For Library Directors

Administrators of public library systems, county libraries, county library services, municipal, joint municipal, and tribal public libraries established under Chapter 43 (except Milwaukee Public Library) must hold certification, per Wis. Stat. sec. 43.09(1) and Wis. Admin. Code PI 6.03(2). Certification is also a public library system membership requirement, per s. 43.15(4)(c)(6). Non-directors may also apply for certification if employed at a Wisconsin public library in the same manner as described below.

Directors must be either appropriately certified or eligible for certification upon employment. Directors eligible for regular certification must apply immediately upon employment if they are not already certified. Directors eligible for temporary certification must apply within three months of employment. If an applicant applies for temporary certification after the first 90 days of employment, certification will be denied per Wis. Admin. Code PI 6.03(6).

Applicants for library director positions do not need to be certified prior to accepting a position. However, an applicant must be eligible-- they must have already obtained the appropriate general education requirements to be certified at the level required of the position. Temporary certificates may be granted and renewed for Grade II and Grade III director positions for up to four (4) years in order to complete the library courses required to obtain a certificate with regular status.

NOTE: All applications MUST be submitted via email. The following steps must be taken to successfully submit an application for certification.

1. Complete form [PI-2450] for first-time and renewal applicants.
2. Compile the supporting documents necessary for certification (see "What to Send" section below for details on what is needed, based on certification type).
3. Scan and email the application and supporting documents to LibraryCertification@dpi.wi.gov. (Please send supporting documents as PDF files whenever possible. If you do not have access to a scanner, consider using a scanning app for your smartphone.)
4. Payment and physical copies are no longer required. Applicants should no longer mail items to DPI.

Candidates for director positions may be told which certification level they must be eligible for in order to accept the position; this is the minimum level of certification a candidate must have. However, many applicants qualify for a higher level of certification than is required for the position they have just accepted. It makes good sense to apply for the highest level of certification that the applicant can apply for. Keep this in mind when completing the application.

First Time Applicant, Master's Degree from ALA-accredited program in Library Science:

1. Completed application form PI-2450
   1. Section I: General - Complete with your information
   2. Section II: Type of Certification - Check boxes for Grade I, and First Regular
   3. Section III: Enclosures - Check box for Master’s in library science (left side of the application)
   4. Section IV: Signature - Sign and date
2. Transcript (official or unofficial) OR copy of a diploma that demonstrates conferred Master’s degree in Library Science from an ALA-accredited institution.

First Time Applicant, Bachelor’s Degree, or Master’s in field other than Library Science:

1. Completed application form PI-2450
   1. Section I: General - Complete with your information
   2. Section II: Type of Certification - Check boxes for Grade II, and First Temporary
   3. Section III: Enclosures - Check boxes for
      • Bachelor’s degree (whichever applies) on right side of the application)
      • Official documentation of required library courses already completed OR Schedule for completion of course requirements (whichever applies)
   4. Section IV: Signature - Sign and date
2. Transcript (official or unofficial) that demonstrates conferred Bachelor’s degree (AND non-library Masters transcript if applicable)
3. Schedule of completion of the four (4) required library courses, indicating the semester and year that the applicant plans to take each course and the school at which they will be taken; OR a schedule of completion of the Advanced Administration course if the applicant has a minor in Library Science; OR certificates of completion for any of the required courses already taken.

First Time Applicant, 54+ College Credits:

1. Completed application form PI-2450
   1. Section I: General - Complete with your information
   2. Section II: Type of Certification - Check boxes for Grade III, and First Temporary
   3. Section III: Enclosures - Check boxes for
      • At least 54 semester credits (on right side of the application)
      • Official documentation of required library courses already completed OR Schedule for completion of course requirements (whichever applies)
   4. Section IV: Signature - Sign and date
2. Transcript (official or unofficial) of all college credits taken, demonstrating at least 54 semester credits, 27 of which must be in the liberal arts.
3. Schedule of completion of the four (4) required library courses, indicating the semester and year that the applicant plans to take each course and the school at which they will be taken; OR certificates of completion for any of the required courses already taken.

