Fall Winter 2024 Courses Available

 Staff Development and Training

 Winter 2024 Courses

v Remember to check with your supervisor before registering for classes.

v If a course is offered more than once, you can register for either date.

v If you need to change/cancel a class, please contact SD&T as soon as possible.

 

Adaptive Change Management

Instructor:  Tony Daniels, CCBC

Date:  12/19/23

Time:  9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Location:  Poe Room, Central

Credit Hours:  7

We don’t always respond positively and productively to change. During times of change, a common reaction is to default to a mode of self-protection which makes it difficult to use our problem-solving skills to best meet the challenges and opportunities of changing circumstances and expectations. 

Adaptive change management provides techniques for productive and positive responses to change and maximizes the resilience of individuals, teams, and organizations.

We’ll discuss establishing trust within teams and the organization, managing assumptions about other staff members, and what to do and how to ask for information when sudden change occurs.

Recommended for:  all staff who work within teams, and public service staff in all locations

 

Better Business Writing

Instructor: Mary Ellen Wehr, CCBC

Date:  11/20/23                                             Date:  11/30/23

Time:  9 a.m. – 5 p.m.                                   Time:  9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Location:  Poe Room, Central                       Location:  Poe Room, Central

Credit Hours:  7                                             Credit Hours:  7

 Could your grammar use a quick polish?  Are you struggling with report writing and details, or trying to improve the clarity of your communications? Could your emails be clearer and more concise?

This course is designed to help you improve the knowledge and skills needed to write more effective business correspondence. Participants will review the importance of correct spelling, grammar and structure, and will be introduced to proper forms and styles for business memos and correspondence, including e-mail.

Topics to be covered include spelling, grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure; the three Cs (clear, concise, and correct) of business writing; business memos and correspondence; jargon and acronyms; and writing effective e-mail messages.  We'll also be discussing how to tighten your report writing abilities.

Recommended for:  staff who write reports on a regular basis, supervisors, and anyone who would appreciate a quick grammar refresh.

The Role of the Supervisor

Instructor: Tony Daniels, CCBC

Date:12/13/23                                               Date:  1/16/24

Time:  9 a.m. – 5 p.m.                     OR        Time:  9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Location:  Creative Arts, Central                   Location:  Creative Arts, Central

Credit Hours:  7                                            Credit Hours:  7

In this course we’ll discuss the basics of supervision, starting with the importance of strong supervisory skills, a review of theories of management and supervision, and the roles and responsibilities of staff who supervise other staff.

Topics covered will include the differences between managers and leaders and how to be effective at both, understanding the situational leadership model, and developing a balance between a concern for task and a concern for people to increase overall effectiveness.  You’ll also start to develop an action plan to increase your personal supervisory effectiveness and become a team leader.

Recommended for:  new managers and those wanting to become managers, but also current managers who would appreciate a review of the basics.

Situational Leadership:  Leading High Performing Teams During Change

Instructor: Tony Daniels, CCBC

Date: 1/10/24

Time:  9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Location:  Creative Arts, Central

Credit Hours:  7                                           

Successful organizations require effective leadership. This course will review principles for building and leading high performing teams such as the impact of different leadership styles, basics of team dynamics, the stages of team formation, motivating teams, developing trust, and using coaching and reinforcing skills to be a catalyst for high performance.

Organizational change is inevitable and creates both challenges and opportunities. Strong leadership is never more important than during times of organizational change. Participants will be given a step-by-step roadmap for strategically managing change which will include an emphasis on adaptive change management and proven methods for supporting teams, employees, and customers amidst change.

Recommended for:  managers and supervisors at all levels who want to strengthen their leadership skills and improve the performance of their teams.

 

Team Communication and Engagement

Instructor: Mary Ellen Wehr, CCBC

Date: 11/28/23

Time:  9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Location:  Poe Room, Central

Credit Hours:  7

Organizational change is constant and delivering clear, positive, and honest messages is an essential skill for leading teams through challenges and changes. This course focuses on understanding and improving the communication and interpersonal skills central to a supervisor’s effective interactions with the individuals that they lead as well as with other teams, management, and outside customers.

Topics will include a presentation of the communication process model and selected communication skills, barriers to effective communication, introduction of a personality profile instrument and the impact of personality types on communication, and active listening skills.

We’ll be discussing how to reframe conversations, coaching staff, team building, resilience, and flexibility.  When to ask and how to answer difficult questions, assertiveness, transparency, and building trust will also be discussed.

