Exploring leadership competencies at the University of KwaZulu-Natal Library in a digital age.

Abstract

Digitalization as a mega-trend is affecting the library sector, triggering challenges and opportunities that demand new competencies for leaders of academic librarians. The objective of this qualitative study was to explore library leadership competencies in the digital age according to the perspectives of library leaders at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The study adopted an interpretive paradigm and non-probability sampling method to purposively select nine library leaders from the University of KwaZulu-Natal for in-depth interviews. Interview data were analysed using thematic analysis. The results from the study have shown that library leaders at the University of KwaZulu-Natal demonstrate a variety of five leadership styles and three key leadership competencies for the academic library to adapt to the changes brought by digitalization. The leadership struggles with clarity on the direction at UKZN, collective and shared leadership, an inclusive, partnership and alignment style, and the autocratic and adaptive leadership styles. Secondly, this study revealed three leadership competencies used by leaders of the academic library at UKZN to deal with adaptive change and provide services in a digital age. These leadership competences include developing people and programmes to achieve change within rules; strategic thinking competences; and leading teams. Lastly, the study provided a Leadership Competencies framework for library leaders in the digital age at UKZN, comprising seven different leadership competences and four tasks and roles by leaders at UKZN, which are necessary for effective academic library leadership in the digital era. The study recommended a variety of leadership competences that are key to leading the academic library through adaptive challenges in the digital era. Areas for future research were also highlighted.