Self-Directed, Contract Learning for the Reference Librarian

Abstract

Earlier articles on continuing education for reference librarians describe the major methods used and their shortcomings. The premise of this article is that reference librarians will be able to make the greatest gain in their continuing education if they develop a long-range plan instead of relying on isolated, sporadic, unrelated or unvalidated activities. Self-directed contract learning can be the cornerstone of a long-range plan for continuing education. This article reviews the earlier literature, describes the eight steps of the contract learning process and presents serveral sample contracts. It describes the experiential learning model and learning styles. It also expands on the steps of identifying learning needs and resources by describing specific competencies for reference librarians and by listing a wide range of available learning resources.