Recommended for:  managers and supervisors in all divisions

 

Workplace Communication Strategies

Instructor: Mary Ellen Wehr, CCBC

 Date:12/11/23

Time:  9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Location:  Creative Arts, Central

Credit Hours:  7

Effectively communicating is an essential workplace skill. Learn techniques and tools for more effectively communicating with organizational leadership, supervisors, coworkers, and library patrons. This includes strategies for both written and spoken communications as well as the importance of good listening skills.

We’ll be including discussions of resilience, interpersonal conflict, navigating hierarchy and working across divisions, and how to handle small problems before they become big problems.

Recommended for:  all staff, but especially public service staff in all locations

To register for a program or if you have any questions, contact the Staff Development and Training Office

training@prattlibrary.org

 410-545-7524

The Elijah Cummings Healing Cities Trauma Informed Training - December 3 Restorative Practices and Mindfulness

The recording of the December 3 session of the Elijah Cummings Healing Cities Trauma Informed Training is available for viewing. 

 December 3 - Restorative Practices and Mindfulness

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TrkNeNhSGVzS3DChIzE227sDNl1jWPgL/view?usp=sharing

These are mandatory programs, so if you missed any of the live programs click on the link below to view the session.  Please let your manager know when you have completed the training(s). 

1. If you missed Dr. Lawrence Brown's discussion of Historical and Structural Racism in Baltimore, on June 17, 2021, here is the link to the recording of that session. [please note this session is not eligible for CEU hours]

 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ngvQ_ns788IWA-Dy6sB6972kFt0K46zp/view

Here are the links to the recordings from October 11, 2021.

2. EPFL Staff Day 2021 Morning Session

https://marylandlibraries.zoom.us/rec/share/EHtEh_eJuTdG3q5V8eCDZZ7yp4U3sq0F0ITPICSUW2v1nWHxMHkoYuiUGVfZ86PD.tlXBCvy4CBEFeFrA

3. EPFL Staff Day 2021 Afternoon Session

https://marylandlibraries.zoom.us/rec/share/GnanHRQELGiq-iCH2pPLbR4NFGvZT_gshDNIXxi0FXsQec_jwlWUy77Ytlq3YYjk.Ges_JCDTOngo8ctA

 

4. The fourth session from November 12, 2021 on Trauma Informed Care and Historical Racism can be viewed here:

https://marylandlibraries.zoom.us/rec/share/ZDOeJRXAO8KoOXa6ZWUoCckgwsIoYRTIgX3hDsiFJ7WuHiJZXQX7aHYcYclNsq7F.7jRNEnLCDlU3UGdK

Access Passcode: w$2H94Kb

eBook on Empathy in the Workplace – Free to Download

 Elliott has given us permission to share this resource, which is directed toward learning and development, but also has articles on more general topics.

Download our free, 66-page Empathy eBook! We are honored to bring you the perspectives of learning and business colleagues around the world, as they share perspectives on Empathy in the Workplace & Workforce: Download or View: https://www.masie.com/empathyebook Empathy is critical in these challenging and changing times! We have curated and published this free eBook as a “right now”, real-time resource for the learning and human resources field. “Never has the skill of empathy been more critical in learning. As we pivot to new learning approaches to address new learning needs, intentionally designing for empathy becomes the foundation on which the future of learning must be built,” from Richard Culatta, our Learning Dean. The Learning COLLABORATIVE is releasing this eBook without charge. Content includes written contributions from 18 learning colleagues, 80+ quotes from the field, and special interviews with learning and business leaders, including: Elliott Masie, Chair of The Learning COLLABORATIVE Telly Leung, Broadway Actor, Producer, & Empathy Concert Co-Host Abigail Baugus, Walmart, Inc. – Sam’s Club Katie Hines, Land O’Lakes Mark Wagner, The Hartford Roger Addison, Addison Consulting In the days ahead, tens of thousands of learning and business colleagues from around the world will be accessing this first digital publication of the Elliott Masie Learning COLLABORATIVE. Kindly share this link with your colleagues and associates: Download or View the Empathy eBook: https://www.masie.com/empathyebook Yours in Learning, Elliott Masie Chair, Learning COLLABORATIVE

LATI updates

The LATI oversight committee and new coordinator have upgraded LATI and created a wonderful new program for our library associates.  If you are unfamiliar with LATI or haven't heard about changes I hope you find this information helpful.

