wide level responsibility (e.g. workforce development, partnership-working) 
  2. Large-scale service transformation or restructure 
  3. Large-scale capital projects 
  4. A role focused largely on strategic rather than operational delivery (for example, an Area Manager). (Applicants should clearly outline these responsibilities in their application). 
  5. Be committed to attending all learning events (including in-person activity) and to exploring the model of Radical Leadership and community-focused leadership.   
  6. Be committed to disseminating your learning outcomes to the wider sector. Applicants should outline how they intend to do this in the application form (examples could include a webinar, regional presentation, blog post, mentoring, conference or seminar). 
  7. Not have previously participated in the Leading Libraries programme, either as an Emerging Leader or Head of Service. 

Next steps 

Please submit your completed application by 27 October 2025, 11am. Applicants will be notified of the outcome by 7 November 2025. 

Please hold the following dates in your diaries:  

  • Session 1: In person (London), Friday 21st November 2025, all day 
  • Session 2: Online, Monday 15th December 2025, 2-4pm 
  • Session 3: Online, Wednesday 14th January 2026, 9-11am 
  • Session 4: Online, Tuesday 17th February 2026, 10am-12pm 
  • Session 5: In person (Location TBC), Thursday 19th March 2026, all day 

Assessment criteria 

The review panel will consist of Libraries Connected staff and library partners from our Steering Group. Applications will be assessed based on:  

  • The leadership knowledge, skills, and capabilities the applicant identifies as important for their development 
  • The reason for applying at this time 
  • Applicant readiness for the programme based on their current role and responsibilities 
  • Engagement with the New Local model of Radical Leadership 
  • Ability to commit to fully engaging in the programme 

Priority for places will be given to recently appointed Heads of Service, and we will also consider representation across different regions. If we receive a high volume of strong applications, and there are multiple candidates who meet the criteria and would benefit from the programme, we will use a randomised selection process to ensure fairness. 

Questions & FAQs 

Please see the FAQs document below before getting in touch with any questions about the programme or the application process. 

If this does not answer your query, please contact projects@librariesconnected.org.uk  

Leading libraries: Thriving in Complexity Programme 2025-2026 FAQs

What is Libraries Connected? 

Libraries Connected is a membership organisation comprised of every library service in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Crown Dependencies. We are partly funded by Arts Council England as the Sector Support Organisation for public libraries. 
 

How has this programme been funded? 

This programme has been funded by the Foyle Foundation.  
 

What is the purpose of the Leading libraries: Thriving in Complexity Programme? 

The purpose of the programme is to develop the leadership skills of twelve new and emerging Heads of Service, enabling them to thrive in local government during turbulent times. The programme objectives are to: 

  • Increase participants’ confidence in their leadership capabilities in a changing local government landscape 
  • Increase participants’ effectiveness in terms of positioning and advocating for their service within local government   
  • Deepen participants’ understanding of collaborative leadership with communities  
  • Enable participants to form a supportive cohort that sustains beyond the programme  

 

How has this programme been developed? 

Building on the success of the original large scale Leading Libraries programme, which was founded on the principles of the 21st Century Public Servant, this new programme has been developed by the GGi using the New Local Radical Leadership model. Libraries Connected selected this model because it is designed for leading in complexity and challenging local government contexts. The Radical Leadership model, built upon the 21st Century Public Servant framework, equips participants with the mindset and skills needed to navigate uncertainty, drive change with optimism, and lead confidently through turbulent times. 

 

I am a Head of Service with responsibility for Libraries, as well as other services such as Leisure, Registration, and Culture. Am I eligible to apply?  

Yes, you are eligible to apply. We recognise that the responsibilities of public library leaders often include a range of local government services in addition to libraries. 

 

What are the session dates and times? 

The planned dates for the programme are as follows: 

  • Session 1 (in person): Friday 21st November 2025, London, all day 
  • Session 2 (online): Monday 15th December 2-4pm 
  • Session 3 (online): Wednesday 14th January 2026, 9-11am 
  • Session 4 (online): Tuesday 17th February 10am-12pm 
  • Session 5 (in person): Thursday 19th March 2026, location TBC, all day 

Participants will also need to commit time outside the sessions to implement and reflect on their learning. 

 

I am not available to attend the in-person events, should I still apply? 

To get the most out of the programme, we ask that all participants commit to attending the in-person events. As there are only twelve places available, it’s important that applicants are able to fully engage with all aspects of the programme. If you’re unable to make this commitment at this time, we’d encourage you to consider applying for future opportunities instead. 

 

My local authority has restricted expenditure on travel. Should this prevent me from applying? 

No, travel budget restrictions should not prevent you from applying, as long as you have secured support from your Line Manager. We also have a small hardship fund, which our Steering Group will allocate to help participants who may face barriers to attending in-person events. 

 

Why are there some in-person events as part of the programme, given that travel budgets are limited? 

The programme development and delivery is fully funded, so there is no cost to participants for attending. We’ve included two in-person events, one at the start and one at the end, because member feedback from previous programmes shows that building a strong, supportive cohort is most effective through face-to-face networking. These sessions help participants connect, share experiences, and form relationships that last beyond the programme. We’ve carefully balanced these benefits with the time and travel involved, keeping in-person requirements to a minimum while ensuring everyone gets the most value from the experience. The rest of the programme is delivered online for maximum accessibility. 

 

How will you evaluate the programme? 

We will undertake a small survey-based evaluation with participants to assess their learning and development through the programme. 

 

What do you mean by local authority funded or a commissioned public library service? 

We use Arts Council England categories of library services: 

  • A commissioned library service – Run by separate trust/organisation on behalf of the local authority which remains accountable for the service.  
  • Local authority run library service – Funded, run and managed by local authority staff (can be augmented by volunteers) 

 

I have a question that was not answered in this FAQ, who can I contact? 

Please email projects@librariesconnected.org.uk.

Latest news