Professional Development Opportunities
Acquisitions
Introduction to Electronic Resource Management in Academic Libraries (Library Juice Academy)
This course is designed to serve as an introductory class to electronic resource management in an academic library setting. It is geared towards those who are just starting out in electronic resource management roles and are new and active practitioners. Electronic resource management is a critical function of the academic library, especially given the predominance of electronic resources in contemporary collections as well as the growth in online courses offered by colleges and universities. In this six-week course, students will learn the basic principles of electronic resource management, centered on the primary tasks of activation/deactivation of resources in discovery, their ongoing maintenance and management, and troubleshooting and resolving access issues with them.
February 2 - March 15
$375
Electronic Resource Management 1: Acquisition and Implementation (Amigos)
Electronic resources make up a large portion of today’s library collections – and electronic resources management (ERM) is an important skill set for a growing number of library staff. The first step in the ERM lifecycle is the acquisition and implementation of new content. Learn about the various modes of access to electronic resources and the necessary steps to make these resources available to library patrons.
February 10
Free (Members) / $180 (Non-members)
Electronic Resource Management 2: Maintenance and Troubleshooting (Amigos)
Unlike print resources, electronic resources require ongoing maintenance and troubleshooting to make sure library users can access them. Learn about the maintenance procedures necessary to ensure continuous access to electronic resources. Discover common access issues and how to troubleshoot them.
February 12
Free (Members) / $180 (Non-members)
Electronic Resource Management 3: Assessment and Preservation (Amigos)
Electronic resources make up a large portion of today’s library collections, and electronic resources management (ERM) is an important skillset for library staff members to have. These resources often make up a large portion of libraries’ acquisitions budgets, and therefore, assessment of their usage is important. It can also be important to preserve access to these resources for long-term use. In this course, participants will learn strategies for assessment and preservation of electronic resources.
February 17
Free (Members) / $180 (Non-members)
Fundamentals of Electronic Resources Acquisitions 2026 (ALA eLearning)
This four-week online course provides an overview of acquiring, providing access to, administering, supporting, and monitoring access to electronic resources. The course offers a basic background in electronic resource acquisitions including product trials, licensing, purchasing methods, and pricing models. An overview of the sometimes complex relationships between vendors, publishers, platform providers, and libraries is also provided.
March 2 – March 27
$206.10 (Members) / $229 (Non-members)
Fundamentals of Acquisitions 2026 (ALA eLearning)
This six-week online course is a basic primer for library acquisitions concepts common to all library material formats. It covers goals and methods of acquiring monographs and serials in all formats; theoretical foundations and workflows of basic acquisitions functions; financial management of library collections budgets; relationships among acquisitions librarians, library booksellers, subscription agents, and publishers. This course provides a broad overview of the operations involved in acquiring materials after the selection decision is made.
March 16 – April 24
$278.10 (Members) / $309 (Non-members)
Cataloging/Metadata
Fundamentals of Cataloging 2026 (ALA eLearning)
The Fundamentals of Cataloging (FOC) is a six-week online course that introduces the principles, policies and practices of cataloging in libraries. It is designed for librarians and library support staff new to cataloging; librarians and library support staff from other units who want to know more about cataloging; LSSC candidates pursuing certification in the Cataloging and Classification competency set; and experienced cataloging librarians and support staff seeking continuing education and networking opportunities.
January 26 – March 6
$278.10 (Members) / $309 (Non-members)
Controlled Vocabularies and Taxonomies (Library Juice Academy)
This course focuses on learning the basic principles of controlled vocabularies and taxonomies including terminology; common vocabularies used in library and metadata work including those from Library of Congress, and Getty, among others; and guidance on development and planning of taxonomy implementation plans. Students will become familiar with the fundamental principles of taxonomy and controlled vocabularies, understand usage and common controlled vocabularies for institutional repository, cataloging, digital archives, and web-related metadata work, and be able to develop their own taxonomy implementation plans.
