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Dear Colleagues:

We are trying to do some benchmarking in terms of support for staff to attend conferences, workshops and various professionally-related activities.  We are interested in practices across sectors and areas of specialization within libraries.

I am wondering if anyone has done a recent survey as to what kind of support staff receive from employers.  For example: Are professional memberships paid?  Is a certain amount of money made available to every professional on staff to use as s/he might wish to engage in professional development?  Are there certain prerequisites to securing funding to attend a conference (must the staff member be a committee chair, committee member, presenting a programs, staffing an exhibit, etc)? Is time off to attend a conference something given in lieu of partial or full financial support?  Finally, have you seen recent (downward?) trends in terms of professional support from employers?  AND trends in terms of what staff are expecting as part of their general terms of employment?

I would be very grateful for any information that you can provide to me.  Please send your responses to:  [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>.   If possible, I would appreciate receipt of your input before May 15th.

Thank you--

Roberta I. Shaffer
Law Librarian of Congress