Public Librarian Training

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 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 1 • Authority Control and Name Records

Explains how authority files maintain consistency for names, titles, and subjects across the catalog. 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 • Cataloging Digital and Non-Print Resources

Extends cataloging principles to e-books, streaming media, and online databases. Ensures digital resources are as discoverable as physical items.

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 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 while 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 1 • Program Evaluation and Reporting

Introduces quantitative and qualitative methods for measuring program outcomes and communicating results. Closes the planning cycle and supports data-driven program improvement.

Lesson 2 • Program Planning and Design

Applies instructional design and event-planning principles to create purposeful library programs. Connects program 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 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 programs. Supports digital equity by maintaining reliable patron-facing technology.

Lesson 1 • Policy Development and Legal Compliance

Guides creation of library policies covering behavior, 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.