University of Alaska Southeast (University of Alaska Southeast, Egan Library)

University of Alaska Southeast will partner with the Alaska Library Association to assess the training needs of library paraprofessionals in underserved communities throughout Alaska and explore the feasibility, curricular content, and delivery modes needed to develop an online professional development microcredential. The project team will perform an environmental scan of the jobs in the state, analyze course sequences of existing undergraduate pre-professional programs, and conduct surveys and focus groups of library workers in Alaska. The project will assess the need for a sustainable training curriculum that considers the challenges of small and rural libraries in Alaska while taking into account best practices, professional standards, and cultural humility. Based on findings, the project team will pilot a course and develop a curriculum for a microcredential for library workers. A white paper of key findings will be presented at state and national conferences and benefit other states that are reviewing their own library workforce training needs.