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Library Director Certification

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Resources

2023 updates

Best practices for renewing regular certification

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There’s no wrong door! You can contact these IFLS staff for support on this topic:

Leah Langby, Library Development and Youth Services Coordinator langby@ifls.lib.wi.us

Links and resources

For Library Directors – Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI): includes instructions and forms for certification–scroll down to the second section

For library directors needing to complete course work for Temporary Certification:

  • The four core courses required are:
    • Basic Public Library Administration
    • Advanced Public Library Administration
    • Organization and Management of Collections
    • Public and Community Services
  • Both the iSchool at UW-Madison and Chippewa Valley Technical College offer these courses

2023 updates

Effective January 1, 2023, the Library Services team at DPI will no longer accept payments for public librarian certification

  • Please note that this eliminates the need to mail any documents to DPI via the postal service. The certification process is now strictly virtual.
  • Please be sure to email all certification applications and documents, as pdfs or jpgs, to LibraryCertification@dpi.wi.gov for processing.

Best practices for Renewing Regular Certification

  • Please send completed Annual Summation Forms and Activity Reports to Leah by email: langby@ifls.lib.wi.us.
    • Annual Summation Forms and Activity Reports are available on the DPI site.  If possible, do this yearly at the anniversary of your certification date to allow for less stress when your 5 years are up.
    • Please complete the forms in Word instead of printing and filling out by hand.  If they are emailed from your email account, Leah will let that stand in for a signature.
    • Leah will check these over and send back the signed Annual Summation Forms (both via email and as a hard copy via courier).
  • Then, when your certification is due, send all the completed, signed Annual Summation Forms (NOT the Activity Reports) and your certification form to LibraryCertification@dpi.wi.gov for processing.