PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN
Years 1-3: Learning the ropes of public librarianship
Upon graduation, I plan to secure an entry-level adult services librarian position in a public library coordinating outreach and in-house programming with and for marginalized populations. To increase my cultural competence and ability to interact with diverse patrons, I intend to take Spanish courses in the evenings and join the ALA-affiliate group REFORMA. I will also join the Public Library Association (PLA) and continue my current involvement with the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA) and the Social Responsibilities Round Table (SRRT). I will maintain my current support of women’s advocacy associations.
Building relationships with the community will be essential to my success as a public librarian. Through attendance at meetings of the City Council, local PTA groups, and community-building organizations, I hope to learn more about the needs and goals of the community I will be serving. I will also advocate for my community by requesting that local and state government funding be maintained or increased for libraries, schools, and social services.
To maintain my knowledge and skills, I will attend one state or one national library conference each year and engage in regular reading of Public Libraries Magazine, Public Libraries Journal, Library Journal, Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, Journal of Radical Librarianship, and similar publications.
Years 3-5: Assuming additional librarian responsibilities
During years 3 through 5, I will ideally build upon my previous administrative and librarian experience by progressing to a Librarian II role. I will continue working with marginalized populations and begin taking on supervisory and mentoring roles. I intend to hone my Spanish skills, learn more administrative skills (including budgeting and grant writing), and remain involved in the aforementioned community activities and organizations. Another goal is to present at either a state or national public library conference. My advocacy work will include in-person library lobbying at the state level.
Years 5-10: Leading a library team
This is the time during which I would like to assume a directorship role in a public library setting. As a director, I want to focus on working with specific groups of marginalized people, particularly women or women veterans. I would also like to take a course in nonprofit management. In addition to maintaining existing involvement with advocacy groups, I plan to join ALA’s Library Services to the Incarcerated and Detained interest group. I would also like to present or moderate at a national conference and author or co-author a paper on library service to marginalized communities. I will continue advocacy work at the local and state levels and extend my advocacy efforts to the federal level.
Years 10-15: Founding and leading an organization
Ten years from now, I want to parlay my skills as a library director into founding an online or bricks-and-mortar community learning and resource center for women. During this time, I may also begin studies in bibliotherapy. I will scale back my library association involvement but continue my advocacy work on behalf of libraries. I plan to teach a course in librarianship, join the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), be active in women’s advocacy organizations, and participate in library-building efforts abroad.