3 year Professional Development Plan
2017-2018
If hired in a public library, during the first year, I hope to:
If hired in an elementary school library, during the first year, I hope to:
2018-2019
If working as a youth services manager/children’s librarian at a public library, I will:
If working in an elementary school library, I will:
2019-2020
If working as a youth services manager/children’s librarian at a public library, I will:
If working in an elementary school library, I will:
2017-2018
- Obtain a job as a youth services manager/children’s librarian at a public library OR obtain a job as an elementary media specialist in a public school (ideally the job would be in North Carolina or Virginia)
If hired in a public library, during the first year, I hope to:
- Gain practice using collection development selection tools (ALSC book award lists, Wilson Core Collection, Hornbook, Booklist, and others) to actually purchase juvenile materials and enhance an existing children’s collections in as many areas as the budget allows areas (board books, easy readers, picture books, juvenile fiction and nonfiction, dvds, cds, audiobooks/playaways, etc.); develop a 5 year collection development plan (ALSC IV)
- Establish at least 1-2 new community partnerships (school or non-school) with the youth services department of the library for the purposes of storytime outreaches, special event programming, promoting physical and digital resources, or enticing a new user group to come to the library (ALSC I, III, V)
- Learn the basics of managing the children’s department budget (ALSC VI)
- Take some kind of webinar to help me with managing staff (hiring, training, communication, firing, etc.) (ALSC VI)
- Revise and existing or develop a strong social media and/or website presence to promote children’s services and programs (ALSC I, II, III)
- Renew my membership with NCLA and ALA (ALSC VII)
- Stay an active member by attending the NCLA 2017 conference in Winston Salem in October (ALSC VII)
If hired in an elementary school library, during the first year, I hope to:
- Conduct a needs assessment of my students and school and use this assessment to brainstorm weaknesses in the collection as well as teaching needs (such as low literacy test scores) (AASL 5.4, 3.4)
- Develop a 5 year collection development plan, which includes criteria for selecting and deselecting materials (selection policy) (AASL 5.1)
- Utilize my collection budget to improve the collection in at least two of the areas identified through the needs assessment (AASL 3.4, 5.1)
- If the school operates on a fixed schedule, identify 2-3 teachers I can begin collaborating with in some capacity (AASL 1.3)
- Work to build my principal’s respect by documenting evidence of student learning and achievement, meeting with the principal quarterly to present this documentation, and invite the principal to observe special projects or collaboratively taught lessons in the media center as frequently as possible (AASL 4.3, 4.4)
- Join at least one virtual school library support group to gain confidence in building age appropriate lesson plans for my students (AASL 4.2)
- Gain confidence in classroom management by adopting a classroom management system that works (AASL 1.1, 1.2)
- Establish a policy (or revise an old policy) regarding standard protocol when books are challenged by parents or members of the community (AASL 3.1, 3.2, 5.2)
- Become a member of AASL (American Association of School Librarians) and possibly attend the November 2017 conference in Arizona (AASL 4.2)
2018-2019
If working as a youth services manager/children’s librarian at a public library, I will:
- Apply for a grant to target a specific user group need regarding collection, programming, or services (ALSC I)
- Take 1-2 webinars to address some of my weaknesses and to collaborate with other public librarians (ALSC VII)
- Attend the closest summer reading training to collaborate with other public librarians for summer reading ideas (ALSC III and VII)
- Find at least one way to increase circulation of part of the children’s collection by at least 25 percent (booktalks, displays, libguides, outreaches, etc.) (ALSC II, IV)
- Rexamine the children’s collection and continue to purchase materials as my budget allows based on my 5 year collection development plan (ALSC II, IV)