LATI is a state-mandated training program the library associates must complete within two years of their hire date.  It is also connected to participation in the State retirement system

The new program is divided into two sections:

1.   The Expanded Early Start Program (EESP): a 12 week, self-directed, online program based on OpenLMS which should be completed within 120 days of hire.

2.   Advanced LATI:  a 9 week, blending learning course combining face-to-face sessions, virtual synchronous sessions and online homework and reflection. The virtual and online components are offered through OpenLMS.

LAs are now registered for EESP as soon as they are hired and once EESP is finished they are registered for the Advanced LAT.  Currently, all LATI programs are being held virtually.

I also wanted to share the information that with the new program, non-LAs are now eligible for the  Expanded Early Start Program. With supervisor approval, non LA staff members may participate in  EESP which focuses on learning about your library, model reference behavior, and basic resources for reference questions.  Non-LAs are not eligible for Advanced LATI at this time.

On the Forms page of the blog I've posted a brief presentation with more details and a link to the current LATI handbook.

Top Five Qualities of a Successful Goals and Intentions Statement

Your Goals and Intentions Statement doesn't have to be long, but it does need to have all of the necessary information.  Here are the top five aspects of a well-written Goals and Intentions Statement:

1. The statement briefly describes the event, its intended audience, and its purpose (2-3 sentences maximum)
2. The requesting staff member clearly demonstrates their interest in the event/program and why they wish to attend.
3. A clear connection is made between the purpose of the training/conference and the position of the staff member.
4. The statement includes information about what the staff member hopes to learn at the program.
5. The staff member explains what she/he/they want to do with the information learned at the event once they return to the library.

Here's what it might look like all together:

I would like to attend the MLA/DLA Joint Library Conference in Cambridge, MD from May 1-3, 2019  The MLA conference brings together library staff from across Maryland to discuss relevant topics and issues. 

There are many programs offered at this year’s conference that would benefit the library, the HR department, and the SD&T office.  On Wednesday morning, there is a pre-conference on making sense of library management.  This program will be very helpful when we start to plan the new EPFL leadership program.   

On Thursday, there are programs supporting inclusion at the library, as well as creating engaging multimedia and updates on statewide MLA programs.  There is also a program discussing methods for teaching adults, which might offer new information that would support our program offerings.  

On Friday, there is a program about teaching online, which is something I’d like to start doing in the future to expand SD&T programming, as well as a program on getting staff to advocate for their library.

The sessions offered at the MLA conference this year will support and contribute to the programs offered by SD&T in the upcoming year.  I will also be sharing the leadership program information with other HR staff at an upcoming meeting, and updating them on various state-wide issues we've been discussing this year.

Some networking notes from the Association for Talent Development annual conference

I recently attended the ATD conference, and went to a relly interesting session on networking, called Networking for People Who Hate Networking.  In the workshop, they defined networking as creating meaningful and beneficial connections one person at a time.  This was interesting, as we generally think of networking as meeting a bunch of people at an event, but if you don't gain something from the interaction then it's just talking.

Both extroverts and introverts can be successful networkers; they just need to approach it differently.  Introverts don't have to fake being extroverts in order to network successfull, but they should do a bit of preparation before the event so that they can be confident in their interactions.  Introverts may have more difficulty starting a conversation, but they tend to develop more meaningful connections.

Here are some tips that you can use to improve your networking skills, regardless of the situation in which you find yourself:

• research in advance - what is the purpose of the event, why are people there, who is likely to attend and what connections would you like to make?
• volunteer to help with the event - particularly good for conferences or meetings since people are always glad to have help and you become an instant "insider" with lots of opportunities to talk to others
• arrive early to group events - it's less daunting and you have time to focus on each of the newer arrivals rather than trying to navigate a large group
• spot check before you arrive - are you pulled together?  Have your business cards handy?
• get in a line - this sounds funny, but often we meet interesting people while waiting in lines, and you never know who might be a good connection
• eat or (soft) drink before the event, this keeps that magic spinach from appearing in your teeth
• if you take someone's business card, take a moment to make a note on the back of who they are and why they talked to you, so when you follow up later you can remember who they wereand why you have their card (this works for vendor rooms too, what did you discuss with that company?)
• practice active listening, don't look over someone's shoulder when you are talking to them and focus your attention on what they are saying
• be authentic - don't try to impress someone, just share your information and thoughts
• don't hang on one person all night, you need to circulate (be a best-seller not a research tome)
• follow up after the event, remind the person where you met and what you discussed (from your notes on the business card), otherwise you aren't building a connection

Learning 2018 - Conference Review

In November I attended the Learning 2018 conference in Orlando.  This was the 28th year of this conference, which brings learning and development professionals together from around the world.  This year there were 1873 attendees from 27 different countries were represented, who are responsible for learning and development for over 30 million employees worldwide.

