At last week’s QPLA LEaD Professional Development Welcome Reception, the Queensland Public Libraries Association (QPLA) and the State Library of Queensland (SLQ) officially announced the continuation of the Library Leaders program over the next four years, welcoming the 2025/26 cohort of participants.
This marks an historic partnership between QPLA and SLQ, building on the strong foundational relationship the two organisations have developed over the past three years through shared leadership initiatives and sector collaboration.
The announcement follows the success of the pilot program, which launched at the IFLA Information Futures Summit in August 2024 and concluded at the QPLA LEaD Conference in March 2025 in Townsville.
The Library Leaders program is a collaborative initiative designed to foster leadership skills among existing, emerging, and aspiring public library professionals across Queensland. The program aims to build capacity to lead vibrant, community-focused libraries.
The eight-month program combines professional development sessions, mentorship, and project-based learning to strengthen leadership capability, drive sector innovation, and build networks—culminating in each participant delivering a strategic project with dedicated mentor support.
The 2025/26 round includes 10 library leaders from across Queensland, each undertaking a project that addresses a specific challenge or opportunity within their library service. Project themes reflect the diversity, innovation, and strategic priorities of Queensland’s public libraries.
Participants in the program represent a diverse cross-section of Queensland, including regional and remote communities including Longreach, Blackall-Tambo, Mt Isa, Weipa, Whitsundays, Townsville, and Mareeba, as well as library services across the south-east of the state.
Each Library Leader will attend major sector events, including QPLA and ALIA conferences, and outcomes from their projects will be shared statewide to benefit the broader library community.
