The fall Administrative Training Package will focus on library policies. Why do libraries have policies? Policies provide a framework for library operations and services. They guide the decisions made by the library director and staff. Carefully crafted policies promote high-quality library service, wise use of library resources and equitable treatment of all library users and staff.
This will be the second Learning 2 Action Administrative Training Package. Its structure will be similar to Marketing and Merchandising Collections that premiered this past spring.
It will begin with an ELMeR workshop on Friday, October 2. “That’s Our Policy: Using PLA’s Policies for Results” will be taught by Bonnie McKewon, Administrator of the Northwest Iowa Library Services. Bonnie has taught workshops to her own member librarians in Iowa that were based on the highly respected Planning Policies for Results by Sandra Nelson and June Garcia. Bonnie believes that policies can be developed most effectively by keeping the library user in mind. She will cover the elements of good policy, newly emerging policy topics prompted by new programs and services, policy areas that are often neglected and tips for publicizing the policies that are of most interest to the public.
Bonnie previously provided training for Kansas in the Kansas Library Trustee Certification program. She is a lively, friendly presenter and the trustees have really enjoyed working with her. She says this topic is important to her Iowa librarians and they have been studying it together. Bonnie’s program will be on Friday, October 2, from 9:15 AM to 1:00 PM at the following ELMeR locations:
Dodge City Public Library
Hays Public Library
Manhattan Public Library
Northwest Kansas Library System at Norton
South Central Kansas Library System at South Hutchinson
Bonnie will be presenting from the Kan-ed headquarters in the Curtis Building in Topeka as part of a trial that we hope will facilitate equal attention to all the distributed audiences. The session will be streamed live and recorded. The archive will be available for 60 days.
The video workshop will be partnered with two Wimba workshops taught by highly respected Kansas librarians. On Tuesday, October 20, at 10:00 AM, Sharon Moreland will give a one hour Wimba Workshop called “What’s the Policy? Involving Staff in Policy Development, Understanding and Enforcement.” This will include ways to involve staff in developing policies, how to make the library’s policies consistent, ways to make sure that staff are familiar with the library’s policies and trained in applying policies uniformly.
Sharon was director of the Tonganoxie Public Library before becoming the Technology Consultant for the Northeast Kansas Library System.
On Tuesday, November 17, at 2:00 PM, Cathy Newland will present on “Essential Support: Good Procedures for Good Policies.” Cathy will share library procedures she developed to support her library’s policies.
Cathy has been Director of the Morrill Public Library in Hiawatha but is retiring this summer and moving to Emporia. Besides directing the Morrill Library, Cathy has been an active contributor to the Public Library Section of the Kansas Library Association.
Both sessions will be open to all library staff and trustees and will be archived. Participants in the Library Administrative Training Package may choose either or both of the Wimba sessions. Everyone is encouraged to discuss all of these presentations and their own ideas on the discussion board of the Library Policies website which will be be included under the Kansas Continuing Education tab in WebJunction Kansas. This website will be available in September.
Participants in the Library Administrative Training Package will also create and implement a project connected with library policies and/or procedures at their own library. Projects will be due December 15, 2010 and will be posted to the Library Policies website.
Participants who complete all of the requirements for the Library Policies Administrative Training Package will earn 15 documented contact hours toward re-certification in the Certification Program for Kansas Public Library Administrators or one-third of the training requirement for re-certification.