Complementary Professional Education Programs at the Russian State Library: An Assessment of Participant Motivation

The ongoing need to update and develop professional competencies makes complementary education essential for the successful performance of specialists in any field, including library and information science. Professional development programs offered by the Center for Complementary Education and Advanced Training of Creative and Administrative Personnel in the Cultural Sector at the Russian State Library (CCE RSL) provide professionals with relevant expertise and skills necessary to advance in the rapidly expanding library industry. However, the effectiveness of these professional development programs is directly dependent on the participant motivation. A high level of engagement fosters active involvement in the educational process, deeper comprehension, practical application of acquired knowledge, and, ultimately, the achievement of desired learning outcomes. Therefore, assessing and accounting for participant motivation plays a crucial role in organizing effective training. This article highlights the need to analyze learners and assess their motivation during the training planning stage, using the example of the Team Online Project professional development program offered by the CCE RSL. The program aims to develop project management and teamwork competencies among library and information services and cultural institutions to create and implement socio-cultural projects. A survey of participants revealed a more than 2-fold decrease in the proportion of learners guided by on external factors when choosing a program — “management’s decision to send them to training” (from 49% in 2023 to 22% in 2024). At the same time, an increase was observed in the proportion of specialists with intrinsic motivation — “a personal desire to develop and improve their knowledge and skills in their professional field” (from 54% in 2023 to 75% in 2024). The gap between the proportion of participants with intrinsic and extrinsic motivation has widened—from 5% in 2023 to 53% in 2024. These questions help learners assess their engagement and initiative in future teamwork, analyze their choices, evaluate their learning expectations, and more. Assessing participant motivation during the training planning stage allows for an educational process that meets their needs and expectations, increasing learning effectiveness. This mechanism can be used by various organizations to implement effective educational activities.