Future Leaders' of North American Research Libraries Perceptions and Preferences Regarding Organizational Culture, 2008

This study was undertaken to better understand future library leaders' perceptions of the current and preferred organizational cultures, and to assess whether there was a relationship between these individuals' satisfaction with their organizational cultures and their perception of their own effectiveness. The survey covered three general topics: (1) the future and the role of libraries, (2) the current culture and management of libraries, and (3) the interviewee's current role and future goals. For the first topic, the future and the role of libraries, the participants were asked to provide their thoughts about future forms of information discovery, data consolidation, and shared curation services. Regarding the role of libraries, they were asked about libraries' effectiveness and response to change. For the second topic, the current culture and management of libraries, the interviewees were asked to answer questions about their current and their preferred organizational culture in a library, and to do the same for their current and their preferred management style. In addition, individuals were asked to what extent they felt their library's organizational structures and processes limited their impact or effectiveness. The third topic, the interviewee's current role and future goals, queried participants on what they perceived to be their future in library science, and asked about the details of their current employment. They were also asked about their age, their gender, and whether they had occupied any leadership positions or had received any accolades.