PUBLIC LIBRARIAN CERTIFICATION REGULATORY CHANGES

Public Comments on Commissioners Regulation 90.7 Certificates for librarians in registered public, free, and Indian libraries due November 17, 2008
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On July 28, the NYS Board of Regents Cultural Education Committee directed the State Library to move forward with amendments to Commissioners Regulations 90.7, requiring continuous professional development for professional public librarian certificates
issued on or after January 1, 2010.

The Notice of Proposed Rule Making will be published in the State Register at www.dos.state.ny.us/info/register.htm on October 1, 2008, for a 45-day public comment period through November 17, 2008. Please send any comments on the proposed regulations to Jeffrey W. Cannell, Deputy Commissioner for Cultural Education and Interim State Librarian, State Education Department, Office of Cultural Education, Room 10C34, Albany, NY 12230.

Regents policy calls for a highly skilled library workforce. Recommendation nine of “Meeting the Needs of All New Yorkers: Library Service in the New Century: Final Report of the Regents Commission on Library Services”, which was adopted as Regents statewide policy for libraries in 2000 and reaffirmed in 2004 and again in December 2007 recommends establishing “a certification process to promote excellence in New York’s Library workforce at all stages and levels”.

In September 2007 NYLA leadership began discussing a variety of options to improve the skills of the library workforce in New York State in order to address Regents policy. During the past year, the NYLA Continuing Education Committee has worked with NYLA members, the New York State Library and with the statewide library community to develop a new proposal that would equip New York State’s new public librarians to meet the changing information needs of New Yorkers and continue to
provide first-class library service throughout their professional careers.

The amendments to CR 90.7 will be presented for adoption at the December 2008 meeting of the Board of Regents. Regulations will become effective January 8, 2009.