Educational Opportunities for Library Support Staff Members in Ohio John J. Burke, MSLS Ohio Library Support Staff Institute

Where are you starting from?  Formal degree (H.S., AA/AS, BA/BS, MA/MS)  Past (ongoing) continuing education  On-the-job training  Library experience

What is your educational goal?  Adding specific skills  Keeping up with new developments  Taking on new responsibilities  Moving into a new role/location  Seeking promotion/reclassification  Adding experience to change library type

Where do you want to go?  Continuing education I (workshops, conferences, etc.)  Continuing education II (credit courses)  Formal degrees (non-library)  Associate degree (library focus)  Bachelor’s degree (library focus)  MLS

How do you learn best?  Face to face  Distance Learning Videoconferencing Web-based Video courses Correspondence course

Continuing education I  OH Regional Library Systems CE -  OHIONET -  Various other library organizations – techawareness.html#ceopps  Librarysupportstaff.com - stafftrain.html and ed4you.html

Formal degrees (non-library) and Continuing Education II  Your local institution - visit_campuses.htm (search database of colleges in your area)  Ohio Learning Network – OhioLearns -

Associate degrees (library-focus) and Continuing Education II  Belmont Technical College – AAS in Information Services: Library Paraprofessional - programs_list_detail.cfm?ID=33  University of Cincinnati – Raymond Walters College – AAS in Library Technology -  Ohio Dominican University – AA in Library Services –

Bachelor’s degree (library- focus)  Bowling Green State University – BS in Advanced Technology Education – online degree completion program for AAS students – ate/  Ohio Dominican University – BA in School Library Media Education – librarymedia/

MLS  Kent State SLIS –  In-person at Kent or Columbus  MLIS Distance Degree – distance.php3

What will your employer provide?  Encouragement  Paid/reimbursed opportunities  Time off to attend  Flexibility in scheduling  Know your options and benefits: How is CE funded and allocated at your library? Does your larger organization offer funds or scholarships?

How’s the job market?  Doug Morrison article –  ALA Library Fact Sheet 2 – 136,000 librarians, 272,000+ support staff  OH Labor Market Information - Archive/2010/Complete2010.pdf From 2000 to 2010 (number of annual jobs) Library assistants, clerical – up 18.8% (398) Library technicians – up 23.3% (477)