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Abstract
Engagement in professional development activities is an expectation for many library faculty and staff. The ways in which librarians grow as professionals has a direct impact on their work within their institutions, as well as the development of the library profession as a whole. Typically, professional development is encouraged and reinforced through a system of reappointment and promotion that is often measured by individual activities. The University of North Carolina Charlotte’s J. Murrey Atkins Library is field testing a model of engagement that redefines professional development as a collaborative endeavor that supports individual exploration and growth while, potentially, impacting the profession. The focus of this new model is a philosophy of collective action and community building through the establishment and growth of library-initiated communities of practice.