Academic libraries in transition: some leadership issues – a viewpoint
Abstract
Purpose
Academic libraries, in general and more specifically in Africa, are at varying stages of decline: they are gradually being dislodged as top “go‐to” places. This paper aims to suggest that leaders of academic libraries turn to the private sector to learn strategies through which this decline can be stopped or even reversed.
Design/methodology/approach
The aim of this paper is to facilitate that learning process by identifying and analysing the errors or mistakes committed by leaders of other organisations, especially those that were once regarded as successful. The literature that focuses on this phenomenon will be scanned with a view to learning more about once successful companies that failed.
Findings
Factors such as arrogance, complacency and denial have been identified as some of the factors that contributed towards their failure.
Practical implications
The paper concludes with a discussion of this experience at the University of Pretoria and the strategies applied to prevent it from being marginalized.
Originality/value
The value of the paper lies in the identification and suggestion of a practical method, which leaders of academic libraries can employ in preventing or reversing the decline of their libraries.
Keywords
Citation
Moropa, R. (2010), "Academic libraries in transition: some leadership issues – a viewpoint", Library Management, Vol. 31 No. 6, pp. 381-390. https://doi.org/10.1108/01435121011066144
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2010, Emerald Group Publishing Limited