Certification FAQs
Periodically, the board hosts an information session explaining the process of applying for Paralibrarian Certification. This two-hour class walks applicants through the guidelines page by page and answers any questions. In this class, a sample application is provided and explained.
You may download a sample application as well as other helpful documents.
For more involved questions, please contact any one of our Paralibrarian Certificate Mentors.
Common Questions
- Please, send your check with your application.
- “I’m not planning to pursue certification; can I still attend the classes?” Yes.
- NHLA Cancellation policy. If you paid online, there is a $5 cancellation fee. For the complete policy, please click here.
Review Schedule with Due Dates
| Application due | Review Committee meeting | Board Approval |
| Monday, May 1, 2023 | Friday, June 16, 2023 | Friday, July 21, 2023 |
| Saturday, July 1, 2023 | Friday, August 18, 2023 | Friday, September 15, 2023 |
| Friday, September 1, 2023 | Friday, October 20, 2023 | Friday, November 17, 2023 |
| Wednesday, November 1, 2023 | Friday, December 15, 2023 | Thursday, January 19, 2023 |
| Monday, January 1, 2024 | Friday, February 16, 2024 | Friday, March 15, 2024 |
Paralibrarians Classes
For current class offerings, please visit the NHLA calendar and filter by Paralibrarians. Also note that classes offered by other sections are also eligible for points, just bring Form D for the instructor to sign if a certificate of attendance is not offered.
For a complete list of classes that the Paralibrarians Section has hosted previoulsy to reference descriptions or point values, please see our amended guidelines or list of classes.
Continuing Education Opportunities
Online Opportunities
The path to paralibrarian certification requires a lot of learning. In order to facilitate applicants’ efforts to engage in professional development, the section will maintain a list of links to online educational opportunities here. If you notice a dead link or a mistake or have suggestions for additional links to provide, please contact the Paralibrarian webmaster: Amanda Alwyn, Laconia Public Library.
These links contain webinars and other opportunities that can be used to help meet certification requirements. However, we encourage all library professionals to use these links to their advantage in ongoing professional development efforts.
Maine State Library Voluntary Public Librarian Certification
First Tuesdays (Washington St. Library)
School Library Journal webcasts
Texas Library Association continuing education
Nebraska Library Commission webinars
University of Wisconsin-Madison Continuing Ed
Kentucky Dept. for Libraries webinars
Wyoming State Library Webinar Archive
Continuing Education Opportunities
Teen Services
ConnectedLib https://connectedlib.github.io/ 9 free self-paced modules aimed at building librarians’ capacity to engage and promote connected learning and 21st century skills among today’s digital youth. Developed by faculty members from the library and information science schools at the University of Washington and University of Maryland.
A Teen Walks into the Library https://create.coloradovirtuallibrary.org/a-teen-walks-into-the-library/ Developed by the Colorado State Library, this free, self-directed course is for all library staff who frequently interact with teens. Learners will gain a beginning level of understanding of working with teens in the library setting.
http://www.ala.org/yalsa/onlinelearning/webinar#Free%20Teen%20Competencies%20Webinars YALSA Teen Services Competencies for Library Staff
Teaching Tolerance https://www.tolerance.org/professional-development webinars and self-paced learning.
450 free online courses from Ivy League Schools https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/ivy-league-free-online-courses-a0d7ae675869/?fbclid=IwAR0q-32Rbc5tFQuT5ydjRqn50qZ98BwoGn4tsMrHhjYwfJ_Z97DEsr_yNIo
Continuing Education Opportunities
Resources for professional development
If you are working from home and have the opportunity to pursue professional development and work on your certification, here are some resources available to you that we have compiled from a variety of sources – with a special thanks to the State Library who have diligently provided many of these links through the NHAIS listserv: https://maillist2.nh.gov/mailman/listinfo/nhais-l
As always, refer to the guidelines to ensure that the resource you have chosen meets the requirements for points. This list is a compilation of resources found in various places, not a definitive list of guideline appropriate items.
