The final program that I want to tell you about is one that my Public Libraries Committee sponsored on electronic database training. It developed out of a discussion forum titled, "Print or Plastic: Which format do you prefer?" From the discussion I found out that our library was unique in providing formal training on electronic databases - most librarians complained that they were just given a login and told to learn it on their own.
Since 150 librarians from academic, public and state libraries attended the program, it was a topic that many wanted to learn more about. Below is a summary of the program and training samples that the speakers shared with the attendees.
ELECTRONIC DATABASES: TRAINING THAT WORKS
“As libraries offer more and more online databases to their patrons, how do we insure that librarians are trained to use and instruct patrons in their use? Speakers described their training programs and Swap & Shop table offered samples of attendees’ libraries’ training."
Facilitator: Carolyn Strickland, Lake County Public Library, chair of MARS Public Libraries Committee
Speakers:
Michelle Roubal, Adult Services Coordinator, Aurora Public Library, Aurora, Illinois
Marty Onieal, Adult Services Coordinator, Broward County Library, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Margaret Mohundro, Director of INSPIRE, INCOLSA, Indiana
Training that Works:
-Drop-In Training: informal
-Tapping into Online Training: use remote technology
-Vendor-Produced Online Training: make use of this vender service
-Book a Librarian (librarian appointments): staff and patrons alike
-Multiple branches? Develop traveling classes
-Assessment of staff knowledge of a database: pretests?
-Develop a training outline for all classes: post on in-house server
-Various methods: Tuesday Track, Train the Trainer, Vendor Training, Regional & State Training Opportunities, Borrow training from other libraries.
-INSPIRE Training: Website, access, interfaces, federated searches & vendor-provided training, as well as on site training sessions around the state.
Do you have any training tips that you would like to share? Please feel free to make comments or ask questions.
