Present: M. Advocate, C. Donick, L. Deubert, J. Ford, R. Smith, E. Tannenbaum, S. Hermans
Excused: S. Alderdice, W. Fuller, J. Meyer, W. Alexander

Update of 2005:

• Committee reviewed the updated listing of workshop and user group topics for 2005, MHLS staff has worked to set as many dates as possible for the year as well as investigate all options that would require CE funds.
  • SEAL Training: M. Advocate reported that the piloting of the SEAL Training as a 2-part event was very well received by MHLS member libraries.
  • Committee recommended that MHLS make the Create Lists workshop a 2-part workshop to allow people to come back with their questions in a timely manner. (see Action 1)
• The Director's Series has been announced, the content is reflective of the input given by the committee on the topic of Working with Board of Trustees. The committee was in favor of a Director's Series being offered annually.
• Children's Services Offerings: M. Keefe acted on the advice of this committee to offer more CE in the area of young adult services, two events have been scheduled, Teen Advisory Group Workshop (September 19) and YA Readers Advisory & Collection Development (November 9).
• YA Programs and attendance: M. Keefe has noted that attendance at YA events is often low or nonexistent despite the YS Survey results that indicated that over 50% of libraries are interested in the topic of Teen Advisory Boards (TAB). The committee recommended that the TAB workshop, scheduled for September, be promoted as tools for marketing to teens. (see Action 2) The committee identified the following barriers in the area of YA services for member libraries:
  • Lack of specific YA staff in member libraries to target for training and/or service
  • Lack of time available to attend training
  • Distance to Poughkeepsie for training
  • Difficulty in reaching out/marketing to this population locally
  • Inability to pay for all of the media teens are interested in (popular and current movies, music CDs and graphic novels)
  • Broad range of age in the YA category, with different interests

  The committee recommended that the M&P Committee brainstorm programming that can help libraries reach out to different segments of the teen population. (see Action 3)

• Committee reviewed the options under the Special Client Populations category and discussed the potential draw for this topic. The committee was most interested in help with knowing their community and marketing to specific groups. MHLS staff reported that the LSTA grant application for Getting to Yes has been fully funded and activities within this grant project would be better suited to addressing these broad needs, therefore MHLS staff will not be contracting for the planned fee-workshop in this area this year that would focus on diversity.

• How to Teach Database Searching Workshop: The committee was in favor of MHLS offering this workshop and felt many staff would be interested in this topic, especially if it focused on on-the-fly training techniques and was boiled down to a half-day. (see Action 4)
• System Tour: R. Smith reported that the first system tour of the year was reorganized to incorporate the committee's suggestion of free time for participants to talk to the department of their choice. MHLS staff and the participants felt this was an excellent addition and MHLS will continue this practice.
• Small Libraries Roundtable: R. Smith reported that the initial meeting of this group was a success and that it will be regularly offered in 2005. The next topic will be Volunteer Management, partially presented by Carol Briggs of the Hillsdale Library. The committee suggested asking the SLR if they would like one of the meetings scheduled for after a DA to save travel time for the smaller libraries.
• SENYLRC Continuing Education Committee: S. Hermans reported that this group felt they had accomplished all they set out to do in 2004 and discussed a few options for technology training for 2005 such as Blogs. M. Advocate had proposed a mini-NYLA event to be sponsored by SENYLRC at that same meeting, which the SENYLRC CE committee was not receptive to. Committee discussed MHLS organizing a "mini-NYLA" event as well as opportunities for group transportation organized by MHLS for events that are within a few hours drive of the region.

Value of 2004 contact hours per library: M. Advocate provided a report that noted the number of CE contact hours for each library. The committee felt that this list should be published and that trustees should be made aware of these figures. They would like these figures combined with a summary of on-demand trainings and trustee consultations per library as well for next year. (see Action 5)

Consultations/on-demand training:

• Trustees - print-out to be included in the Bulletin mailing for board presidents. (see Action 6) R. Smith reported that board presidents were notified at the beginning of the year that they are the only person on their board to receive the Bulletin in the mail as requested by the committee. Beginning next week an email list will be launched for trustees to receive the Bulletin electronically.
• Staff - The committee decided that staff should receive CE contact hours for the on-demand training opportunities, as confirmed by them signing a sign-in sheet.

Brief DA sessions: This idea was brought to the DA last month and the committee members present felt that the idea was not well received. The committee would like Gloria Goverman, who volunteered to coordinate this idea to report back to them regarding the input she received. The committee referred the decision of how to proceed with this idea to the Small Libraries Roundtable. (see Action 7)

Professional Development web site: The committee brainstormed ideas for the content in the professional development portion of the web site. (see Action 8) With the recommendation that there be resources for self directed learning as well as formal education opportunities:

• List of upcoming programming and how to register (3-6 months in advance + NYLA Conference)
• Web tutorials (free and fee-based)
• Job information, openings, sites to post resumes
• Job competencies
• New developments in the field/related online courses
• Graduate schools offering MLS/online degree programs
• Scholarship/professional development grants/Conference grants/incentive program
• Professional Journals and Listservs
• Link to the MHLS Professional Collection
• Library assistant's support group/sources
• Professional organizations (ALA/ALA sections, roundtables; NYLA, sections)

ACTIONS:

1. L. Shedrick will explore the options for organizing the Create Lists workshop into 2-parts.
2. M. Keefe will promote the September Teen Advisory Board workshop as a marketing tool for libraries seeking to attract teens to their library.
3. Brainstorm programming ideas that can help libraries reach out to different segments of the teen population was referred to the M&P Committee.
4. M. Advocate will investigate offering a "How to Teach Database Searching" Workshop.
5. MHLS staff will incorporate data related to trustee consultations and on-demand training in libraries to the CE contact hours summary for next year.
6. R. Smith will send out the Trustee Consultations list with an upcoming edition of the Bulletin to all board presidents.
7. Brief DA session plans referred to the Small Libraries Roundtable.
8. MHLS staff will redesign the Professional Development section of the MHLS web site using the input given by the committee and report back with a live draft at the next meeting.

Handouts:
· Workshop / users group topics for 2005 (updated)
· 2004 number of CE Contact hours
· SEAL Training
· Training in Serving Diverse Communities
· Evaluation Summary for CE Committee: Millennium Stats for the Annual Report
· NOVEL Training Project 10.1.04 - 3.30.05
· Consultations & Training-on-Demand for Library Staff
· Trustee Resources: Consultations Available from MHLS
· Workshop Announcements:
o Small Libraries Workshop
o Summer Reading Program
o Director's Series: Working With Your Board
o Creating an Online Calendar

Next meeting: Wednesday, May 18th

Report to DA from the February 17, 2005 Meeting of the Continuing Education/ Professional Development Advisory Committee

1. "Something for everyone": Committee encourages staff and trustees from member libraries to check the MHLS calendar, as it offers many training opportunities for 2005.
2. The committee decided that member library staff should receive CE contact hours for participating in Training On-Demand opportunities at their library, as well as the MHLS workshops and users groups they already receive CE contact hours for.
3. The committee encourages all MHLS member library directors to register for the Director's Series: Working With Your Board (workshop notice attached to this packet). It is designed to help you get the best out of your relationship with your board, regardless of whether that is currently positive or negative.
4. MHLS Staff is revamping the Professional Development section of the web site using input provided by the committee, which focused on the need for self directed learning resources in addition to formal education opportunities, career information, new developments in the field and job competencies. The new version will be reviewed at the May meeting of this committee.

Submitted by Rebekkah Smith/Merribeth Advocate, 2.17.2005