The theme of the conference this year was "Learning Changes."  Learners are changing, technology is changing, as are expectations and the economy.  The other main theme of the conference this year was the need for diversity, what it really means, and that cultivating diversity isn't just culturally positive, but can bring about economic improvements as well.  Other themes running through the conference included leadership development and designing effective onboarding for new staff. 

One idea that regularly was mentioned was the idea of fear and how it prevents us from achievement.  Keynote speaker Leslie Odom Jr. said that he recognized that all the things he wants in life are "on the other side of my fear," and session leader Deepak Sethi suggested that the way to overcome fear is to do more of the thing that you fear.  I even experienced a tiny bit of fear myself when trying to drive a bulldozer in the construction simulation machine, where the danger isn't real but is noticable and can affect performance.

I also learned some interesting but random things, like the fact that there are conferences for people who design and run haunted houses, that walking in a small group in a natural setting is the best stress reliever, and that  Plants vs. Zombies is a good learning game because you have to plan ahead and adapt.  I also learned that when NASCAR pit crews change tires they leave the lug nuts on the ground and they are routinely hit by these and other debris as the car returns to the track, and that in Fortune 1000 companies there are more CEOs named David than there are women, and only 3 are African-American.

Lisa R. Kenyon
Staff Development and Training

City Training Forms now on the blog

We added links to the City of Baltimore training forms to the "Forms" tab on the blog.  You should complete a 354 and goals statement, and then attach the appropriate form(s) so we can complete your registration on the city site.

Contact SD&T if you have any questions about completing these forms.

SD&T Winter/Spring courses

Over the next few days we're going to start announcing the classes we are offering for winter/spring 2018.

Keep your eyes on your email for these announcements and contact SD&T to register for any or all of the programs.

Teaser: 1st class for spring scheduled - more to come

We've scheduled the first of many classes for the winter/spring 2018 courses, but we're not telling what it is 😉.  More details to come in the next few days.

Review: Motivate, Engage, and Energize Your Team

Motivate, Engage, and Energize Your Team

Che’ Evans, instructor

Baltimore City HR Department

July 20, 2017

The instructor, was enthusiastic and brought a great energy to the discussion.  She was happy to answer specific questions and adapt the course to the needs and interests of the participants.

The class started by discussed employee motivations and how to create an environment that encourages employees to be engaged in their work.  Communication is definitely the key to sharing expectations and clarifying what tasks are “do now” and which can wait.  We also learned that employees can be working at a satisfactory level, but if they are not supported or even worse are in the wrong job they will not improve their performance or be motivated to expand their abilities.

One suggestion offered in class is to meet one-on-one with each member of your team at least once a month to review progress and discuss any problems.  This doesn’t have to be a long meeting, and shows the staf that you are interested in their growth.  Another interesting ideas was to provide interim performance evaluations with scores to staff having difficulties so that they can track their progress from version to version, and review areas that need improvement. 

This was a very interesting class, and I highly recommend it for supervisors and managers.  It does seem to be directed toward managers of larger groups, but those with smaller teams will still get some good ideas to try with their staff.   

Lisa R. Kenyon

Staff Development and Training

Teach a man to fish - the problem with training and proverbs

At a recent conference I attended, one speaker used the well-known phrase "give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach him to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."   The speaker was using this to illustrate that successful training is important for all employees, but I found myself thinking about this for some time, and from a training perspective, this is an extremely flawed proverb.  

Training is not a singular event, but an ongoing process.  If we treat training as an isolated event, then we cannot expect a successful result.  Each program/class/webinar/book accessed by our employees is one part of a much larger system of development.  Let's use the proverb to show how this works.

In our story, did we provide one fishing lesson and then expect the man to be successful, or did we stick with him until we were satisfied with his competency?  One single session or class is usually not enough to confirm that the skill has been acquired.  Will we be checking back with him in the future?  Providing refresher classes or upgrading his skills if needed?  It is unlikely that he will continue to be successful without acquiring new skills. 

