Workshop 1.3 | Leadership Stories in a Time with Global Challenges
Date: Wednesday 2 July 2025
Room: TBA
Speakers:
Emma Nolin, Malmö University, Sweden.
Linda Vidlund, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden
David Trefas, Basel University, Switzerland
Pedro Principe, University of Minho, Portugal
Organised by the LIBER Leadership Emerging Leaders Alumni, Cohort 5 and 6
In the face of global challenges, libraries play a crucial role in fostering innovation, collaboration, and engagement. Our workshop, “Inspiring Leadership: Libraries Addressing Global Challenges,” aims to create a dynamic platform for library leaders to share experiences, discuss challenges, and inspire one another.
Workshop Objectives:
- To inspire library leaders through personal leadership stories.
- To facilitate discussions on global challenges faced by libraries.
- To encourage collaborative problem-solving and innovative thinking.
- To provide a reflective exercise for participants to envision their future impact.
Workshop Structure:
- Icebreaker Activity: Participants will introduce themselves, share their location on a map of Europe, and discuss two to three global challenges their libraries face.
- Leadership Stories: Alice Keller (University Librarian, University of Basel) and Dagnija Baltina (Director of National Library Latvia) will share their leadership journeys and insights within the context of the conference theme.
- Group Discussions: Participants will be divided into two groups to discuss questions related to the theme and the leadership stories they have heard. These discussions will focus on collaborative strategies and innovative solutions to global challenges.
- Reflective Exercise: Participants will write a letter to their future selves, reflecting on the discussions and envisioning their future contributions to addressing global challenges. These letters will be sent back to the participants six months later by the working group.
Expected Outcomes:
- Enhanced understanding of leadership in the context of global challenges.
- Strengthened networks among library leaders.
- Practical ideas and strategies for addressing global challenges in libraries.
- Personal reflections and commitments to future actions.
- By engaging in this workshop, participants will leave with renewed inspiration, practical insights, and a sense of community, ready to lead their libraries in addressing the pressing global challenges of our time.