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

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.