February 2 - March 1
$250
Learning RDF and Linked Data Search Queries, Part 1 (Library Juice Academy)
This course will focus on the SPARQL query language (used to query RDF and Linked Data) as well as the concept of the semantic ‘triple’ and RDF triplestores (a type of database for semantic data). One of the primary goals of this course is for the student to understand how RDF and Linked Data is used, accessed, and disseminated on the web. We will be working with local data as well as querying wikidata, dbpedia, and other publicly available data sources.
February 2 - March 1
$250
LSSC Elective Competencies: Cataloging and Classification (Library Juice Academy)
A six-week online course on cataloging and classification, designed to meet the elective requirement for the Library Support Staff Certification program. In this course students will learn how cataloging and classification support users’ access to resources in a library and learn the processes and rules for creating library metadata. They will learn about the value quality cataloging provides to users and how they can support the creation of quality cataloging using standards, authority control and cataloging rules. They will also gain hands-on experience using a variety of tools, technology, and resources to create catalog records.
February 2 - March 15
$375
Serials Cataloging (MCLS)
This course provides the basic principles of original and copy cataloging of print serials with a focus on the elements contained in the RDA CONSER standard record (CSR), including appropriate MARC 21 tagging, as well as problem-solving and decision-making relative to serials cataloging. The specific goals of the course are to understand the concept of continuing resources; identify serials and distinguish them from monographs and integrating resources; become familiar with MARC tags used for serials; create original serials cataloging records; identify appropriate serial copy and needed edits; become familiar with current serials cataloging conventions and practices.
February 3 – February 5
$100 (Members) / $200 (Non-members)
Original Descriptive Cataloging of Monographs Using RDA (MCLS)
Here is your chance to work with RDA (Resource Description and Access) while learning the fundamentals of original cataloging of monographs. In this hands-on workshop, you will explore the foundations behind RDA, and use the tools included in the RDA Toolkit. How to assign subject headings and basic access point control will also be reviewed. Among the topics discussed will be the preferred source of information, physical description, primary access point, and the choice of additional access points. Several MARC record examples will be examined, and several hands-on exercises will be included. The booklet for this workshop contains an RDA Workflow providing the relevant RDA rules, the Library of Congress Program for Cooperative Cataloging Policy Statements (LC-PCC PS) and MARC coding information. The OCLC Bibliographic Formats and Standards will also be used. Note: This is a general original cataloging course and questions regarding specific local systems will not be covered.
February 10 – February 12
$100 (Members) / $200 (Non-members)
Just Enough to be Dangerous: Cataloging for Non-Catalogers (MCLS)
Have you thought that those catalogers have been talking a new language lately? Does it sound like Alphabet Soup is being served in Tech Services? You may have figured out that RDA is Resource Description & Access (the new cataloging standard, implemented in 2013 to replace AACR2) but don’t understand exactly what it does. And what is meant by “authority control”? And what in the world is BibFrame? This overview course for non-catalogers will introduce the theory behind bibliographic records, authority work and workflows. If you are a school media specialist or a solo librarian, this course will give you the background to prepare for introductory cataloging courses. The course will answer these questions: What do catalogers do? Why do catalogers do things the way they do? How do catalogers do what they do? You will see demonstrations of how a cataloger creates a record from scratch, and all the decisions that are involved. Also, demonstrations of “copy cataloging” (finding and using an existing record from another resource) and the decisions that are involved in editing and using such a record. The course is not designed to teach you to catalog but rather to understand what cataloging is all about.
February 12
$60 (Members) / $120 (Non-members)
Original Cataloging of Archival Materials (MCLS)
Here is your chance to work with RDA (Resource Description and Access), DACS (Describing Archives: a content standard), and MARC21 as applied to the original cataloging of archival materials. This workshop teaches participants how to catalog resources in an archival collection using those tools as well as Library of Congress authorities online, Library of Congress Subject Headings sources online, OCLC’s Bibliographic Formats and Standards, and Library of Congress MARC standards website. The class will address original cataloging of all forms of archival materials including collections, personal papers, diaries, speeches, letters, etc. Among the topics discussed will be devised titles, extent (physical description), primary access point (creator), and the choice of additional access points (added names, subjects, genres). Participants will learn the appropriate MARC fixed and variable fields used primarily for archival resources. Several MARC record examples will be examined, and the workshop will include the creation of original MARC records for a manuscript, an object, and an archival collection. NOTE: The RDA Toolkit will be demonstrated, but only basic navigation in the RDA Toolkit will be shown to demonstrate the difference between the Original RDA Toolkit and the revised Official RDA Toolkit.
