Continuing Education for Distance Librarians

Abstract

Distance librarians as engaged professionals work in a complex environment of changes in technologies, user expectations, and institutional goals. They strive to keep current with skills and competencies to support distance learners. This article provides a selection of continuing education opportunities for distance librarians, and is relevant for all practicing librarians. Suggestions include physical and virtual conferences, professional journals for reflective reading, short-term webinars about current topics and innovative approaches, blogs for sharing ideas, and discussion and interest groups for networking with colleagues about best practices, leadership, and serving academic populations.

E-Learning for Continuing Professional Development of University Librarians: A Systematic Review

“…Age of continuous changes attracted library manpower towards e-learning [25] for successfully managing changing work environments [35]. Changes in social system, constant changes in the field, changing nature of LIS education, and revolutionary changes in higher education system were all factors that urged decision-makers to offer e-learning opportunities to information professionals for their professional development to implement emerging technological tools in the universities to facilitate end users efficiently [8,9,14,31].…”

“…E-learning programs, including webinars and online workshops, are a cost effective means to engage early-career library professionals in continuing professional development [12,13]. Institutional changes in higher education due to rapid technological advancements stimulate information professionals towards professional development [14] for enhancing learning and skills to provide smart library services [15][16][17][18].…”

Librarians Attending Non-Librarian Conferences: Benefits and Preparing to Attend

“…Benefits ranged from collection development, personal skill-building, and increased library prestige and relevance on campus. Several other articles similarly detail the unique experiences and tangible and intangible benefits of attending disciplinary conferences, and the potential harms of never venturing beyond library conferences (Bradshaw, 2014;Cassner and Adams, 2012;Hankins, Melgoza, Seeger & Wan, 2009;Harrison, 2010;Hood, 2007). Many of the case reports and opinion articles took a more limited scope in the purpose of disciplinary conference attendance.…”

He Asked Me What!?—Using Shared Online Accounts as Training Tools for Distance Learning Librarians

“…Cassner and Adams refer to this study in the introduction to their compilation of conferences, associations, training opportunities, and professional connections related to distance learning librarianship. Building on the findings of the 2009 survey, they suggest many avenues of acquiring new skills through associations and organizations for professionals who may receive little, if any, formal training in their own institutions (Cassner & Adams, 2012).…”