New Public Library Fundamentals course
Building confidence from the ground up
Public Library Fundamentals, the newest addition to the Library Foundational Training (LiFT) program, introduces the core principles and values that shape public libraries. This on-demand course also explores what makes public libraries unique, how they serve their communities, and the ethics that guide the profession.
An excellent grounding in the purpose of libraries and what differentiates public libraries from other types of libraries, this course is a great primer for someone beginning their career in libraries—either as an employee, a trustee, or a volunteer. The content touches on how public libraries are governed, as well as the core functions of a library and the role of its staff in fulfilling these functions. The course concludes by exploring the ALA’s Code of Ethics, which introduces learners to the code’s purpose and its practical application in libraries. Throughout the course, learners are prompted to pause and contextualize the content to their situation. For example, they are asked to investigate other libraries in their community or region and what purpose they serve, find their library’s organizational chart, become familiar with the different roles, and even interview a staff member about their job.
Learners share their experiences
Recent learners shared their positive experiences with the course content:
I loved the updated version of this training. I also enjoyed the Public Library Fundamental resources downloadable PDFS, and that each slide had text-to-speech for those who may need that. It worked on all slides as I went through them. I also loved that there was an explanation of every type of library included in the presentation (representation of different libraries and the work they do matters now more than ever)!
I plan to share this course, the knowledge in it, and encourage the staff in my library to take the course.
If you are new to libraries, this course is for you! If you are hiring staff who are new to libraries, this course fits well into an onboarding program.
This course is part of the LiFT—Library Foundational Training collection of on-demand learning content. OCLC’s WebJunction, in collaboration with the Idaho Commission for Libraries, designed LiFT courses to give library staff and volunteers practical, foundational knowledge to grow in their roles, expand their confidence, and strengthen public library practice from the ground up.
This project was made possible in part by a grant from the
Institute of Museum and Library Services (RE-256627-OLS-24) and support from OCLC.