LAUC-B Funding for Professional Development

LAUC-B encourages all librarians to participate in activities that will contribute to both individual professional development and the mission and goals of the Library and University. LAUC-B funds for such activities are requested in the budget each year as part of the contract and the sum received is allocated equally amongst all LAUC-B members. If there are unused funds from previous years, a supplement, again allocated equally, may be made. Further funding for professional development, travel and training, may be available from the Library Administration or an Affiliated Administration and is determined according to their own guidelines. A full description of funding for all Library employees is in the UC Berkeley Library Travel/Training/Development Support Policy.

• For information on using LAUC-B funding for professional membership dues, see the Membership Dues Program page.
• For procedures, policies and forms, refer to the Online Travel Requests and Reimursements site. 

How to apply for LAUC-B travel funding and reimbursement

• Travel requests and reimbursements are handled through the Travel Pre-approval Request form at the Library Administrative Services site. 
• Please refer to the Travel Request and Reimbursement Guide for details.

General guidelines

• Receipts are required for reimbursement.
• LAUC-B member librarians appointed any time during the fiscal year are eligible for that year's allocation.
• Employees on Leave and Employees recalled from Retirement are not eligible for LAUC-B funds.
• An individual's unused allocation is not added to his/her standard allocation the following year. 
• Campus travel policies normally do not allow reimbursement for expenses incurred within the vicinity of an employee's workplace, though exceptions can be made.
  
  Instructions for using Connexxus to book a flight (Library Business Services site)

Two-Year Accrual Professional Development Funding Model

In FY 2016-17 through FY 2017-2018, LAUC-B ran a pilot project, wherein individual professional development funding could be accrued over a two-year period. Having access to a two-year accrual of funds won favor with the membership, so LAUC-B is continuing the program.

• Eligible Members: All librarians whose professional development funds are provided by the University Library and administered by the Library Business Office via LAUC-B’s budget. Currently, this consists of all LAUC-B members (union-represented and unrepresented) other than those in the Law Library.
• Odd-numbered years are Accrual Years.
• Even-numbered years are Carryover Years.
• Together, an Accrual Year and the immediately following Carryover Year is an Accrual Period.
• Before the beginning of an Accrual Year, during the budget submittal process, an Annual Accrual will be determined based on:

(a) the MOU-mandated annual amount divided by the number of union-represented librarians in all units (University Library and Affiliated, including Law Library) as of the most recent LAUC Census, plus

(b) a negotiated supplemental amount, if any.

• The Annual Accrual applies for both years of the given Accrual Period.
• Starting in an Accrual Year, two years’ worth of Annual Accrual will be available to any Eligible Member for use in approved professional development activities occurring at any time during the Accrual Period.
• If a new MOU-mandated amount comes into effect during an Accrual Period, the Annual Accrual amount may be re-calculated, and any additional funds accruing due to re-calculation will be made available, as soon as practicable, for approved professional activities occurring during the remainder of the Accrual Period.
• Individuals who become Eligible Members during an Accrual Year will be entitled to use both years’ worth of Accrual Amounts at any time in that Accrual Period.
• Individuals who become Eligible Members during a Carryover Year will qualify to use the Accrual Amount applicable to that Carryover Year.

Use It or Lose It: Funds allocated to an individual that remain unused during the Accrual Period may not be applied to professional development activities occurring outside the Accrual Period.

Funding available in recent years

* These funds DO NOT carry over and are available only in the year allocated. Affiliated Librarians are not eligible for this sum, though their individual libraries may provide a level of professional development, travel and training funding. 

** Librarians with a start date after 7/1/23 are eligible for $756 for FY2023-24.