February 24 – February 26
$100 (Members) / $200 (Non-members)
Cataloging with BIBFRAME (Library Juice Academy)
This course focuses on learning the basic principles of BIBFRAME 2.0, the bibliographic framework and vocabulary that is a likely replacement for MARC. Students will become familiar with the BIBFRAME model and principles that are applicable to practical application of cataloging and metadata and will create BIBFRAME records in the BIBFRAME Editor. A look at future developments will be included, including those that are part of the Linked Data for Production (LD4P) project.
March 2 - March 29
$250
Library of Congress Classification (Library Juice Academy)
This course focuses on learning the structure and notational system of the Library of Congress Classification (LCC) system, using the free PDFs of LCC via the Library of Congress. LCC is an enumerative system that uses an alphanumerical notation system to express the subject content of information resources. The call numbers created are a combination of class numbers and cutter numbers, thus an integral part of building numbers involves understanding the role of cutter numbers and how they are constructed using the LC Cutter Number Generating Table. Students will become familiar with the structure of LCC and how numbers are devised through basic subject analysis technique. The notational system will be explored, including its expressiveness and hospitality and how notational elements are used. Call number building devices will be practiced, including basic cutter number construction, reserved cutter numbers, and successive cutter numbers, etc. Another integral part of LCC is its in-schedule instructions such as “Divide like” and “Under each” and the use of category lists and auxiliary Tables.
March 2 - March 29
$250
Introduction to JSON and Structured Data (Library Juice Academy)
JSON is a semi-structured data format for encoding data and is a popular language for data sharing and interchange–as such it is considered a good alternative to XML. The materials in this course will cover all the core JSON syntax and data structures as well as structured data as a concept; core data structuring approaches; the differences between XML and JSON; when to use XML, when to use JSON. JSON itself is the language of JSON Schema and JSON-LD. We will also study core JSON Schema, a language that allows annotation and validation of JSON documents and have an introduction to JSON-LD. JSON-LD is covered in greater depth in a follow-up course, JSON-LD Fundamentals. Both courses are follow-ups to our Certificate in XML and RDF-Based Systems.
March 2 - March 29
$250
Rare Book Cataloging: An Introduction (MCLS)
Are those 200-year-old books still languishing in your backlog, waiting for a cataloger with the right expertise? Or are you wondering how to create records for rare books that conform to best practices? Whether for research or in the classroom, rare books are being used in an ever-increasing variety of ways. To facilitate these many uses, and as we transition to a cataloging environment more closely tied to the web, it’s more important than ever to provide the right information and to structure this information as richly as possible. This introduction to creating original and copy cataloging records for rare books will provide you with the necessary foundation to do just that.
March 3 – March 5
$100 (Members) / $200 (Non-members)
Fundamentals of Metadata 2026 (ALA eLearning)
This six-week course is an introduction to fundamental concepts of metadata, including similarities and differences between cataloging and metadata; descriptive, technical, and administrative metadata schema; content standards and controlled vocabularies; approaches to metadata creation and transformation; and metadata project design.
March 9 – April 24
$278.10 (Members) / $309 (Non-members)
Linked Data and Libraries (Amigos)
Linked data is a method of representing and sharing data that connects information across different sources and domains. It can offer many benefits to libraries through improved data quality, enhanced discoverability of resources, and data sharing among institutions. This course covers the principles of linked data and demonstrates the use of semantically rich data in libraries.
March 10 – March 12
Free (Members) / $360 (Non-members)
Assigning Library of Congress Call Numbers: Intermediate (MCLS)
Learn how to use special LCC mechanisms like topical cuttering and tables to accomplish the subarrangement of materials within a range or class number. This course provides a lot of practice with literature classification, where these approaches are heavily used. Moreover, it starts from the point of an already established base class number, but does not cover classification for legal, musical, or cartographic works.
