Library staff training and development is a crucial element in ensuring positive user experiences within libraries. A staff component consistently exposed to relevant training and development interventions should not be underestimated.
As stated by Connor (2009:13):
“An academic library‘s single most valuable resource is its workforce. Without educated, well-trained, and motivated librarians and library staff, an academic library program is ill-prepared to meet the needs of its clientele or the challenges that face institutions of higher education.”
This paper will explore the processes and methods used at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology Libraries to ensure that its staff has well planned and relevant learning opportunities and interventions. It will unpack a holistic staff development approach, i.e. a three year special skills plan, performance management process including development needs, annual training plan and implementation.
Collaboration and partnerships between various stakeholders are crucial for the success and effectiveness of the implementation process, i.e. university human resources training department, Cape Higher Education Consortium (CHEC), Cape Library Consortium (CALICO) and accredited training providers. It will also touch on some return on investment (ROI) strategies.
This paper will give specific examples of how these staff training interventions link to positive user experiences.
Ms J Lockhart has worked in academic libraries for 11 years and presently holds the position of Librarian: Training, Development, Information Literacy and Conference Organizing at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology Libraries. She has a Master‘s degree in Business and is a qualified Education, Training and Development Practitioner and Assessor. She is also the chair of the Information Literacy Committee at CPUT. This committee is a sub-committee of the Senate Teaching & Learning Committee. She has presented a paper titled ―The before and after of an Information Literacy Policy at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology‖ at the IATUL 2011 conference in Warsaw, Poland during 29 May – 2 June 2011.
Sulaiman Majal is the Branch Manager of Cape Town Campus, Head of Staff development and Information Literacy. Receipt of Carnegie of New York Leadership Academy Grant and Train the Trainer grant. Married with three children.
#p432 #iatul2012 conference attendees write a conference report or submit 2 ideas that can be implemented.
— Phoebe Lim Choon Lan (@PhoebeLimCL) June 7, 2012
#p432 #iatul2012 as part of accountability, staff have to submit post-training/ conference reports
— Ivan Chew (@ramblinglib) June 7, 2012
Wow. There are really many training and learning opportunities for librarians in South Africa! Impressive. #iatul2012 #P432
— IATUL 2012 (@iatul2012) June 7, 2012
#p432 #iatul2012 they took staff to a mall, told them to shop and also record observations on customer service
— Ivan Chew (@ramblinglib) June 7, 2012
#p432 #iatul2012 Hmm, Staff Development Day
— Phoebe Lim Choon Lan (@PhoebeLimCL) June 7, 2012
#p432 #iatul2012 the trained librarians end up teaching uni students on info literacy
— Ivan Chew (@ramblinglib) June 7, 2012
#p432 #iatul2012 Interesting – South Africa skills dev training levy (a tax; partially claimable) labour.gov.za/legislation/ac…
— Ivan Chew (@ramblinglib) June 7, 2012
#p432 #iatul2012 (what are training interventions?)
— Phoebe Lim Choon Lan (@PhoebeLimCL) June 7, 2012
#p432 #iatul2012 really shouldn’t use white text on yellow background. Hard to see. ;Plockerz.com/s/214980065
— Phoebe Lim Choon Lan (@PhoebeLimCL) June 7, 2012
#P432 #iatul2012 slide showing overview of skills dev in south Africa twitter.com/ramblinglib/st…
— Ivan Chew (@ramblinglib) June 7, 2012
#p432 #iatul2012 in south Africa they have a (library?) skills dev strategy at a national level
— Ivan Chew (@ramblinglib) June 7, 2012