Whether you’re a seasoned library director in a bustling city or a new staff member at a rural branch, the landscape of information science is shifting faster than ever. Keeping up with digital literacy, community needs, and the latest in cataloging isn’t just a bonus — it’s a necessity.
The Utah State Library understands this. That’s why our training program offers a specialized Professional Development Collection designed specifically to empower Utah’s library workforce. “Staff can search the collection and check out titles whenever it is convenient for them,” explains Rachel Lenahan, training coordinator.
Besides helping library staff, this collection benefits Utah libraries. “We know budgets are tight and most libraries want to use every dollar of their book budget to benefit their patrons,” says Marie Hyatt, library resources program manager. “We keep our professional development collection filled with the most current and relevant titles for staff in all areas of the public, school, and academic library.”
Here are a few examples of the titles in the Professional Development Collection:
“Library 2035 : Imagining the Next Generation of Libraries” by Sandra Hirsch
“The Public Library Director’s HR Toolkit” by Kate Hall
“Well-Being in the Library Workplace: A Handbook for Managers” by Bobbie Newman.
“A Trauma-Informed Approach to Library Services” by Rebecca Tolley
“63 Ready-To-Use Maker Projects” by Ellyssa Kroski
“Migrating Library Data : A Practical Manual” by Kyle Banerjee (Especially helpful for libraries migrating to the Juniper Library Consortium this year.)
“The Handbook for Storytime Programs” by Judy Freeman
Search for a specific title or browse the collection here. To access this collection, submit an interlibrary loan request via WorldShare.