EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The interim evaluation of this program suggests that the program's
developers and those who have handled the actual implementation have done
a good job of identifying needs, supplying solutions, and managing the
program. While the evaluation surfaced a number of problems and many
suggestions for changes to improve quality, there was no suggestion that
the program should be discontinued or significantly modified. There is,
however, an expectation that as the program moves from pilot to
operational status greater consistency and fewer glitches will prevail.
Participants their supervisors and administrators, program volunteers, and
program providers expressed overall satisfaction with their involvement in
the program. Anecdotal information collected in interviews suggests that
service to library users has been improved as a result of the program, and
that the program has been largely successful in achieving the other goals
laid out by its founders.
This report contains recommendations relating to the structure and
administration of the program. It also contains a review of the 53
competencies and identifies areas that may need to be
strengthened/enlarged. Based on interviews and surveys with a small
sample of academic and special library employees, there appears to be
sufficient demand to warrant consideration of expansion of the
certification program to those groups. Further, though not central to the
concerns of this interim evaluation, there was expressed considerable
interest in the rollout of what has been called Level 2, a planned
companion program directed toward career renewal for all types of library
workers.
A key finding of the evaluation is the almost universal desire, indeed
demand, that the program continue to operate under the auspices of Library
Development and Services. There is great concern that the program's
credibility would suffer if this connection were terminated. In addition,
there was expressed a strong sense that there needs to be a single person
within LDS identified -- but not necessarily exclusively assigned to this
function -- to serve as a focal point for certification and other
continuing education activities. It is the view of the evaluator that
many of the problems identified in the evaluation could have been spotted
and resolved had such a person been in place during the pilot period.
Interim Evaluation
Dr. Patricia Kovel-Jarboe was selected to provide the Interim Evaluation
of the Minnesota Voluntary Certification Program. She talked with people during the evaluation period.
Dr. Kovel-Jarboe can be contacted by telephone at (612)920-6900, fax
(612)925-1782 or e-mail at patkj@tc.umn.edu.
Dr. Kovel-Jarboe wrote in the cover letter to her evaluation proposal that she is
"concerned with discovering the potentially numerous factors which
influence participants, providers, and stakeholders. In the data
collection phases, I am proposing to interview a broad sample of such
individuals using a structured interview design which allows for
consideration of unanticipated as well as planned topics."
"Analysis will focus on common themes, concerns, and other factors
which should be considered before decisions are made regarding the
future of the certification program."
Dr. Kovel-Jarboe plans "to use mediated methods (such as phone interviews
and feedback from the Listserve) for collection information from the
participants." She also plans to use information/databases
maintained by the systems.
Dr. Kovel-Jarboe is a former librarian and former CLIME Committee Member
and teaches interviewing classes and has conducted evaluation
projects.
The evaluation period was May 8 to June 30, 1999.
Members of the Evaluation Sub Task Force, Carolyn Muchow, Mary
Wagner, Roger Sween, and Sue Mahmoodi, identified the following goals
to be evalutated:
- To motivate and recognize individuals who continue to acquire and
upgrade the technical and professional skills needed to provide
excellence service in libraries.
- To identify and define the skills and knowledge that public library
emplyees need to function effectively in their positions.
- To identify programs and providers qualified to provide education
programs meeting the program requirements.
- To provide a content structure for educational programs that can
be used by program providers to meet the needs of library employees.
- To develop a plan to provide geographic access to core
certification programs enabling participants to complete the core in
two years.
- To formally evalutation the effect of this program on the
provisiton of service in the public libraries whose staff
participate.
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