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Nebraska Library Commission Website

Basic Skills for Nebraska Librarians Courses

One of the requirements for Public Librarian Certification is training in the basic skills of librarianship. This requirement may be fulfilled by completion of formal education in an institution of higher learning or completion of approved continuing education or certification courses, including the Nebraska Library Basic Skills Training Courses.  

Basic Skills training is presented as a series of online asynchronous courses through NCampus. Basic Skills participants are required to complete at least thirteen modules - six requisite modules and seven electives. These must be completed during the provisional (first) three-year certification period. 

For each course successfully completed, participants will earn 2 CE credits.  These count toward the 45 CE credits that all participants must earn during each three-year recertification period.

Note: If you're currently enrolled in a Library Science degree program, you do not need to complete the Basic Skills courses. When you complete your degree, you may contact Holli Duggan with a copy of your (unofficial) transcripts and we can update your certification level. You may also submit two college courses for CE credit, as long as the course ended during your current certification period and you send us a copy of your (unofficial) transcript.

Required Courses
(take all 6)
Collection Management A library may offer more than its collection, but without the collection, is it a library?
The Community and The Library Knowing and understanding the community is key to being able to provide the library collections and library services that the community wants and needs.
Communication Communications has been named the most important skill for library directors.  In this class, we will cover general communications skills as well as some specialized forms of communications such as community relations, advocacy and marketing.
Customer Service Customer Service is a library's product.  This course will cover some of the principles of customer service, and introduce practice of customer service through various means.  Participants will read materials, discuss issues, and complete exercises.
Intellectual Freedom and the Core Values of Librarianship The values of librarianship not only reflect cherished beliefs, they help to determine the daily workings of libraries.
Introduction to Cataloging (Organization of Materials) When you've completed this course, you should be able to determine how a library collection is organized and why it is organized that way.  You should be able to assign appropriate subject headings to an item from the Sears List of Subject Headings, and you should be able to construct a classification number for an item.  You should understand what a MARC record is and how MARC records are used in your library's catalog.  You should understand what a library automation system does.  And finally you should have a general knowledge of developments in cataloging.
Electives
(choose 7)
Leadership What is involved in leadership?  How does a library director lead?  How do I personally lead?  In this course, the class will explore these questions, and begin to assemble the tools necessary to become a library (and community) leader.
Library Finance In this course we'll cover the library budget, capital expenditures, library foundations, fundraising, and purchasing.
Library Governance In this course we will explore how libraries are governed, how library boards work, and what sort of rules--within and without the library--help keep the library running smoothly.
Library Policy Policies let everyone--staff, administration, and users--know what to expect and what is expected of them.  They guide decision-making and they insure equal and fair treatment for all.
Library Services to Children and Youth Discover and share ideas that will bring families, children and teens… and learn about why such services are important to your library and your community.
Library Technology Libraries offer human services; but many of those services are involved with or assisted by computer technology. This class covers how to keep that technology working smoothly and serving the purposes for which it was intended.
Management & Supervision The most important asset in a library is the staff.  In this course, we'll cover how a library director manages and supervises.
Programming and Outreach Libraries can encourage reading and library use, as well as offering information and entertainment to customers, through programming.  Sometimes libraries need to take programs outside the walls of the library building in order to reach customers.
Readers Advisory Hooking up a reader and a good book--the right book--is both art and science.  Sharing books with readers is a satisfying process for the librarian and one that readers deeply appreciate.
Reference Participants will develop skills in assisting library users to find information, in searching, and in assessing and using information resources.

Basic Skills courses are open only to Nebraska residents or those who are employed by a Nebraska library.

Register for Basic Skills courses through the NLC Training and Events Calendar.

Basic Skills Planner

Schedule of Basic Skills Courses

For further information, contact Holli Duggan, Continuing Education Coordinator by e-mail, or by phone, at 402-471-2694 or 800-307-2665.

For more information, contact Holli Duggan.