Choosing to lead. Success characteristics of Asian American academic library leaders
| Pages | 81-90 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/LM-05-2015-0029 |
| Published date | 11 January 2016 |
| Date | 11 January 2016 |
| Author | Binh P. Le |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Librarianship/library management,HR in libraries |
Choosing to lead
Success characteristics of
Asian American academic library leaders
Binh P. Le
The Pennsylvania State University, Abington, Pennsylvania, USA
Abstract
Purpose –Asian Americans (AAs) are underrepresented in leadership roles in academic libraries in
the USA. Instead of exploring the factors contributing to their under-representation, the purpose of this
paper is to focus on exploring the major factors that have helped AA academic librarians, albeit small
in number, to attain, maintain, and advance further into leadership positions in academic libraries.
Design/methodology/approach –A survey was conducted to garner responses from AAs who
have held or currently hold senior leadership positions in American academic libraries. In total,
12 participants participated in the study: five women and seven men. The participants included three
retired deans/directors/university librarians; seven deans/directors/university librarians; one associate
dean/associate director/associate university librarian; and one assistant dean/assistant director/
assistant university librarian. The participants represented a multiplicity of institutions, including
community colleges, Ivy League institutions, and small as well as large private and public universities.
Findings –The results of the survey revealed several important success characteristics of
AA academic library leaders, including wanting to serve, willing to assume leadership roles, taking
non-AA traditional career path, seeking visibility, and developing communication skills.
Originality/value –This is the first and most comprehensive study on AA academic library leaders
in the USA. Its goals are to: fill a gap in the literature on AAs and academic library leadership; raise
awareness about the challenges facing AAs in their efforts to attain leadership positions in US
academic libraries; and highlight some characteristics of successful AA academic library leaders that
aspiring AA academic leaders will want to develop.
Keywords Academic library leadership, Academic library administration, American academic libraries,
Asian American academic library leaders, Asian Americans, Library leadership
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Despite the overwhelming challenges facing Asian Americans (AAs), e.g., racism,
stereotypes,and especially sexism toward AA women,a very small number of AAs have
attained senior-level leadership positions in American academic libraries. In the process,
they have made significant contributionsnot only to US academic libraries but also to the
library profession worldwide. In recognition of these contributions, some AA academic
library leaders have garnered some of the profession’s most prestigious awards,such as
the Melvil Dewey Award, the ACRL Academic/Research Librarian of the Year, and the
John Ames Humphrey/OCLC/Forest Press Award. This paper explores the major
characteristics that have helped AA academic library leaders to attain senior-level
leadership positions in American academiclibraries. The main goals of this study are to:
first, fill a gap in the literature on AAs and academic library leadership; second, raise
awareness about thechallenges facing AAs in their efforts to attain leadership positions
in US academic libraries; and third, highlight some characteristics of successful AA
academic library leaders that aspiring AA academic leaders will want to develop. Library Management
Vol. 37 No. 1/2, 2016
pp. 81-90
©Emerald Group Publis hing Limited
0143-5124
DOI 10.1108/LM-05-2015-0029
Received 20 May 2015
Revised 9 November 2015
Accepted 27 January 2016
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0143-5124.htm
The author would like to thank the journal’s anonymous peer-reviewers for their helpful
comments.
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Asian
American
academic
library leaders
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