A praxis of leadership development: The library internship experience

The purpose of this study was to determine to what extent practicing school librarians reported that their internship experiences prepared them to be effective leaders on the job. This study focused on the development of knowledge and competencies required for school librarians to be effective in their evolving roles. Specifically, the study focused upon graduates from the East Carolina University Library Science and Instructional Technology program. An examination of the library internship program, through the lens of situated learning theory, was initiated in order to determine the value of the internship in preparing school librarians to be leaders in the school setting.; Eight leadership competencies essential to school librarians were identified through a review of the literature. These competencies served as the foundation for development of a survey instrument addressing three areas: theory, practice and professional identity. Data was collected through administration of an online survey. Factor analysis and descriptive statistics were used to examine the extent school librarians reported that the library internship prepared them for leadership in the professional role.; Data obtained through descriptive statistics and factor analysis may be utilized by library science educators to understand the preparatory needs of school librarians. Findings may suggest paths to develop course offerings aligned with internship opportunities to more effectively afford Master in Library Science graduates the leadership competencies needed to meet the demands of the 21st century. The literature suggests intensive focus specifically on internship programs in preparatory schools of library and information science could be beneficial in defining specific skills and competencies required by school librarians. This research seeks to fill that void by delimiting the focus group to a specific library and information science internship program.