Leadership roles within the ranks in Nigerian academic libraries

The study investigated leadership roles in academic libraries with the purpose of discovering librarians' perceptions of leadership as well as finding evidence of leading from within the ranks and not necessarily from a managerial or supervisory position. The reason for this investigation was to identify whether library staff, regardless of their position within the organisation, are free to demonstrate their leadership potential by creating change or motivating other colleagues to work towards a shared vision. The research methodology applied was the quantitative method. Using the case study of two mid-northern Nigerian universities, findings show that, although librarians in non-supervisory roles demonstrate leadership attributes that help improve services delivered to users in their libraries, supervisory staff are more likely to suggest new ideas than non-supervisory staff. Therefore, there is a need for the academic library to refocus its leadership structure and be willing to acknowledge other leadership styles, especially ones that will encourage librarians of all ranks to showcase their talents and creative abilities, particularly in areas or services where their interests lie, in order to promote library innovation and drive service development.