Investing in people

Effective continuing education

Public institutions -- including libraries -- are faced with the task of meeting the public's need for timely information and knowledge, a task that is constantly evolving. Social change and fast-paced developments in the media and technology mean that institutions must constantly update and expand their services and while offering staff the necessary opportunities for professional development. In addition to their technical and interpersonal skills, library managers in particular must spend more and more time developing an expanded vision of where their institution is headed -- and then finance such a vision on a limited budget.

Management seminars

A central goal of the Management Seminars for Public Library Leaders project was knowledge transfer. At the same time, this project, a partnership between the Bertelsmann Stiftung and the BIB professional association, was also designed to help each individual assess his or her own capabilities and professional objectives, and to facilitate contact among next-generation library managers. Graduates were also supported in their post-seminar development, and many today are in top positions at libraries, trade associations and information-based organizations.

International Library Scholarship

Successful library work carried out in other countries can often be transferred to Germany to the benefit of all. That was why the Bertelsmann Stiftung joined forces with Bibliothek & Information International to create the International Library Scholarship. The scholarship made it possible for four library managers in each of the program's two cycles to investigate activities at leading international information centers and then implement their findings at their own home institution. As a result, it was possible to quickly and efficiently implement innovative ideas from London ("Idea Stores"), Las Vegas ("After Retirement"), Christchurch ("HR Development"), USA ("Teaching Libraries") and New York ("Library Services for Migrants") in German libraries.  

Continuing education online

With the bibweb -- Study Forum for Libraries project, the Bertelsmann Stiftung and its project partner ekz.bibliotheksservice GmbH have developed an exemplary practice-oriented service that offers librarians both initial training and continuing education opportunities. The project also makes use of the e-learning method previously used in the Internet Training for Librarians project. bibweb offers online courses on a number of topics, including the Internet, customer orientation, library services for young people and early-childhood speech development and reading skills. Over 5,000 library professionals have registered for a bibweb course since 2000. The project was transferred to ekz.bibliotheksservice GmbH in 2005.