The ARL Leadership Committee has been investigating the question of how to define successful staff development programs and how to identify best practices in this area. The committee solicited volunteers from ARL member institutions to provide examples of best practices and to identify key characteristics of these programs that make them successful. The committee found that organization of a staff development program is greatly influence by local factors. Some libraries have extensive support from campus offices for staff development, others have access to corporate training in partnership with their institutions, while still others must develop and design their programs using only library resources.
Because the local environment influences the type of structure for the program as well as the type of offerings, the committee concluded that there is not a comprehensive one-size-fits-all model for staff development that will work in every ARL library. Instead, the committee identified core elements that are present in successful programs and some examples of best practices.
Would you like one of the programs at your library added to this page? If so, first please make sure that the program meets the following criteria:
- It has the approval of director/dean.
- The program is part of the library-wide strategic plan/has systems to support it over time.
- It is currently operating.
- You are willing to take requests from other libraries about your program.
- It is strongly recommended that an evaluative component is in place to assess the effectiveness of the program.
If your program meets these criteria, please contact DeEtta Jones at deetta@arl.org to submit the program description to the ARL Leadership Committee for review.
Key Components
- Coherent Curriculum
A coherent set of courses or training sessions is provided. The curriculum is tied to the management philosophy of the organization and/or core competencies.
A series of one-shot, unrelated programs is not as effective as a coherent set of courses that are regularly available.
Staff Dedicated to the Program Coordination
Providing a coherent program takes continuous coordination. Full-time staff assigned to this area are crucial for developing a successful program. Trainers can come from all areas of the libraries, the campus, or outside agencies and organizations. The coordinator needs to have the authority and responsibility to ensure that the curriculum is delivered as needed to the staff.
Target Groups Identified for Training
Not all staff need the same training. Effective programs identify the staff or groups of staff that are appropriate for any particular course. Attending training should not be viewed as a break from work, but as an opportunity to improve skills needed for the job.
Program Assessment and Evaluation
An effective program includes an assessment component to measure the impact of the training and to provide feedback to the coordinator on how to improve and advance the program.
Resources
Funding for the program can come from endowments, operating funds, etc., but resources must be designated for the program.
Partnership
Successful programs have developed partnerships with others on campus or in the community to leverage resources. Each program is not reinventing the wheel, but rather is building on the others’ expertise.
Administrative Commitment
Administrative support and commitment is important. Staff need to know that participating in training is expected and desired by the organization.
Supervisors need to know that they are to encourage staff to participate. The coordinator of the program needs to have the support of the administration in order to schedule courses and ensure that staff participate in any mandatory training.
