List items for Endorsement Program Frequently Asked Questions
Below we've answered some questions you might have about the Endorsement Program. Still have questions? Contact the CE Consultant.
The first step is to complete the Application for Endorsement & Renewal. The CE Team will review your application and enroll you in the appropriate courses in Workday Learning. You'll receive an an email notification from that system once you're enrolled.
Each module includes a short quiz you must pass with a perfect score. You can review the content and take the quiz as many times as you need to.
The discussions sections are pass/fail based on attendance and participation.
To renew your Endorsement, you must earn a certain number of hours in a three-year period:
- Director Endorsements: 45 hours every 3 years
- All other Endorsements: 30 hours every 3 years
When you're ready to renew, submit a copy of your Workday Learning "Endorsement Tracker" report via the Application for Endorsement & Renewal.
If you have a Master's in Library & Information Science from an ALA-accredited school:
- You qualify for a gold-level Endorsement at the Director level.
- You qualify for a staff-level Endorsement.
- You may skip the "Core" component of the other Endorsements.
You find your current Endorsement level by logging into Workday Learning. Navigate to your Profile, then click Certifications.
For more information on the Levels of Director Endorsement, consult Standard 20 of In Service to Iowa: Public Library Standards.
You can find most of the Endorsement Program coursework on our YouTube Channel. You'll be able to view the content, but it won't count for CE Credit or towards an Endorsement.
That depends on the level of Director Endorsement required by your library's size. The information below related to levels is taken from In Service to Iowa: Public Library Standards.
This is the level you will be awarded after you complete your endorsement coursework (Bronze or Silver Levels), or have submitted proper documentation of your advanced Library Science education (Gold Level) to the State Library.
Bronze
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Completion of Director Endorsement coursework within 2 years of hire date
Silver
- Bachelor’s degree
- Completion of Director Endorsement coursework within 2 years of hire date
Gold
- Graduate degree in library or information science from an American Library Association (ALA) accredited program
The only people with a deadline to complete courses are library directors, who must earn their Director Endorsement within two years of their hire date.
You only need to keep one Endorsement active. If you're a library director, this must be your director endorsement. Otherwise, choose the one that most closely aligns with your job duties and renew that one.
You're welcome to renew at any time, but your new three-year cycle will start from whenever we process your renewal. If you want some "free" time, you're better off attending whatever sessions you're interested in for now, and still renewing closer to your end date.
Whenever you're ready to renew, submit a copy of your Workday Learning "Endorsement Tracker" report via the Application for Endorsement & Renewal.