Professional Development for Delaware Library Staff: Home

Webjunction Webinar

"Set one training goal each week achievable in one hour." This simple directive was given to every staff member of one Utah library in September 2011. The result just one year later? A sustainable, positive culture transformation. The mechanism, called “Self-Directed Achievement,” is a consistent, agile, individualized approach to staff development in a climate of constant change. It champions the basic library principle of lifelong learning. It is achievable for every individual with any level of expertise. And its impact will ripple through your organization from the staff work room to public lounge areas. Following this webinar, you will understand the model, mechanics, individual accountability, and supervisory responsibility involved in this remarkable method...and you’ll want to do it too.

Self-Directed Achievement on a Small Scale

A great example of how one library made learning a key part of what they do.

Thanks so much to all of the Delaware public library staff who took the time to complete the Training Needs Assessment.  Your input was invaluable and greatly appreciated.  Please find a link to the report below.  Curriculum development is underway, and current professional development offerings are based on the results of the assessment.

The Training Needs Assessment was based on the Competency Index for the Library Field compiled by WebJunction.

Kathy Graybeal, Sussex County Library Director, gives us a 3-minute introduction to highlight points of professional development and talk about its importance in our libraries, recorded for the June 2014 Library Town Meeting. 

More Delaware Libraries training videos and additional tools for learning are available on the consortium page, and here

As of June 30, 2019, Delaware public library staff comprised:

• 366.92 FTEs
• 128.36 FTE librarians
• 68.23 FTEs with an MLS

As of June 30, 2018, Delaware public library staff comprised:

• 356.28 FTEs
• 123.32 FTE librarians
• 63.71 FTEs with an MLS

As of June 30, 2017, Delaware public library staff comprised:

• 336.18 FTEs
• 113.61 FTE librarians
• 60.03 FTEs with an MLS

• 342.77 FTEs
• 128.78 FTE librarians
• 63.24 FTEs with an MLS

As of June 30, 2015, Delaware public library staff comprised:

• 324.67 FTEs
• ​123 FTE librarians
• 63.22 FTEs with an MLS

As of June 30, 2014, Delaware public library staff comprised:

• 330.03 FTEs
• 121.72 FTE librarians
• ​63.58 FTEs with an MLS

As of June 30, 2013, Delaware public library staff comprised:

• 329.93 FTEs
• 115.5 FTE librarians
• 62.14 FTEs with an MLS

Katie McDonough

Links to sources of other archived webinars:

• ALCTS (Association for Library Collections & Technical Services) e-Forums
• ALCTS (Association for Library Collections & Technical Services) webinars
• American Libraries Live
• Booklist
• CSL in Session (Colorado State Library)
• Florida Library Webinars
• Georgia Library Association
• Idaho Commission for Libraries
• Indiana State Library 
• Infopeople
• iSchool @ UW-Madison
• Kentucky Department for Libraries & Archives
• Library Journal
• Library Support Staff Certification/LSSC Program
• LLAMA (Library Leadership & Management Association)
• National Network of Libraries of Medicine
• National Network of Libraries of Medicine – Boost Box
• National Network of Libraries of Medicine – Lunch w/the RML
• NCompass Live (Nebraska Library Commission)
• NoveList
• #publibchat 
• School Library Journal
• SJSU School of Library & Information Science
• TechSoup for Libraries
• Tech Tools with Tine
• Texas Library Association
• Texas State Library & Archives Commission
• TL [Teacher Librarian] Virtual Cafe
• UW-Madison iSchool
• Washington State Library
• WebJunction Event Archives

Additional Training Opportunities!

The Delaware Division of Libraries is pleased to announce that we have renewed membership for Delaware Libraries in WebJunction for FY16.  The following are now available for free to all Delaware library staff -    

• A catalog of free online learning on library topics is now available to all library staff (including students and volunteers). These self-paced courses and webinars have been developed by WebJunction and other organizations such as LibraryU and Infopeople. To access this content, simply create your free account.
• Certificates of completion will be provided to you for every course you finish or webinar you view through the WebJunction catalog.
• All attendees of WebJunction’s live webinar programs are eligible to receive a certificate of attendance. These will be emailed to the address provided at registration, within one week of the live event.

Dozens of new articles on hot library topics will be published on a regular basis, so stay tuned to the WebJunction.org homepage.
Crossroads newsletter is broadcast each month, to alert you to upcoming learning opportunities and keep you updated on what is happening in the library world. Make sure you are subscribed!

WebJunction will host more than 20 live webinar sessions throughout the year--free events that allow you to meet and learn from library leaders and fellow library practitioners.

For a monthly list of free training opportunities, see WebJunction's Free Training page.

If you have any questions, please email events@lib.de.us.

When you participate in a professional development activity, whether it's included on the list of Professional Development Opportunities or not, don't forget to record it on the Professional Development Achievement Tracker. This is for all Delaware library staff, not just public library staff. Transcripts are available on request from events@lib.de.us.

If you hear about a professional development opportunity that interests you (webinar, eCourse,...), please send an email to events@lib.de.us.  There is a good possibility that others are interested as well, so DDL may be able to arrange for a group viewing of a webinar, group participation in an eCourse, etc.  DDL is usually able to pay any associated fees.

