As many of you are aware, the Infopeople Advisory Board and staff are exploring ways that we can continue to offer high quality continuing education and leadership development to the California library community and beyond in the face of reductions to grant funding.
The Advisory Board met last week by conference call to get updates from the Continuing Education and Leadership Development Task Forces and continue to plan for these services in 2016/17. Continuing Education Infopeople needs assessment surveys have been distributed online and are still open. We have had a good response; and surveys will stay open until February 12. Focus groups will take place over the next two weeks and will be a combination of phone interviews and Adobe Connect webinars. Infopeople staff will prepare a report based on the survey results and the focus group info for review by the Continuing Education Task Force and the Advisory Board. The needs assessment will be finalized to inform development of the 2016/17 training calendar, which will be included in the 2016/17 California State Library grant application. Infopeople staff have developed a joint pilot project with Webjunction to develop a model for a "pushed" curriculum, largely self-paced with feedback from mentors and learners. These learning experiences will be more interactive, less static, and shorter for busy directors and managers. The current plan calls for the program to launch in fall 2016 and end in December 2016, with those who complete training receiving complimentary seats in future Infopeople courses. This pilot project will create a lab-type environment where everybody can contribute - content can come from learners and "instructors." Leadership Development Planning for the California Library Leadership Institute (March 9-14 in San Jose) is moving forward. Seventy applications were received for this program and are currently being reviewed. The goal is to notify all applicants of their status by early in the week of February 8. Although the task force hopes to have mentors involved in this program, they are struggling to find individuals who can make this time commitment. What is the long-term plan for leadership development? There was a consensus that it would be useful to have a broad-based statewide conversation to decide what leadership development should look like in California. There was discussion about CLA's interest in making library staff a more integral part of transforming libraries and the need for leadership development to align with that interest. There are many models for leadership development beyond the intensive institute model. This conversation on the future of leadership development will be continued at the in-person Advisory Board meeting in late March 2016. Convening a State-wide conversation between key organizations about CE/Leadership Development The CLA Board has stepped forward to initiate this conversation and is planning a meeting. The Advisory Board agreed that CLA is a good group to carry this conversation forward. Longer term role of Infopeople Advisory Board Infopeople was a grant-funded project of the Peninsula Library System for many years; and Califa became the administrative partner in 2015/16. Infopeople is not its own entity. The Advisory Board was initially established to oversee grant activities. As we look to the future and move Infopeople out of project mode, what does that mean from a governance standpoint? Infopeople has also been a staff-driven project; and the Advisory Board has been used primarily for advising but not as much decision/direction-based as a governing Board would be. This year in particular, the Board has been functioning as a governing board even though that isn't really our mandate. This issue should be addressed in the coming year. Recruitment of new Executive Director Holly Hinman stepped down as the project director in December 2016. Eileen O'Shea is serving as the interim director. Should Infopeople consider hiring a permanent director? It is anticipated that California State Library funding will be eliminated as of the 2018/19 fiscal year. While there has been some examination of future sustainable business models, the situation seems too fluid to try to identity a permanent leader at this point. Whose decision is it ultimately as to what form Infopeople takes? One model might be a situation where a variety of CE providers offer training around the state. Another model might be CLSA systems and library organizations contracting with Infopeople for CE services that are paid for independently, with local, regional or private funds. The need for both short-term and long-term business plans for Infopeople is clear. There will be further discussion on this topic at the in-person Advisory Board meeting in March. Advisory Board meeting The in-person Board meeting on March 30 will take place at the Buena Vista Branch of Burbank Public Library from 10am – 2:30pm. Eileen O'Shea --------------------------------------- Eileen O'Shea Interim Director, Infopeople email: [email protected] // ph: 562-856-4750
