I want to talk a little bit about the Professional Learning Experience module, which I found was really interesting to reflect on as someone who is currently in school while also working in a library–and also in light of my experience going to ALA last month.
In the lecture, Michael shared the work of a former student who classified her learning experiences into professional, educational, and casual experiences, which is a framework that I find helpful for thinking about what professional development actually is and how it can be achieved (Stephens, 2025). Library work, particularly public library work, is uniquely situated to allow for unconventional learning opportunities like the ones listed in this student’s “casual” section. Reading on personal time can expand your Reader’s Advisory capabilities. Talking to friends and community members can help you understand what kinds of needs exist for local patrons. Taking a walk in your neighborhood can help you discover what resources are immediately available.
I was also interested in the “three types of learners” concept and accompanying paper (Stephens et. al., 2021). I think the “skeptical learner” is a very common type of employee, for largely understandable reasons; a lot of us have good reasons to be jaded about library management and professional development opportunities. However, the mindset of distrust and defeat that this type of learner can sometimes cultivate can also have a negative effect on progress.
I would like to propose a modest panacea to this type of attitude. At ALA last month, several of my coworkers were pretty underwhelmed by a lot of the panels and discussions, feeling like it was too abstract, too distant from their day-to-day work, or too self-congratulatory (as in, librarians in panels talking about how great libraries are). However, one of my coworkers did do their own presentation on their particular specialty; manga, manhwa, and webtoons for teenagers. I found their presentation enormously helpful and engaging, as it was simply one librarian talking about their own area of expertise, and applying it really directly to things like collection development. It reminded me of a presentation I enjoyed at a professional development day a few months ago, where a colleague at a different branch did a short presentation about her own efforts to develop a thriving Teen Department, including things that worked and things that didn’t. It was really inspiring and helpful, especially since it was so grounded in the realities of our specific library system.
I think that skeptical learners might be best served by peer learning opportunities in their workplaces or communities where “in the weeds” professionals share tips and tricks. These presentations tend to be really grounded and practical, and this helps skeptical learners to feel like they can engage beyond buzzwords and outdated tech training. I would love to see more libraries introduce paid professional development opportunities for their own employees, where staff can potentially earn OT or some kind of bonus for creating an informational presentation on a unique aspect of their own work, or be supported to spend some of their regular hours on these presentations.
References
Stephens, M. (2025). Infinite Learning: Professional Learning Experiences. [Lecture recording]. The Hyperlinked Library. https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/5cdfkmhia538v3cux296r/Hyperlinked-Library-Professional-Learning-Experiences_.mp4?rlkey=s5b0443cuo3ne1atnyrleum6h&e=1&st=1mkxsn2j&dl=0
Stephens, M., Partridge, H., Davis, K., & Snyder, M. (2021, February 28). The strategic, curious & skeptical learner : Australian public librarians and professional learning experiences. Public Library Quarterly. https://doi.org/10.1080/01616846.2021.1893114