Leadership-Development on Fosgail

Applications Open for 2026-27 Leadership Development Cohort

Wed, 20 May 2026 10:27:00 -0400

Applications close Friday, July 3, 2026.

Theological librarianship is changing rapidly and leadership development in our field hasn’t always kept pace. Not everyone has the network or resources to piece together their own path. That’s exactly why the Leadership Development for Theological Librarians program exists: to offer something intentional, supportive, and accessible to theological librarians at early and mid-career stage from any sized institution.

Finding Our Place by Attending to Relationships

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 17:50:00 -0500

Listen to the Podcast Version Watch the YouTube Version

When I first started as a seminary librarian with the responsibility to direct a theological library, the dean gave me a mandate: right-size the collection. The library had grown from modest beginnings in the 1820s and was a decade away from its bicentennial. The physical size was over 200,000 bound volumes, including books, periodicals, and special collections. In comparison to other seminaries with similar enrollment, less than 100 students and declining, the library was oversized for the school. While to some it might have appeared a bit overgrown, this was a curated collection of materials to which former professors and students had contributed to over generations. Previous librarians had acquired the personal libraries of important collectors and scholars. It told the story of the school, of the professors who had come before, of the subjects that were taught, and of the viewpoints that were thought important to preserve.

Disrupting Autocracy: Why We Need Attendant Leadership Now

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 15:44:00 -0500

This is the first of an 8-part series on Attendant Leadership theory.

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I was in a committee meeting recently and witnessed a troubling display of leadership. The type of meeting, the people in the room, and even the agenda are not all that important. This could’ve been any meeting, and in fact, I’ve experienced meetings like this before and I will probably experience meetings like this again.

Is Sharing Really a Virtue in Leadership?

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 11:29:00 -0400

Photo by PeopleImages from Canva.

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“Sharing is caring!” It’s a phrase that we heard as children and a phrase that we’ve repeated as parents and caregivers of youth. Most religious traditions affirm sharing as a virtue. Sharing is embedded in our human systems of values and ethics. However, what happens when sharing is applied to leadership? Is it still a virtue, or a weakness to be avoided?

Introducing Fosgail Community

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 12:58:00 -0400

Join us in creating a place where curiosity meets collaboration to foster reflection, workplace well-being, and innovative solutions.

Why We Started Fosgail Community

At Fosgail, we’re bringing together librarians and changemakers dedicated to cultivating a well-informed society to nurture curiosity and thoughtful reflection in a safe, supportive space so that we can foster well-being, spark strategic responses, and open up new possibilities for innovation.

Hosted by the Mighty Networks platform, Fosgail Community started in July 2024 as a place for the cohorts of the Leadership Development for Theological Librarians program to convene. At the same time, we soft-launched our Always Open, Forever Free plan as an entry point for friends and fans of Fosgail to connect with one another and stay in touch.

Accepting Applications for 2025-26 Leadership Development Cohort

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 20:39:00 -0400

Updated 7 August 2025

Apply Now

For a third year, Fosgail is partnering with the John Bulow Campbell Library of Columbia Theological Seminary to offer Leadership Development for Theological Librarians for a new cohort of participants.

Applications are now open for the 2025-26 cohort. This cohort will be led by Dr. Kelly Campbell and Deaconess Myka Kennedy Stephens. We anticipate this year’s program will be receiving grant funds from the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion.

Fostering Growth in Leaders

Tue, 06 May 2025 08:28:00 -0400

Members of the 2024-2025 cohort of the Leadership Development for Theological Librarians program in front of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, GA.

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We are passionate about nurturing leaders—especially those in the unique world of theological librarianship. As our second cohort is nearing the end of its program year, we reflect on two years of the Leadership Development for Theological Librarians program. Here is some of our inspiration, philosophy, and special moments that have shaped our work. For our full conversation, please watch or listen to the podcast version linked above.