- Once again, establish at least 1-2 new community partnerships (school or non-school) with the youth services department of the library for the purposes of storytime outreaches, special event programming, promoting physical and digital resources, or enticing a new user group to come to the library OR empower other children’s staff or volunteers to establish programs that utilize their talents and meet unmet needs (ALSC I, III, V)
- Renew my NCLA and ALA membership (ALSC VII)
- If possible, attend the 2018 ALSC National Institute in September in Cincinnati, Ohio (ALSC VII)
- Establish a teen volunteer program if not already in place to assist with children's programs/summer reading, etc. (ALSC VI)
If working in an elementary school library, I will:
- Lead 1-2 professional development trainings for the teachers before the end of the school year on areas of need (technology, inquiry-based learning, active reading/close text reading with informational texts, etc.) (AASL 3.1, 4.1)
- Identify 2-3 more teachers with whom to collaborate or co-teach by the end of the year (AASL 1.3)
- Take a webinar or self-learn how to use 2-3 new 2.0 digital tools to potentially incorporate into classroom (AASL 4.2, 3.3)
- Utilize my collection budget to improve the collection in at least two of the areas identified through the needs assessment of the previous year as determined by my collection development plan (AASL 3.4, 5.1, 5.3)
- Find at least one way to increase circulation of part of the children’s collection by at least 25 percent (booktalks, displays, libguides, outreaches, etc.) (AASL 5.1, 2.1, 2.2)
- Develop an advocacy plan to address 1-2 of my most pressing needs (need a media assistant, support from the PTO, increased funding for collection, etc.) and pitch this plan to the principal or key stakeholders (AASL 4.3, 4.4)
- Join one more virtual school librarian support group and tweak my lesson plans from the previous year with their support (AASL 1.2, 4.1)
- Attend at least one professional development conference or webinar targeted at one of my weaknesses as a school librarian and renew my AASL membership (AASL 4.2)
- Continue to invite the principal into the library to observe my classes and provide him/her quarterly documentation of student achievement in the form of data displayed in a newsletter, on a webpage, or completed student projects (AASL 4.3, 4.4)
2019-2020
If working as a youth services manager/children’s librarian at a public library, I will:
- Establish a program to benefit caretakers of children (parents, teachers, etc.) or remodel an similar existing program (ALSC III)
- Identify 1-2 existing children’s, parent or community outreach programs that could benefit from the integration of technology (ALSC III)
- Continue to purchase materials as my budget allows based on my 5 year collection development plan (ALSC II, IV)
- Find at least one way to increase circulation of part of the children’s collection by at least 25 percent (booktalks, displays, libguides, outreaches, etc.) (ALSC II, IV)
- Brainstorm ways to create a makerspace of some kind for the library and identify funding for this to soon become a reality (ALSC III)
- Attend the 2019 NCLA conference if possible or another appropriate children’s retreat or webinar
- Lead or develop a team to lead special children’s programs, such as puppet shows, oral storytelling, etc. (ALSC III)
If working in an elementary school library, I will:
- Advocate for funding to receive monthly books from the Junior Library Guild to add to the collection (AASL 4.4, 5.1)
- Continue to follow my five year collection development plan (AASL 5.1)
- Brainstorm ways to create a makerspace of some kind for the library and identify funding for this to soon become a reality (AASL 3.3, 5.3, 5.4)
- Plan and lead 1-2 family literacy nights after school in the media center to model literacy skills parents should be using with their child at home (AASL 2.2, 3.2, 4.4)
- Offer at least one before or after school literacy elective, such as Battle of the Books, book clubs, or technology/coding elective for students based on a student interest survey (AASL 2.1, 2.2, 4.3)
- Offer 2-3 professional development trainings for teachers, including a workshop on copyright laws/ethical use of information, etc. (AASL 3.1, 4.1)
- Renew my AASL membership and attend at least 1-2 professional development sessions for myself either in-person or virtually as webinars (AASL 4.2)
- Assess the use of the physical and virtual library space and make changes to better meet the learning needs of the students (build or enhance the media center’s website, rearrange the furniture or apply for a grant to get new furniture, etc.) (AASL 5.4)