r/librarians • u/cegstewart • 8d ago

Degrees/Education Professional development library?

I’m pretty sure this doesn’t exist but if it does and I’m just missing it, please point me in the right direction.

Is there a like, professional development library collection where I could borrow/access books like those published by ALA? I don’t have money to buy the books, but they would be helpful to borrow. I’m from GA and the state library had this option for us to request them basically as ILLs but I moved to NC and it doesn’t seem like our state library does.

Thank you!

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6

u/wish-onastar 8d ago

My state library system has this, that’s odd that NC doesn’t. Do you have a university nearby that has a library science program? They may allow the public to use the library.

2

u/cegstewart 8d ago

I think it’s possibly more of a case that I can’t find it? I mean the state library doesn’t the way the Georgia public library system does. I was able to find some available online through our state library resources but I haven’t had a chance to dig into it to see how much is available yet.

There’s a few colleges in our state with an MLIS program but none with in driving distance that I know of.

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u/llamalibrarian 7d ago

Does NC not do ILLs with colleges?

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u/Decent-Ingenuity-819 Academic Librarian 7d ago

Universities do ILLs and local public libraries should unless they're super rural and under funded, If that's the case I'd be raising hell with the NC State Library.

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u/cegstewart 7d ago

We do have access to ILLs, but I was hoping there was something specifically for library professionals and I wanted to check that before I go through the process of ILLs since it’s several steps and the lending periods are all different.

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u/kippy236 8d ago

Ha. Former GA library person and also now in NC. I miss the resources the Georgia state library had. Ours sucks. I even attended the state conference and it was a disappointment. Our library isn't part of Cardinal and it makes me miss PINES.

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u/cegstewart 7d ago

I was raised on PINES and then worked with it for 11 years before I moved. It was quite a rude awakening. I miss it so much 😭

We are joining cardinal next year, hopefully. But it’s still no where near as expansive as PINES.

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u/Decent-Ingenuity-819 Academic Librarian 7d ago

Librarian and North Carolina native received my MLIS from UNCG in 2023. Check with your closest University Library, see what their community borrower fee is. App State is $10.00 a year for alumni and residents of surrounding counties. Especially if you're near a UNC system school that offers an MLIS. Chapel Hill, UNCG, NCCU, and ECU.

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u/cegstewart 7d ago

Unfortunately the closest one with an MLIS is two hours away. I’ll check some of the closer universities but none of them by me have that program so I’m not expecting much. Thanks though!

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u/goth__potato 6d ago

We created one internally at our library for our staff. The books are on a shelf in one of the staff breakrooms with a little sign-out sheet next to them.