Making the Transition from AUL to Line Librarian

Moving from a line librarian department head level position into an AUL position appears to be an achievement that guarantees that the individual will remain in administration for the rest of their professional career, or at least for as long as the person stays at the same institution. The career path to becoming the dean of libraries beckons to some librarians. For those who had that goal upon first entering academic librarianship, the AUL stepping stone is a good opportunity to learn what is involved in the dean’s job at close range without incurring the risks of having to deal directly with the university administration. In addition, the experience of working as an AUL provides the incumbent with skills that are useful whether the person eventually becomes a dean of libraries, assumes a line librarian role at the department head level, or simply returns to a department as a highly productive member of the faculty.