Library Staff Training: High Tech & High Touc

Library Staff Training: High Tech & High Touch

Donovan Deakin, WebJunction

found an increase in interest to online learning
barriers to training:
staff time, expertise, lack of $$, technology


training methods:
face to face training is still the most popular method, in house or outside contractor.

Blended Learning:
adoption and definitions are varied
not just online and face to face, for example: using a webinar, stopping and starting for discussion, or adding local content
web 2.0 techs: using tools for training as well as content matter

web-based training for staff: using Microsoft live meeting, wimba (?), etc
has chat, raise their hands, instructor can poll, interactions between different learners in the online classroom.

mgmt content:
board of trustee training
leadership and succession planning (mgmt, supervision)

patron services content:
user services: (youth, cultural and lingual diversity, adults)
working with patrons (difficult patrons, social challenges)

technology content:
info technology (networking, etc), computer applications and tools (think Microsoft), web 2.0 (think web 2.0)


training budgets are remaining static:
some see an increase in the next two years

impact and ROI:
morale and job satisfaction. Attendance and evaluation of trainings, job performance ratings (folks will have a clearer understanding), improved lib services (will be able to successful offer new service etc)

content:
modules as small as 15, just in time experiences (!!), fight it into the schedule of the libs, no time, need to make it small digestible and able to fit into daily life. (note to self: maura, think about this in terms combining online searching, etc training tips tools into life at lib)
growing awareness of new technologies in the library


Rebecca Ranallo Kahl, Internet & Media Services Manager, Cuyahoga County Public Library

CCPL: $68mil budget, 1000+ employees, 664 in union, ten busiest libs in the country
serve 47 communities, with 28 branches, so they are covering a diverse population over a decent chunk of land

staff became increasingly responsible for content on the new website, so staff needed training on using the new tools

has staff resistant to technology, hired a fulltime tech trainer, who had a background in elearning. needed someone on the staff. allows more hands on projects, using their own data.

training today:
new intranet (hmm, we have the new staff portal of the website…)
blended learnings : more options
new site has the ability to pull in more resources
ppl have the chance to go back to find the info, refresh, review or share with others
using podcasting, videocasting and putting it on staff intranet for staff members who may have missed the original training

test case:
etime tutorial: employee time and payroll software
a changed to develop some really bad training,

staff can go back and look at documentation at any time, print out paper copies.
piece for managers, comp time, working as a good start

training to come: online tutorials how to create an email signature

more interactivity and staff as technology creators: want to give them the chance to play internally

staff will be expected to use second life, increase awareness, hope staff will be excited about using this tool-

Cuyahoga conversations:
a website that will deal with community issues, they will host the site, subject specialists will moderate and manage- and they will have to be more interactive, info is going to go two ways


revamping Orientation Center:
happens when enough of ppl are hired in any given month, some people might be working for a month or so already before going through the training
(info freedom, confidentially training, customer service: lots of great free modules already out there…)

Barriers:
staff are going through it
managers are taking responsibility and getting buy in on both levels, managers are taking part in the learning
bandwidth:
fear of technology, union (makes competency based training hard, needs to wait until the next contract, “its not part of my job”), updated technology, complacency (ppl are nervous about new things. so provide multiple avenues to access information. they might get more out of in person training, but having the info available.)

outcomes:
deliberate training plans:
have ppl come in with projects they are working on, so training is hands on and focused.
responsibility for learning
more on-demand opportunities.

main goal:
to be able to retire when she never hears the phrase, “no one trained me on that”

questions:
main barriers to technology?
R: fear and challenged to use it in the branches

ways to motivate:
r: hard to do… what drove her is that she will learn new things all time. amazed when ppl say they don’t need to learn it. rlly about making it comfortable, giving various opportunities to approach it.

organization is becoming a learning organization:
r: slow going. director strongly believes in training, and continually reminding staff they are supported

r: has one staff member who handles staff training

getting buy in from decision makers, ex it training. new libs have lib skills, but not common sense, issues about technology. staff members won’t admit it or buy in. how to encourage from stake holders:
r: directors and board are v.supportive of training and understand where libs are headed in terms of technology and that it needs to be supported. I didn’t talk about web 2.0 training, because a challenge with marketing department regarding content generated by staff.