Evaluating effectiveness of CPD and measuring returns on investments : A case study of UGC refresher courses (India)

The purpose of this paper is to measure the effectiveness of continuing professional development (CPD) held on a regular basis. The paper provides a brief history of CPD in India. It considers the role of the University Grants Commission in CPD via the Career Advancement Scheme for academic librarians. The effectiveness of CPD is measured through a survey of attendees at four refresher courses held at the School of Studies in Library and Information Science, Vikram University, Ujjain, and the return on investments made in these courses is assessed. It is concluded that at present CPD is not as effective as desired and needs modification to meet the needs of the new technological environment. The paper also suggests that there is a need for CPD for public and school librarians in India.