Members of Education Committee 2010/11
- Mary Burke, School of Information and Library Science, UCD (Retired September)
- Philip Cohen, Dublin Institute of Technology
- Joe Donnelly, Judges’ Library, Dublin
- Deirdre Ellis-King, Dublin City Libraries (Chair)
- Mary Murphy, Meath County Library
- Áine O’Connor, James Joyce Library, UCD
- Marjory Sliney, Fingal County Libraries (Secretary)
- Diane Sonnenwald, School of Information and Library Science, UCD (from November)
- Siobhán Fitzpatrick, Royal Irish Academy
Standards
- To maintain standards of professional education within Ireland and to work towards the continual raising of standards of professional education in line with best practice internationally;
- To extend professional recognition to relevant academic courses of study provided within Ireland by offering qualified candidates, subject to criteria determined by the Association in consultation with the relevant awarding Body, the opportunity to apply for professional recognition leading to Associateship of the Library Association of Ireland, (ALAI );
- To monitor, and in consultation with international sister professional associations, determine the acceptability of courses of academic study undertaken in other countries for purposes of professional recognition by the LAI.
- To facilitate and enable research based on continuing professional education and development through a candidature process leading to Fellowship of the Library Association of Ireland (FLAI);
- To determine and review regulations governing Associateship of the Library Association of Ireland (ALAI) and Fellowship of the Library Association of Ireland (FLAI);
- To oversee and ensure supervision where necessary, in co-operation with the employing body, of the professional development work practice of candidate applicants for Associateship of the Library Association of Ireland;
- To support, supervise, and examine the research thesis submitted by candidate applicants for Fellowship of the LAI;
- To maintain confidential records of application, assessment and recommendation in respect of ALAI and FLAI.
- To examine and review existing curriculum content offered within currently recognised academic courses of study in Ireland leading to relevant awards;
- To determine future curricular content needs in line with the requirements of the profession and to contribute towards the development of curricular content through consultative measures with the awarding body;
- To promote and encourage individual professional development particularly within a framework of professional recognition offered by the LAI;
- To consider the potential for the LAI to enable a Higher Professional Award which would contribute to the status of the profession and recognise the professional achievements and distinction of its members.
The Education Committee has recommended that all LAI members should engage in 25 hours CPD per annum. The CPD activity may include
- Post-qualification academic courses ( further degrees, single modules)
- Attendance at courses/conferences/workshops
- Publications
- Professional association activities
- Professional reading
To assist members organize their record of CPD, a Learning Portfolio folder has been designed.These will be available early in the 2009 from the Development Manager. All new LAI members will receive the folder as they join. Existing members will receive theirs either at LAI events during 2009 or on application to the Development Manager.
ASSOCIATESHIP (A.L.A.I. (Associate of the Library Association of Ireland))A scheme of Associateship was instituted in 1989 to give recognition to the professional status of librarianship. Associateship is open to those members who hold a recognised professional qualification and who meet other criteria as laid down by the LAI.Downloads Associateship of the Library Association of Ireland (ALAI) (52kb) Regulations governing the scheme of Associateship (59kb) Recognised Qualifications recognised for purposes of Associateship of the LAI (Download pdf file). LAIALAIapplication_form for Election to the register of Associates (45kb)
A Professional register, listing those members who hold an A.L.A.I. is published before the Annual General Meeting each year.
Continuing Professional Development
Certificates of Course Attendance – Guidelines for Course Organisers
- Courses for which Certificates of Attendance are issued must have been submitted and pre-approved three months in advance of their meeting and other requirements of the Education Committee.
- Courses must be for a minimum duration of a half day.
- Course documentation must provide the following:
- Course Objectives
- Brief description of content
- Indicate the intended level of participant interest and relevance
- Outline of expected learning outcomes
- Copies of all course documentation must be retained by organising Group / Section of LAI in a proper and retrievable manner for appropriate purposes to include CPD (Continuing Professional Development) validation purposes of the LAI
- A Register of all course documentation and record of Attendees must be maintained by Organising Group / Section of LAI
- Certificates of attendance as required by the Education Committee will be issued to Participants subject to the following:
- Certificates should be issued only to those who attend for full course duration.
- A record of Certification must be completed and retained by authorised officer/s of the organising Group / Section of the LAI.
- This record will detail:
- Course Title
- Date held
- Course Duration
- Name of Participant
- Date on which Certificate was issued
- Name of person signing on behalf of LAI
- Name and signature of person responsible for recording details
- Ref no.- unique course identifying number, year and participant number (Format should be e.g. HSLG1/2006/54)
Approved CPD Courses Download list of approved courses (.doc 27kb)