Last certificates issued through State Library training institute victimized by budget cuts

John Hult/South Dakota Searchlight

The students who earned their certificates of library management this month with the aid of the South Dakota State Library will be the last for now, due to budget cuts.

The Public Library Training Institute “has long served as a continuing education program for library practitioners, support staff, and trustees of South Dakota public libraries who do not hold formal library degrees,” according to a Wednesday press release from the state Department of Education.

Fifteen students from 13 libraries, with jobs ranging from library director to front-line staff, attended the 2025 training.

The institute has helped librarians earn their certificates – typically pursued by those seeking a master’s degree in library science – since 1985, initially with courses at what was then Northern State College in Aberdeen.

The State Library, in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services in Washington, D.C., has offered financial support for the training.

Students attend in-person sessions for one week each June, supplemented by online coursework throughout the year. Librarians who complete the program are awarded a certificate of public library management and are recognized as certified library practitioners.

“This year, our students delved into crucial aspects of information literacy, library resources, and emerging technologies,” State Librarian George Seamon said in the press release on this year’s graduates. “They explored topics such as digital literacy, AI in libraries, makerspaces, SDSL-provided resources, educational programming through the SD Discovery Center, and research databases.”

Due to cuts by the South Dakota Legislature, however, 2025 will be the final year for the institute “in its current form,” Wednesday’s press release said. Former Gov. Kristi Noem had proposed budget cuts large enough to threaten the State Library’s access to federal funding. Lawmakers compromised on a budget figure large enough to allow the state to secure federal matching funds, but not large enough to maintain the full range of library services.

The State Library will still pay for statewide access to a host of curated databases, keep most of its staff, and carry books ordered via interlibrary loan from place to place. The library cut the equivalent of two and a half staff members, however.

The State Library “remains committed to supporting public library staff through continuing education,” Wednesday’s news release said, and “future training opportunities will evolve to meet changing needs and circumstances across the state.”