Staff Tech Training - CiL 2008

staff technology training: 5 steps to success
sarah-houghton-jan, digital futures manager


great resources, but we need to make sure everyone is on the same page:


why invest in staff tech training?
save money in the long run, strengthen staff skills and confidence, showing an institutional commitment to life long learning (helps in recruitment and hiring), increase staff retention rate, increase efficiency and productivity

staff tech training takes
time and money

will need to be customized for your library, as they are all different.

competencies based training cycle:
* planning and brainstorm
* creation
* assessing the staff (what they know, don’t know…)
* training (lengthiest, most time, most effort, needs attention)
reassessment (where are we now)

* and start the cycle over

step one: planning and brainstorm
what does your staff need to know how to do with tech to do their jobs well.
ex: send a fwd, there are a lot of steps to get to the point
what questions are the staff receiving at the ref desk?

benefits of using competencies:
equitable expectations for all staff (if you do this, this is what your suppose to know)
reveals training needs in a quick manner
creates accurate job descriptions
helps with performance evaluations
consistent customer service
helps staff adjust and handle change (training is on a continual basis, become more confident, and capable to deal with new things as they come down the pipes)

working with staff to brainstorm:
create the list with staff involvement (staff know what they need to know)
brainstorming parties rock (over lunch?)
reassure staff they don’t need to know everything now

make trainings fun- through fun sites, not very serious
(ppl might not know about all the cute cats out there)



step two: creation
* work with a task force
* representatives from unit and branches
* representative from different position classifications
* focus on staff input
* get mgmnt buy-in
* and don’t call it “competencies”

some categories for staff skills:
**terminology: a staff glossary (powerful tool)
hardware, office software,
**staying current

competencies best practices:
* keep it core
* keep it task based (open email, delete email)
* different positions – different competencies
* add to job descriptions and new hire checklist
* present list online (blog, wiki, webpage) with each item linked to a how-to
* new technology? look at the list again!




step 3: assessing the staff
* assess objectiviely or subjectively? with supervisor or self
* online service tools are the easiest
* give print option too, if needed
* the psychology of maybe (maybe means no, more likely to say maybe than no)

post assessment
* review individual and group results
* work with supervisors to create individual training needs list for each employee (could staff members develop their own training needs list? )
*
trust the project manager- they are right! they looked at the data!


step 4: training
training based on revealed needed
all the way from mousing to blogging
get a training budget (!)


why should I do this?
it looks hard. too difficult.
why? prizes: mp3 player! cute star wars mp3 drive.
all these end up with the staff who have been working towards a prize. can go a long way to motivate ppl


inspruiring training:
use real world examples
make the class fun- discussions, exercises
highlight tips and tricks


step 5: reassessment
annual or biannual reviews
rewards for success or consequences for failure
nurture hidden sparks



celebrate success!!
have cake! simple messages! library staff is awesome!


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Annette gaskins and Maurice coleman
Harford county public library

varied populations: the amish to the bloods and crips

why a petting zoo:
surveyed staff, and they discovered staff was good on 1.0 technology and needed a forum to learn about 2.0 levels (wanted to know what they’re kids were doing)


first steps:
get organized and get help: a tech fair interest group
2 pg. proposal covering time and topics to be covered
get the buy-in and get ppl excited
use the tools to promote the fair that were part of the fair

content:
wikis/open source – work tool
gaming – part of collection
streaming media – info source
im/mysace – reference
blogging – expert knowledge
mp3s/ipods – patron use (audiobooks)




first step-
realistic scheduling, couldn’t operate without affecting public service; throw $$-- get part time ppl on the desk, support support!

timing issues: Wednesdays as they open late.
one hour lecture, two hour lab for 36 ppl.
6ppl 6 stations 20 min each
and be aware of time. time to get to where the fair was help. time to get back to the branches, etc.

taking shape: finding ppl
two for the show
station masters, host and hostess (sheepdog or sherpa), get ppl moving, station staff, geek and facility support (making sure they work and making sure the Stuff gets to where it needs to go), and partnership with big box stores (provided technology, provided flat screen tvs)


take shape: finding people
early adopters, techie ppl, pages and teens, curious life long learners


space wise:
drawing ppl from all over the system

The techno-nots of Maura

I've been at home sick for the good part of the last week and half with some sort of nasty cold thing. I am feeling pretty tired most of the time with a linger cough. As I said to my boss today, I don't have my Mauraness, and quite frankly I miss my Mauraness.

So the time at home has allowed me to be productive on some parts: list things on ebay, clean my closest, sort through books, all things good for my impending move, as well as watch The Devil Wears Prada 3 million times and Pride and Prejudice 5 million times. I've been blazing through Scrabulous games with my cousin, and reading blogs. There was a recent series of posts on techno-nots, which got me thinking about my own techno-nots. I am pretty good at most things technology, but I also have my shortcomings.

• My ex boyfriend had about 5 remotes to work the TV, cable, DVD player, and some other things that controlled the sound for all these devices. I never figured them out after many years together. Remotes just baffle me. I once had a job at a cable company where I'd have to help people program their remotes over the phone. I would rather be yelled at for ten minutes than help someone program their remote.
  
• I often don't know why a computer has frozen or a program stopped working, so I just recommend a restart and 99% of the time that seems to do the trick. Like right now, my co-worker said the printer wasn't working. I suggested turning it off and then back on. 99% of the time, it works!
  
• I pretend to be all non interested in gaming, but really I would love a Nintendo Wii, and I had dreams about playing Guitar Hero after that one time at with some friends. Though, I am a bit scornful at other types of games, like World of Warcraft and Runescape.
• I had a lot of trouble when transferring oatmeal by noon to the new server. I had to enlist a friend to help me set up the new space, and it turns out I didn't import the right files to rebuild it. Whoops!
  
• I used to know a lot about networks, ftp, web stuff, html and css. I don't use this on a daily basis so most of it is lying dormant in my brain.
  
• I've been told a million times how to restart the print server, but I just can't figure it out on my own.
  
• I'm not very good at securing home networks or even for that matter my personal computer. It is so bad, but I think because I have a Mac, I am somehow immune to viruses and other yucky things.
  
• I just started backing up 4 months ago.
  

Tuesday Technology Edition

Instead of Reference Questions, I thought it might be an interesting change to blog the technology specific questions I get, from patrons and colleagues.

The mouse on B31 isn't working. I think we might need a new one.
The computer was frozen, rendering the mouse unusable. I restarted and everything was fine.

A message is appearing on the staff computer on the second floor stating there is an IP address conflict. Called Director of MIS and left a voicemail. Restarted computer, but I know the issue will be back. (And restarted again)

AltR to close all the Norton AntiVirus subscription updates on the database and word computers.

Patron said he spelled a word correctly, but word was telling him that it was spelled wrong. Patron did not have a space between two words.
"This is saying there are no jobs under my number." "Did you put your library card number in after you pressed print?" (Answer: no)