Continuing Professional Development and library professional associations

Abstract

CPD has two tracks, one is professional and the other is academic. Library associations who are CPD providers supply the programs for the professional track while higher education institutions provide the programs for the academic track. In selecting CPD programs in the professional track, librarians may be guided by their chosen career paths. These are: 1) as a general practitioner in an academic, public, or school library; 2) as a special librarian; or 3) as a library educator. Through well selected and designed CPD programs, library associations can help librarians advance in their chosen career paths. Among the CPD programs that library associations can provide are: seminars, workshops, and study tours/visits. This paper will discuss why library associations are important stakeholders in the advancement of the profession and how they can help professionals acquire advanced knowledge and skills.