In response to the COVID-19 global pandemic, the University of Maryland (UMD) Libraries quickly switched to online teaching and learning. This disruption created a chance for innovation, allowing the UMD Libraries to scale back nonessential functions and focus on improving mission-critical work. The authors present the teaching program at UMD…

In the past, Southern California's library access services professionals in higher education had to travel across the country for professional development and networking opportunities, but this is no longer the case. Now, through California Library Access Services South (CLASS), Southern California's Access Services professionals can network,…

Planning and implementing online professional development opportunities is challenging but attainable. This paper explains how a group of librarians from different institutions worked to plan, market, implement, and evaluate monthly webinars as well as an inaugural online conference, despite never meeting in person. The web conferences began…

In 2016, Access Services staff attended a professional development course on process improvement offered at Kennesaw State University. Process improvement initiatives have been credited with devising more effective, streamlined practices by identifying and eliminating non-value-added work. The Head of Access Services adapted content from the…

The path towards leadership starts with you. But you don't have to go it alone. For this book, the authors sat down with many of the library leaders they most admire for a series of conversations about the aspects of the job that they find the most fascinating (and challenging). Much like the chats you might have over coffee at a conference or…

Many individuals working in library and information organizations do not hold a master of library science (MLS) degree or other specialized library science credential. Recognizing that this professional gap could be addressed by diversified educational opportunities, the W. Frank Steely Library at Northern Kentucky University in Highland Heights…

As the costs of scholarly and educational publications skyrocket, open educational resources (OER) are becoming an important way to provide content and enhance the teaching and learning experience. Librarians have a key role to play in developing, advocating, and managing OER. For many librarians, however, championing OERs means adding an…

Professional development is, in essence, a form of lifelong learning, and as such, can be viewed within the context of pedagogical concepts. More specifically, professional development is a process that builds on the experiences of the professional through assessment and reflection. The library as an organization acts like a teacher or instructor…

This article describes the outcome of a collaboration between a faculty member and a librarian to integrate information literacy into a graduate counseling psychology program. This collaboration used discipline-based standards from a professional association (the Association of Counselor Education and Supervision, ACES) to provide instructional…

Today's academic librarian is frequently called upon to function as a subject specialist, with or without advanced degrees in other disciplines. One method of monitoring trends within a given field is to study its literature; another is to attend conferences in the discipline. Discipline-specific conference attendance by academic librarians…

This paper outlines professional development activities for new academic librarians. The authors review and critique various professional development activities including publishing, presentations, involvement in professional organizations, continuing education, and institutional and community service. Includes descriptions of activities and a…

Describes the process of teaching professional development courses to academic faculty, staff, and graduate assistants at Emporia State University that focused on electronic resources. Illustrates the increase in total library instruction, favorable reactions of faculty, and enhanced image of the library, and considers the future of library…

Demonstrates that a broadened concept of staff development is important and possible. Describes the steps one library took in establishing a staff development plan; the committee that developed the programs; successful programs; and how, with modest expenditures, an investment can grow and provide benefits. Appendixes contain memos and an…

This article highlights various literature covering a broad range of topics that are of interest to public services librarians, from collections and user services to one's own research and professional development. Although addressing many topics, these authors have all used or advocate for solid research methods and data analysis in their works,…

This article describes the program Cybrary Skills in the Tertiary Environment offered at the University of Queensland Library to librarians from tertiary institutions in developing countries. Under the program, librarians from several countries have worked and studied at UQ Library, in groups or in individual placements for varying periods of…