ALA elections are approaching and this year NMRT is electing a Leadership Development Director, Vice-President/President-Elect, Member Services Director, and Secretary. Below, our candidates answer a few questions about their plans for the position.
Why are you interested in this position?
Nicole Spoor: Since I first became active in ALA, NMRT has been the “place” that I call home. NMRT has helped me become a better librarian and get involved in our professional community through professional development opportunities and the chance to take on a leadership role early in my career.
I am interested in this position specifically, because I think that it is the duty of librarians to help other, especially newer, librarians continually improve and have the chance to become leaders in the field. From my perspective, the Leadership Development Director is in the position to do just that, by overseeing the committees that provide professional leadership opportunities to NMRT members.
What skills and experiences do you bring to the position?
Nicole Spoor: I have worked on NMRT committees for about four years and have served in committee leadership positions for the past two years. I currently chair the Orientations Committee and the Resume Review Service Committee, so I have quite a bit of experience overseeing committee work. I am also very enthusiastic about NMRT and the opportunities that it provides new librarians.
As Leadership Development Director you will oversee the activities of committees that support & encourage professional leadership in NMRT members. What do you believe are three biggest challenges that new librarians face when taking on a leadership role, and why? How will you work to develop leadership skills of NMRT members?
Nicole Spoor: The biggest challenge is how to become a leader in the first place. Many people think that you have to be in a supervisory position in order to be a leader, but that just isn’t true. Another challenge for many new librarians is their lack of experience in the field. It can be difficult to be a leader when those surrounding you have been in the field for much longer. This can lead to the internal challenge of not being sure what they have to offer as a leader, because they haven’t been librarians for very long. Learning to be a leader no matter what your job description says or how long you have been in the field is a skill that many new librarians need.
I will work to develop leadership skills of NMRT members by supporting the work of the NMRT committees that promote leadership skills. I will also work to promote participation on these committees, encourage NMRT members to take advantage of the professional leadership opportunities presented by these committees, and promote NMRT membership, in general.
What do you hope to learn if elected?
Nicole Spoor: I hope to learn more about the inner workings of NMRT and the committees that I would oversee. I am especially excited to work with the professional development awards committees, because of the work they do to provide awards that help new librarians have the opportunity to attend ALA conferences.
If elected, what time management skills will you employ to ensure that your NMRT duties remain a priority?
Nicole Spoor: I have the good fortune to work at an institution that not only expects and supports my participation in professional organizations like NMRT, but also provides ample time for me to be fully involved. Because of this, I know that it will be easy for me to balance my job duties and my role as NMRT Leadership Development Director over the next two years.
Do you have questions of your own for the candidates? Please post your question & the names of the candidate(s) you wish to answer on the NMRT Facebook page within the next week.