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Three different governing boards of higher education in Louisiana joined together to create the Louisiana Online University Information System (LOUIS). Key players in this endeavor describe progress from an idea formulated in 1990 to the 1993 reality of an effective statewide online system. Improved services to users and more effective use of collections are examples of what the various libraries throughout Louisiana are expecting to realize from this collective action. Various lessons learned are detailed. Budget components are addressed openly. In 1993, the state of Louisiana was awarded a federal $2.48 million grant that enabled the completion of this statewide infrastructure. Other states contemplating a statewide library network may want to look closely at the planning for and implementation of LOUIS.

This paper explores the extent to which the leadership knowledge, skills, and abilities of upper-year student leaders on one private, United States college campus developed as a consequence of their education and experience as an extended orientation leader. Findings reveal that compared to leadership education in the classroom, leadership development is limited by experiences that do not include intentional reflection. We identify key elements in pedagogical frameworks that support and impede the leadership development of students and propose strategies to enhance the learning outcomes established for leadership development.

This article presents the findings of an evaluation of the impact on service users of a local authority's individual budgets pilot. The local authority has pursued an outcomes‐focused approach to care planning. The research findings suggest that these service users and their families see individual budgets as a very positive development. Service users have been able to gain greater control over their lives, not least in that they are able to determine to a much greater extent how they have their needs met. This facilitates service users' general growth and development, such that they are able to engage more fully and on a more equal footing as part of their families and communities. However, there remain a number of challenges that need to be addressed if individual budgets, or personal budgets generally, are to be rolled out successfully across adult social and health care.

Sue Vollbrecht worked as a laboratory technician for many years before being promoted to her present position as laboratory manager. She was promoted because of her interest in change management and her desire to have an impact on the future of her organization. This interview has as its foundation a school paper that she wrote as a means of assessing her managerial learning. The interview provides insight into the vast amount of change in the medical laboratory world, and some of the learning experiences that have been instrumental in helping her to develop the skills necessary to manage and successfully work with change. Using key events as pivotal points for reflection, she deduces the basic theories that she considers necessary for successful change management, and then considers them in the light of some of the management literature in the field. Major themes discussed are career development for people interested in working with organizational change, learning at work using an action learning approach, trust building through communication, and working with stakeholders effectively to bring about change.

This chapter illustrates two leadership theories – Heifetz’ (1994) theory of adaptive change, and Bridges and Mitchell’s (2000) theory of leading in transition – to illustrate their applicability to leading experienced staff through change. Using adult learning and followership theories as a conceptual framework, this case study illustrates an application of Heifetz’ (1994) and Bridges and Mitchell’s (2000) theories. Heifetz’ (1994) and Bridges and Mitchell’s (2004) leadership theories offer library leaders a framework for understanding, managing, and leading change efforts. The results in a case study approach are naturally subjective and may have limited generalizability to other library contexts. This study illustrates how library leaders may use established leadership theory to support experienced staff and guide change efforts. In using the adult learning and followership theory framework, the writer advocates for a humane approach to managing change with experienced staff. This chapter is original in its synthesis of three areas of theory in service of understanding leadership and change: adult learning, followership, and leadership. It is the first study to use Heifetz (1994) and Bridges and Mitchell (2000) in the context of library leadership.

Coaching for teachers has evolved as a form of professional development. The benefits of such interventions have been examined with regard to student, teacher and school outcomes, but the purpose of this paper is to present an investigation relating to the benefits of instructional coaching (Knight, 2006) to teachers as perceived by the teachers themselves.

The study utilises a subjectivist approach with a constructivist paradigmatic stance (Morgan and Burrell, 1985). Eleven semi-structured, face-to-face interviews were conducted (King, 2019) with teachers at a secondary (high) school in the UK. The data were interpreted and analysed using thematic analysis (Braun and Clark, 2006).

The research suggests the following four benefits to the teachers who participated in the study, which aligned well with the literature review: improved relationships, awareness, reflectiveness and enhanced practice. A fifth perceived benefit reported by the participants was positive attitude, which captured a sense of increased confidence, motivation and positivity.

Findings were based on the self-reported data of a small sample. Therefore it is not possible to generalise the findings but Thematic Analysis was used to understand perceptions and insights in a wider context (Ritchie and Lewis, 2003). This research builds on the literature focusing on perceived benefits to teachers. Findings generally support current theoretical understanding. The results of this exploration of the teacher perception of benefits of instructional coaching in one UK school contributes to the emerging literature about the benefits of coaching. The teacher perceived benefit of positive attitude does not appear to be identified in the literature.

In practice, this study raised awareness of the possible benefits of coaching to educators. The authors recommend that educators, policymakers and educational leaders should further explore the potential benefits of coaching in education settings. Utilising teacher perception, the study further confirms coaching to be a useful way of supporting educators to enhance their practice.

This paper fulfils an identified need to gain a better understanding of teacher-perceived benefits of coaching. This understanding will support school leaders and policymakers who may be considering how to best leverage coaching in educational settings.