ILEAD U Cohort 2: Frequently Asked Questions

WHAT IS ILEAD U?

• ILEAD U is a three-year grant program, funded in 2009 by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), Laura Bush 21^st Century Librarian Program, and the Secretary of State/Illinois State Library. In 2010, a supplemental grant was awarded for the purpose of importing this initiative to other State Library Agencies.
• The purpose of ILEAD U is twofold:
  • To help library staff develop leadership skills necessary to address local community needs (e.g., job creation, education) through innovative applications of participatory technology tools.
  • To create a model program for other states to replicate.

HOW CAN LIBRARY STAFF PARTICIPATE IN ILEAD U?

• Illinois librarians and library staff can apply for one of three roles: 1) participating team (ILEADers); 2) instructor; or 3) mentor. Additionally, State Library Agency staff outside Illinois can apply for an apprentice role, as part of the supplemental grant given to extend the program to other states.
• All Illinois applicants must be employed at an ILLINET member library.
• Applicants do NOT need an MLS to apply.

WHAT IS THE TIME COMMITMENT?

• ILEAD U is an immersion program consisting of both in-person and virtual meetings during a nine-month period as follows:
  • Three in-person sessions, for ILEADers, instructors, mentors, and State Library Agency/ILEAD U apprentices, held at the University of Illinois, Springfield (UIS):

(first and second days=all day; third day ends at 1 p.m.)

• March 1-3, 2011
• June 14-16, 2011
• October 25-27, 2011
• Orientation sessions for mentors, instructors, and State Library Agency/ILEAD U apprentices at UIS on the days preceding the in-person sessions:
  • February 28, 2011, 12:30-5:30 p.m.
  • June 13, 2011, 12:30-5:30 p.m.
  • October 24, 2011, 12:30-5:30 p.m.
  • Importing ILEAD U, special session for State Library Agency/ILEAD U apprentices at the Illinois State Library, Springfield:
    • February 28, 2011 8:30-11:30 a.m.
  • Virtual meetings during the two intersessions, to be scheduled by each team (approx 15 total).

HOW DO I APPLY AS A EITHER AN ILEADer, INSTRUCTOR, MENTOR, OR STATE LIBRARY AGENCY/ILEAD U APPRENTICE?

• Potential ILEADers apply as a five member team. Once you have decided to apply, you will need to identify four other Illinois library staff members to join the team. Teams must be comprised of staff from at least three different institutions. A consensus must be reached regarding a particular community need that the teams’ project will address.
• Selection of instructors and mentors will be based on the quality of the application.
• Selection of ILEADer teams will be based on the quality of the application, as well as, the statement of community need.
• Selection of State Library Agency/ILEAD U apprentices will be first come, first served basis.
• Application packets are available on WebJunction Illinois (WJIL):
  • The team/ILEADers application packet is available at: http://il.webjunction.org/c/document_library/get_file?folderId=79740881&name=DLFE-29520013.pdf
  • The instructor application packet is available at: http://il.webjunction.org/c/document_library/get_file?folderId=79740881&name=DLFE-29520016.pdf
  • The mentor application packet is available at: http://il.webjunction.org/c/document_library/get_file?folderId=79740881&name=DLFE-29520015.pdf
  • The State Library Agency/ILEAD U apprentice packet is available at: http://il.webjunction.org/c/document_library/get_file?folderId=79740881&name=DLFE-29520014.pdf
• Meals, lodging and transportation between the hotel and UIS are all provided and paid for with grant funds. Participant team members’ transportation to and from Springfield is not reimbursed.

WHAT SHOULD I KNOW ABOUT THE DIFFERENT ROLES I CAN APPLY FOR TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROJECT?

