It’s Never Too Late: Pathways to Career Advancement
Ready for the next phase of your career but worried you missed the
moment to transition? Scared to make a change? Struggling to retain your
staff? Unsure how to create opportunities for career advancement in
your organization?
It's never too late!
Join seasoned
Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) mid and late-career non-librarian staff as
they discuss their experiences pursuing MLIS degrees and new career
opportunities through BPL’s Pathways to Leadership Scholarship Program
(PTL). These staff, who have been working in clerical and administrative
functions at the library for multiple decades, will share how they
decided to turn their long-time passion for and experience in libraries
into a fresh chapter. They will also discuss the challenges they have
encountered transitioning into new roles throughout their careers and
the support they had – and wished they had – along the way. PTL
administrators will share their lessons learned managing an internal
workforce development program and ways all organizations can support
staff, regardless of size, type, and budget.
Attendees will leave
this session with a strong understanding of the challenges individuals
encounter transitioning into and within the LIS field and how existing
library staff can become exceptional leaders with thoughtful, formal
support in place. We aim to underscore the significant impact such
support can have on the career advancement of individuals as well as
larger organizational goals around retention, resilience, and
representation.
Learning Outcomes:
At the end of the webinar, attendees will be able to:- Discuss the benefits and importance of investing in non-librarian staff who have invested themselves in the field;
- Identify challenges experienced by individuals transitioning into new careers, namely librarianship, and the methods that can be adopted to help them successfully navigate these challenges; and
- Facilitate discussions on skill building and innovative approaches to foster a supportive learning environment and garner the best individual and organizational outcomes.
Who Should Attend: Individuals
interested in advancing their careers or leaders seeking to provide
colleagues with thoughtful, formal support to help them progress and
achieve organizational goals, including retention, resilience, and
representation.
Presenter:
Kay Jordan-Wilkie is a library leader with over 20 years of experience at the Brooklyn Public Library, currently serving in a regional administrative capacity. She holds a Master of Information and Library Science from SUNY Buffalo and has led efforts to develop responsive services, support staff, and strengthen community-centered public library operations. Her work reflects a strong commitment to equity, access, and public service.
Jenica Holder is an emerging librarian and long time employee of Brooklyn Public Library. She has presented with colleagues at ALA and NYLA conferences and finds joy in sharing knowledge with others.
Sophie McGrath is an international learning and development expert with extensive experience in not-for-profit, government, and higher education sectors. She specializes in people management, solution design, and organizational learning. The Pathways to Leadership scholarship program reports to her, overseeing the strategic direction and ensuring alignment with larger organizational goals and initiatives.
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