9 Priority Six: Professional Development and Training for Next Generation Libraries
Rationale
Libraries must continually realign their mission to campus priorities and changing student expectations. For CUNY Libraries to adapt and thrive, a deep systemic commitment to strategic planning, leadership and professional development, and training are vital.
Five-Year Actions by Goal
Goal one (integration):
- Support leadership and organizational development that fosters campus relevance: strategic alignment with campus goals, strategic organizational development, and management training for library leaders.
- Support strategic planning processes across CUNY libraries.
Goal two (innovation):
- Provide training that supports innovative library practices, including decolonization, open research, pedagogy, and data, and culturally responsive services.
- Support training in accessibility and universal design, prioritizing initiatives that provide the fullest access to the largest number of people.
Goal three (centralization):
- Expand technical skills training on shared centralized systems and procedures, and raise the baseline of expectations for engaging with shared systems, as well as the organizational value of technical expertise.
- Expand communities of practice to support collegial dialogue about local unique systems such as special collections and archives.
End States
We will know we are successful when:
- Campus libraries have clear strategic visions for their future, or have begun a strategic planning process, clarifying each library’s role within its college, including the role of library leadership.
- CUNY libraries are inclusive organizations that attract diverse, dynamic talent and retain and grow that talent.
- Technical skills and engagement with core library systems (like Alma) demonstrably improve and core library duties are valued.