Many of the staff at Carnegie Public Library started 2020 with new credentials. Those staff members with two or more years’ public library experience and at least 10 credit hours of approved continued education earned Ohio Library Council’s (OLC) Ohio Public Library Staff Certification.
This new program, sponsored by OLC, provides recognition to library staff members for their commitment to continuing education, the library profession, and the Ohio library community. OLC is the statewide professional association which represents the interests of Ohio’s public libraries, their trustees, and staffs. OLC’s mission entails a commitment to strengthening Ohio’s public library community through advocacy, education, collaboration, and innovation.
Public library continuing education can take many forms. Carnegie Public Library staff utilized OLC’s “Ohio Reference Excellence (O.R.E.)” course in their continuing education to earn certification. The O.R.E. provides free training that orients and educates library staff on conducting reference interactions, finding and verifying information, and responding accurately and appropriately to library patron needs and requests.
Additional continuing education is often available in both fee-based and free webinars on topics such as homelessness, reader’s advisory, best practices for storytime, and emerging technology. These webinars are an efficient and cost-effective way to stay up-to-date on library trends, techniques, and innovations.
At their January meeting, the Carnegie Public Library Board of Trustees passed a resolution commending library staff on this accomplishment. The following staff received certification: Kelley Blair, Susan Davis, Nathan Forsha, Noel Dittmar Lesniak, Belinda Michael, Jodi Noel, Kay Oughterson, Bonnie Rinehart, Dawn Roberts, Aaron Teter, and Maria Wilburn.
