LABELED sections:

• An introduction that very briefly tells the reader what's discussed in the remainder of your report.
• A statement about your career objective(s). Where do you see yourself working? Doing what?
• A listing of the skills and knowledge needed for entry-level competence in your chosen career (specifically focused on those addressed in this course). Use the ALA Competencies or other library association competencies for this, but feel free to add - that listing is generic.
• An honest self-appraisal of what you have - and what you need in order to accomplish an entry-level standard of competency in areas listed. Where do you shine? Can you list (and build on) existing skills? Are there areas where you really could use some help?
• Opportunities for acquiring skills and other competencies. Think about: courses, self-study, workshops, certification, research and publication, current awareness practices, journal clubs, networking and regional, state, and national association membership opportunities. Use resources from professional associations, but then go beyond. For example: If you want to strengthen your management skills, what's available in business management? This is intended to help you begin to think beyond TWU and focus on your career goals. Where do you want to be in 2 years? 5 years? How will you work to achieve your goals and how can you show this to your employer (current or future)?

Professional competencies:

• ALA or other library association competencies related to reference practices: ALA link(Links to an external site.) (Links to an external site.)
• ALA RUSA professional competencies for reference librarians (link(Links to an external site.) (Links to an external site.)
• Other professional association competencies - select one that seems pertinent to you. However, you will need to focus specifically on competencies relevant to the focus of this course.
• Objectives of this course (see syllabus)
• Topical areas mentioned but not taught explicitly in this course, including assessment
• Your own intended career, particularly within the next 2-5 years.

Library practice in any setting should include aspects of reflection, goal-setting, continuing education, research in practice, and job-specific skills and knowledge. Of the above listing, some may not apply, but most should. Confining your reflection to reference-related topics may help you to be more concrete than if you are asked (as you are, in the Career Plan essay for your final portfolio) to write about skills and knowledge far more broadly.

You may not know where you'll be working, or you may be working in a setting different from where you dream of working, but consider this as an opportunity to reflect on skills and knowledge that will help you to get where you want to be. We always do learn as we go, so (like a reference interview!) you don't know what you don't know... but there is a lot you DO know, too. I want you to write a well-organized document that cites sources, and that appears to be a fairly concrete self-assessment of where you are, where you want to be, and what you need to get you there. Please remember that your document should focus solely on reference-related areas of growth.

The objective for building your career development plan is to create a document about your professional objectives, opportunities, and concrete development planning. Items listed should be directly connected to your current or intended area of practice.

This can take any form you'd like (e.g., webpage, Word doc, etc.) and other than readability and citation standards (APA), has no real format requirements: this is yours to create. Length of document: Write first, then edit. I don't have a prescribed length, but you should have addressed the topic in some depth. This is a formal document that should include, at minimum, the following