Renewal of Temporary Certificate (Grades II and III):

1. Completed application form PI-2450
   1. Section I: General - Complete with your information
   2. Section II: Type of Certification - Check boxes for Grade II or III (whichever is applicable), and Renewal of Temporary. Include the expiration date of current certification (mm/yy).
   3. Section III: Enclosures - Check boxes for
      • Renewal of Temporary Certification section - Official documentation of library courses completed since last certification
   4. Section IV: Signature - Sign and date
2. Proof of completion of any of the four (4) required library courses taken since the last certification date. This may include certificates of completion or a student record that shows the course has been successfully completed.

NOTE that you do not need to resubmit any documents that have been previously submitted. Please do not resend transcripts, schedules, or certificates of completion if they have been submitted previously. When you have completed all four (4) courses, you may apply for First Regular certification.

First Regular Certificate, After Completing the Required Library Courses:

1. Completed application form PI-2450
   1. Section I: General - Complete with your information
   2. Section II: Type of Certification - Check boxes for Grade II or III (whichever is applicable), and First Regular. Include expiration date of current certification (mm/yy).
   3. Section III: Enclosures - Check boxes for
      • First Regular Certification section - Official documentation of library courses completed since last certification
   4. Section IV: Signature - Sign and date
2. Proof of completion of any of the four (4) required library courses taken since the last certification date. This may include certificates of completion or a student record that shows the course has been successfully completed. All four courses must be successfully completed to apply for this certification type.

NOTE that you do not need to resubmit any documents that have been previously submitted. Please do not resend transcripts, schedules, or certificates of completion if they have been submitted previously.

Renewal of Regular Certificate, Regardless of Grade Level:

1. Completed application form PI-2450
   1. Section I: General - Complete with your information
   2. Section II: Type of Certification - Check boxes for Grade I, II, or III (whichever is applicable), and Renewal of Regular. Include expiration date of current certification (mm/yy).
   3. Section III: Enclosures - Check boxes for
      • Renewal of Regular Certification section - Validated Annual Summations of Continuing Education Activities
   4. Section IV: Signature - Sign and date
2. Annual Summations of Continuing Education Activities (Form PI-2454) for the 5-year certification period, which must be approved and signed by a public library system CE validator prior to submission.

NOTE that Continuing Education Activity Reports are not submitted to DPI except in very specific circumstances; they are used by the public library system to validate an applicant’s continuing education activities. Please do not send CE Activity Reports with your application.

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI), Division for Libraries and Technology (DLT) requires coursework to receive a Grade II or Grade III public library director certificate. Grade II certificates may be issued to applicants holding a bachelor's degree along with a minor in library science; the minor in library science must be supplemented by three (3) semester credits of coursework, or the equivalent, in advanced public library administration. The total number of credits required to be completed is 12.

Credits (CR) are awarded by colleges or graduate schools toward a degree program. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are awarded upon taking courses offered by the School of Library and Information Studies, The iSchool at UW Madison, that partially fulfill requirements for public library director certification in Wisconsin.

• Basic Public Library Administration 
• Advanced Public Library Administration
• Organization & Management of Collections
• Public and Community Library Services

UW-Madison
iSchool Staff (608) 890-0364
The iSchool at UW Madison
Helen C. White Hall, 4th Floor
600 N. Park Street
Madison, WI 53706

Chippewa Valley Technical College (CVTC)
Vince Mussehl (715) 833-6285
Library & Information Services Program (AAS)
620 W. Clairemont Ave.
Eau Claire, WI 54701

UW-Whitewater
Sarah Beth Nelson (262) 472-1463 
UW - Whitewater
Educational Foundations
6005 Winther Hall
Whitewater, WI 53190