About
LLEAD began as a national initiative to strengthen succession planning across Canada’s libraries. “Project LLEAD” was launched in 2014 byBC’s Public Library InterLINK in collaboration with Dr. Ken Haycock. With InterLINK’s financial support, the first LLEAD cohort started in Vancouver in 2015, followed by the inaugural in‑person Intensive in January 2016 at Loon Lake, British Columbia. Dr. Haycock and Rebecca Jones led program design and facilitation, with InterLINK Executive Director Michael Burris administering the program.
From the outset, Project LLEAD was rooted in research on leader development and guided by a sector-based steering committee. The program distinguished itself through its clear goals and objectives, rigorous participant selection, trained and assigned mentors, and structured support for managers to coach participants during and after the program.​​
Cohort members developed and implemented professional growth plans with their supervisors and led organizational projects sponsored by their CEO or University Librarian. Monthly day‑long sessions following the Intensive emphasized peer-based problem solving and key elements of managerial leadership. Confidentiality agreements—signed by members, mentors, and instructors—were integral from the very beginning and remain a defining feature.
An independent evaluation conducted in 2018 confirmed that Project LLEAD had met its stated goals, with half of the graduates moving into more senior roles within two years of completing the program.
In 2019, Project LLEAD formally transitioned into the LLEAD Institute, a unique leadership and management development program for the library and information sector. Participant evaluations conducted at the end of each Institute were taken seriously, and ongoing research into leadership and management education continually shaped the evolving curriculum. By 2024, this learning and feedback made clear that the program would benefit from shifting from a 12‑month format to a 6‑month model. The transition was smooth and enabled the Institute to operate in both BC and Ontario and serve a broader group of participants.
Today, the LLEAD Institute continues to invest deeply in research, reflection, and responsive program design—always adapting to participant feedback, new research insights, and the changing dynamics of the library and information landscape.