ACTION: IMPLEMENT YOUR CAREER RENEWAL PLAN

Good Practice

• Wherever possible, ensure that your intended personal growth and development contributes to job performance within 12 months.
• Determine the appropriate amount of developmental activity to be carried out. As a guide in each year, a range between 28-42 hours (the equivalent of 4-6 average working days) of developmental activities is recommended. Note: Best practice in other fields exceeds this figure.
• A variety of learning method should be used depending on the particular learning objectives, the cost-effectiveness of different activities, and your preferred learning style.

SELECTING LEARNING METHODS FOR DEVELOPMENT

Using your Key Development Objectives from the Development Plan Worksheet, and your understanding of the nature of your learning needs, consider learning formats (see Appendix) for how you might achieve each objective. Career Renewal involves both work based learning and personal learning. It will have some structured methods, e.g., training sessions, project management. It will also have some self-structured methods, e.g., reading professional literature, writing a journal article, giving a presentation at a conference. Be realistic and imaginative. There are a number of ways to learn. Unplanned opportunities may present themselves. Being involved in short projects or a self-study activity can, in many cases, be more effective than attending a training course. Record your intended learning methods on the Development Plan Worksheet.

PARTICIPATING IN THE MINNESOTA CAREER RENEWAL PROGRAM

1. Identify, contact and confirm two to four "Collaborating Colleagues" to serve as your network of experts to whom you may refer for guidance, locating quality learning opportunities, reporting our progress, for problem solving. Select two to four persons:
   • With demonstrated knowledge or recognized expertise
   • With subject knowledge outside the library field, or with subject knowledge applied to libraries
   • Preferably in your geographical area, regional system(s), or easily accessible by electronic means
2. Complete the Application Form, p. 15. Submit the form with your development plan and a check for $15 to CLIME Committee, Library Development and Services, 1500 Highway 36 W, Roseville, MN 55113.
3. Search various calendars, including the electronic ones, for learning opportunities of potential value to you.

PARTICIPATING IN THREE MILESTONE SESSIONS

1. Issues Forum:

   Check the Minnesota Voluntary Certification (and Career Renewal Program) website at www.arrowhead.lib.mn.us/certification for the schedule of the Forum on Issues in Librarianship in Minnesota - the first of three common experiences designed for participants in the Career Renewal Program. The paper "Public Library Service in Minnesota" in the Appendix is the first of the background papers being developed for this event. Three schedulings of the forum are planned for each year. Participate in the session; report on it to one or more of your Collaborating Colleagues; prepare a short written report for your portfolio. Attend such a forum within the first year of participation in the program.

2. Presentation:

   Begin planning for the second common experience during your second year of participation in the program. Prepare and present an oral public presentation or publish an article on some aspect of the specialty area that you are pursuing. (Criteria for this presentation are being developed.)

3. Collegial Forum Capstone:

   Prepare for and schedule the third common experience during your third year of participating in the program.

   
   
   

   GUIDELINES FOR COLLEGIAL FORUM CAPSTONE

   Objective:

   Participants will demonstrate analysis and synthesis through collegial discussion of the issues relevant to the capstone topic.

   Process:

   Each participant will prepare questions for the group to discuss. The questions will grow out of the individual's reading, attendance at learning events/opportunities, work experience, professional service. Participant questions may be augmented with questions developed by the topic expert and a facilitator. Questions relating the topic to management and technology aspects are to be included in the discussion.

   The discussions will be led by a team of an expert in the topic and a trained discussion facilitator/moderator.

   At the end of the Collegial Forum Capstone, each participant will write a summary of the discussion and develop a bibliography for further reading on their topic or an issue covered in the discussion. This summary and bibliography are attached to the participant's learning portfolio.

   
   
   
   
   
   
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