Continuing Professional Development 

ALIA Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Scheme

Keep your skills and knowledge up to date with the ALIA CPD Scheme.

If you are a Personal Professional Member of ALIA, the ALIA CPD Scheme is here to support your ongoing professional learning.

All Associate, Library Technician or Allied Field Members are automatically signed up to the ALIA CPD scheme with access to the user-friendly CPD logbook. The CPD logbook allows you to track your CPD hours, reflect on what you've learned and identify the next skills and resources you need to drive your professional performance.

The minimum requirements of the scheme are:

• 30 hours per CPD year (1 July - 30 June)
• 120 hours over three consecutive years

Specialisations

If you want to develop or demonstrate specialised knowledge in the library and information industry, you can add an ALIA CPD Scheme specialisation. In the CPD logbook, select your chosen specialisation from the drop-down list and then add the relevant competencies for each activity.  After the successful completion of 30 hours (and one CPD year) of the specialisation you are eligible to use the post nominal relevant to your specialisation. For example if you are an Associate Member and you complete the data specialisation your postnominals would be AALIA (CP) Data.  To achieve your Certified Professional Certificate with a specialisation a minimum of six competencies over three years need to be completed.

There are currently ten specialisations offered to ALIA Personal Professional Members. For more information and to download the competencies and skills audits linked below, please make sure you are logged into the Member Portal.

Step 1. Choose one specialisation

Step 2. Add competencies to your specialisation

After one year and 30 hours logged against one specialisation you can use the relevant postnominal, eg AALIA (CP) Data.

Pictured below: CPD logging windows from the ALIA Member Centre showing an example of using the CPD tool.

Step 3. Include at least six competencies over three years

After three years and 120 hours logged against one specialisation you are eligible to apply for a Certified Professional Certificate for the relevant specialisation. Ensure you have included a minimum of six competencies against your chosen specialisation in that time.

More info

Student and General Members - Proficiency Recognition Program (PRP)

If you are a Student or General Member of ALIA the Proficiency Recognition Program (PRP) encourages members to fully utilise their skills and experience during their studies and/or in their library and information services setting.

The scheme is focused on four practice areas:

• Know your library and information service context
• Know your library and information service structure and community
• Collections in practice
• Engaging with digital technologies, literacies, and learning

You can access the PRP through the My CPD tab in your profile in the Member Centre.

Looking for CPD activities and resources?

ALIA and ALIA Groups run conferences, training, seminars and more throughout the year. Here's how you can get involved:

• Check out what's on and register here.
• We send all ALIA members the monthly PD Postings e-newsletter which is full of free CPD activities or check out 100+ ideas for your CPD.
• If you are a early and mid-career ALIA Member, the ALIA Mentoring Scheme supports a structured mentoring relationship to create professional partnerships and gives you access to the wisdom and expertise of LIS professionals.

A good way to maximise your CPD is to complete learning reflections and we make this easy within the Member Centre of the website.

Resources

Audit

The annual audit of ALIA's CPD Scheme supports the validation of ALIA professional certification. The audit provides effective and accountable governance and management of compliance reassuring employers and peers of the credibility of the scheme.

Compliance will be assessed by an annual random audit (no more than once every three years per member) of 10% of ALIA PD Scheme members for the CPD year ending 30 June. You will be notified by email on 30 September if you are selected, you will have until 31 October to review your records.  The Audit will be finalised by 31 December each year.

A full audit for the triennium will be required before the awarding of a Specialisation Certified Professional Certificate and listing on the website.