Professional Development and Travel Policy for Library Faculty, Professional Staff, and Administrative (Exempt) Staff Scope This policy outlines travel guidance for faculty, professional staff, and administrative (exempt) staff of the M. Louis Salmon Library. Exceptions are addressed below. All travelers are responsible to be aware of and to follow the University’s guidelines for travel. Types of travel Professional travel supports librarians and other exempt staff in fostering professional growth and development and in maintaining appropriate levels of professional engagement. Costs are reimbursed up to an annual maximum as outlined below. Trips to meetings and conferences of library organizations (e.g., ALA, ALLA, LOEX, MLA and ACRL) are typical examples of professional travel. Professional travel requires supervisor approval. Paid release time is given. Training and development travel: Employee travel required by a supervisor to acquire new skills directly related to the performance of the employee’s job and to the strategic goals of the Library. Required training typically includes instruction provided in workshops, institutes, seminars, or classes rather than at association meetings or conferences, although there may be exceptions. Travel for these reasons would be considered mandatory and requires the approval of the employee’s supervisor and the appropriate senior administrator. Discretionary travel: Travel undertaken in pursuit of a professional or personal interest not directly related to the employee’s primary responsibilities. No financial support is available for such travel. In some cases, however, paid release time may be granted by the employee’s supervisor if the activity has some potential for benefiting Library operations in a meaningful fashion. If no leave is granted, employees must use vacation time for this type of travel. Exceptions: Additional exceptions will be made for the senior administrative leader of the Library. Travel by non-exempt staff: On rare occasions, a non-exempt staff member may be required to travel on Library business or for training. Such travel will be considered mandatory and the appropriate guidelines for administrative or training and development travel will apply. Funding for Travel Professional Travel: After an eligible employee has been employed by the UAH Library for a minimum of 1 year, professional travel may be reimbursed, within limits. The maximum amount eligible for reimbursement within a fiscal year will be set by the Library Director, and may be adjusted to reflect changes to the Library budget allocation. Some exceptions may apply. The allocation may be spread across multiple trips in a fiscal year. Travelers may seek reimbursement for transportation, lodging, conference registration/fees, and meals and incidentals. In accordance with University travel policy, meals and incidentals will be reimbursed according to the current federal per diem guidelines issued by the U.S. government. Travelers are responsible for making every effort to find reasonable rates for lodging and transportation and to take advantage of discounted registration rates wherever possible. Because training and development travel are considered mandatory, travel costs are fully funded based on the University out of state and in state travel policies. Travelers remain responsible for finding the best possible rates for lodging and transportation, and the per diem rates for meals will still apply unless other arrangements have been made in advance. Supplemental funding To encourage growth and active professional engagement for librarians, librarians who have abstracts of proposals accepted for presentation at major library conferences will be awarded additional travel funds. The amount will be determined by the employee’s supervisor. Updated September 12, 2024