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Public Librarian Training

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Education, Humanities and Social Sciences

Library Science

Public Librarian Training

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Public Librarian Training

Develop the complete skill set required to serve as a competent, confident public librarian. This training covers everything from collection development and cataloguing to community programming, library technology, and administrative leadership. Whether you are entering the profession or formalising your existing experience, this course gives you the practical knowledge to make a real difference in your community.

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What you will learn:

You will learn how public libraries are governed, funded, and guided by professional ethics, giving you a solid foundation for every decision you make on the job. You will develop hands-on skills in selecting and managing print and digital collections, cataloguing materials, and delivering accurate reference service. The course covers circulation systems, patron account management, inter-library loan, and equitable access practices. You will also gain the tools to design and evaluate programmes for children, adults, and seniors, and to build meaningful community partnerships. Technology management, data privacy, digital literacy instruction, and library administration round out your training, preparing you for both front-line and supervisory roles.

How you study in practice Public Librarian Training

How you practise Public Librarian Training

For businesses looking to train their team

With Dedika for businesses, the course includes exercises and examples tailored to your own business and the way your company needs.

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Course content

8 Chapters • 38 LessonsDuration between 4 and 360 hours (you decide)

Chapter 1See details

Foundations of Public Library Service

Lesson 1 • Library Governance and Funding Structures
Explains how public libraries are governed by boards and funded through public budgets. Connects governance knowledge to daily operational accountability.
Lesson 2 • Core Professional Values and Ethics
Examines intellectual freedom, privacy, equity of access, and professional ethics. Grounds all subsequent service decisions in a principled framework.
Lesson 3 • Understanding the Community Served
Introduces demographic analysis and community needs assessment as the basis for service design. Ensures services reflect actual patron populations.
Lesson 4 • History of Public Libraries
Traces the evolution of public libraries from early reading rooms to modern civic institutions. Provides context for understanding current service models.

Chapter 2See details

Collection Development and Management

Lesson 1 • Selecting Print and Digital Materials
Teaches evaluation of books, periodicals, databases, and e-resources using review sources and usage data. Directly applies policy criteria to real selection decisions.
Lesson 2 • Collection Development Policy
Covers the purpose and components of a written collection development policy. Establishes the policy as the authoritative guide for all selection decisions.
Lesson 3 • Acquisitions and Vendor Relations
Explains ordering workflows, vendor contracts, and approval plans. Connects procurement practices to budget efficiency and collection goals.
Lesson 4 • Managing Special and Local Collections
Addresses unique considerations for local history, archives, and special format collections. Extends general collection skills to materials requiring distinct handling.
Lesson 5 • Collection Assessment and Weeding
Applies quantitative and qualitative methods to evaluate collection health and remove outdated items. Ensures the collection remains accurate and accessible.

Chapter 3See details

Cataloguing and Metadata Fundamentals

Lesson 1 • Authority Control and Name Records
Explains how authority files maintain consistency for names, titles, and subjects across the catalogue. Reduces duplicate and conflicting records that impede patron searches.
Lesson 2 • Subject Analysis and Classification
Teaches assignment of subject headings and call numbers using standard controlled vocabularies. Enables consistent, predictable arrangement of the physical and virtual collection.
Lesson 3 • Cataloguing Digital and Non-Print Resources
Extends cataloguing principles to e-books, streaming media, and online databases. Ensures digital resources are as discoverable as physical items.
Lesson 4 • Bibliographic Description Standards
Introduces RDA and MARC as the primary frameworks for describing library resources. Establishes the vocabulary and logic underlying all catalogue records.

Chapter 4See details

Reference Services and Information Literacy

Lesson 1 • Reference Source Evaluation
Develops criteria for assessing print and digital reference sources for authority, accuracy, and currency. Ensures patrons receive reliable, high-quality information.
Lesson 2 • Ready Reference and Research Assistance
Covers strategies for answering factual queries quickly and guiding in-depth research projects. Builds efficiency and depth across the full spectrum of reference transactions.
Lesson 3 • The Reference Interview
Teaches active listening, open-ended questioning, and clarification strategies to accurately identify patron information needs. Forms the foundation of every reference transaction.
Lesson 4 • Information Literacy Instruction
Introduces frameworks and instructional design principles for teaching patrons to find and evaluate information independently. Extends reference skills into formal and informal instruction.
Lesson 5 • Virtual and Chat Reference Services
Adapts reference interview and source-delivery skills to synchronous and asynchronous digital channels. Prepares librarians for remote and hybrid service environments.