What types of fish were caught during the training sessions? Were they all the same or different?  Will the man have access to these types of fish in his daily life or were they only available in the area where he was trained?  Can he replicate the training conditions?  If not, his chances of success are small.  It is easy to be successful in class and give the correct answers, but can you replicate this success on the job or in less than ideal conditions?

What type of tools (technology) were used for the fishing class?  Are these tools readily available to the man in the future?  Were the tools specific to the type of fish being caught, or were they suitable to a variety of situations?  Did he use bait or lures?  Does he have the money to purchase these in the future?  What happens if his fishing tools are lost or break (obsolete technology)?  Can he sustain his success as time passes?

Is follow-up training available to the man?  It is one thing to catch a fish, and quite another to clean it and cook it.  Does he know which parts of the fish to eat and which to avoid?  Was his training thorough, or just a small part of a larger need?  If we don't teach him to clean the fish then maybe he'll die from choking on fish bones.  Technically this is feeding him for a lifetime, but I don't think that is what the proverb intended.  It's easy to say "well he should know these things," but when we are introduced to a new skill or idea we need to avoid making assumptions about what our employees do and don't already know.

Did we teach the man to cook the fish?  This is an important part of the process.  Technically you can live on raw fish, but then you run the risks of parasites and Salmonella.  Does he know different ways to cook the fish, and will he have access to fire and utensils?  With training, it is important to consider the next step in the process.  Where can participants go for more information?  Are there other types of training in different formats?  What if they want to take the next step?  One training session is unlikely to contain all the information the participants need, so what is next?

Did we teach the man in our story to cook other things to go with the fish?  He'll need some vegetables and fruit to maintain a healthy diet and limit his intake of mercury.  Likewise, our trainees need to know how the training fits into their overall skill set or abilities.  What educational need is being satisfied by the training?  Are there other skills that can be connected to those covered in this training?  Where does it fit into the abilities needed by the employee?

Finally, and perhaps this should be first, what if the man in the story doesn't want to be a fisherman?  Maybe he doesn't even like fish.  Maybe he doesn't want a physical job outdoors in all weathers.   Maybe he has a physical condition that would prevent him from doing the job.  Maybe he had neither the disposition nor the basic abilities needed to be a successful fisherman. Not every person can do every job, regardless of the amount of training s/he receives, so is there a backup plan for our fisherman?  

Does he have a retirement plan?    Is there a plan to care for him in his old age? What happens when he gets too old to physically do the job?   What happens if the fish population declines and he can't catch enough to feed himself?  Is there a plan to teach him a different skill set if needed?  It is important to keep improving skills throughout your career and planning for changes in your industry.

What happens if he gets tired of fishing, assuming he ever wanted to do it at all?  Once starvation is no longer a threat, he may become dissatisfied with his life as a fisherman and his performance will suffer.  People lose interest in their jobs if they are not given the chance to grow and improve themselves.  Will we be providing training in the future on new fishing techniques and equipment, or will he be obsolete in 5 years’ time?

So perhaps the proverb should be "give a man a fish and you feed him for a day,  teach him to catch and cook fish, grow and prepare vegetables and fruits, give him upgraded fishing lessons as needed, and plan for alternate training in the case of obsolescence,  and you feed him for a lifetime."   Not as catchy, but certainly a more successful training plan.

Learning 2016 - some misc. thoughts and facts

Learning 2016

Orlando, FL

October 23-26

The Learning conferences are designed for training and learning professionals, and focuses on issues surrounding workplace learning.  This was the 26^th year of the conference, and there were 207 breakout sessions offered, as well as 6 general sessions.  Attending the conference were 1639 learning professionals who support over 30 million employees worldwide.  Maryland Libraries sent 9 staff to the conference from 7 different systems.

The themes for this year were innovation, storytelling, and the panorama of learning. 

Here are some interesting and random ideas from the conference:

• People need power skills – deep thinking, advanced communication, and problem solving
• Leadership is a habit and people have to change their habits, this requires repletion and practice
• Multi-tasking is a myth, we cannot do more than one thing at a time
• 20% of the U.S. workforce lack HS Diploma = 40 million people
• Job rotations provide stretch assignments and cross-functional learning opportunities
• Our brains are wired to love pictures, 50% of your brain is involved in visual processing and interpretation, images process 60x faster than anything else in our brain
• In space, they use Greenwich Mean time

One final thought:  the average attention span of humans is 8 seconds, and goldfish have a 9 second attention span.