March 17 – March 19
$100 (Members) / $200 (Non-members)
Digital Collections
Introduction to Digital Asset Management (Library Juice Academy)
Digital assets–photos, videos, audio, documents, plus many more–are found across all sectors and industries, as are digital asset management systems (DAM). This is because many organizations, when faced with the challenges of wrangling an ever-growing body of assets, are turning to DAMs to manage, contextualize, control, and disseminate their digital assets. What exactly do these systems do and how can they help organizations? What are some of the best practices for configuring and maintaining a DAM? Conversely, what are the pitfalls that can lead to a DAM nightmare?
February 2 - March 1
$250
Fundamentals of Institutional Repositories 2026 (ALA e Learning)
This 6-week online course is an introduction to fundamental concepts of institutional repositories (IR), including considering IR platforms, promoting the IR, faculty publications in the IR, additional sources of IR content, IR metadata, and accessibility of IR content. This course is an introduction to fundamental concepts of institutional repositories: identify different types of repository platforms and the features and components they offer; develop strategies and methods for promoting the institutional repository to their campus community; understand how to interpret publication agreements, particularly with regard to understanding reuse rights or guidelines for repository deposit of published materials; comprehend best practices for metadata and create original metadata records for repository content; evaluate a variety of content types appropriate for inclusion in an institutional repository, and consider diverse strategies for using the repository to meet the scholarly needs of the campus community; identify best practices for making repository content fully accessible and develop workflows for remediating inaccessible repository content.
February 9 – March 20
$278 (Members) / $309 (Non-members)
Getting Started with Digital Image Collections (Library Juice Academy)
This course is primarily aimed at librarians who are new to managing special image collections and who wish to learn more about beginning a digitization program. Through readings, individual exercises, and class discussions, students will develop an understanding of the following key components of digitization project planning: evaluation and preparation of resources, building sustainable workflows and storage environments, and usability assessment. In the first part of the course, students will become familiar with current research into the behaviors and attitudes of image-seekers, and they will develop a broad understanding of how different metadata standards for libraries, archives and museums record and present information to the end user. In the following weeks, we will discuss basic steps for creating and preserving digital images, such as choosing an appropriate scanning resolution, file naming, and devising scale-appropriate storage methods. Students will evaluate various strategy and planning documents to develop goals for their projects and will be given examples of workflows that can be customized for their own use. The focus will be on providing access to collections that are being digitized from analog materials but will also have applications to born-digital collections.
March 2 - March 29
$250
Fundamentals of Digital Library Projects 2026 (ALA eLearning)
This six-week online course introduces students to the breadth of considerations, standards and skills needed to successfully launch and manage a digital library program. The course will provide opportunities for hands-on activities to develop critical thinking and decision-making skills within the context of a digital library. Participants of this course will gain an understanding of the types of expertise and skills needed to successfully manage a digital library, such as digitization and types of digital objects, metadata, indexing/search/retrieval, storage/architecture, user interface & interaction, preservation; learn about the common platforms used by libraries to manage digital objects and make them discoverable; and discover the role of planning, documentation, and assessment.
March 9 – April 17
$278.10 (Members) / $309 (Non-members)
Leadership/Management
Leadership Communication (Library Juice Academy)
Leadership communication is a difficult and complex art form to master. This course will give you the tools you need to successfully navigate communication at all different levels, from interpersonal to groups, as well as help frame difficult conversations. In addition, you will explore how to manage effective teams and highlight processes for decision-making and discussion that foster a shared perspective and promote a space where good questions can be asked, intentions are clear, and assumptions are tested. As part of this course, participants will develop an internal communication strategy; practice facilitating difficult conversations and managing personnel; explore models for decision-making; and create a blueprint for running effective meetings and assembling strong teams.
