Creating a New Generation of Librarians to Serve All New Yorkers
Making it REAL! Recruitment, Education, And Learning: New Century Libraries Workforce Initiative
New Century Libraries:
Recruiting a New Generation of Librarians
Budget and Legislative Proposal
Outlined below are suggestions for a legislative proposal that will implement the ninth recommendation of the Regents Commission on Library Services: "Support and enhance a highly skilled library workforce to meet the information needs of New Yorkers." The Commission's recommendation emphasizes the importance of workforce excellence, improved access to library education programs, and a diverse, well- trained workforce, particularly in urban public libraries. The ideas below flow from the October 2 Regents Policy Conference session on the library workforce.
Proposals to Address the Librarian Shortage
Recruitment, Retention, and Training -- $1.15 million
Program A: Annual grants to library systems (public, school, and reference and research library resources) and to the New York State Library for recruitment, retention, and training programs.
Purpose: To increase the number of people completing a master's or doctoral degree in library and information science from an accredited school of library and information science.
Grants will provide the following:
- Funds for developing "teaching library" programs within library systems and at the State Library in partnership with one or more graduate schools of library and information science
- Subsidies for high school/undergraduate/graduate internship programs at "teaching libraries"
- Subsidies for undergraduate/graduate scholarship programs for member library, library system, and State Library employees
- Subsidies for graduate-level traineeships at "teaching libraries"
- Incentives for program participants to work or volunteer in an appropriate "teaching library"
Program B: Annual funds for the State Library to develop an effective, high-profile statewide recruitment
program for the library profession."
Purpose: To market the profession effectively to attract people of diverse ethnic backgrounds and those
experienced in working with persons with disabilities.
Matching Scholarship Grants -- $350,000
Program: Annual matching grants up to $50,000 to each accredited New York State graduate school of library and information science to provide scholarships for people seeking masters or doctoral degrees.
Purpose: To improve library service at the local level by developing a workforce that reflects the communities served by today's libraries.
Scholarships will increase the number of ethnically diverse librarians, including those who speak languages other than English, as well as librarians experienced in working with the disabled.
Trustee Education -- $500,000
Program A: Annual funds to the New York State Library to develop successful, ongoing statewide trustee training programs.*
Purpose: To educate those who formulate library policy so that they can make informed decisions about recruitment, training, and retention of a highly skilled workforce.
Program B: Annual grants to public library systems to build on state-level trustee training.
Purpose: To educate the library policy-makers and extend effective training opportunities to approximately 7,000 trustees.
*Programs will be developed in partnership with library systems and other organizations such as the New York Library Association, the New York State Association of Library Boards, graduate schools of library and information science, the American Library Association, and the Institute for Museum and Library Services.
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