A Qualitative Study of the Leadership of Texas Community College Library Deans in a Changing Environment

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

Department

Higher Edu and Learning Technology

Date of Award

8-14-2024

Abstract

There is little literature on what community college library deans must do to transform the community college library into an integral part of modern community colleges. Using a qualitative approach, this study examines the roles and responsibilities of an effective leader in a community college library. Semi-structured interviews with six Texas community college library administrators resulted in ten themes interpreted through both activity theory and transformational leadership theory. The findings from this research show that participants believe that the most significant tension in modern community college libraries is the need to focus more on students. In addition, the participants believed that growing library staff competencies and improving communication with staff were important responsibilities for the library administrator. The themes uncovered in this research indicate that the community college library is not completely dissimilar from studies of 4-year institutions, however there are roles and responsibilities unique to the community college library. The implications of this study include notable differences between how leaders are effective in 4-year academic libraries and in community college libraries. Future research should include large-scale quantitative studies of this topic.

Advisor

Kibum Kwon

Subject Categories

Education | Educational Administration and Supervision | Higher Education Administration

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