Stahr selected for new competitive American Library Association Leadership Institute
Contact: Tonya Lowentritt
Date: July 9, 2013 
HAMMOND - A Southeastern Louisiana University staff librarian has been selected to participate
in "Leading to the Future," a new four-day immersive leadership development program
for future library leaders offered in August by the American Library Association (ALA).
Beth Stahr, head of reference and instruction at Sims Memorial Library, was one
of only 40 librarians selected from a highly competitive national pool.
"I'm excited to meet with like-minded librarians regarding positive approaches
to constant challenges and change in academic libraries," said Stahr. "I hope to
gain library leadership skills focusing on student and library patron needs as resources
shrink and information sources proliferate."
Stahr was named the Outstanding Academic Librarian by the Louisiana Library Association
and was promoted to the rank of full professor in 2012. She is an alumna of Southeastern,
having completed a master of arts in organizational communication in 2011. Stahr is
active with the Southeastern chapter of the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi and is
also a board-certified genealogist who has lectured at national genealogical conferences.
The selection committee looked for a diverse participant mix based on type of
library - public, academic, school, or special library - professional responsibility,
geography, gender, and race/ethnicity, as well as demonstrated leadership potential,
readiness for increased responsibility, professional achievement, and community or
campus involvement. Participants are expected to return to their libraries equipped
with new skills for leading, coaching, collaborating, and engaging within their organizations
and in the communities they serve, and prepared to identify, develop, and implement
solutions which benefit everyone.
The institute is designed to help participants develop and practice their leadership
skills so they can better help the libraries and the communities they serve thrive
in a future that promises continued turbulence and uncertainty.
The American Library Association is the oldest and largest library association
in the world, with approximately 58,000 members in academic, public, school, government,
and special libraries.