Frustrated because you see a book you would like to purchase from ALA but it's too expensive?  Well, worry no more!  DDL has a budget for professional development materials, so if you see something you'd like to order (from ALA or elsewhere), just send an email with the details to events@lib.de.us, and we'll be happy to order it.  The item will be placed in the floating collection so it will be available to all.

Ada Leigh Soles Memorial Professional Librarian and Archivist Incentive Program

GENERAL INFORMATION

The purpose of this program is to enable and encourage academically talented Delawareans to pursue careers as librarians and archivists in Delaware.

The program is administered by the Delaware Higher Education Office (DHEO), Department of Education (DOE).

Awards shall be provided for education in master's degree programs of library and information studies that are accredited by the American Library Association. Preference shall be given to persons currently employed by a Delaware public library, county department of libraries, public school library, state agency library or archive, or a member library of the Delaware Library Consortium. 

Awards may also be provided for study leading to bachelor’s and/or doctoral degrees. Awards shall be limited to persons who have been employed for a minimum of two years at a Delaware public library, county department of libraries, public school library, state agency library or archive, or a member library of the Delaware Library Consortium.

Academic record and financial need, as determined by the FAFSA, are considered.  Preference is given to students pursuing a Master's Degree.  Awards are subject to available funding, and renewal awards will be funded first.

Loans will be forgiven at the rate of 1 year of employment for 1 year of loan for bachelor’s degree students, and 2 years of employment for 1 year of loan for master’s and doctoral degree students. Qualifying employment shall be employment in a Delaware public library, public school library, state agency library or archive, or a member library of the Delaware Library Consortium. The forgiveness period begins after graduation. Students have a 12-month grace period if NOT working in qualifying employment at the time of graduation.

HOW TO APPLY

Applications can be submitted online between April 1 and the beginning of June (exact date varies) at Student Account Access for Delaware Higher Education Office Scholarships on the DOE website. 

DISBURSEMENT TIMEFRAME

• Award notifications are sent via email in August. Awards cover full tuition and mandatory fees for fall, winter, spring, and summer semesters; books; and one laptop, up to $750. 
• Log on to your account with DHEO and accept the award, then send estimated costs for the whole year, broken down by semester, to DHEO, with the subject line - Ada Leigh Soles Tuition Estimate.
• As soon as you receive a tuition bill, send a copy to DHEO along with valid receipts for books and/or a laptop that you have already purchased. Books and laptops can be purchased through your school or independently. DHEO sends all payments directly to your school, please consult their financial aid office to learn about their reimbursement process.                                                             
• In September, notifications are sent to your school's financial aid office to request enrollment verification for the fall semester.  Colleges verify enrollment in September or October. Enrollment verification is required for each semester before payment can be sent.
• Once enrollment is verified, a promissory note is created by DHEO using the estimated figures you provided and is sent to you for signature. Once you return the signed promissory note to DHEO (by email, fax, or mail), payment to your school is initiated based on verified costs. You only need to sign the promissory note once a year (usually your fall semester).

PAYMENT PROCESS

• Once you send your semester invoices and receipts to DHEO, your award amount for that term is updated in DHEOs database.
• DHEO creates a payment invoice, which then goes through three approval levels - one at DHEO, one at the Department of Education's Finance Office, and lastly at the Department of Budget and Management.
• Once a payment has been approved, a check or EFT is created and sent to your school.
• Your school will then apply the payment to your account and refund any money in excess of tuition and fees.
• This process can take several weeks depending on the overall volume of payments that need to be made.

WHAT CAN CAUSE A DELAY IN PAYMENT

• Your school has not completed enrollment verification.
• DHEO has not received the invoices they need from you in order to issue payment.
• DHEO receives partial invoices, which could result in multiple payments being made to the school.
• Your Promissory Note has not been signed and returned to DHEO.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Tiffany Pearson processes Promissory Notes, invoices, and payments - tiffany.pearson@doe.k12.de.us 

Vincere Taylor handles questions about program eligibility and provides application assistance - vincere.taylor@doe.k12.de.us

​Main Office number: 302-735-4120

Main email address: dheo@doe.k12.de.us                                                                                                                                                                                  

FURTHER INFORMATION

The above is based on the Delaware Code and the PowerPoint presentation from the 2020 Ada Leigh Soles webinar (at the bottom of the box).

PLEASE NOTE: The following scholarships are available through the Delaware Library Association -

• Helen H. Bennett Scholarship (library certification, Master's or Doctoral degree)
• Grace Estelle Wheeless Scholarship (library certification, Master's or Doctoral degree)
• ​Linda Walge Penman Scholarship (high school juniors & seniors)

Directory of ALA-Accredited and Candidate Programs in Library and Information Studies

Library Support Staff Certification/LSSC

LSSC is designed to recognize the value and accomplishments of Library Support Staff. The LSSC Program is managed by the American Library Association-Allied Professional Association (ALA-APA) and is directed toward those who work in positions in libraries that do not require a graduate degree in Library Science.

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