Discusses the value of continuing education for staff members of special libraries as reported by information professionals in a study of excellence in corporate libraries. Background on the Special Libraries Association's Professional Development Program is also provided, and the importance of keeping current with the literature is emphasized.…

There is mounting concern about the adequacy of both preparatory and continuing professional education of academic librarians. The staff development cost model presented identifies cost categories, provides a method to break down costs per participant, and outlines a technique to compare the cost-effectiveness of different training methods. (CLB)