Chapter 5See details

Circulation, Access, and Patron Services

Lesson 1 • Integrated Library System Operations
Covers check-in, check-out, holds, and renewals within an integrated library system. Provides the technical foundation for all circulation workflows.
Lesson 2 • Interlibrary Loan and Resource Sharing
Teaches requesting and fulfilling interlibrary loans through regional and national networks. Extends the library's effective collection beyond its physical holdings.
Lesson 3 • Patron Registration and Account Management
Explains registration procedures, account maintenance, and privacy protections for patron records. Ensures accurate data whilst safeguarding patron confidentiality.
Lesson 4 • Accessibility and Equitable Service Delivery
Covers physical, sensory, and cognitive accessibility requirements and adaptive service strategies. Ensures every patron can access library resources and spaces.
Lesson 5 • Fines, Fees, and Billing Policies
Addresses fine structures, fee waivers, lost-item billing, and fine-free policy considerations. Balances revenue recovery with equitable access for all patrons.

Chapter 6See details

Programming, Outreach, and Community Engagement

Lesson 1 • Programme Evaluation and Reporting
Introduces quantitative and qualitative methods for measuring programme outcomes and communicating results. Closes the planning cycle and supports data-driven programme improvement.
Lesson 2 • Programme Planning and Design
Applies instructional design and event-planning principles to create purposeful library programmes. Connects programme goals directly to identified community needs.
Lesson 3 • Programming for Children and Teens
Covers age-appropriate programming strategies for early literacy, school-age, and teen audiences. Builds developmental knowledge essential for youth service specialists.
Lesson 4 • Community Partnerships and Outreach
Teaches strategies for building and sustaining partnerships with schools, nonprofits, and government agencies. Multiplies library impact through collaborative service delivery.
Lesson 5 • Adult and Senior Programming
Addresses learning preferences, health literacy, and digital equity needs of adult and older adult patrons. Ensures programming serves the full age spectrum of the community.

Chapter 7See details

Library Technology and Digital Services

Lesson 1 • Digital Resource Management
Addresses licensing, access configuration, and patron authentication for databases and e-content platforms. Ensures seamless patron access to the full digital collection.
Lesson 2 • Library Website and Online Presence
Covers content management, usability principles, and accessibility standards for library websites. Ensures the online presence accurately reflects and extends physical services.
Lesson 3 • Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Basics
Teaches foundational cybersecurity practices and patron data privacy obligations for library systems. Protects both institutional data and patron confidentiality from digital threats.
Lesson 4 • Public Computing and Device Services
Covers management of public computers, printing, Wi-Fi, and device lending programmes. Supports digital equity by maintaining reliable patron-facing technology.
Lesson 5 • Makerspaces and Emerging Technologies
Introduces 3D printing, laser cutting, recording studios, and other makerspace tools for patron use. Positions the library as a community hub for creative and digital skill-building.

Chapter 8See details

Library Administration and Strategic Leadership

Lesson 1 • Policy Development and Legal Compliance
Guides creation of library policies covering behaviour, technology use, and personnel, within applicable legal frameworks. Reduces institutional risk and ensures consistent service delivery.
Lesson 2 • Advocacy, Marketing, and Public Relations
Develops skills for communicating library value to elected officials, media, and the public. Sustains community and political support essential for long-term library funding.
Lesson 3 • Human Resources and Staff Development
Addresses hiring, onboarding, performance evaluation, and staff training in a library context. Equips managers to build and retain a high-performing library team.
Lesson 4 • Budget Development and Fiscal Management
Covers line-item budgeting, expenditure tracking, and end-of-year reporting for public library budgets. Builds the fiscal literacy required for administrative accountability.
Lesson 5 • Strategic Planning and Goal Setting
Teaches environmental scanning, stakeholder input, and strategic goal development for multi-year library plans. Aligns daily operations with long-term community and institutional priorities.

Certification

Your valid completion certificate

This course is for you:

Library paraprofessionals: seeking formal knowledge to match their hands-on experience.
Career changers from education: bringing teaching skills into a library service role.
Recent humanities graduates: looking to turn their academic background into a career.
Social workers: wanting to expand their community support role into library settings.
Nonprofit program coordinators: transitioning into public library programming and outreach.
Municipal employees: moving into library administration from other government departments.

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