by Meg Massey
Manager Interlibrary Loan
Penn State University
mem548@psu.edu
A poster focusing on resource sharing education was presented at the 2026 ALA annual conference in Chicago during the Educators Poster Session. Co-presenters Meg Massey, Manager of Interlibrary Loan, and Christina Steffy, Instructional Designer, represented Penn State University. The poster, “Certificate and Credential Stacking: A Creative Approach to Integrating Resource Sharing into the LIS Curriculum,” highlighted the need for more formal, yet flexible learning opportunities for practitioners in the resource sharing field.
“In our research, as well as anecdotal conversations with peers, we’ve found that many practitioners describe a sort of DIY or choose your own adventure approach when it comes to learning how to do resource sharing,” Massey shared. The poster highlighted that there is no formal course for resource sharing in existing LIS programs, so practitioners learn on-the-job, or through informal opportunities like webinars, conferences where they have conversations with peers, and listservs.
The authors have proposed a course that could be offered as a standalone certificate, but could then be accepted for credit into a later LIS program, such as the Master’s in Library/Information Science. This “stacking” of credentials is being done in other fields such as accounting, business, and nursing. “This would provide foundational knowledge for practitioners who are just starting in the field, but could also serve as a step up for those who may want to pursue further education later in their careers,” Steffy said.
“Creating a flexible course like this could be a game changer in the field of library science. Certificate programs like this could be developed across the field, and provide prospective students with important information that ensures success in their chosen field. Certificates like this could also be beneficial to library personnel that move into new roles during their careers, so there are benefits to be found for mid-career personnel too,” Massey said.
In addition to their poster, the authors wrote a paper about the subject, which appeared in the last issue of the Journal of Library Resource Sharing. A manuscript version of that paper can be found in Penn State’s institutional repository. A sample syllabus for the proposed resource sharing course is also available.