CONTINUING LIBRARY EDUCATION AMONG SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA PERSONNEL IN NORTH DAKOTA: AN EXAMINATION INTO THE PRACTICES, PREFERENCES, AND PERCEPTIONS RELATING TO MODES AND METHODS OF CONTINUING EDUCATION

The purpose of this study was to investigate the practices, preferences, and perceptions of school library media specialists serving the public schools of North Dakota in regard to the modes and methods of continuing library education.;Specifically, the research was directed toward the following objectives: (1) To gather selected background information about the population studied: school library media personnel employed in the schools of North Dakota; (2) To describe modes and methods of continuing education in regard to: (a) use; (b) degree of preference; (c) degree of perceived effectiveness.;It was necessary to examine the historical perspective and current developments in continuing library education and analyze the practices, preferences and perceptions of school library media specialists within the state of North Dakota, in an effort to consider the forces for and against increased emphasis on providing continuing library education. It was anticipated that the study would provide some guidelines for directing the future development of continuing education opportunities among school library media personnel in North Dakota.;An underlying purpose of the study was to derive understanding of the modes and methods of continuing library education in terms of broad learning categories: The modes including: Course Work, Interaction, Self-Teaching. The methods including: Use of Audiovisual Materials and Equipment, Programmed Instruction, Simulation, and Other Methods.;A three-part questionnaire was distributed to a population of 321 school library media personnel employed by the public school districts within the state of North Dakota. Returns totaling 153 were received, 150 were determined to be usable. Part I was designed to gather Personal Data, Part II was designed to determine the Degree of Use (participation in), Degree of Preference, and Degree of Perceived Effectiveness for Modes of Continuing Education; and Part III was designed to derive information regarding the population's Use (participation in), Degree of Preference, and Degree of Perceived Effectiveness for Methods of Continuing Education.;Among the conclusions reached were: (1) Continuing library education is necessary for North Dakota's school library media personnel. (2) School library media specialists rely heavily on the Course Work Mode of Continuing Library Education.