SPEC Kit 315: Leave and Professional Development Benefits (December 2009)

Librarian readiness for research partnerships

“…One R respondent suggested professional associations might provide "best practices and sample wording for library policies and also to provide data on how many libraries have such policies and the key points of each." The Association of Research Tibraries (ARL) SPEC kit on professional development leave, funding, and sabbaticals found them available to professional library staff at 87% of responding ARL member libraries in 2008 [20] but did not address handling sponsored research time. Henry and Neville reported a lower percentage (63%) having sabbaticals and/or research leave available [5].…”

“…Topics for which participants requested training and support encom passed all of the indicators at varying levels. Partici pants most often mentioned being interested in having either support (20) or training (9) on data analysis and statistics. 1RB support was discussed 11 times and IRB training 5 times, with some specific suggestions such as: "It would be good if MLA supported the human subjects training for members, particularly for those members [who are] interested in doing research but do not have access to an IRB sponsored utility.''…”