EXPECTATIONS AND

PERCEPTIONS OF

LIBRARIANS TOWARDS

CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL

EDUCATION (CPE)

Audrey G. Anday

Outline

Expectations

Perceptions through the CPE Survey Results

Points to Ponder

Imagine this scenario

The interview of your life.

Things are going very well

You have built a genuine rapport with the

interviewers, everyone is smiling

Then come the closing questions: “How do you

continue your education? “What have you

learned lately that has helped you in your

job”

What is expected?

21st century libraries

change has become a constant

new technologies

development of new products and

services.

knowledge and skills that workers had

acquired through education and on-the-job

experience may no longer be relevant.

adopt new roles, innovate new services and

master new technologies by actively

pursuing professional development and

workplace learning opportunities

Keywords

Continuing education

Telecourses

Online classes

Distance education

Lifelong learning

Professional development

“Must we all become professional

students?”

or

“Are we “perpetual students” until

we learn to make money by going

to school?”

CPE SURVEY FOR

LIBRARIANS

Special thanks to the PLAI-STRLC Board, Mam Fe Angela Verzosa and to all who participated in this survey

Question

1.) What is your personal view about

the implementation of the CPE

program for license librarians? Are

you in favor of its implementation?

Are you in favor of its

implementation?

67%

33 %

Yes

No

Reasons they are in favor of CPE

implementation

To really feel the involvement with the profession’s

thrust and recognition in the field of librarianship

To strengthen and enhance knowledge on

librarianship through updates on the new trends to

improve frontline services

It can be very useful for professional growth

For it will improve the competence of the

professionals

Because most of us would do things with motivation

Reasons they are not in favor of CPE

implementation

As a professional, we should voluntarily update

ourselves

As a professional we are expected to update

ourselves on the current trends in our field and there

is no need to earn points/credits for the renewal of

the professional license. Training is part and parcel of

the professional development

CHED as well as the respective institution are closely

monitoring the professional development of staff

Question

2. Does CPE courses/programs

generally provides you:

a. Useful networking opportunities

with peers

b. Valuable contact with experts in

the field

0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35 0.4 0.45 0.5

Useful networking

Contact with experts

43.52%

49.53%

31.48%

27.10%

1.85%

2.80%

8.33%

7.48%

14.81%

13.08%

Strongly disagree Disagree Undecided Agree Strongly agree

Question

3. What is the main reason for your participation

to any LIS CPE program/course

a. For compliance to PRC-CPE requirement for

license renewal

b. For updating one’s knowledge on the new

trends and development in the field

c. Increased employability, financial benefit

and status i.e. bonus, promotion & rewards

0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8

Compliance

Updating

Increase employability

10.23%

0.00%

7.29%

11.36%

0.00%

5.21%

42.05%

4.12%

30.21%

18.18%

24.74%

44.79%

13.64%

70.10%

12.50%

Least Important Not so Important Somewhat Important Important Extremely important

