DRAFT

Continuing Education Procedure

Staff training and development is an essential element in the development of the library. The library provides planned opportunities to support staff in meeting the needs of their specific departments and of the library as a whole.

Staff training and development involves a wide range of activities to support the current and future needs of the library, and which enable a staff member to develop his or her knowledge, skills, or behavioral competencies. There are five primary focuses of staff training and development within the library:

· Orientation

o All new members of staff will undertake the orientation training outlined for the library as a whole and for their specific department. This orientation is scheduled to take six weeks.

· Training for a new role within the library

o When assigned new duties within their department, or transferred to a new department in the library, staff will work through a training needs assessment with their supervisor to develop an individual training plan. This plan will be implemented and supported by the departmental supervisor

· Performance review training (individual goals)

o This training is outlined to provide development opportunities for library staff, or to enable staff to seek training to overcome deficiencies in work or behavior

· Strategic plan goals

o To develop the library and its various departments to meet future requirements, and to achieve the annual goals of the departments and of the library as a whole

· Continuing education

o With prior approval and on a case-by-case basis as budget allows, staff may be reimbursed from the training budget for:

§ Bachelor’s degree coursework related to library issues (minor in Library Science preferred)

§ Course work towards an MLS degree or specifically relating to the job

§ Continuing higher education courses beyond the MLS degree, as it relates to the job

o In return for educational support, staff will need to present a proposal of what they will bring back to the library from their coursework as identified in the evaluation outcomes.

o Staff receiving tuition assistance will be required to retain their employment at the library for the number of months enrolled. If they are unable to complete the required number of months either by their decision or administratively, they will be required to reimburse the library a percentage equal to the number of months not employed at the library.

Supervisors will:

· At least once annually, assess staff for training needs and interests

o Assessment may be conducted formally or informally, either scheduled or as supervisors become aware of staff who may be eligible or interested

· Consult with staff for recommendations when determining internal training opportunities.

o Library administration, the city’s Human Resources Office, and library patrons may also determine the direction of specific training initiatives.

· Carry out the staff training planning process

· Support staff as they achieve their development plans

· Evaluate the outcomes of the staff training activities

· Disseminate new ideas and initiatives within the Management Team and their departments

The Public Services Manager will:

· Monitor the staff training processes

· Evaluate the staff training processes

· Disseminate new ideas and initiatives within the Management Team

Outcomes:

It is crucial to the success of the training to identify the purpose and what will be achieved as a result of the training. This will allow for adequate evaluation at the conclusion of the training. The desired outcome can be expressed in terms of aims, objectives, and/or learning outcomes.

· Aim – a broad statement of the desired achievement, that will address the questions

o What is the purpose of this training event?

o What is the training intended to achieve?

· Objective – derived from aims; they describe the specific intentions of the training

· Learning outcome – specifies what participants are likely to learn as a result of the training events.

February 24, 2005