The focus of this section is about how the library leader positions the library services within the wider organisation or indeed within the political and economic environment in which it finds itself. The constituent chapters discuss organisational culture and power relationships as well as how the profile and reputation of the library can act as influencing capital in a world where only the strong and bold survive. Positioning the library so that it is relevant, purposeful, indispensable and prolific are all important in the discussions that make up this section.

The authors discuss how strategic alignment and positioning within the parent organisation allows the library to be a key strategic driver and consequently library leaders can be looked to for more holistic organisational leadership. The selection of chapters in this section draws upon a set of experiences from public and academic libraries in the United Kingdom and Canada, but the messages and provocations are relevant across all library sectors and in any global location. The disruptions and provocations being posed and addressed in this section are around the powerful role and purpose of libraries that library leaders need to establish and deliver. Provocations such as ‘the library is on the road to extinction’, ‘the library is a follower, not a leader’ and ‘libraries are nice to have, rather than essential’ are all countered in this section, as the three authors present compelling and bold narratives about their experiences of positioning and aligning their own library services. In each case, thorough awareness of the institutional organisational culture and the external environments in which the library exists are essential.