Findings | My Site 1

Conclusion

In the five months working on this project, from the environmental scan to putting everything together for our website, we’ve learned a lot about professional development and developing leaders. We’ve taken the basic expectations: be promoted into a managerial role and watch some webinars to learn how to lead people; and transformed it into: give people a variety of options to learn how to lead, regardless of their title or longevity in the library. We’ve seen that the opportunities are out there, whether it’s through PLA or an external resource. We’ve been able to identify gaps and overlaps and provide recommendations for PLA. It’s important to note that PLA is doing well with the professional development opportunities that they provide. It’s also important to listen to what survey respondents have to say, so that PLA can do even better.

In today’s uncertain times, with institutions like the Library of Congress and the Institute of Library and Museum Services under attack in addition to on-going budget and censorship issues, we have to do what we can to help each other. PLA is and should be on the front lines with public library professionals; professional development is only one piece of that. If there is one thing to take away from this project, it’s that we all have leadership potential -- but there isn’t only one way to become a leader.

Major Themes in Our Work

Networking

Respondents highlighted the value of formal mentorship programs, networking with like-minded professionals, and opportunities for small group discussions. They also preferred more idea-sharing rather than the typical panel presentation at conferences.

Barriers

A lack of funding, limited local options, and time constraints were consistent themes. Respondents requested more in-person options, especially for adult and emerging adult learners, as well as continued virtual access.

Leadership

High demand for training in leadership skills, management, supervision, board leadership, conflict resolution, and project management. Many respondents noted a strong desire for structured support in transitioning into leadership roles.

69.9% of librarians surveyed agreed that effective mentorship was important, while 29.4 % were unsure.

66.1% of respondents believed there were many obstacles to accessing leadership development opportunities, while 69.7% of public librarians cited a lack of time as a major factor.

Recommendations

Support State Associations

Our first recommendation is to support state associations through collaborative professional development that can strengthen and expand regional networks. Doing so would allow for more tailored, need-based professional development specifically for public libraries facing financial or time constraints that limit their access

Increase Finance & Funding Professional Development Opportunities

Our second recommendation is to expand professional development opportunities in the area of finance and funding. In response to the survey question asking respondents what professional development opportunities they wish they had, participants mentioned needs such as “financial management training,” “business and accounting/admin practices,” and “finance training.”

Expand Financial & Institutional Access

Our third recommendation is to work toward expanding access to professional development (PD) opportunities by focusing on funding support and helping to reduce time constraint barriers by advocating for institutional support in prioritizing PD.

Alternative Forms of Professional Development

Our fourth recommendation is to explore alternative forms of professional development beyond the typical webinar format, including podcasts and small group discussions.

Increase Marketing

Our fifth recommendation is to invest more marketing resources to promote PLA’s specialized/niche professional development opportunities.

Final Report (and poster)

Report PDF

Poster PDF