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Library emphasizes expanded onboarding and staff development to meet evolving needs

Library Board of Trustees · December 10, 2025

Summary

Training coordinator Hannah Nelson told trustees the department has expanded new-employee orientation, runs varied in-service training and sends staff to conferences; priorities include leadership development, AI skills, and training on homelessness and mental-health responses.

The Library and Cultural Arts department outlined a three-part approach to staff training and development during the Dec. 10 meeting.

"Our staff are at the core of delivering our mission," said Hannah Nelson, the department’s training and development coordinator. Nelson described onboarding, in-service training and professional conferences as the three primary pathways used to build staff skills and reiterated the department’s expanded new-employee orientation, which now includes Carlsbad history and foundational public-library principles such as the ALA Core Values and the Library Bill of Rights.

Nelson said in-service offerings include workshops, virtual webinars and internal sessions led by subject-matter experts on topics such as budgeting and new library technology. She highlighted Staff Development Day, an annual all-staff training event focused this year on customer-service tools and supervisor coaching.

Looking ahead, Nelson said priorities include leadership development, mentorship and specialized training in emerging skills such as artificial intelligence, as well as training to better support patrons experiencing homelessness or mental-health crises.

Why it matters: the department is investing in workforce capacity to support library services and adapt to changing patron needs.

Board follow-up: trustees asked about interdepartmental collaboration; Nelson said she works closely with HR and other city departments to leverage trainers and resources.

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