Utilizing the Competencies to Boost Skills and Services

Monday, 4/4/2022
Utilizing the Competencies to Boost Skills and Services will be a highly reflective class designed to help participants explore applications of the 2020 Competencies for Librarians Serving Children in Libraries. The course will focus on finding ways to demonstrate competence in the field, strategically plan library service using the competencies, action steps to put new competency-aligned practices into place, and creating artifacts to strengthen professional portfolios. Weekly activities will include assigned readings, discussion posts, and artifact creation. We will focus on one competency section each week, until Week Six, which will combine administrative and management skills with professionalism and professional development. 
 
Due to time constraints, this course will not cover each competency in-depth, but rather will focus on the seven key subject areas. The course should foster consideration of the competencies in professional work and job searching. The course will be designed to offer instructor- and student-led peer learning activities to draw on areas of expertise and to support learners in areas needing development. 
 
This is a six week course run asynchroniously, meaning you will never need to login to a class on a certain date/time. This course will begin the week of April 4, 2022.

Learning Outcomes

Participants will

  • Examine the updated 2020 Competencies through weekly readings, discussions, and assignments.
  • Develop a competencies-aligned professional portfolio.
  • Design personalized frameworks to align competencies to practice.
  • Strengthen their understanding of the competencies and how they impact library service to children. 
  • Strengthen their application of critical review skills through a lens of the competencies to real-life professional situations. 
  • Better prepare to incorporate competencies into their daily library work and decision-making.

ALSC Core Competencies

  • Stays informed of current trends, emerging technologies, issues, and research in librarianship, child development, early and family literacy, education and allied field. (7.2)
  • Practices self-evaluation and pursues professional development and continuing education opportunities on an on-going basis. (7.3)
  • Develops an understanding of the effects of racism, ethnocentrism, classism, heterosexism, genderism, ableism, and other systems of oppression, discrimination and exclusion within the profession, and of techniques for disrupting them and promoting cultural awareness. (7.4)

Who Should Attend

Children's librarians at the beginning of their careers or mid-career, or for administrators looking to support staff development and goal setting that aligns with the ALSC Competencies for Librarians Serving Children in Libraries.

Instructor

Amanda Yother is a librarian and higher education professional with over a decade of experience in higher education and library development and training. Amanda holds an undergraduate degree from Tennessee Technological University in Multidisciplinary Studies and a Master of Science in Information Science from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Amanda currently works as a Career Coach at the University of Tennessee. 

Registration

Cost

Class size is limited to 30 students.

ALSC Personal Member: $215
ALA Personal Member: $260
Nonmember: $289

Member rates apply to personal memberships only. Interested in joining ALSC? Click here to learn more about ALSC and how to join.

How to Register

Registration for this eCourse is now open!

Refund and Transfer Policy

Refunds may be requested for facilitated eCourses until the date the course starts. Refunds may be requested for live webinars until the webinar starts. To request a refund, please email ALA Membership and Registration Services.

If you are registered but unable to take a course you may transfer your registration to another student if that student falls under the same registration category.  For instance, an ALSC member may transfer their registration to another ALSC member free of charge. If you would like to transfer your registration to someone in a different category, the difference between prices must be paid at the time of transfer.  All requests for registration transfers must be made in writing no later than seven days before the start of the course. Please address all requests, including the reason for the transfer and both parties' membership numbers, to Sarah Polen, ALSC Program Officer for Continuing Education, and ALA Membership and Registration Services. Transfers may not be made once a course has started.

Tech Requirements

Computer, internet access

Contact

If you have questions about the course material, please contact the course instructor.

If you have questions about registration, please contact ALA's Member and Registration Service Department by email or by calling 800-545-2433 ext. 5.

All other inquiries, including sponsorship questions, can be directed to Sarah Polen, ALSC Program Officer for Continuing Education, via email or by calling (312) 280-4026.