Lisa Kenyon

Staff Development and Training

Core 4 -- A Conference in the Crescent City

Beignets, beads, Bourbon Street debauchery, and...breakthrough learning.  Ok, so I didn’t actually feel the need to hit up Bourbon St., having done that in my more tender undergraduate years, and sadly, I didn’t make it to Cafe du Monde to partake of their famous flaky french doughnuts, but I did learn about breakthrough learning techniques and other concepts related to instructional design and training facilitation during the 2 1/2 days I spent at the ATD Core 4 Conference in New Orleans, LA.   

    

The conference is designed for HR professionals, curriculum designers, corporate trainers, nonprofit facilitators, teachers -- really anyone who has anything to do with professional development in any type of organization.  As a SLRC Librarian I deliver a variety of face-to-face and virtual trainings, and I attended ATD with the goal of absorbing new ideas.

So, what did I learn?

• It takes A LOT of time simply to design effective training.  According to research by Brian Chapman,  it takes anywhere between 22 and 82 hours to create 1 hour of instructor-led classroom learning.  Developing 1 hour of basic e-learning from scratch takes an average of 49 hours.    

• Avoiding “death by powerpoint” is a must, and visual design play a huge role.    Playing with font styles, shapes, and types of imagery creates appealing slides, and as Connie Malamed pointed out in her session on “Crash Course on Visual Design,” aesthetic appeal actually leads to greater learning.

• Learning styles are a big lie.  Ok, not totally but several presenters referred to recent research that suggests it’s less important to focus on individual learning styles and more meaningful to provide variety in your training because most people learn best by using a combination of visual, auditory, and kinesthetic techniques.  While we’re on the topic of theory, having a grasp of adult learning theory is super important.  When designing training,  adults often want to know WIIFM (What’s In It For Me), or how this is going to immediately and practically impact them.  Also, they often appreciate opportunities to share their life experiences during learning events as well as relate newly acquired knowledge and skills to previous knowledge.    

• Action mapping is a useful instructional design strategy that helps  trainers avoid the all too common “information dump” presentation.  The 4 step method involves 1.) identifying the goal, 2.) identifying what actions (not necessarily knowledge) people need to do to accomplish the goal,  3.) designing practice activities, and 4.) identifying the minimum information people need to complete each activity.   Maybe it’s not totally practical in all library learning contexts but if you’re like me, you’ll try anything to keep your participants from snapchatting and playing Angry Birds during your trainings.   

• Games are a great learning tool to integrate into training and instruction.  No, wait games are distracting and bad. Ok, so both things can be true.   Games are ok if they facilitate successful learning outcomes (I played a friendly competitive game of Jeopardy to find out how much technical lingo I already knew about e-learning), but don’t throw them in with no strategy and call it “engagement.”  Then it just becomes what presenter termed “clicky clicky bling bling,” just for looks.      

• The New World Kirkpatrick Model  used for training evaluation is super useful and super hard to implement.   Measuring level 1 (learners’ reaction to training) and level 2 (if and how much learners’ actually learn during training) is totally doable, but it becomes much harder when we try and measure how training changes behavior (Level 3) and how it influences outcomes (Level 4). Oh,  the ever present challenge of assessment.   No magic answers here, but some good food for thought.  

Speaking of food,  I did sneak out of the hotel one day between sessions to enjoy a classic muffaletta from the world-famous Central Grocery and a view of the muddy Mississippi.   It was yet another breakthrough learning experience, I promise.  

Emily Sachs

Information Services

Learning Portfolios

A Learning Portfolio is a self-directed, independent study of a subject that is relevant to the staff member’s job requirements and/or duties.  The topic of the portfolio is selected by the staff member, in consultation with her/his supervisor, and completed within a set time frame.  The portfolios are an excellent way for staff to acquire knowledge of subjects where there is no formal course or ready made instruction available for the person to learn/acquire knowledge on that subject.  Portfolios are also a great way for staff to study subjects that are relevant to their specific duties or needs, or on topics which might not be of interested to the staff as a whole.

