The association for rural and small libraries will turn its pilot "library 101" workshops into an annual, competency-based certification program for new and early career staff in small and rural…

The Institute of Museum and Library Services awarded the Association for Rural and Small Libraries Inc. $589,042 on September 1, 2026, under the National Leadership Grants program (CFDA 45.312) to develop a national, competency-based certification program for new and early-career staff in small and rural public libraries.

The Association will convert its pilot "Library 101" workshops into an annual certification program with modular training focused on core librarianship, leadership, and community service skills tailored to low-staffed, resource-constrained settings. The project includes testing and refining the model through conference-based cohorts, coaching, and ongoing evaluation of participant learning and practice change. The intended outcome is a sustainable national credential recognized by partners and supported by a sliding-scale cost model that strengthens the rural library workforce and improves services for rural residents.

The project runs through August 31, 2029, with place of performance in Shoreline, Washington. This is a Project Grant, a form of assistance funding that supports projects addressing critical needs in the museum and library fields with potential to generate models, tools, research findings, services, practices, or alliances that can be widely used, adapted, scaled, or replicated.

The association for rural and small libraries will turn its pilot "library 101" workshops into an annual, competency-based certification program for new and early career staff in small and rural public libraries. The project will develop modular training focused on core librarianship, leadership, and community service skills tailored to low staffed, resource constrained settings. Arsl will test and refine the model through conference-based cohorts, coaching, and ongoing evaluation of participant learning and practice change. The result will be a sustainable national credential, recognized by partners and supported by a sliding scale cost model, that strengthens the rural library workforce and improves services for rural residents.