Kansas City Metropolitan

Library & Information Network

Library Paraprofessional Certification Program

The Library Paraprofessional Certification Program is a program being offered by the Kansas City Metropolitan Library & Inforamtion Network (KCMLIN).  It is tailored to provide essential skills for staff currently in paraprofessional roles and those who are working toward this goal. 

To complete the Paraprofessional Certification Program, each participant must take a minimum of six required and four elective courses of your choice.  If you have taken coures that have been used as a part of another certification program, they cannot be used in this program as well.  You must take different selections in order to broaden your knowledge and skills.  Since all the classes in the Administrator level are "required", it is suggested that you do not take these as part of the Paraprofessional Certification program if you are planning on completing the Administrator Certification Program as well.

Please remember that these courses are not offered at all times.  As instructors come and go, course names may also be changed to reflect the request of an instructor.  If you have any questions whether a class fulfills the need of the program, please contact the KCMLIN office.  Half day workshops are worth 1/2 credit toward your completion and full day workshops are worth a full credit.

Required Courses 

  - Introduction to Library Service for Paraprofessionals

  - Extremely Basic Reference

  - How to Deal With Difficult People

  - Exceptional Customer Service

  - Introduction to Library Bibliographic Services

  - Introduction to the Internet & Electronic Resources

          - Students can choose either two half-day or one full day course from the following offerings to meet this

             requirement.

                 -  Introduction to Search Engines  (1/2 day)

                 -  Intermediate Search Engines  (1/2 day)

                 -  Blogs, Wikis & Emerging Trends (1/2 day)

                 -  Introduction to the Internet (1/2 day)

                 -  Intermediate Internet (1/2 day)

                 -  Tangled Web (1/2 day)

                 -  Developing Your Database Search Skills (1/2 day)

                 -  Introduction to Googling (1/2 day)

Elective Courses

Acquisitions Workshop

Audio Visual Materials Repair

Basic Computers & Troubleshooting

Beyond ADA - Serving the Disabled Community

Beyond the Basics Reference

Book Repair Basics

Children's Workshop

Collection Development

Consumer Health Resources on the Internet

Developing a Training Program (How to Develop a Training Program)

Exploring Government Documents

Finding Your Native American Ancestors

Fish! Philosophy!

Getting Graphic - Using Graphic Novels to Promote Library Services

GPO Access

Grammar for Business

How to be a Professional Paraprofessional

Human Resource Reference on the Web & in Print

International Fiction

Introduction to Library Technical Services

Introduction to Religious Reference Resources

Introduction to Social Science Reference Resources

Legal Resources on the Internet

Library Security Workshop

Literary Reference Workshop

MARRT - Mystery Workshop

MARRT - Science Fiction & Fantasy Workshop

MARRT - Westward Ho Workshop

Motivating Employees During Difficult Times (Employee Motivation)

Powerful Presentation Skills Workshop

Programming for Reading

Public Library Copyright Workshop

Reader's Advisory I - Facts About Fiction

Reader's Advisory II - More Facts About Fiction

Reader's Advisory III

Reader's Advisory on the Web and in Print

Reference Round Up

Resources for Budget Travel

Senior Potential

Serving the African American Community

Serving the Asian Community

Serving the Gay/Lesbian Community

Serving the Latino Population

Teambuilding & Meyers Briggs

Teambuilding for the Workplace

Time Management Workshop

Weeding Your Library Collection

What!  We’re Meeting Again?

Working with Volunteers

Young Adult Workshop