For President-elect

G. LYNN (TINSLEY) BERARD

Head of the Science Libraries at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA, and adjunct Assistant Professor, Clarion University of Pennsylvania (1997-present).

SLA Member Since: 1984

Past Employment: Head, Engineering & Science Library, (1987-2000) and Computer Science Librarian, Carnegie Mellon University, (1985-1987).

Education: AMLS, The University of Michigan, (1985); BS, Eastern Michigan University, (1979).

SLA Chapter Activities: Pittsburgh Chapter: Past president, President and President-elect, (1993-1996); Chair, Awards committee, (1997-1998); Chair, Nominations committee, (1995-1996); Student liaison, (1992-1993); Consultation officer, (1990-1992); Secretary, (1989-1990). Michigan Chapter: Vice President, Student Chapter, The University of Michigan, (1984-1985). Invited speaker at the Princeton ­Trenton and Connecticut Valley Chapters. Vision committee session leader for the Pittsburgh and Michigan Chapters.

SLA Division Activities: Engineering Division: Past Chair, Chair and Chair-elect, (1990-1993); Chair, Nominations committee (1994); held various committee posts since 1985 including Public Relations, Government Relations, Student liaison, Publications coordinator, and Nominating.

SLA Association-level Activities: Board of Directors: Director, (1999-2002) and Chapter Cabinet chair and chair-elect, (1995-1997). Chair, Strategic Planning Committee, (2000-2001). 1999 Annual Conference Planning Committee, (1997-1999). Invited speaker and trainer/focus group leader, Leadership Development Institute. President's Vision Committee, (1992-1994).

Other Professional Activities (selected): Adjunct faculty, Clarion University of Pennsylvania; Member of: American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), Engineering Libraries Division, (1995-present); Board of Directors, Oakland Library Consortium,(1996-present). Hosted, mentored, and participated in several international cultural exchanges with librarians from Russia, Africa, France, India, and Chile. Created a formal library building plan for the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), 1996.

Awards and Honors and Publications (selected): Rose. M. Vormelker Mentoring Award, Special Libraries Association, (1999); Leadership Award, (1997), Pittsburgh Chapter; TQM Trainer Award, (1995), Carnegie Mellon; (1993) Leadership Award, Engineering Division. Editorial Board, Science & Technology Libraries Journal, (1995-present); Magazines for Libraries, author of the Engineering and Technology section, 8^th-11^th

editions, (1995-2001); presented at the conferences of the WVLA, ACRL, Online, Special Libraries Association and the Council of Engineering and Scientific Societies Executives (CEESE).

What are the key qualities of leadership? Give an example of how you exemplify these qualities.

One key essential quality of leadership is integrity and a sense of fairness. Somebody once said that leadership is the capacity to intuit where people want to go and showing them how to get there. So leadership does not always mean trying to be in front of everybody. It means knowing how to listen to people and taking them seriously. To be able to lead anybody, of course, one needs a vision of the future and the ability to motivate and inspire others by effective communication.

As a library manager and a teacher my greatest joy is investing in the well being of my staff and students. I love watching people excel. How I myself exemplify the qualities I admire can only be measured in person, by direct contact with all people I've mentored, all my colleagues, all the staff, interns, and library science students whom I have had the privilege to teach who have gone on to be successful information professionals. Their successes are my reward.

What was your greatest disappointment in life? How has this disappointment made you a better leader?

I do not really believe that one learns from disappointments but rather that by taking risks and sometimes failing, people learn valuable lessons that can be used to help others move forward. Professionally, I have not always agreed with management's decisions and sometimes felt disappointed in what I viewed as mistakes in leadership judgment. My University was on the point of making significant cuts in benefits for librarians. But to focus on that disappointment would be to miss the point. Instead, I worked with my colleagues to stand up and make our voices heard and I'm sure that somewhat risky stance was the right one to take. At the end of the day we were able to persuade the powers that be that benefits needed to be improved, not cut. A disappointment, viewed from another angle, is an opportunity.

When you talk to other information professionals, what do you say about SLA? Do you say the same things to people who are not in the information profession?

I say that I have been a member since my college days and that I attribute much of my professional growth and success to the benefits of our organization. SLA members are a group of amazing professionals. They are intelligent, inquisitive, motivated, and highly skilled. Many of them are creating and managing information centers as solo librarians. I value the fact that there are more than 13,000 information professionals who do what I do, all over the world, whom I can call upon for advice and assistance. SLA provides unlimited opportunities to stretch one's wings professionally, to try out new roles in a supportive and nurturing environment. How cool is that? And yes, I say that very same thing to people who are not in the information professions. Who knows, maybe they might consider changing careers!