A new round of Library Support Staff Certification Registration Assistance Awards offered by LSSIRT and seven states

CHICAGO - Trish Palluck, chair of the Library Support Staff Interests Round Table (LSSIRT), has announced that LSSIRT is offering another round of financial assistance to library support staff applying for certification in the American Library Association’s Library Support Staff Certification (LSSC) Program.  The LSSC Program offers library support staff the opportunity to achieve recognition for their existing skills and knowledge, to gain new skills and knowledge and to enhance their library’s service to the public.

Seven states are also participating:  The Colorado Library Consortium, Idaho Commission for Libraries, State Library of Louisiana, Mississippi Library Commission, Oregon State Library, Washington State Library and the Wyoming State Library.

The Library Support Staff Interest Round Table will be offering 50 Registration Assistance Awards this fall. These Awards are for $175, one-half of the LSSC registration fee.  Successful award recipients will pay the remainder of the fee. An application form is available on the LSSIRT website. The recipients of the Award will be chosen by a random drawing in late November. 

The state-level organizations have up to 10 awards to distribute.  To apply for an award from the participating states, please contact the participating state organization. Only library support staff living in that state are eligible to apply at the state level.

Applications will begin to be accepted on Oct. 1 and will continue until Nov. 15 at both the national and state level.  You may apply at both the national and state level but, however, only receive one Award.

The LSSC Program is partially funded by a grant to ALA from the federal Institute for Museum and Library Services and managed by the ALA-Allied Professional Association.

Library Support Staff Certification (LSSC) provides a path to recognition and awareness of the critical role that library support staff plays in the delivery of quality library service.  To achieve certification, support staff must achieve six of 10 competency sets either through development of an online portfolio or taking approved courses.  The competency sets are:  Foundation of Library Service; Technology; Communication and Teamwork; Access Services; Adult Readers’ Advisory Services; Cataloging and Classification; Collection Management; Reference and Information Services; Supervision and Management; and Youth Services. 

Nancy Bolt, co-project director of LSSC commented, “The LSSC Program is really pleased that LSSIRT is continuing the Registration Assistance Awards.  Library Support Staff will receive the recognition that they deserve by participating in LSSC.  We appreciate IMLS’ support in recognizing the importance of qualified library support staff in providing excellent library service.”

To be eligible to participate in LSSC and thus receive an Assistance Award, applicants must have a high school degree or its equivalent and have worked for the equivalent of one year (1820 hours) as a library staff member or volunteer within the last five years. 

Detailed additional information on support staff certification is available on the LSSC website:   or you can contact the program at lssc@ala.org.

To comment, share, or see related resources and images, go here.