Computers in Libraries 2008: Technology Training for Library Staff: Creativity Works (regular session)

Computers in Libraries 2008: Technology Training for Library Staff: Creativity Works

I presented an abbreviated version of the preconference presentation that I did with Maurice and Annette on Sunday.  Here is the shorter version of the "Library Staff Tech Training: Motivation Means Success" presentation (PDF) that I used for this session.  Go back to the original post about the longer pre-conference presentation for more info and the other presentation.

Maurice and Annette (from the Harford Public Library) spoke about how their state library system and individual library both supported their Technology Petting Zoo project.  They developed a tech fair interest group.  They advertised it in any way they could to their staff.  They had a Tech Fair wiki and a Tech Fair blog.  The content of the tech fair was: wikis, open source, gaming, streaming media, IM, MySpace, blogging, MP3s, and iPods.  They picked things that technologies that covered major 2.0 concepts and things that the staff would need to use on the service desk.  They felt that they had really good support from the top to do this project.  It's all about money, though.  The staff needed permission to get staff off the desk and pay for substitutes, and that was supported fully.  They found a good time to provide it by looking at when most of their libraries were closed.  They had a one hour lecture, and then two hours of the petting zoo: 6 people doing 6 stations for 20 minutes apiece.  They had for us were to find people to lead the Tech Fair: two trainers, station masters, hosts and hostesses to shepherd people around, IT support, and a partnership with a big box store (which is what they did with Best Buy).  They provided flat screens for them to play games on, other technology, and experts to set up the tech and answer questions from the staff.  Make sure that the facility you are using is of an adequate size and has enough parking, space enough for people to move around and to hear their station's activities adequately, and have enough electronic infrastructure to support your activities, and enough seating.  The staff were divided into 6 groups and rotated through the stations numerically.  After the petting zoo, they encouraged people on the spot to sign up for the 23 things project, which was their next stage of technology training.  They gave tips about equipment--making sure that your projection surfaces and projectors actually work, that you have all your cords and cables and computers and peripherals, and label everything you use.  Do a dry run of the tech set-up to make sure everything works the way you think it will.  Schedule in breaks for both the people staffing the fair and the participants too.  Communicate again and again about the fair to the staff to get them interested.  Have backup for both the people staffing the petting zoo and also backup equipment.  Things will go wrong and you need to be ready to handle those things. 

CIL2008