- [COVID-19 resources: http://nhlibrarians.org/covid-19-resources/ ]
- NH State Library list: https://www.nh.gov/nhsl/services/librarians/education.html
- Professional Development NHLA Facebook post: https://www.facebook.com/222951054482289/posts/2561381327305905/?d=n https://www.facebook.com/NHLibrarians/posts/2561381327305905
- American Libraries Magazine https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/al-live/
- Booklist: http://www.ilovelibraries.org/article/booklist-just-announced-free-online-access-all?fbclid=IwAR0ocH9VoXkyWh2CEDuIc-ebiEft8N9Bjp9fxfBqvuXoTYO9n3KzHlT6Bfg
- Google Doc of Free Webinars: http://bit.ly/FreeLibraryWebinars
- The Horn Book: https://www.hbook.com/?page=about-the-horn-book
- JSTOR (Library Science): https://www.jstor.org/subject/libraryscience
- Library 2.0 https://www.library20.com
- Programming librarian: https://programminglibrarian.org/webinars?fbclid=IwAR1ZQKyKTpe7Eyu8xvZOgjtO2dUsFjU-M6675FvC77lHeK8HXHEOmd3wSy0
- WebJunction Course Catalog: https://www.webjunction.org/news/webjunction/free-webinars-for-library-staff.html https://learn.webjunction.org/?_ga=2.171817190.777701148.1585682992-636378914.1585682992
- ALA Online Learning: http://www.ala.org/educationcareers/elearning
- PLA Webinars: http://www.ala.org/pla/education/onlinelearning/webinars
- Techsoup Webinars: https://www.techsoup.org/community/events-webinars
- LinkedIn Learning: https://www.linkedin.com/learning/
- LinkedIn, Remote working: https://www.linkedin.com/learning/paths/remote-working-setting-yourself-and-your-teams-up-for-success
- Spreadsheet for sharing ideas for work librarians can do remotely (started by Amy Lappin on 3/19/2020): https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1M3SbMzztfWKzZiR4samnBmRoEExXJG1t1X-MhMHMToE/edit?usp=sharing
- Ohio Reference Excellence (ORE) Professional Development Training http://oreonline.olc.org/
- Home-Learning Resources for Librarians, Educators, and Parents by Greg Arenz At Demco: https://ideas.demco.com/blog/home-learning-resources-for-librarians-educators-and-parents/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=COVID&utm_term=Demco
- Bobbi Slossar’s COVID-19 Google Folder: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1FHX4-9QtbQ_hO_H0niC1osrA3Mqc9zR7
- Technology Update: Metadata Tutorial, LJ access, Transcription Plugin for Omeka: https://docs.google.com/document/d/13RxhwkwY3i8Z3o9DxF2W0gPVBC2tJhVt4RmplGRuh6k/edit
- In response to the COVID-19 outbreak Lynda.com has made their 16-course Learning Path: Remote Working: Setting Yourself and Your Teams Up for Success https://www.linkedin.com/learning/paths/remote-working-setting-yourself-and-your-teams-up-for-success?u=85863946 available to all, no library card required.
- Library 2.0 special pandemic mini-conference: “Serving the Needs of Communities in Crisis.” https://www.library20.com/page/crisis?mc_cid=e99fbf037f&mc_eid=db50ed3033
- PLA Public Libraries Respond to COVID-19: Successful Ways to Work Remotely http://www.ala.org/pla/education/onlinelearning/webinars/covid-19/work-remotely
- Turning Outward Together: Staying Grounded in Challenging Times https://www.facebook.com/HarwoodInstitute/ by The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation weekly 4 pm EST Wednesdays New
- Watch the ALA Rural Library Management Webinars https://alapublishing.webex.com/mw3300/mywebex/default.do?nomenu=true&siteurl=alapublishing&service=6&rnd=0.01105125631801307&main_url=https%3A%2F%2Falapublishing.webex.com%2Fec3300%2Feventcenter%2Fprogram%2FprogramDetail.do%3FtheAction%3Ddetail%26internalProgramTicket%3D4832534b00000004c5f21a4ebd25c1352d6ea46b01fdc5b159d326088e80c3af199bce290b875d59%26siteurl%3Dalapublishing%26internalProgramTicketUnList%3D4832534b00000004c5f21a4ebd25c1352d6ea46b01fdc5b159d326088e80c3af199bce290b875d59%26cProgViewID%3D1855072%26PRID%3D6d352290fd89d45e39b7113d1901cb0b presented to date–free to all NH, ME, VT, MA library staff & volunteers.
- Free online IT training courses at Alison.com https://alison.com/courses/it?fbclid=IwAR3ygY-2_eoxCSYOQWAoSM0bFytDc8hdZp_o9sS9adKviA0eiOZCGLQj0BQ
- EdTech Certification https://www.edtechcertifications.com/
- GCFLearnFree.org http://gcflearnfree.org/ offers more than 200 topics, including more than 7,000 lessons, more than 1,000 videos, and more than 50 interactives and games, completely free.
