Association for Rural and Small Libraries, Inc

The Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL), in collaboration with the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies and an advisory committee of rural and state library representatives, will convert its successful IMLS‑funded Leadership Institute into an online, asynchronous certification program for staff in rural and small libraries. Many of these libraries are led by staff with limited access to leadership development, and travel, scheduling, and staffing constraints can be barriers to in-person training. An online certification will retain the proven curriculum while addressing these challenges. ARSL will adapt existing content, build self‑paced modules with peer engagement activities, and launch the certification with an initial national cohort. The resulting 12‑month online certification pathway will provide increased access to leadership preparation for rural and small library workers.