Professional Development & Continuing Education

CML works to build greater public awareness of the need for and services of our Maryland libraries. It is: a strong statewide network of individuals and organizations - people who value Maryland libraries; and the major voice of citizen advocates for library service and libraries across the state of Maryland.

The Deaf Culture Digital Library is dedicated to providing leadership and guidance in offering resources about deaf culture, acquiring and preserving an excellent collection of deaf resources in digital formats, furnishing access to information regardless of location, providing highly competent assistance to Maryland residents and library staff in local public library systems, academic librarians in colleges and universities, and other libraries in the state of Maryland.

The Congress of Academic Library Directors (CALD) of Maryland is an organization open to any and all library directors in post-secondary institutions in Maryland. The objectives of CALD are: to promote effective cooperation among the academic libraries of Maryland; to promote cooperation between academic libraries, other libraries, agencies of the State of Maryland, and other agencies; to keep its members in touch with, and responsive to, library matters pending before the State or Federal legislature; to promote the study and discussion of matters the membership may recommend

The Eastern Shore Regional Library, Inc. is a state-funded non-profit with the goal of providing resources and support for the eight county library systems on Maryland's Eastern Shore. ESRL is managed by an Administrator who reports to the Board of Trustees. The ESRL Board meets quarterly.

MAPLA is an organization of public, regional, and state library administrative officers advocating for excellent public library services for all Maryland residents. Our vision is that residents of Maryland will know that public libraries are essential and fundamental to their quality of life.

Maryland Library Association provides leadership for those who are committed to libraries by providing opportunities for professional development and communication and by advocating principles and issues related to librarianship and library service. MLA was founded in 1923 to promote library service in the state. Among members are library staff and trustees, library school students, libraries, and friends of libraries representing the full spectrum of librarianship in Maryland. In 1974, MLA became a legally chartered non-profit, tax exempt corporation. The Association is a state member of the American Library Association, with an elected chapter councilor serving on its governing board.

Under the leadership of the State Superintendent of Schools and guidance from the Maryland State Board of Education, the Department develops and implements standards and policy for education programs from pre-kindergarten through high school.

Maryland State Library Agency (MSLA)​ is an independent agency. We provide strategic leadership, resources, and programmatic support to Maryland libraries to transform lives. As the state library agency for Maryland, the Maryland State Library administers State and Federal funds to support Maryland libraries in their mission to offer outstanding resources, programs, and excellent customer service. Responsibilities include oversight of the Maryland State Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped; Maryland’s Public Libraries; the State Library Network; the Library Capital Grants Programs; and the Deaf Culture Digital Library.

Working with libraries across the state, SLRC provides cooperative, cost effective, resources and services for Maryland libraries and their customers. Significant ongoing SLRC projects include SAILOR (https://www.sailor.lib.md.us) and Digital Maryland (https://www.digitalmaryland.org)

Southern Maryland Regional Library Association, Inc. is a regional resource center for the public libraries in Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s counties. It was formed in 1959 to provide additional services to the citizens of rural Maryland through their local county libraries. It is part of a statewide resource network of three regional centers, working in collaboration with the State Library Resource Center, to provide efficient, economical and coordinated library services county libraries cannot adequately provide themselves.

The University of Maryland College of Information Studies – the iSchool – trains students to become information professionals.

Established May 13, 1967 as the “Western Maryland Area Library Service,” WMRL was created to “improve library service to all residents of Allegany, Garrett, and Washington Counties by providing a central collection of materials to augment and supplement the materials available in local library outlets and by providing staff for consultant, advisory, training, planning and coordinating functions in various fields, both general and specific.” The role of the regional library as the Regional Resource Center is formalized in Maryland Law, Education § 23-202 to § 23-205. The law established regional libraries and shaped their role in providing, through mutual cooperation and coordination, materials and services that individual libraries cannot adequately provide alone.