{"id":33851,"date":"2025-07-26T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-26T04:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/?p=33851"},"modified":"2025-07-24T14:48:17","modified_gmt":"2025-07-24T18:48:17","slug":"diy-style-pd-refresh-reflect-and-rebuild-your-practice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/2025\/07\/diy-style-pd-refresh-reflect-and-rebuild-your-practice\/","title":{"rendered":"DIY-Style PD: Refresh, Reflect, and Rebuild Your Practice"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Toolbox \u2013 taken from Wikimedia Commons, licensed under Creative Commons<\/a> <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Perhaps your professional development (PD) toolbox is feeling a little dusty due to underuse, or maybe some tools have become dull from overuse. As librarians, we recognize the importance of lifelong learning. We also acknowledge that when time is short, money is tight, and the day-to-day demands pile up, it can be hard to focus on our own professional growth. Life gets busy, and professional FOMO can creep up. You do not have to start from scratch. It can be easy to overthink and overlook resources already at your disposal; sometimes a trusted tool just needs sharpening or oiling. This is an invitation to take an inventory, sketch your blueprint, and get back to (re)building your professional practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gather your crew<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You may be the only children’s librarian in your building, but you are not alone. What do you want to learn or share with others? What are your areas for growth?<\/em> How can you help others to grow?<\/em> Connect with other folks (locally or online) to form a small peer group that meets monthly or quarterly to stay motivated, exchange ideas, troubleshoot challenges, and get inspired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grab the tools<\/h2>\n\n\n
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Tools of a traditional goldsmith \u2013 taken from Wikimedia Commons, licensed under Creative Commons<\/a> <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

When budgets are tight, online resources can be your best friend. Read a(nother) blog post from ALSC<\/a> or check out archived webinars or courses<\/a> from ALA and its affiliates<\/a>, The Library of Congress<\/a>, or PBS Books<\/a>. Explore an ALSC toolkit<\/a> and then deepen your learning by taking notes, reflecting, and applying new ideas to your own programming, collection development, or advocacy efforts. Reread past training materials to refresh your memory and revisit your learning; a second pass after more experience may reveal insights you missed the first time or offer new ways to apply familiar concepts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make it yourself<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You do not need to be a national expert to have something valuable to share. What do you know? What is your niche? <\/em>Start with what you have learned through your own experiences. Volunteer for opportunities that will allow you to share your knowledge and strengthen your skills. Write a blog post<\/a>, curate a book list, submit an article, or volunteer to serve as a referee<\/a> to a professional journal. Lead a workshop for colleagues or serve as a mentor<\/a>. Submit a proposal<\/a> for a virtual or in-person course or presentation with ALSC. Attend or help coordinate an unconference with the topics and learning driven by the attendees. Someone else is likely facing the same challenges, and your story might be exactly what they need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Borrow from other rooms<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Think beyond children’s services. Attend professional development offered to and\/or by the <\/strong>technology team on topics like AI, digital literacy, and makerspaces. Join PD for reading interventionists or English as a Second Language (ESL) specialists in your school district. Your attendance expands your skillset, shows initiative, enriches your understanding of cross-functional work, and brings a broader perspective back to your department.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Shop” local<\/h2>\n\n\n
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Toolbox-vintage \u2013 taken from Wikimedia Commons, licensed under Creative Commons<\/a> <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

You may be surprised by the learning opportunities available right in your community that connect directly to your work with children and families. Shifting your perspective from facilitator to participant can spark fresh ideas and help you see your work in a new light. Register for free community events or even attend another library\u2019s program. City and county agencies often offer free or low-cost workshops on topics such as youth mental health, trauma-informed practice, parenting, literacy, civic engagement, equity, or (potential) engagement\/partnership opportunities. Community colleges and local nonprofits may run affordable courses or training on early literacy, youth media, languages spoken in your neighborhood, or arts integration. These local learning experiences can strengthen your practice and deepen your connection to the community you serve. Browse the ALSC Strengthening Community Connections Toolkit<\/a> for resources, ideas, and inspiration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do not skip the finish work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Deepen your learning through reflection. Take notes, highlight what resonates, and experiment with small changes in your own programming or outreach. Documentation helps you recognize your growth and creates a record to refer to when applying for\/renewing certifications, requesting time for future PD, updating your resume, or advocating for yourself during evaluation season. Build a habit of reflective practice as you go. Read this ALSC Children & Libraries<\/em> article to see an example of reflective practice in action<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A DIY professional development plan is about actively shaping your growth in a way that reflects your values, goals, and community needs. Take the time to notice what feels energizing and what you might want to explore next. You deserve to grow, and your patrons deserve a librarian who is inspired and empowered to keep learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This post addresses the following ALSC Core Competency: VII. Professionalism & Professional Development.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amalia E. Butler, Park Avenue School Librarian (NJ), is writing on behalf of the ALSC School Age Programs & Services Committee.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Perhaps your professional development (PD) toolbox is feeling a little dusty due to underuse, or maybe some tools have become dull from overuse. As librarians, we recognize the importance of lifelong learning. We also acknowledge that when time is short, money is tight, and the day-to-day demands pile up, it can be hard to focus on our own professional growth. Life gets busy, and professional FOMO can creep up. You do not have to start from scratch. It can be easy to overthink and overlook resources already at your disposal; sometimes a trusted tool just needs sharpening or oiling. This is an invitation to take an inventory, sketch your blueprint, and get back to (re)building your professional practice. Gather your crew You may be the only children’s librarian in your building, but you are not alone. What do you want to learn or share with others? What are your areas…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":176,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":"","_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[287,16],"tags":[119],"class_list":["post-33851","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blogger-school-age-programs-and-services-committee","category-professional-reading","tag-professional-development"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33851","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/176"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33851"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33851\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33851"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33851"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33851"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}