The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) invites expressions of interest to serve on the 2025 President’s Institute Program Planning Task Force.
Members of this task force are asked to serve a nine-month term with a target start in June 2024 and concluding after the event in early February 2025.
You do not need to work for an ARL member institution to serve on this task force—see below for more details.
President’s Institute
The ARL President’s Institute seeks to provide opportunities for participation by member institutions and others in our field each year during the start of the ARL presidency. One of the ARL Institutes, this interactive event convenes a broad community of individuals, subject-matter experts, middle managers, senior leaders, and general executives from ARL libraries and beyond on top-of-mind issues facing research libraries. As part of the President’s Institute, the Julia C. Blixrud Scholarship recipient is selected, attends, and writes a report on the institute to be published by ARL.
2025 Details
The 2025 ARL President’s Institute is a two-day, in-person experience.
Date: Wednesday, February 12–Thursday, February 13
Location: Chicago-Rosemont, Illinois
Focus: Ignite Collaboration: Thriving Multigenerational Libraries
The 2025 ARL President’s Institute will focus on providing attendees with the knowledge and strategies to cultivate a vibrant and inclusive library environment where patrons and employees of all ages can thrive. This dynamic program will seek to explore effective leadership practices for a multigenerational library community, innovative strategies to bridge generational divides, practical tools to promote mentorship, professional development, and knowledge transfer across generations, creating a space to connect and share best practices with fellow library leaders.
Task Force
The 2025 President’s Institute Program Planning Task Force is chaired by ARL vice president/president-elect, Rhea Ballard-Thrower (University of Illinois Chicago).
Ballard-Thrower said, “Our role isn’t just about leading research libraries, it’s about cultivating a future where everyone thrives. While other days the goal is just not to drown. We want to empower leaders to bridge generational divides, unlock the collective wisdom of our research communities, and encourage curiosity and joy. The ARL President’s Institute will equip us with practical tools to mentor, develop, laugh, and share knowledge across ages.”
The Association welcomes task force applicants from across institution types and social identities, particularly those individuals who possess content expertise in organizational development, human resources operations, and/or diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility and hold leadership responsibilities in research libraries.
The commitment for task force members is estimated to be two to five hours per month, which includes:
- Task force kickoff and orientation (June 18, 2024, 2:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m. EDT) (virtual)
- Monthly task force working meetings (virtual)
- Pre- and post-meeting work and closure (asynchronous)
- Facilitation training (virtual)
In addition, 2025 President’s Institute attendance and facilitation support is strongly encouraged/expected.
Beyond the time commitment, financial costs associated with task force membership for the individual or their institution may include travel expenses. Event registration fees are waived for task force members.
Please review the President’s Institute Program Planning Task Force Charge.
If you are interested in serving on this task force, working hard, and having a lot of fun in the process, please complete this expression of interest form, including a reflection on how you would implement ARL’s values as a member of the task force. Provide this information, as well as other pertinent information, by Monday, June 10, 2024.
Please send any questions related to this task force to Audrey Grace, director of Learning, at agrace@arl.org.
About the Association of Research Libraries
The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) is a nonprofit organization of research libraries in Canada and the US whose vision is to create a trusted, equitable, and inclusive research and learning ecosystem and prepare library leaders to advance this work in strategic partnership with member libraries and other organizations worldwide. ARL’s mission is to empower and advocate for research libraries and archives to shape, influence, and implement institutional, national, and international policy. ARL develops the next generation of leaders and enables strategic cooperation among partner institutions to benefit scholarship and society. ARL is on the web at ARL.org.
