The Kansas Library Trustee Certification Program has 332 certified trustees, as of mid-March. The State Library staff has been delighted with the early development of this program, which has won nationwide respect, and they are eager to see its continued growth in 2010.
The Trustee Certification Program has two goals:
- We want to share information about Kansas public librarianship and board development with library trustees so they can foster excellent library service for their communities.
- We want to honor the talented and dedicated trustees that Kansas is lucky enough to have.
In order to achieve certification, a trustee must document training credits in each of the five core skill areas. Once a trustee has acquired the five core skill credits needed for certification, the State Library staff feels that they should be free to study the topics needed to support their library programs or to pursue the training offered by their regional library system. A Kansas trustee can keep their certification active by documenting five contact hours of training between the date on their certificate and the same date three years later.
If any library director would like have a record of the certification dates for their library trustees, this may be requested from the State Library.
Any of the following will qualify for re-certification credit:
- Educational or informational sessions presented at the board meetings
- Workshops sponsored by regional systems, library organizations or libraries
- Statewide library conferences or pre-conferences
- National library conferences or pre-conferences
- Community training events if they relate to the library’s concerns
- Presentations given to librarians, other trustees or fellow board members (presentation time only)
- Online webinars
- Desktop courses
- Training videos
While it is not at all difficult for trustees to maintain their certification, they do need to keep a log of events that can be sent with a request for re-certification.
Requests for trustee certification or re-certification should be sent to:
Trustee Certification
State Library of Kansas
Room 169 West – State Capitol
300 SW Tenth Avenue
Topeka, Kansas 66612-1593
OR
Send all information by email to shanroy@kslib.info
As they pursue their development as board members, trustees often have questions about library topics, programs or legal issues. The library director can often answer these questions, but the regional system personnel and the State Library staff members will be very pleased to help at any time.
If there are any questions about the Certification Program for Kansas Library Trustees, please call Shannon Roy at 785-296-2148 or send email to shanroy@kslib.info.