• ILEADers
  • Each ILEADer must be innovative and interested in learning new technologies. A master’s degree in library science is NOT required, nor is expertise in Web technologies.
  • Each ILEADer must be motivated to connect with their user populations in virtual spaces.
  • Each ILEADer should expect an intensive immersion learning experience. As part of this immersion, each ILEADer must participate actively in all in-person sessions and virtual meetings with their project team throughout the duration of the project. Long days and nights will be characteristic of in-person sessions.
  • Each ILEADer will be expected to form strong ties with at least one user who can provide feedback. Several times during each of the inter-sessions these user representatives will provide perspective on the team’s plans and strategies.
  • Each team will be responsible for selecting a product and ushering it through planning, development and implementation. So that the teams can gain an outside perspective on the utility of their efforts, each user representative should test their team’s project and provide feedback.
  • Each ILEADer will be expected to participate actively in Project ILEAD U evaluation.
  • Each ILEADer will be expected to communicate with mentors, facilitators, instructors, each other, and the Project Director.
• INSTRUCTORS
  • Instructors will work together to develop curriculum for ILEADers which focuses on the following:
    • Strategic leadership
    • Effective survey techniques and community needs assessment skills
    • Working with reluctant administrations
    • Privacy and security issues with participatory technology
    • Meaningful applications of technological solutions
  • Instructors need to inspire creativity among project team members (ILEADers) and encourage the play, experimentation, and risk taking that is necessary for innovation.
  • Instructors will be expected to present course content at the in-person and virtual meetings. Virtual meetings will be held approximately bi-weekly for the purpose of presenting and discussing some of the curriculum. Because ILEAD U is an immersion project, involvement is intensive over the entire nine-month period; plus, long days and nights should be expected at the in-person sessions.
  • Instructors will be expected to contribute and share course materials WebJunction Illinois (WJIL) at: http://il.webjunction.org/il-ileadu. All sessions will be recorded and archived on WJIL for future access of by grant participants and others. During the intersessions, the ILEADers and the instructors will use material available on the web and/or WJIL, or make the curriculum available free-of-charge.
  • Instructors will be expected to require participants to periodically query their community representatives, asking for their assessments, and to experiment with their fledgling projects.
  • Instructors will be expected to engage in dialog with project participants.
  • Instructors will be expected to teach people how to use technology tools strategically. The focus should be on skill building and not merely on teaching people how to use specific tools.
  • Instructors will be expected to participate in periodic meetings with the Steering Committee, mentors and instructors.
  • Instructors will be expected to participate actively in Project ILEAD U evaluation.
• MENTORS
  • Each mentor will be assigned to support one team of five ILEADers.
  • Each mentor will work with their assigned project team throughout the entire grant process.
  • Mentors will ensure that the virtual sessions are scheduled and that all project material is available on WebJunction Illinois (WJIL).
  • Mentors will be expected to participate in periodic meetings with the Steering Committee and instructors.
  • Each mentor should expect an intensive immersion experience for the duration of the project.
  • Each mentor will be expected to participate in all in-person sessions and virtual meetings with their project team. Long days and nights will be characteristic of in-person sessions.
  • Mentors will be expected to supervise ILEADers with their team projects, providing encouragement, as well as, constructive criticism.
  • Mentors will be encouraged to present programs at library and education conferences nationwide.
  • Mentors will be expected to participate actively in the ILEAD U evaluation.
• STATE LIBRARY AGENCY/ ILEAD U APPRENTICES
  • Each ILEAD U apprentice will be expected to attend a one-day in-person overview session entitled, “Importing ILEAD U”.
  • ILEAD U apprentice will be assigned a project team and will be expected to attend all three in-person sessions with their assigned team. Each team will have five members (ILEADers), one mentor; instructors will rotate.
  • ILEAD U apprentice will be expected to participate as necessary in intersession virtual meetings.
  • Each apprentice will be expected to participate in mentor and instructor conference calls.
  • ILEAD U apprentice will be expected to participate actively in the ILEAD U evaluation.
  • ILEAD U apprentice will be expected to work with the steering committee as necessary.
  • ILEAD U apprentice will be expected to communicate with the ILEADers, mentors, facilitators, instructors, each other, and the project director.
  • ILEAD U apprentice will be expected to submit grant documentation, such as reports that corroborate activities and time spent.

WHAT IS THE ORGANIZATIONAL DESIGN OF ILEAD U?

• Prior to applying, potential ILEADers need to put together a five-member team, comprised of at least three ILLINET member institutions. Eight teams total will participate in ILEAD U.
• Each ILEADer must select a user community representative or user/patron advisor who will provide feedback throughout the process.
• Each team will be assigned one mentor to work with the project team throughout the entire grant process.
• Staffs from State Library Agencies outside Illinois are invited to participate in the ILEAD U program, with the goal of replicating this program in other states. Therefore, in addition to a mentor assignment, each ILEAD U team will also be assigned an ILEAD U apprentice from one of the participating State Library Agencies.
• Instructors will rotate among the teams during the in-person sessions.

WILL DOCUMENTATION FOR THE ILEAD U PROGRAM BE AVAILABLE ONLINE?

• All project material will be available on WebJunction Illinois (WJIL).
• All instructor materials, rosters, and contact information will be on a thumb drive. All ILEADers will keep their thumb drives provided at no cost. After the project term, participants will be encouraged to present programs at library and education conferences nationwide.

WILL EQUIPMENT BE PROVIDED AS PART OF THE GRANT?

• When at the in-person sessions, ILEADers will be issued a laptop with wireless Internet access. They can take the laptop to the hotel; the hotel as well as the campus has free Wi-Fi.
• The Brookens Library at UIS has equipment such as digital cameras, video cameras, and scanners that can be checked out for use.
• All other equipment purchased as part of the grant belongs to one or more of the ILEADers' libraries and must be used to further that library's use of participatory technology products, even after the ILEADer ends his/her involvement with the grant. Project teams will decide which library will own each piece of equipment. The owning library will make a 10% match toward the purchase of the equipment, with the exception of the thumb drives.

WHAT KIND OF TECHNICAL SUPPORT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO PROJECT PARTICIPANTS?

• Staff from the Center for Online Learning, Research and Service (COLRS) will act as consultants in adapting the curriculum to an online environment and as resource people for the instructors.
• Everyone involved with ILEAD U can use the application sharing features, as well as polling features, breakout rooms and PowerPoint presentations in Adobe Connect Pro.
• The Brookens Library at UIS will provide copyright clearance for the instructors’ materials if necessary. Additionally, WJIL provides a commons license.