The Oklahoma Department of Libraries and the Oklahoma Library Association believe that library staff must increase their skills & knowledge through Continuing Education. This upgrades the library profession, enriches the librarian, and promotes quality library service.
The Oklahoma Public Library Certification Manual and Forms explains how the certification process works and details the levels of certification.
Use the Public Library Academy Dashboard to track your progress through the 8 required classes for initial certification. The Library Certification Dashboard is for current certified library staff to track their certification level, badge, and the most recent renewal date. On the left side, there is a self-reported Contact Hour interface that will help track the number of continuing education hours needed to renew.
In-person Certification Classes are available in the spring and in the fall and are taught in various locations around the state. Certification Classes are also now available online through ODL's Niche Academy. They can be found under "Initial Certification Courses." You will also find a collection of online tutorials and trainings under the Public Library Academy that can be used for contact hours, all except the "Initial Certification Courses."
Find class objectives, pre-class assignments, handouts, presentation slides and online resources for the certification classes.
You can use the online Request or Submit Contact Hours Form to submit your contact hours and track your credits submitted on the Certification Dashboard.
If your training provided a certificate with contact hours or CEUs listed, you'll submit the certificate. If you did not receive a certificate, you'll choose the Request option and upload your proof of attendance.
If you have any questions, please email ODL.education@libraries.ok.gov.
You will need 36 contact hours to renew your certification. You may attend conferences, workshops, city training, webinars, staff training, or other appropriate training that applies to your job at the library.
One contact hour = .12 CEUs. So, you can divide your total CEUs by .12 to convert them into credit hours to calculate your number of contact hours. You do not need to request special certificates with contact hours since the training already issued CEUs.
Questions? Please email Paige.Harkins@libraries.ok.gov.
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