Conducting meetings in the change process: Approaches of academic library directors in the United States

Purpose: This study aims to examine how academic library directors conducted meetings in the change process and the factors influencing the approaches used. Design/methodology/approach: Bolman and Deal's reframing change model provided the foundation for this research. An online survey was sent to 1,010 academic library directors in the USA. The response rate was 59 percent. The qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis. The collected quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed using descriptive (frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviations) and inferential statistics (binary and multinomial logistic regressions). Findings: Most directors used multiple approaches to conduct meetings in the change process. The structural and human resource approaches were the most frequent single approaches. Regression analysis confirms that demographics, human capital, and library variables play significant roles in conducting meetings. Research limitations/implications: Data in this study were collected from directors in libraries of doctoral granting, master-granting, and baccalaureate-only colleges, and universities. Accordingly, the results of the study might not be generalized to college and university libraries outside this classification. Practical implications: This paper provides a useful overview of the approaches used to conduct meetings in the change process and the factors influencing the approaches used. Originality/value: Directors may use the results to reflect on different options of the strategies for conducting meetings in the change process and balance the weight of the factors' influences. The results may also help librarians better understand various approaches to conducting meetings in the change process