LETTER OF INVITATION

Dear Colleague:

Permit me this opportunity to introduce the tenth 'Northern Exposure to Leadership', to be held February 26 - March 3, 2009.

'Northern Exposure to Leadership' is intended to motivate librarians to develop leadership potential. Our intent is to assist them in developing, strengthening and exercising their individual leadership abilities so that they are better prepared to create, articulate and achieve organizational visions for the benefit of library service.

The programme is premised on the value of experiential learning, within the context of a beautiful, but isolated Rocky Mountain venue, the Emerald Lake Lodge in Yoho National Park, British Columbia.

We encourage you to nominate an individual with leadership potential and ability to share with others their vision and enthusiasm for the future of library service. Your involvement is critical. Only those nominations by employers, library schools or library organizations will be considered.

The general criteria are as follows:

• the nominee must be a graduate in librarianship and/or information science from an accredited library education programme;
• the nominee's record should indicate accomplishment in academic performance while in school, successful employment experience, and leadership potential;
• the nominee must be able to attend the five-day leadership training opportunity to be held on the aforenoted dates. The nominee is responsible for transportation expenses to and from Calgary, Alberta, a registration fee of $1600 (plus GST), and any personal or incidental expenses. Nominees may, of course, be supported by the nominating institution, organization or their employer;
• the nominee must have been professionally employed for a minimum of two years and ideally the nominee should be employed less than seven years. Such a statement should include a rationale as to the benefits, both institutionally and individually, which would accrue from this experience.

The librarians nominated will be responsible for submitting the following application package:

• a cover letter confirming their application and willingness to assume transportation costs and registration fee;
• a letter of nomination from their employer, library school or library organization;
• a letter of recommendation from a third party, such as a current supervisor, a former professor/instructor, or anyone who knows the candidate well;
• a one-page statement of their career goals, achievements (community service as well as professional activities), and expectations of their 'Northern Exposure to Leadership';
• a one-page description, employer or nominator validated, of a leadership opportunity to be made available to the nominee in the year subsequent to the Institute;

• a one-page resume.

Please have your nominees submit their application package by November 30, 2008 to:

Ernie Ingles
Executive Director,
Northern Exposure to Leadership
5-07 Cameron Library
University of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta
T6G 2J8
Fax No: 780-492-7925
Email: ernie.ingles@ualberta.ca

I encourage you to identify a promising professional to participate in this career opportunity, and have your nominee submit their application package as soon as possible. Given the time frames for the Institute within which the organizers must work, your cooperation in this latter request is greatly appreciated.

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me by phone, fax or e-mail at the numbers on the letterhead.

With warm personal regards, I am,