1 / 12

The Professional Paraprofessional

The Professional Paraprofessional. Supporting the Professional Development of Paraprofessionals Presented by: Matt Steinmetz, Librarian, Lexington County Public Library The SCLA Public Library Section and the SCLA Paraprofessional Round Table. Purpose of this Discussion.

kameko-mckenzie
Télécharger la présentation

The Professional Paraprofessional

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. The Professional Paraprofessional Supporting the Professional Development of Paraprofessionals Presented by: Matt Steinmetz, Librarian, Lexington County Public Library The SCLA Public Library Section and the SCLA Paraprofessional Round Table

  2. Purpose of this Discussion • In looking for topics to discuss I kept hearing from professionals and paraprofessionals about the issues of job satisfaction for paraprofessionals and helping them reach their career goals • This is a give-and-take discussion so please feel free to contribute and let us know what your impressions are

  3. Panelists • Madelyn Bowers, Librarian I, Richland Library Eastover, Secretary – Public Library Section, SCLA • Donna Ciriello, Library Assistant III, Lexington County Public Library System • Kelly Poole, Deputy Director, Lexington County Public Library System • Kathy Sheppard, Library Development Consultant, South Carolina State Library

  4. Topics • I: How have the roles of paraprofessionals changed in the last 10 to 15 years, and how they might change in the future? • II: Taking tighter budgets in to consideration, what can be done to help paraprofessionals reach their goals and improve job satisfaction? • III: Pros and cons of paraprofessional certification?

  5. Changing Roles • How have the roles of paraprofessionals changed in the last 10 to 15 years? • What will the roles of paraprofessionals look like 10 to 15 years from now? • Has there been a blurring of the lines of between the duties and responsibilities of professionals and paraprofessionals?

  6. Will professionals become obsolete? • “The controversy has served to kick-start a wider-ranging conversation in Fairfax County about the future of its libraries. That conversation centers on what’s known as the Beta Project, a slate of changes to library staffing and operation that was scheduled to begin a test run in two FCPL libraries—busy Reston Regional and smaller, newly built Burke Center—this September. The most controversial item in the Beta Project would see librarian and library assistant positions scrapped in favor of a customer-service specialist position, which would not require applicants to have an MLS, MLIS, or even a bachelor’s degree.” -Library Journal, September 25, 2013

  7. Paraprofessional Job Satisfaction • With tighter budgets what can be done to improve paraprofessional job satisfaction? • Opportunities for professional growth: • Attend conferences? • Cross-training? • Flexibility to pursue a degree? • Sit in on professional meetings and be included in committees? • Certification? • Listening to what paraprofessionals say they would like to see to help them reach career goals.

  8. Certification of Paraprofessionals • What would be the pros to certification? • Giving paraprofessionals something portable and of value that they can show when they have to change jobs • Sense of recognition/validation of their position • Stepping stone to a more advanced degree? • Retention? • What are the cons of certification? • Cost • Time • Promoting certification but not having positions available once someone is certified

  9. Paraprofessional Certification • ALA: Library Support Staff Certification: • Applicants must complete 6 of 10 competency sets. • Competency sets can be completed by taking classes at community colleges that cover the “foundations of library science”, “communication and teamwork”, and “technology.” • http://ala-apa.org/lssc/for-candidates/competency-sets/ • Utah Library Association: Paraprofessional Certificate Program: • Applicants must apply to the state library association and have 500 hours/points earned in various areas of expertise including public services, technical services, and technology. • http://www.ula.org/content/ula-paraprofessional-certification-program • Bellmont College in Ohio offers an Associates of Applied Science Degree as a Library Paraprofessional Specialist • Graduates are required to take 65 credit hors of library science classes • http://www.belmontcollege.edu/academics/majors-and-programs/information-technology/library-paraprofessional.aspx

  10. Your Thoughts • Should the question of certification for paraprofessionals in SC be formally raised or should we leave well enough alone?

  11. What about terminology? • Opinion based question: Should paraprofessionals be called “paraprofessionals?” • Does the term imply that someone who has been working in a library for 15 years without a degree is less professional than someone who has 1 year of experience and an MLIS? • Does using the term “paraprofessional” influence job satisfaction?

More Related