The Association For Rural & Small Libraries Inc

THE ASSOCIATION FOR RURAL AND SMALL LIBRARIES (ARSL) WILL DEVELOP A PILOT LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE FOR DIRECTORS AND MANAGERS WORKING IN RURAL AND/OR SMALL LIBRARIES. OVER AN 18-MONTH PERIOD, 30 INDIVIDUALS FROM A VARIETY OF RURAL COMMUNITIES AND DIVERSE POPULATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WILL ENGAGE IN RESIDENTIAL, ONLINE, AND CONFERENCE EXPERIENCES TO BUILD THEIR CAPACITY AS LEADERS. THE LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE ALSO WILL FOCUS ON STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP, BUILDING ARSL?S ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY, AND EVALUATING THE PILOT FOR FUTURE EFFECTIVENESS AND SCALABILITY. THE CURRICULUM WILL LEVERAGE THE EDUCOPIA INSTITUTE?S IMLS-FUNDED NEXUS: LEADING ACROSS BOUNDARIES MODEL AND OTHER NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED INSTRUCTORS AND CURRICULUM TO DEVELOP A CUSTOMIZED SERIES OF IMMERSIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCES FOR PARTICIPANTS.

THE ASSOCIATION FOR RURAL AND SMALL LIBRARIES WILL TURN ITS PILOT “LIBRARY 101” WORKSHOPS INTO AN ANNUAL, COMPETENCY-BASED CERTIFICATION PROGRAM FOR NEW AND EARLY CAREER STAFF IN SMALL AND RURAL PUBLIC LIBRARIES. THE PROJECT WILL DEVELOP MODULAR TRAINING FOCUSED ON CORE LIBRARIANSHIP, LEADERSHIP, AND COMMUNITY SERVICE SKILLS TAILORED TO LOW STAFFED, RESOURCE CONSTRAINED SETTINGS. ARSL WILL TEST AND REFINE THE MODEL THROUGH CONFERENCE-BASED COHORTS, COACHING, AND ONGOING EVALUATION OF PARTICIPANT LEARNING AND PRACTICE CHANGE. THE RESULT WILL BE A SUSTAINABLE NATIONAL CREDENTIAL, RECOGNIZED BY PARTNERS AND SUPPORTED BY A SLIDING SCALE COST MODEL, THAT STRENGTHENS THE RURAL LIBRARY WORKFORCE AND IMPROVES SERVICES FOR RURAL RESIDENTS.

THE ASSOCIATION FOR RURAL & SMALL LIBRARIES (ARSL), IN COLLABORATION WITH THE CHIEF OFFICERS OF STATE LIBRARY AGENCIES AND AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE OF RURAL AND STATE LIBRARY REPRESENTATIVES, WILL CONVERT ITS SUCCESSFUL IMLS-FUNDED LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE INTO AN ONLINE, ASYNCHRONOUS CERTIFICATION PROGRAM FOR STAFF IN RURAL AND SMALL LIBRARIES. MANY OF THESE LIBRARIES ARE LED BY STAFF WITH LIMITED ACCESS TO LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, AND TRAVEL, SCHEDULING, AND STAFFING CONSTRAINTS CAN BE BARRIERS TO IN-PERSON TRAINING. AN ONLINE CERTIFICATION WILL RETAIN THE PROVEN CURRICULUM WHILE ADDRESSING THESE CHALLENGES. ARSL WILL ADAPT EXISTING CONTENT, BUILD SELF-PACED MODULES WITH PEER ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES, AND LAUNCH THE CERTIFICATION WITH AN INITIAL NATIONAL COHORT. THE RESULTING 12-MONTH ONLINE CERTIFICATION PATHWAY WILL PROVIDE INCREASED ACCESS TO LEADERSHIP PREPARATION FOR RURAL AND SMALL LIBRARY WORKERS.

THE ASSOCIATION FOR RURAL & SMALL LIBRARIES (ARSL) WILL DEEPEN THE FIELD'S UNDERSTANDING OF THE CHALLENGES FACED BY SOLO LIBRARIANS IN ORDER TO CREATE TAILORED CONTINUING EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES. KEY ACTIVITIES INCLUDE CONDUCTING FOCUS GROUPS WITH SOLO LIBRARIANS TO GATHER INPUT AND DESIGNING AND DEPLOYING A COMPREHENSIVE NATIONWIDE SURVEY. BASED ON THIS FORMAL LANDSCAPE REVIEW, ARSL WILL DISSEMINATE THE RESULTS THROUGH AN OPEN-ACCESS PUBLICATION, PROVIDE PRESENTATIONS TO KEY LIBRARY ORGANIZATIONS, AND HOST ONGOING DISCUSSIONS WITH THE ARSL SOLO LIBRARIAN NETWORKING GROUP. THE SURVEY DATA WILL BE USED TO PRODUCE A COMPREHENSIVE REPORT TO GUIDE LIBRARY SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS IN DEVELOPING TARGETED, EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS THAT ENSURE ACCESS TO PD AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR LIBRARY STAFF WORKING SOLO OR WITH LIMITED SUPPORT. THIS EFFORT WILL BENEFIT SOLO LIBRARIANS, THEIR COMMUNITIES, AND THE BROADER LIBRARY PROFESSION.