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Continuing Education

Education and Continuous Learning is one of five key action areas adopted by the American Library Association to fulfill its mission of promoting the highest quality library and information services for all people.  Providing library staff and trustees with opportunities for professional development and promoting continuous, lifelong learning for all people are integral to that mission.

Continuous learning is critical to renewing the expertise and skills needed to assist patrons in this information age.  Library workers must continually expand their knowledge in order to keep up with the rate of change.

Whether you are an entry-level professional, mid-career librarian, support staff, senior management staff or trustee, the American Library Association has continuing education resources for your own development or that of your staff.

On this page you will find policies, competencies, statements and additional continuing education resources.  For specific questions, you may either contact sponsoring units (where listed under resources), or you may contact the ALA Office for Human Resource Development and Recruitment (HRDR).

Resources

• The ALA Events & Conferences Page
  Gives information on ALA Midwinter Meetings, Annual Conferences, and other association meetings such as state conferences
  
  
• The ALA Professional Tools/Education Page
  
  
• Knowledge and Networking   (pdf document)
  (List of preconferences, institutes, workshops, publications, etc. available from ALA and its units)
  
  
• Congresses on Professional Education
  
  
  • 1st Congress (1999) - Focus on Education for the First Professional Degree
    
    
  • 2nd Congress (2000) - Focus on Continuing Professional Development
    
    
  • 3rd Congress (2003) - Focus on Library Support Staff 
  
  
• Education and Continuous Learning Brochure
  Number 3 in a series of ALA Action brochures
  
  
• ALA Action Goal for Continuing Education
  
  
• Library and Information Studies Education and Human Resource Utilization Statement