The University of Washington (UW) Libraries, like many organizations, are facing a large number of retirements in the next 5-10 years. This could result in a massive loss of experience and institutional knowledge, which would be detrimental to UW as a whole. This is because the UW Libraries holds a central position in the success of the University as an academic research university. As the intellectual commons of the University, both physically and virtually, the Libraries address the information needs of the whole University community. By combining a literature review, interviews with staff, and case studies, I investigated current and future trends in academic libraries and higher education, identified necessary leadership competencies, and recommended best practices to help create an effective succession plan that will ensure a smooth transition to new leadership.