LIBRARIES TRAVEL, TRAINING & STAFF DEVELOPMENT HANDBOOK

Travel, Training & Staff Development (TTSD) Policy - UM Libraries

Expenditures for Library travel, training and staff development fall into one of two Library categories (i.e. Professional and Administrative). One or more forms (Supplies & Equipment Requisition, Expense Statement, Travel Request) may be required for authorization and expense payment. A UM Libraries Travel Request Form must be completed and submitted before travel commences and an Expense Statement must be submitted for expense reimbursement. A Supplies & Equipment Requisition form may be used to prepay registration fees. Forms and instructions are available at www.lib.umd.edu/PASD/LPO/Travel/travelfirst.html. Questions concerning travel and training expenditures can be directed to the Libraries' Travel Coordinator, Ethel Wilson, in the Libraries Budget & Business Services Office at ewilson2@umd.edu or 5-9248.

Professional TTSD
Professional development travel funds support library employees’ participation in conferences, workshops or other service, learning, professional and/or scholarly activities. To qualify for library-funded support, activities will

1. Enrich/improve job-related skills or performance, or
2. Raise awareness or ability to act on issues related to library work, service, or scholarship, or
3. Foster service in a professional or library association, or Support scholarly work being conducted, or
4. Provide a forum for presentation of work-related projects or research results.

The following summarizes the travel program:

• Regular non-exempt staff have $500 per fiscal year to pay fees for workshops, conferences, etc.The non-exempt staff member's director must give prior approval for the individual to participate in the activity.
• Regular exempt staff have $1,100 per fiscal year for any regular category of travel expenses: registration, travel, lodging, and meals. Advance approval of the individual's director is required.
• Graduate assistants will have $500 per fiscal year for any regular category of travel expenses: registration, travel, lodging and meals. Advance supervisory approval is required.
• Regular library faculty with permanent status will have $1,100 per fiscal year. Regular library faculty without permanent status will have $1,400 per fiscal year.

  Library faculty, exempt staff and non-exempt staff who are employed on Contingent II contracts are eligible for travel support. Contingent II employees whose salaries are paid from sources other than the Libraries' regular state budget - e.g., grant, cooperative agreement, or consortium - must first attempt to use those sources of funds to pay their travel expenses. If funds are unavailable from those sources, the Libraries may pay. Directors will be responsible for approving travel and for determining the source of payment. Yearly allotments will be $500 for non-exempt staff, $1,100 for exempt staff and $1,100 for library faculty. Individuals employed on a Contingent I (hourly) basis are not eligible for professional development travel funds.

  (Note: Currently, all travel expenditures paid through the travel system must have directors' approval).

  Funds not used by the fiscal year cutoff will be forfeited by the individual. LEC may approve administrative travel funds to an individual who has used all of his/her professional development funds in the fiscal year in accordance with the rules governing administrative travel listed below.

  Administrative TTSD
  

  The guidelines for administrative travel apply to all employees of the Libraries.

  Funds for administrative travel can be made available for several reasons:

  1. An individual is asked officially to represent UM Libraries at an activity. As a rule, if there are comparable international and North American events, the individual should request to attend only the North American event.
  2. UM Libraries should be represented at other regular conferences or meetings. As a rule only one individual is supported with administrative travel funds to attend. The following events have been identified for ongoing administrative travel support:

  a. American Literature Association, Katherine Anne Porter Society session
  b. Coalition for Networked Information
  c. Depository Library Council
  d. Library Orientation Exchange (LOEX) - clearinghouse for library instruction
  e. Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference
  f. National Media Market
  

  3. An employee has no professional development funds available and needs training that meets the following criteria:
     a. The conference, workshop or other activity for which support is requested is directly related to the person's core present or future duties and should help the individual perform his/her job better; AND
     b. The activity appears to be of high quality (e.g., reputation of sponsor and instructors or leaders) and content; AND
     c. There is likely to be quick application on the job of what is learned, or transfer of training. In other words, the event is timely for the person's job duties; AND
     d. A version of the requested activity is not likely to be offered as part of the Libraries' Learning Curriculum.

  4. A library director or the library dean may award a $200 travel supplement for specifically job-related training and may consider doing so if an employee has professional development funds that are planned for other uses.

  5. A library director or the library dean may award a $200 travel supplement to an individual elected or appointed to a major, recognized, professional post, e.g. officer or editor, to help that person carry out the duties of that post. An individual may receive one such supplement per fiscal year. It is not automatic or guaranteed and must be requested yearly, for the duration of the professional post. The post must be in an organization directly related to the individual’s professional specialization (e.g., specializations within librarianship, archival or curatorial work, or specializations within other professions, as occupied by other library faculty or by exempt staff). This type of travel supplement is available to individuals who received merit increments in the most recent year in which merit funding was available and/or have applied for merit based on performance during the preceding calendar year.

  6. A library director or the library dean may award a $200 travel supplement to an individual invited to give a paper or presentation at a major recognized professional event. An individual may receive one such supplement per fiscal year. It is not automatic or guaranteed and must be requested. This type of travel supplement is available to individuals who received merit increments in the most recent year in which merit funding was available and/or have applied for merit based on performance during the preceding calendar year.

  7. An individual is asked to perform a duty requiring travel, such as pickup or delivery of materials, setup or staff a Library sponsored event, etc.
  8. A regular or Contingent II employee wishes to have registration costs paid to attend the Red Cross First Aid and/or Adult CPR classes offered at the Campus Recreation Center.
  9. Administrative travel may be granted in accordance with and/or to meet the needs of a grant, cooperative agreement or other external funding source. Funding for the travel may come directly from the external source or, if the travel is to meet its cost-sharing obligations, from the Libraries. The travel should be authorized by the principal investigator or account administrator of the external funding source. Director approval is required.

  Administrative travel requires approval from the requestor's division director, assistant dean or associate dean and the Library Executive Council.

  Individuals should obtain approval for administrative travel funds prior to registering, applying, or otherwise financially obligating themselves or the Libraries.

  Reports
  The Libraries Travel Coordinator will distribute monthly divisional Travel, Training & Staff Development reports to the Directors via email. These reports will provide a detailed listing of allocation and expenditures, grouped by TTSD category (professional and administrative).

  Prepaid Expenses
  Whenever possible, staff should take advantage of having expenses (airfare, registration, etc.) paid directly by the University. Airfare can be paid directly by the Libraries by utilizing one of the University Contract Travel Agencies. Travel Request forms, which are sent electronically through the campus Travel Services to the travel agency, serve as authorization to issue the tickets. The cost of the tickets is automatically charged to the Division Director's Travel Card. Other travel, training & staff development expenses may be paid directly by the University through the Purchase Card, Purchase Order, Internal Services Request or the Travel Card. Travel, training & staff development expenditures paid through the purchasing card, purchase order or internal service request should follow the approval procedures for those methods of payment. See your Divisional Administrative Assistant or the Libraries Procurement Coordinator for details. Travel, training & staff development expenditures paid through the travel card require Director approval. See the section Travel Card for additional information. Care should be taken in prepaying Professional travel, training & staff development expenses not to exceed individual allocations. In the event the allocation balance is exceeded, the staff member will be asked to write a personal check to reimburse the Libraries.

  Revised LBBSO 07/09

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  This Handbook is for the use of UM Libraries staff only. All others should contact the University of Maryland Travel Services Office.

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