Kingston Librarian Graduates from Public Library
Management Institute at Austin Peay State University

Steve Jacks of the Kingston Public Library recently graduated from the Tennessee Public Library Management Institute sponsored by the Tennessee State Library and Archives, a division of the Department of State.      

The Public Library Management Institute provides a certification program centering around three key issues:  library management, library leadership, and library partnerships.  The Institute is specifically designed for directors of small and medium sized public libraries in Tennessee who do not have Masters’ Degrees in Library Science.

Twenty-two public library directors from around the state participated in the three-year program and graduated on May 23, 2008.  During each of the three years of the Institute, the library directors completed a minimum of five workshops on a variety of library-related topics and a week-long residency on the Austin Peay State University campus.

The staff of the Fort Loudoun Regional Library provided most of the training outside of the residency requirement.   Jane Pinkston, the Assistant State Librarian for Planning and Development, served as facilitator for the Austin Peay residency of intensive training taught by professional library consultants from other states as well as advocates from Tennessee.   Topics during the final year of the Institute included “Building Community Partnerships,” “Marketing Techniques for Public Libraries,” “Fundraising for Public Libraries,” “Librarian 411 –Dealing with Physically and Mentally Challenged Patrons,” “Tennessee Library Law,” “Introduction to WebJunction – a library consortium of shared information,” and  “Tennessee’s Wiki for Rural and Small Libraries.”

The Public Library Management Institute was developed under the leadership of Secretary of State Riley C. Darnell.  In his commencement address, Secretary of State Darnell confirmed his support of the library certification program and lauded the accomplishments and contributions of these graduates to their communities.



Pictured above is Kingston Director of Library Services Steve Jacks accepting his diploma from State Librarian Jeanne Sugg during graduating ceremonies at the Public Library Management Institute at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee on May 23.