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GPO first provided certification for Continuing Education Units (CEU) for GPO-sponsored programs at the Fall Federal Depository Library Conference in October 2002. Depository library staff and other information professionals attending the annual Spring Depository Library Council meetings and the annual Interagency Depository Seminar also received CEU certificates. Also beginning in 2002, certificates for Continuing Education Units were provided to participants in GPO Access training sessions.

CEU certificates may be used as evidence of professional development in many institutions. For some years, depository librarians had asked GPO library staff to award Continuing Education Units (CEU) for the Interagency Seminar, Federal Depository Library Conference, and Depository Library Council meetings.

Awarding CEU for these GPO programs is consistent with the guidelines established by IACET (International Association for Continuing Education and Training). Though GPO has not sought IACET certification, its programs meet IACET’s conditions for awarding CEU: "quality training and instruction by responsible, qualified organizations."

One CEU is awarded for 10 hours of instruction. Instructional hours do not include time spent on breaks, meals, social activities or business and committee meetings.

GPO prepares CEU certificates for individuals who register for GPO-sponsored programs. The number of units awarded is based on the total number of instructional hours in the program. CEU are awarded to participants in GPO-sponsored events as follows:

• The 2 ½ day fall Federal Depository Library Conference/Depository Library Council meeting and the spring Depository Library Council meeting, with its associated programs, will accrue 1.5 CEU. Council working sessions and the final Council plenary session are not included, as they are not instructional hours.

• The annual six-day Interagency Seminar will accrue 3.8 CEU, based on the expected number of instructional hours.

• GPO Access training sessions will accrue .5 CEU.