February 2 - March 1
$250
Supervisor Series: Learning to Manage for New Managers (MCLS)
Making the transition from doing work yourself to managing others can feel overwhelming. No doubt, taking on a managerial role for the first time can be hard. You may be supervising former colleagues or getting to know an entirely new organization and set of employees. You’ll feel pressure from below and above. So how do you set yourself up for success? It can be helpful to think about effective and ineffective managers you have encountered in your career. This workshop is designed to help minimize the stress and walk you through the process of management by targeting five specific areas. You’ll learn to successfully handle staff, projects, performance, conflict, and even yourself as you evaluate and continuously improve your effectiveness as a manager.
February 26
$80 (Members) / $160 (Non-members)
Fundamentals of Management 2026 (ALA eLearning)
The Fundamentals of Management course is designed for new managers to build the skill set they need to successfully lead their department or organization, as well as support existing managers looking to improve their skills. Upon completion of this four-week course, attendees will recognize the key differences between management and individual contributor roles; define their own leadership style; effectively build relationships in the workplace; identify strategic practices for managing employees and their work; and understand HR fundamentals and how to implement them in the workplace.
March 2 – March 27
$206.10 (Members) / $229 (Non-members)
Understanding and Supporting Neurodiverse Colleagues (Amigos)
Neurodiversity reflects the natural variation in how people think, learn, and process information, encompassing differences such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and more. Creating inclusive workplaces that recognize and support neurodiverse individuals is essential to building empathetic, innovative, and collaborative teams. Explore strategies for fostering neuroaffirming environments that meet a wide range of sensory and cognitive needs and develop practical approaches to supporting neurodiverse colleagues, designing accessible spaces, and partnering with campus and community organizations to promote neurodiversity awareness. Dawn Behrend—a library administrator and masters-level clinical psychologist—draws on her unique expertise at the intersection of mental health, neurodiversity, and leadership in library settings.
March 26
Free (Members) / $180 (Non-members)
Technology/Coding
XML Fundamentals I (Library Juice Academy)
This course will provide an introduction to XML (the eXtensible Markup Language) and also introduce some basic tools for working with XML documents. The main goals of this course are for students to get comfortable with XML as structured data format, learn the basic rules and tools for working with XML, and learn about several XML standards used in the library, digital humanities, data science, and digital publishing communities. Topics will include understanding basic XML document structures and content models, XPath, XML Document Type Definitions (DTDs) and Schemas, XML namespaces and several XML markup standards that are relevant to electronic text resources and metadata management including Dublin Core, MARC-XML, and METS/MODS.
February 2 - March 1
$250
Introduction to Regular Expressions (Library Juice Academy)
Regular Expressions have a wide range of library applications from coding text and metadata processing to basic search and query processing. There are various regular expression syntaxes (roughly 250 and counting), all quite similar but with minor idiosyncrasies that can be confusing depending on what tool or what programming language you might be using for a given task. In this introductory course we’ll cover common Regular Expression syntax and provide examples that will work on several regular expression implementations. You will learn to write regular expressions that will be usable for a wide variety of tasks in a wide variety of tools and scenarios. We will use a freely available web tool to practice writing expressions, but if you have specific regular expression needs (e.g. library applications and tools) we will take some time to explore how to write regular expressions for those scenarios as well.
February 2 - March 1
$250
Advanced Python for Librarians (Library Juice Academy)
Python has a lot to offer, and there is a reason why it is the most popular programming language out there. This class will present a series of case studies that explore some advanced uses of Python that will appeal to library workers. The focus will be on retrieving and manipulating library specific data from different APIs such as from OCLC, ORCID, and local repositories. This will be followed by exploring ways to manipulate that data using Python libraries and AI. Time will also be spent on learning some best practices of coding, such as using GitHub, to share your code and how to get the most out of Google Colab.
February 2 - March 1
$250
Excel for Librarians (Library Juice Academy)
At some point in your library career you will interact with a spreadsheet, be it one that contains data you have entered, someone else has entered, or data you have exported from a system. With Excel, you can easily manage and wrangle structured data, even if it is not in an Excel format. This class will teach the basics of working in Excel, including entering, structuring, manipulating, importing and exporting data. It will also cover some Excel functions and tools for basic data analysis. The class assignments will incorporate practical data tasks that you would encounter in a library or information management setting.
February 2 - March 1
$250