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PurposeThe paper aims to answer the question: “Where is our profession going and who is leading us there?”Design/methodology/approachThe article presents results of a survey directed to leadership institute attendees and attempts to determine the impact of such institutes on librarians' careers, and their willingness to move into administrative positions (department head, director, etc.) or leadership roles (project leader, committee chair). This paper was developed from the poster session, “Follow Me! Are Leadership Institutes Creating the Next Generation of Library Leaders?” presented at the American Library Association's Annual Conference in Washington, DC, June 24, 2007. Survey questions allowed data collection on the nature and impact of the leadership institute experience, attendees' supervisory and administrative experience, and their future professional goals. The role of leadership mentors and the potential of mentorship to increase the number of library leaders was also considered.FindingsLibrarians who attended leadership institutes felt it had a direct impact on their careers because they are more willing to move into leadership, management, and administrative roles. The majority of attendees find their leadership institute experience professionally valuable and would recommend it to others. Additionally, survey findings reveal the importance of professional mentors.Research limitations/implicationsThe survey was limited to librarians who attended a leadership institute. Approximately 75 percent of respondents were female, with only 25 percent male, which reflects the general demographics of the profession as a whole.Practical implicationsLeadership institutes should be developed to focus on particular constituencies. A variety of formats – retreats, year‐long – will also help address different needs among potential attendees. Current library and institutional administrators should encourage librarians to develop their leadership potential.Originality/valueThis paper addresses the insufficient number of librarians both willing and prepared to take on leadership roles both within individual libraries and the profession at large, which is a growing concern to the library profession.

Dealing with unaffiliated distance learning students can be a daunting task for many public as well as academic librarians. This article will discuss strategies for providing reference to these students by gathering information on what services they are offered via their home institutions, and helping them navigate the often confusing landscape of library resources and services. Authors will outline the challenges and opportunities for public libraries presented by distance learners and suggest some services that might be provided for them. Finally, we will discuss the opportunities for outreach to distance learning students from both public and academic libraries.Enrollment in distance education programs in the United States is surging. The recent economic downturn has displaced hundreds of thousands of workers, many of whom are older adults looking to learn new skills or gain new certifications delivered by a convenient distance education program. Internet savvy teens and twenty-somethings are also drawn to distance learning as a comfortable medium in which to learn and study. This article will give an overview of how this growth in online and distance education has affected public libraries, placing a strain on often overburdened and underfunded institutions. Strategies will be offered for both public and academic libraries to plan and deliver the best service to their patrons.

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