Utah State Library

Goal: Meet the need of Utah's library staff and public library trustees for ongoing training so they may provide dynamic professional library service.

Library Services and Technology Act 2003-2007 Utah Five-Year Plan

Through the Utah Public Library Institute for Training (UPLIFT), the State Library offers a variety of training opportunities for Utah library staff and trustees. Training includes basic training for non-MLS library staff, advanced training for the full library community, and training for library trustees, through special institutes, mini-workshops, teleconferences, grants to individuals and grants to library organizations.

The State Library Division offers the popular core courses required to meet the personnel standard required for public library certification under Standards for Utah Public Libraries.

Library directors and key personnel who do not have formal training in library science may participate in basic certification training which includes introductory coursework in core areas:

1. Library Administration covers the fundamentals of public library administration, the need to integrate planning, budgeting, the basics of personnel management and policy development.


2. Cataloging explains how to create accurate bibliographic records and standard resources used in catalog work: Dewey Decimal Schedules, AACR2 Rules, and MARC Records.
   
3. Youth Services explores the elements of running a successful program for children and teens including presenting library programs for children and young adults, developing children’s and young adult materials collections, and using the stages of childhood and adolescent development to guide your programs.
   
4. Collection Development teaches the principles of selection of library materials and standard practices involved in building and promoting collections.
   
5. Technology includes things the librarian needs to know to keep computer services up and running. It includes computer security, wireless access issues and solutions, technical support that the librarian can do, and when to call an IT person for help.
   
6. Reference brings the skills needed to be an effective provider of reference and information services. Emphasis is on reference services, the reference interview, online searching strategies including Pioneer, and sources of information.

The State Library Division provides advanced training opportunities for public library directors and key staff who have completed basic certification. Advanced classes include but are not limited to:

1. Technology/computers in libraries: covers the planning, development, application, and integration of technology within libraries.


2. Leadership: covers leadership styles, risk taking, creating a culture of commitment, and working with groups and teams.


3. Public library responses to Utah's growing ethnic populations: a workshop that provides the opportunity to explore, understand, and develop library resources and services for multicultural, diverse, and other special populations.


4. Library Administration Beyond the Basics: advanced workshop dealing with library funding, taxation, personnel, and labor laws, management and policy issues.


5. Collection Development II: building a collection in an electronic environment, marketing, and reader advisory.

The Utah State Library Division provides trustee orientation upon request of the library board and biennial trustee training on vital library issues. Basic orientation includes: roles and responsibilities, library policies and procedures, funding and budget issues, library law and the legislative process, personnel issues including hiring and removing the library director, how to run a meeting. Statewide biennial training may include but is not limited to: advocacy and libraries, planning for libraries, government and the library, friends and foundations, fundraising.

The Utah State Library Division provides Utah's librarians (academic, public, school and special) with the means to satisfy their ongoing need for information on a myriad of topics. These customized training events include:

1. Special institutes on vital library issues including but not limited to technology, marketing, libraries and the law, library services to the Spanish Speaking, and library building planning.
   
2. Mini-workshops taught regionally at the request of library directors by members of the State Library staff covering but not limited to topics like public relations, advocacy, technology, and grant writing.


3. Teleconferences applicable to statewide library development needs.


4. Exchange/clearinghouse: the State Library Division will continue to host listservs for specific library groups, video-based training, and links to online training in core courses offered by other state library agencies.