- Google for Education Free Applied Digital Skills Curriculum https://applieddigitalskills.withgoogle.com/s/en/home
- Niche Academy webinars https://www.nicheacademy.com/blog
- Webjunction http://view.e.oclc.org/?qs=e3767bda8c19f13705ee92184d849275ed433587092cee4a2e32363c3f188ad1d58cb6f08ee2e89ee611781766f068cad8ec34d6da9c46f366d7f75d89779b37718e876782ef8e27009ef1c4e2405e2c
- Khan Academy https://www.khanacademy.org/ Free courses, practice exercises, instructional videos, and a personalized learning dashboard that empower learners, including adult learners, to study at their own pace in and outside of the classroom. These free webinar recordings on early literacy and library programming are helpful for library workers new to children’s services, and those who are looking for new ideas in programming for young children:
- Best Storytime Practices https://www.michigan.gov/libraryofmichigan/0,9327,7-381-88855_89737-301245–,00.html webinar series presented by Story Be Told’s Jenifer Strauss in 2018-2019 for the Library of Michigan. Topics include Act It Out and Play; In a Galaxy Far, Far Away; Touch the Brightest Star; Storytime Is Your Time to Shine!; Full Body Storytime: and Put the Book Down and Engage! Scroll down the Library of Michigan webinars page to “Youth Services” to see all the links. Handouts for these webinars https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1FCe_MKmnHmHYxr9hFHWlZ5SO0owY3Vfi are also available.
- Every Child Ready to Read https://www.michigan.gov/libraryofmichigan/0,9327,7-381-88855_89737-301245–,00.html webinars presented by Sue McCleaf Nespeca in 2016-2017 for the Library of Michigan. Ten webinars cover topics from ECRR basics to mixed-age storytimes to family engagement, and more. Scroll down the Library of Michigan webinars page to “Every Child Ready to Read” to see all the links.
- Storytime 101: Rethinking the Basics http://scls.typepad.com/programs/2015/01/yss-powerhouse-presentsstorytime-101-rethinking-the-basics.html with presenter Brooke Newberry, hosted by YSS Powerhouse, a service of the Wisconsin Library Association.
- Successful Programming for Babies and Toddlers https://infopeople.org/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=522 presented by Kendra Jones and Brooke Newberry, hosted by Infopeople, the LSTA-funded training arm of the California State Library.
- Block Play: Building a Foundation of Early Learning in the Library https://continuinged.isl.in.gov/block-play-building-a-foundation-of-early-learning-in-the-library-1-leu/ presented by Pamela Martin-Díaz and Marra Honeywell, hosted by the Indiana State Library.
- Building Early Literacy Skills with Babies https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kb9tLDFe_8&list=PLKx1GbSoWzpqJYwviDNzZhRa6QUnWuToP&index=1 presented by Stephanie Prato, hosted by the Central New York Library Resources Council.
- Engaging Toddlers in Active Early Learning https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LBeNpRFHBsohreadytoread.org/training.html presented by Stephanie Prato, hosted by the Central New York Library Resources Council.
- Infusing Preschool Early Literacy with STEAM, Music, and Movement https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78oaNr4FUOg presented by Stephanie Prato, hosted by the Central New York Library Resources Council.
- PLA Webinar: Thinking Sideways: Computational Thinking and Early Literacy http://www.ala.org/pla/education/onlinelearning/webinars/ondemand/sideways Free hour long on-demand webinar that explores the components of computational thinking, what it looks like in early childhood, and how library staff use developmentally appropriate activities to support whole-child development
- PBS Media Literacy Certification https://edu-landing.kqed.org/certification/
- Raising the Bar – training initiative of the New York Public Library https://nypl.teachable.com/p/home
- Project READY: Reimagining Equity & Access for Diverse Youth http://ready.web.unc.edu/ 25 module free online professional development tool aimed at improving relationships with, services to, and resources for youth of color and Native youth. Please note that Section 1 (Modules 1-13) is appropriate for all library staff to begin exploring equity, diversity, and inclusion in libraries. Modules 1-13 are foundational and not youth centered and each module takes approximately 1.5 hours to complete.
- Digital Storytime: Kids, Apps and Libraries https://media.dpi.wi.gov/pld/digital-storytime/story_html5.html Free module-based online professional development course for librarians and educators that provides a richer understanding of how and why apps can be used with young children and their adults. Developed by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
- Storytime Development Workshop http://melissa.depperfamily.net/blog/mels-offline-non-webinar-professional-storytime-development/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mels-offline-non-webinar-professional-storytime-development A self-paced series of exercises developed by Melissa Depper, Storytime Supervisor for Arapahoe Libraries. This series designed to guide self-reflection on strategies to define storytime goals and consider best practices in literacy-based storytime delivery and content selection.
- Supercharged Storytimes https://learn.webjunction.org/course/search.php?search=Supercharged394 A free 10 hour WebJunction self-paced course consisting of six modules, which include videos, readings, activities, and reflection questions. The course provides training in how to intentionally apply research-based practices to boost early literacy in young children attending library storytime