The Learning Portfolio Instructions document provides the information needed to complete a Learning Portfolio.  There are two parts to the process, and signatures from the supervisor and staff development coordinator are required for both.  Part 1 is a planning process.  Part 2 is a completion process that includes an Activities and Resources Log. This study must be approved by the staff member’s supervisor and the staff development coordinator of their library system

Although multiple Learning Portfolios may be completed during the 5 year period, a maximum of 40 total hours can be used, with a minimum of 1 hour and a maximum of 20 hours on any single Learning Portfolio.

Completed portfolios will be posted on the staff development coordinators wiki site, and will accessible by staff statewide.

The Process: 

• Staff member decides on a topic and schedules a brief meeting with immediate supervisor to determine if topic is appropriate and relevant to the staff member’s responsibilities or areas of interest.
• If topic is approved by supervisor, the staff member then completes the Learning Portfolio Plan, following the instructions on form.  The staff member then meets with the supervisor to review the information and receive feedback from the supervisor.  Once the staff member and supervisor agree on the project, the supervisor signs the form and then forwards the paperwork to the Staff Development and Training Coordinator. 
• The SD&T Coordinator reviews the Portfolio Plan, and (if necessary) contacts the staff member with questions or suggestions.  If revision is required, the forms will be returned to the staff member and then re-submitted to SD&T.  If revision is not required, the SD&T Coordinator will sign the form and send the original back to the staff member.  A copy of the paperwork will be retained in the SD&T files.
• Staff member begins and completes the project according to the approved timeline.
• Staff member meets with the supervisor to review completed project, and supervisor signs the completion form. The staff member then creates the “Official Record of Continuing Education Activity” form (CEU).
• The signed form and supporting documents are sent to the SD&T Coordinator for approval.  If the Coordinator has questions or concerns about the project, a meeting may be scheduled with the staff member and/or supervisor.  The Coordinator signs the completion form and returns the signed original to the staff member.  A copy of the paperwork will be retained in the SD&T files.
• The staff member will include the title of the activity on the appropriate “Full Record of Earned Continuing Education Units” form as part of the re-certification paperwork.

Librarians and library associates in Maryland can chose to create a Learning Portfolio as an additional means of earning contact hours to meet their continuing education requirements.  

Why is Professional Development Important for Librarians and Library Associates?

The continuing education requirement for public librarians and library associates in the state of Maryland is part of the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) under Title 13A.05.04.02, and is the process is the responsibility of the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE).  Certification is required not only for employment as a librarian/library associate in Maryland, but also for participation in the retirement system.

So this tells us the technical “why,” but not the actual “why” of library professional development.  Often, staff are so focused on the numbers (hours, due dates) that they forget why the requirement is there in the first place.  Professional development and continuing education are crucial to improving library related skills and to the development of the staff member as a professional:  

Education for the contemporary professional no longer ends with diploma, if it ever did. It has been recognized that continuing education strengthens not only knowledge and skills necessary for competent performance but also values and attitudes necessary for the service orientation of a profession.[1]

The ever-changing role of the library requires that the staff also be ever-changing, and ever-improving.  Some estimates show that human knowledge is doubling every 13 months[2], and between 600,000 and 1,000,000 books published every year in the US[3].  The need to learn new technologies, stay relevant, and restructure services based on the needs of our customers requires ongoing professional development. 

Instead of fixating on the number of hours needed, librarians and library associates should focus on gaining knowledge, updating skills, remaining “abreast of trends and developments in the field”[4], and improving both technical and inter-personal skills.  By recognizing that training and development is a “crucial element in ensuring positive user experiences within libraries,”[5]  staff can explore learning as a means of becoming better professionals.  We don’t take classes to get hours; we get hours to remind us that we need to take classes!  

Of course, we have the yearly Full Record reports and SD&T staff to help ensure that you stay on track with your hours, but if our librarians and library associates are constantly improving skills and pursuing educational opportunities, then the 90 hour requirement should take care of itself. 

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[1] Hurych, J. quoted in http://conference.ifla.org/past-wlic/2011/200-cooke-en.pdf

[2] Schilling, David Russell http://www.industrytap.com/knowledge-doubling-every-12-months-soon-to-be-every-12-hours/

[3] Morgan, Nick.  http://www.forbes.com/sites/nickmorgan/2013/01/08/thinking-of-self-publishing-your-book-in-2013-heres-what-you-need-to-know/

[4] Cooke, Nicole A. http://conference.ifla.org/past-wlic/2011/200-cooke-en.pdf

[5] Lockhart, Janine and Sulaiman Majal http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1134&context=iatul