Question

4. When licensed librarians are required to

take CPE courses/programs it

a. Helps improve the image of the

profession

b. Helps protect the public from

incompetent professionals

c. Makes it more likely that librarians are

competent

0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35 0.4 0.45

Improve image

Protect public

Makes librarians competent

4.85%

4.85%

2.88%

1.94%

1.94%

5.77%

23.30%

14.56%

15.38%

29.13%

42.72%

32.69%

40.78%

35.92%

43.27%

Strongly disagree Disagree Undecided Agree Strongly agree

Question

5. Other relevant factors/reasons:

a. Indirect cost (travel, food etc) of

participating in CPE courses/program

tends to be excessive

b. Demands of job leave little time for CPE

courses/program

c. CPE courses/program are less useful to me

as I gain experience

0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35

Indirect costs

Demands of job

Less useful as I gain experience

3.67%

8.49%

19.63%

11.93%

13.21%

30.84%

20.18%

30.19%

26.17%

33.03%

29.25%

14.95%

31.19%

18.87%

8.41%

Strongly disagree Disagree Undecided Agree Strongly agree

Question

5. Other relevant factors/reasons:

d. CPE courses/program involving long

distance travel is a significant burden to

me and/or my family

e. If CPE was not required, I would still take

fewer CPE courses/program

f. I can learn what I need through on-the-job

or in-house instruction

0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35 0.4

Long-distance travel is a burden

If CPE is not required

OJT or in-house training

14.15%

2.78%

7.62%

16.04%

8.33%

18.10%

26.42%

25.93%

36.19%

18.87%

25.93%

24.76%

24.53%

37.04%

13.33%

Strongly disagree Disagree Undecided Agree Strongly agree

Question

5. Other relevant factors/reasons:

g. I can learn what I need through

professional readings

h. I do not like lectures and formal schooling

i. It is often difficult to determine in advance

if a course is right for me or would benefit

me professionally

0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35 0.4 0.45

Professional readings

Dislike lectures & formal schooling

Difficulty to know in advance

5.61%

41.35%

11.21%

8.41%

25.96%

25.23%

38.32%

19.23%

33.64%

24.30%

8.65%

15.89%

23.36%

4.81%

14.02%

Strongly disagree Disagree Undecided Agree Strongly agree

0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35 0.4 0.45

Indirect costs

Demands of job

Less useful as I gain experience

Long-distance travel is a burden

If CPE is not required

OJT or in-house training

Professional readings

Dislike lectures & formal schooling

Difficulty to know in advance

3.67%

8.49%

19.63%

14.15%

2.78%

7.62%

5.61%

41.35%

11.21%

11.93%

13.21%

30.84%

16.04%

8.33%

18.10%

8.41%

25.96%

25.23%

20.18%

30.19%

26.17%

26.42%

25.93%

36.19%

38.32%

19.23%

33.64%

33.03%

29.25%

14.95%

18.87%

25.93%

24.76%

24.30%

8.65%

15.89%

31.19%

18.87%

8.41%

24.53%

37.04%

13.33%

23.36%

4.81%

14.02%

Strongly disagree Disagree Undecided Agree Strongly agree

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

55%

86%

72%

46%

68%

95%

72%

55%

27%

75%

90%

51%

47%

35% 43%

Orientation Conferences w/ Library Support External study

In-house short courses External short courses Seminars/Workshops

In-service Training Job exchanges Staff exchanges

Attendance in CPE programs Visits to other Libraries Support for Research Work

Reports for Research Work Support for Publication Resource person

Ways of Updating

Profile of respondents

Technical Services

Librarian, 11% Director/Head/In-

charge/University Librarian, 16%

High School

Librarian, 4%

Graduate School

Librarian, 2%

Elementary School Librarian, 1%

Librarian, 31%

College Librarian,

16%

No response, 19%

Location

Luzon, 72%

VisMin, 11%

No response, 17%

Type of Library

Academic/Research

68%

Public9%

School12%

Special11%

Gong back to the earlier scenario

with the closing questions: “How do you continue your

education? “What have you learned lately that has

helped you in your job”

Points to Ponder

Plan for change because change will happen.

Not all change is for the better but all good

changes should be planned

What Else can we do?

Take advantage of continuing education provided by professional associations

If you missed a Conference, try to locate Conference presentations posted on the Internet

Find a mentor

If you think you don’t need a mentor, offer to be a mentor to a fellow professional

If you are eager to learn something new, commit to write an article on any of your interest and research everything about it

What Else can we do?

If you think you know everything on a particular

subject/s offer to teach it to others. Share your

expertise.

Continuously search for grants/supports to attend

Continuing education programs through your Human

Resources Department or contact any Professional

Associations that offer such.

(Ebbinghouse, 2002)

Final words

develop meaningful and satisfying learning

desired level of professional proficiency

high levels of competence, adeptness, and confident

control, based on expertise, skill, and knowledge

capability and potential power to perform well in a

specific situation

meet the demands or requirements of a situation or

work demand in the local or global markets.

(Edralin,1999)