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This paper aims to overview the professional context for Canadian research libraries (as outlined in the 8Rs Canadian Library Human Resources Study by Ingles et al.) and to examine the approach and response to dynamic human resources challenges and opportunities unfolding through a strategic planning and change management process at the University of Saskatchewan (U of S) Library.

The paper discusses the context and challenges for Canadian research libraries as highlighted in the 8Rs Study and overviews this in the context of the U of S Library's response through its strategic planning and change management process. It explores institutional responses and the possibilities of joint collaborative action across member libraries of the Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL).

The study finds that greatest challenge to transforming library services, resources and facilities lies in transforming the knowledge, skills and abilities of library staff and to developing new models and approaches to professional practice, which meet and exceed client expectations and overcome the traditionally conservative approach to the practice of librarianship.

The paper provides a discussion on strategic options and strategies for research libraries as exemplified by the experiences and work underway at the U of S Library. While some of the context is Canadian specific, the U of S response contains many strategies applicable in other academic and research libraries contexts.

The purpose of this research is to show a mix of career reflections and personal observations about the decision‐making process of changing employers and countries.

The paper covers some initial impressions of moving, living and working in another country, context and culture. It explores selected issues (some personal and some professional) and addresses the broader question of what factors impact such a move, such as environmental factors that are likely to make an overseas appointment an attractive and challenging career alternative.

Working in an international context might not be for everyone but those interested in working in another country can take some practical steps to help ensure a smooth transition to a new employer and a new country.

Provides a discussion on some important matters which need consideration when changing employers and moving countries. It is based on the personal experiences and observations of the author, who moved from Australia to Canada in 2006.

This article aims to look at the transformational changes occurring in Australian postsecondary education and libraries.

Discusses transformational changes occurring in Australian postsecondary education and libraries.

The greatest threat to librarianship is people's own attitude towards change.

Provides a discussion on surviving change.

The paper aims to provide an overview of the background and context of the decision by a Canadian research library to invest in developing and implementing its own in‐house library leadership development program (LLDP).

This paper is a case study and is presented in three parts: leadership circumstances within the Canadian research libraries, with particular reference to The Future of Human Resources in Canadian Libraries (the 8Rs Study), the University Library at the University of Saskatchewan and its Strategic Plan, with particular reference to its relationship and engagement strategy and other strategic HR initiatives; and the conceptualisation, content and competencies of the LLDP. This paper discusses why and how a leadership development program has been implemented.

The paper shows that LLDP is a work‐in‐progress and is a practical step in a journey to change organizational culture, and build individual and organizational leadership capacity.

While some of the context is Canadian specific, the local strategy implementation has relevance and applicability in other academic and research library contexts.

This paper provides a discussion of current leadership challenges for Canadian research libraries, including a leadership development strategy exemplified by the experiences and work underway at the library at the University of Saskatchewan.

The purpose of this paper is to explain why and how the University of South Australia Library changed its academic outreach model. It discusses the transition from the role of specialist liaison librarian to a team approach to provide support for teaching, learning and research.

Examines the strategies used to build collaborative relationships with the university community and observes how these relationships have influenced the development of the role of the academic library services teams.

Concludes that university libraries need to adapt to pedagogic transformations and changes in scholarly communication. Regular and frequent reviews of staffing requirements and the roles of professional librarians are necessary to ensure that the library meets the strategic priorities of the University and responds to the constantly evolving information and resource landscape.

Provides strategies for building productive partnerships between the library and the university community and gives examples of collaborative endeavours.

The purpose of this paper is to connect the stories and experiences of library professionals who have chosen to take up positions in other countries. The library professionals were asked to reflect on their experiences. This paper tends to connect and conceptualize the different experiences.

The paper is purely theoretical and it introduces and links concepts of social capital, thrust, and national culture and characteristics to the experiences of the library professionals. The theoretical framework is used loosely to interpret and discuss the experiences.

The paper is not empirical in a traditional sense. This implies that there are no findings based on data. The paper introduces and discusses concepts and apply these to material based on experiences and it is indicated that the theoretical frameworks presented are useful in relation to contextualising the diverse experiences. It is also indicated that the concepts of social capital are closely related to concepts concerning national or regional cultural characteristics.

The practical implications are rather simple but difficult to achieve. It is a question about respect and it is a question about learning other patterns of communication, norms and values which are indispensable in cross cultural relationships.

With reference to the author's previous research it is indicated that phenomena in library and information science and practice take different forms according to the cultural settings. This is an important result in an ever increasing international world.

This case study aims to explain why one Canadian academic library chose to design and deliver in-house leadership development training for its employees, rather than taking a consortial approach, and seeks to highlight the impact of this decision on the library's organizational culture.

This paper is presented in three parts: the benefits and challenges of in-house, external and consortial training; the impact of an in-house leadership development program at the University Library at the University of Saskatchewan; and considerations when deciding whether to collaborate on the provision of employee training. The author draws upon her own personal experiences as the Director of Human Resources for the library, and presents evidence acquired through surveys, observations, and conversations.

The paper explains how a deliberate decision to provide in-house leadership training had a transformative effect on individual employees and the organization.

When considering collaborating to provide leadership development training, library administrators should ensure the pros and cons of doing so are thoroughly explored; the pressure to collaborate can sometimes lead to participation in activities simply to be seen as a “good library citizen,” and often such activities are not necessarily contributing to the strategic goals of the library. In economically challenging times, library leaders and decision makers will need to be very aware of these implications.

This paper discusses why a library chose an in-house approach to leadership development training rather than a consortial approach. This article has value to library administrators as they consider implementing leadership development training in their libraries.

The purpose of this paper is to explore some of the ethical and practical challenges of working with primary school-aged children to conduct qualitative service evaluations regarding sensitive safeguarding topics.

The paper centres on the author’s learnings from conducting school-based, task-assisted focus groups with 5–11 year olds. The reflections are drawn from notes made during fieldwork, debrief discussions with evaluation colleagues and wider team debates. This was a consultative participatory evaluation and the findings are situated within the wider literature around rights-based approaches to research.

Using multi-method and creative approaches can facilitate young children to assent and dissent from service evaluation in a school setting. However, the challenges of helping children understand confidentiality are highlighted, as is the challenge for researchers in recognising and responding in situ to disclosures. Using suitable and creative activities, this evaluation demonstrates that primary school children can contribute meaningful data to assist with service development. However, the approach to collecting these data from the youngest children needs careful consideration.

Researchers may need to adopt full participatory methods to better help children understand the confidentiality bounds of research and to form views on the subject matter. More discussion is needed in the wider safeguarding research literature to show how researchers have navigated the challenges of handling disclosures.

This paper contributes to the literature by providing examples of how to overcome issues of children’s participation, consent and protection in service evaluation focussed on a sensitive topic.