AfLIA Leadership Academy Cohort 1

The AfLIA Leadership Academy (AfLAc) is a rigorous, emboldening and inspiring leadership training for public librarians in Africa who need to be equipped with requisite skills that would empower them to be leaders in their libraries and communities. AfLAc imbues librarians with knowledge, skills and enhanced confidence that galvanizes them into seeking solutions to identified community challenges through collaborations in the locality for the provision of innovative information services. It consists of 4 days intensive in-residence training and nine months mentoring of the participants by coaches. The programme was developed in partnership with the Public Library Association of ALA and is modelled after the PLA Leadership Academy.

The Academy aims at providing in-service training for mid-level managers of African public libraries to effectively lead and manage their libraries in the 21^st century information provision environment.

The goals of the programme are to:

Build the knowledge, skills and confidence of library leaders to act in innovative ways in meeting community needs
Foster partnerships between libraries and government agencies, the private sector, NGOs, civil society and faith-based organisations to work together to improve the lives of community members; and
Renew approaches to library services, tangibly improving the value libraries bring communities.
Form networks among the participants to share and to help nurture those coming after them in their individual libraries and in the entire African library field.

AfLAC is a nine-month program that includes a five-day residential educational/networking event and a professional coach programme with experienced public library leaders. During this time, leaders will be supported to:

Understand their personal leadership style and how it affects their outputs and workplace relationships
Sharpen their strategic and innovative thinking skills as well as planning and vision setting
Aligning policy of the library and the country with services for greater impact
Embedding collaboration and partnerships in their work
Developing realistic projects to implement within their home communities

Cohort 1 Participants

Adonia Katungisa – Ag Director – National Library of Uganda
Afusat Ogunjimi – Zonal Librarian of Oyo State Library Board, Nigeria
Bakary Sanyang – Deputy Director of Bibliographical Services – Gambia National Library Authority
Barbra Opolot – Librarian – National Library of Uganda
Beatrice Ampadu – Branch Librarian – Lartebiokoshie Community Library, Accra Ghana
Friday Imoni – Atebefia – Principal Librarian – Delta State Library – Sapele, Nigeria
Guy Ebenezer Amarteifio – Regional Librarian – Greater Accra – Ghana Library Authority
Jemmimah Wangechi Ihura – Librarian in Charge – Michuki Memorial Library, Kenya
Katrina Shikunu – Senior Librarian – Outapi Community Library, Omusati Region, Namibia
Miriam Mureithi – Principal Librarian – Kenya National Library Service Library in Thika
Pranisha Parag – Principal Librarian – Msunduzi Municipal Public Library, Pietermaritzburg – South Africa
Victoria Isaacks – Librarian, Community Library Services Department of the Namibian Library and Archives Services

A major constituent of the Academy is the development and carrying out of a community project by the participants. The projects are expected to be in answer to challenges in their different communities. AfLIA made it mandatory that the project should be situated within the global and regional development agenda and the National Development Plans of their countries. Participants were required to choose their projects before they entered the Academy. However, after the training most of them had a rethink about the projects. AfLIA gave them the opportunity to promote their projects online. This helped to build their self-esteem and widen their connections with other librarians all over the globe who were offering similar services. It also brought their projects to the attention of wider groups in their communities.