Continuing Education Newsletter | June 3, 2024

Continuing Education Information | Certification Information

In this Issue For Everyone MSL Learn Webinar Webside Chat Support System Changes Directors Learn About Parliamentary Procedure 12 Months to Better Library Data Webinar Series Check Your Certification Track Trustees Trustee Newsletter and Archive New Trustee Training Videos Your Comments, Please Staff Explore WebJunction Webinars and Online Courses Consider Starting a Staff Certification Track Looking Back

For Everyone

MSL Learn Webinar

Tuesday, June 11 - 10:00 a.m.

Automated Catalog Clean-Up! with Keiley McGregor, Montana Shared Catalog Trainer

.5 Credit – Collection Management and Technical Services

Visit the ASPeN Event Calendar for meeting link and resources.

Webside Chat

Friday, June 14 at Noon

1 Credit – Library Administration

Visit the ASPeN Event Calendar for meeting link and resources.

Support System Changes

Visit the MSL Library Services Support page to access our ticketing system and knowledge base articles.

• Knowledge Base articles are now available for ASPeN that include continuing education and MSL Learn support.

Please update your bookmarks to be sure your support tickets get to the new Help Desk.

Choose the “Citizen” option and use your OKTA credentials to submit your ticket.

Directors

Learn About Parliamentary Procedure

Good and lawful public meetings are grounded in clear and consistent procedures.  Whether your bylaws specifically require Roberts Rules or another model, taking some time to learn about why it is important to use a form of parliamentary procedure can also help you learn how to follow Montana’s open meeting laws, ensure public participation, and help your meetings run smoothly.

The MSU Local Government Center offers an “Introduction to Parliamentary Procedure for Public Officials” course. The course is completely online and can be taken any time, from any computer or mobile device with internet access. This online course is offered free to all local government officials and citizens of Montana.

Enroll in the Course

12 Months to Better Library Data Webinar Series

Learn how to use data to better serve your community in the free webinar series, 12 Months to Better Library Data, featuring curriculum from the Research Institute for Public Libraries (RIPL) 2023 national event as well as a few new topics.

RIPL’s curriculum is based on the steps involved in conducting an evaluation:

• Identify the purpose of your evaluation
• Plan your evaluation
• Collect data
• Analyze data
• Use data – for management, program improvement, strategic planning, and advocacy

These interactive webinars build on each other and include group activities and opportunities to connect with colleagues from around the nation. It is highly recommended that you register and attend live sessions.

If you can’t join during the live session, each webinar is recorded and resources are also available on the RIPL website. The first three sessions are available to view and you can register for additional events via the RIPL website.

Check Your Certification Track!

When does your current certification expire? It’s important to regularly check your certification track to confirm when your track will end. You have four years to complete a certification track. The clock starts ticking on the "Begin Date." Make a plan to earn credits if you are getting close to the "End Date."

Watch this quick video for how-to steps.

Trustees

Trustee Newsletter and Archive

Did you know there is a separate newsletter just for trustees? You can subscribe to that newsletter and receive it on the second Tuesday of each month.

Browse past issues on the Trustee Webpage.

New Trustee Training Videos

We’re working hard to add more short videos to our playlist.

Please take a look at the two newest titles!

• Public Library Trustee Orientation Overview (8:15)
• Role of the Board Chair: An Overview for Public Library Trustees (7:34)

Your Comments, Please!

Our Trustee Training videos collection includes more than 25 videos. What additional topics would you like to see in this playlist?

Please respond to this short survey to help us plan future videos.

Library Staff

Explore WebJunction Webinars and Online Courses

WebJunction Webinar Calendar

Join us for free webinars that allow you to meet and learn from library leaders and practitioners. Anyone who has an internet connection can attend and participate in a WebJunction webinar! The webinars are all recorded and made available for you to watch in the WebJunction Course Catalog.

WebJunction’s catalog of courses and webinar recordings on library topics is open to all library staff and volunteers. A certificate of completion is provided after you have completed any course or webinar you enroll in.

WebJunction Course Catalog

Library-specific courses and webinars are available for free through the generous support of OCLC and state library agencies.

You can claim credits in ASPeN by entering events as an Independent Learning Event. Follow these instructions.

Consider Starting a Staff Certification Track!

The library staff certification provides a balance of foundation in library skills and flexibility for exploration and specialization.  This optional track gives individual staff members choice in how they will engage in continuing education and support in planning continuing education to build professional knowledge—particularly for those without prior experience working in public libraries.

Once earned, certificates are valid for 4 years and can be renewed.

Total Credits: 60 continuing education credits earned in a 4-year period

• Library Administration Category 5 credits
• Library Services to the Public 5 credits
• Collection Management and Technical Services 5 credits
• Technology 5 credits
• Electives 40 credits in any category

Login to ASPeN to access the Continuing Education (CE) system to keep track of your continuing education credits and to apply for certification.

CE events are added

• automatically if you register for an event within ASPeN
• added from the continuing education list in ASPeN
• input as an independent learning event

Once you have the requisite number of credits, you can submit your certification record through ASPeN.  A supervisor will be contacted to verify your certification record after the MSL CE Coordinator reviews the submission.

Access ASPeN Help Articles for more information about logging in and using ASPeN.

Visit the MSL Continuing Education webpage for help planning continuing education activities that meet your job and library needs.

View past issues of Continuing Education newsletters.

Explore playlists and individual videos.

Take free, self-paced online courses.

Looking Back

July 1974 – Montana Newsletter

July/August 1984 – Montana State Library News

July 1992 – Montana State Library News

Questions? 

Colet Bartow, MSL Continuing Education Coordinator, 406-444-3365

The Continuing Education program is made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and  Technology Act as administered by the Montana State Library.