Old Dominion University

The Commonwealth of Virginia is becoming increasingly ethnically and culturally diverse. As Virginia’s population and cultures change, its public and school librarians must gain new multicultural knowledge and skills to provide better service to communities, and particularly to youth. Old Dominion University, in partnership with the Library of Virginia, will establish a continuing education center for librarians to acquire these new skills and perspectives. The Librarianship Upgrades for Children and Youth Services center will provide needed training for librarians throughout the state, using a variety of online, teleconferencing, and face-to-face instructional delivery methods. An advisory board will help shape the initial and ongoing training curriculum to ensure its continuing relevance to the needs of the state’s communities and libraries.