School Library Essentials
A 3-Course Materials Management Certification Series
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Course Details Register by August 24, 2027.
 3 Self-Paced Courses
 36 Credit Hours
 Recommended for school library workers.
 $797 (Save with early bird and group rates!)
DO YOU HAVE THE COLLECTION SKILLS TO BUILD A SCHOOL LIBRARY STUDENTS ACTUALLY USE?
This three-course certification series gives school librarians and library workers a complete, practical foundation in materials management, from building and maintaining your collection to making it findable for every student. ABOUT THIS CERTIFICATION SERIESThe school library students love starts with a collection that's built, managed, and organized with purpose. Self-Paced Course Materials School Library Essentials is a comprehensive certification series designed for school librarians and library workers who want confident, well-rounded materials management skills. Across three courses, you'll learn how to assess, develop, and budget for your collection; weed, repair, and increase circulation; and catalog your materials in ways that make them exciting and accessible to students. Whether you're new to school librarianship or filling in gaps, this series gives you the complete foundation to manage your school library with confidence. This is a fully self-paced, asynchronous series. You will have six months of access to move through the materials for each session. For more details, check out the What to Expect tab. Need an invoice or PO? Orders of $600 or greater can choose invoice at checkout. For orders under $600, submit this form , and we will process your order manually. Need approval? Email your supervisor to share this certification series. . TRAINING A TEAM?Multi-seat discounts are automatically calculated in the cart. Return to Full Course Catalog INCLUDED COURSESThis certification series includes 3 self-paced courses. Each one builds on the last, and together they provide essential knowledge and skills on building and maintaining your school library collection. School Library Cataloging Basics: Findable, Usable, Student-Friendly Good cataloging is what turns a collection into a resource students can actually use. In this course, you'll learn cataloging basics tailored to the school library context, including how to make your collection genuinely student-friendly, how to handle special collections and materials that don't fit standard categories, and how to apply practical cataloging methods that work in the real world of a busy school library. You'll leave with the skills and confidence to organize your collection in ways that get books into students' hands. Building a Better School Library Collection: Assessing, Budgeting, and Buying with Purpose In this course, you'll learn the fundamentals of collection development for school libraries: how to audit and assess what you have, identify gaps, and make strategic, budget-conscious purchasing decisions. You'll explore how to evaluate materials for your specific student population, build a collection development plan that reflects your school community, and make the case for the resources your library needs. Whether you're building from scratch or taking stock of what you've inherited, this course gives you the tools to move forward with purpose. Managing the School Library Collection: Weed, Repair, Circulate, Repeat Collection development gets you started, but collection management keeps you going. In this course, school librarians will learn how to weed with confidence, repair materials worth saving, and develop sustainable practices for keeping a collection that stays relevant to students and staff. You'll explore practical strategies for increasing circulation and ensuring the work you've put into your collection pays off in the hands of readers. WHO SHOULD TAKE THIS CERTIFICATION SERIESThis certification series is designed for school library workers. It is especially helpful for learners who want a structured, multi-course path to building deeper skills in building and maintaing collections. SESSIONS AND PRICINGThis registration is for the full certification series, which includes all 3 courses. Choose the session that works best for your schedule. Early bird pricing ends one month before the session deadline.
GROUP OPTIONSTraining a team? Choose the setup that matches how you want to plan and pay: Group course enrollment: Enroll 3+ staff in this certification series and save. Bulk course credits: Prepay once, get the highest per-seat discount on every course, and assign seats later. Unlimited annual licensing: System-wide access for a year with no per-course approvals. Request Discounted Group Pricing Questions? Email groupsales@libraryjournal.com. SERIES FORMATThis certification series includes 3 courses designed to build skills progressively across the full program. All courses are fully self-paced and asynchronous, allowing you to move through the content on your own schedule.
EXPECTED TIME COMMITMENTIf you complete all 3 courses in the series, you will spend approximately 36 hours on the full certification. You will earn 36 hours of professional development credit and a School Library Journal certificate upon completion.
ALL THE DETAILSThis certification series provides a structured path through school library collections. Rather than taking a single course in isolation, participants build knowledge and skills across multiple related areas, with each course adding depth and practical application. School Library Essentials is a comprehensive certification series designed for school librarians and library workers who want confident, well-rounded materials management skills. Across three courses, you'll learn how to assess, develop, and budget for your collection; weed, repair, and increase circulation; and catalog your materials in ways that make them exciting and accessible to students. Whether you're new to school librarianship or filling in gaps, this series gives you the complete foundation to manage your school library with confidence. The program is designed to help you move beyond one-off learning and build a stronger, more complete professional toolkit. By the end of the certification, you will have completed all required coursework and earned a credential that reflects sustained engagement and applied learning in school library collections.
ON-DEMAND ACCESSAll materials and recordings included in this certification series will remain accessible for six months following the final course or session in the series.
CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETIONComplete all 3 courses in this series to earn your School Library Essentials: Materials Management certification from School Library Journal.
ACCESSIBILITYAll video recordings feature auto-captioning. If you require accommodations, please email course-support@libraryjournal.com upon registration and we will make our best efforts to support your needs.
SUPPORTFor technical or course-related support, please contact course-support@libraryjournal.com. |