Revalidation Guidelines

Revalidation of Professional Registration

In order to retain the status of RLIANZA, revalidation is required every three years.  Revalidation is required for library and information professionals to demonstrate that they are keeping their knowledge and skills up to date and applying these skills in their practice.  It is a formal pathway to show that they committed to continuous professional development, by maintaining and developing their professional knowledge and expertise in a rapidly changing world.

The revalidation process is designed to show that an individual is maintaining and applying the core knowledge, skills, attributes and ethics of a library and information professional, through application in four different aspects or domains of professional practice.  
 

Eligibility for Revalidation

All individuals granted the status of RLIANZA are required to revalidate their registration every 3 years.  Registered practitioners will be reminded 3 months prior to the date of renewal of their revalidation, and must forward the necessary documentation within 6 months of this date.  

The initial revalidation renewal date for LIANZA Associates is 4 years from the date of their initial registration, thereafter 3 years. The initial revalidation renewal date for LIANZA Fellows is 5 years from the date of initial registration, thereafter 3 years.  This is in order to spread the number of revalidations due in 2010.

Revalidation Criteria

Applicants wishing to maintain their registration must record evidence of continuing professional development and practice, demonstrated by examples.

The following criteria must be met through revalidation in order to maintain the status of RLIANZA.

Individuals must maintain a journal that records evidence of all relevant continuing professional development activities.   To achieve revalidation, these activities must include as a minimum:

Individuals should relate their learning activities to the personal qualities of the library and information professional where appropriate, and to the code of professional conduct where appropriate.

As part of their assessment, the Board will be looking for

• quality rather than quantity,
• relevance of activities to the role held by that individual,
• spread of learning across all areas and throughout the whole period
• evidence of the depth of learning gained. 

At the end of the 3 year revalidation period, individuals seeking re-registration must forward their journal, together with:

Keeping the Journal

A template for the journal is available on the LIANZA website. 

The journal can be downloaded to your own computer files and maintained on-line as an excel file. There is a separate worksheet for each of the 11 Body of Knowledge elements.

Alternatively the journal can be printed from the LIANZA website and maintained in hardcopy format.

Embedded links in the spreadsheet provide online explanations of the different categories.

An example of a completed journal has been created on the LIANZA website to provide guidance for applicants and is explained here.

This revalidation activities template can be used to help you record your activities quickly and information can then be transferred to your journal at a later stage.

You might find it useful to use this conference and seminar attendance template to record learning activities at a conference and transfer the detail in to your journal at a later stage. 

This Library Life article has some very useful information about the revalidation process.

Revalidation activities

Following are examples of continuing professional development activities that might be undertaken as part of revalidation.  The list is not intended to be exhaustive.

• continual professional development, eg courses
• on the job training or retraining
• promotion/professional recognition
• networking
• academic research or study
• a specific work programme, project or report
• mentoring
• secondment or job swapping
• involvement in a work and/or professional association committee
• scholarly publication
• list serve discussions
• conference papers

The Four Domains of professional practice

These domains represent the four areas within which continuing professional development activities can be applied.   Activities should be conducted in at least three of the following four domains over the course of the three year period.  

a)    Currency of Professional Knowledge

Activities which help keep one’s professional knowledge and skills current and up to date, including identification of personal learning needs and methods used to address these needs, and effective acquisition of new knowledge to enhance practice.  These activities might include for example attending courses, study, and reading.

b)   Professional Practice and Responsibility

These are activities related to on the job practice, application and development of professional skills, including increased competence in a range of professional and management skills developed through professional practice.  Examples might include: reports, research to develop and improve services, new initiatives, promotion to more senior roles, and service delivery examples.

c)  Communication and Professional relationships

This domain relates to communication of knowledge and expertise, and the establishment of professional relationships and networks, including communicating effectively with others, sharing expertise, and utilising strong and effective relationships to enhance services. Specific examples might include delivering conference papers, publication, establishing networks, contribution to listserve discussions, and other sharing of knowledge.

d)  Professional Leadership

All librarians or information professionals can display leadership in some aspects of their work. The context in which leadership can be displayed will vary according to the position. A librarian or information professional develops leadership skills to high levels and is respected for his or her expertise and innovation. Examples include leading and supporting other librarians and information professionals, mentoring, encouraging others to participate in relevant professional development activities or to enhance their individual skills, advocacy, contributing to improved professional practice, and taking initiative.

Revalidation process

1. Read the Revalidation Criteria documentation carefully
2. Download and save or print the journal template.
3. Use the sample journal as a guide
4. Complete the journal as required over the 3 year period
5. When revalidation is due, complete and sign the Journal cover sheet, including a brief self assessment.
6. The journal and completed cover sheet should be forwarded to the applicant’s employer (or another registered professional familiar with the applicant’s work and practice).
7. The employer (or other registered professional as above) should sign the Letter of verification if they are satisfied that to the best of their knowledge the information is true and correct.
8. The applicant should post the journal, cover sheet and signed letter of verification to the Administration Officer, Library and Information Professional Revalidation Board, c/- LIANZA, P.O. Box 12 212, Wellington. 
9. At the same time, applicants who have maintained an electronic copy of the journal should submit this to the Revalidation email address.
10. This information should be received by the office within 3 months of revalidation being due (ie within 6 months of notification that revalidation is due).
11. The Registration Board will acknowledge receipt of your application when it has received all necessary documentation.
12. When your application has been approved you will be notified, and you may continue to use RLIANZA after your name when describing your library and information qualifications.