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Technology Training in Libraries (Tech Set #6) (The Tech Set®)
Your library plays a crucial role as your community's epicenter for technology whether you provide skill building resources, free access to the Web or both. To deliver top service to your Web-savvy users, you and your staff must stay up-to-date with the latest technology skills and trends. This invaluable new guide in The Tech Set® series from renowned consultant, speaker, and technology instructor Sarah Houghton-Jan presents practical, start-to-finish guidance so you can easily and successfully implement a low-cost, comprehensive, and effective staff technology training program in your library. Houghton-Jan outlines various types of technology training programs and helps you determine which one is right for your library. You'll learn how to create a list of important technology skills to include in training, how to integrate popular technology training tools into your program, and best practices for dealing with common problems like working with different learning styles, dealing with difficult learners, and finding a suitable location. There are tips for marketing your program to supporters and skeptics alike, as well as guidelines for evaluating its success. Whether you're an experienced technology instructor or a first-time trainer, this new 'Tech Set' title will help you develop thriving, easy-to-implement, and budget-friendly technology training programs in your library.
- GenresTechnology
127 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2010
1 person is currently reading
16 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Houghton-Jan
3 books117 followersSarah Houghton (formerly Sarah Houghton-Jan) is best known as the author of the award-winning LibrarianInBlack.net which ran from 2004-2020. She is also the Director of Discovery and Delivery for the California Digital Library, part of the University of California.
Sarah has been called an iconoclast, a contrarian, a future-pusher, and a general pain in the ass. She takes great pride in each. Sarah is a frequent speaker for online and realspace worldwide events for libraries and other educational institutions.
Her first book came out in 2010: Technology Training in Libraries.
Sarah has been called an iconoclast, a contrarian, a future-pusher, and a general pain in the ass. She takes great pride in each. Sarah is a frequent speaker for online and realspace worldwide events for libraries and other educational institutions.
Her first book came out in 2010: Technology Training in Libraries.
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June 18, 2020For the March book club I read “Technology Training in Libraries” by Sarah Houghton-Jan. This book is exactly what I needed to find to support the creation of a comprehensive but basic technology training program for St. Paul Public Library branches and I feel that it is applicable to many other settings as well. Houghton-Jan's book is easy to follow and packed with important information that guides the reader step by step through the assessment, design/development, implementation and evaluation of a training program. The knowledge and experience of the author shines through the descriptions of why the responsibility to support the public in their desire to seek and understand technology. In order to fulfill that responsibility, staff must be properly trained to instruct and support the public.
Despite the growing budget challenges that public libraries face, it is still necessary to attempt to keep up with the latest information technology and try to offer and share that information with the public. There is evidence to support that a staff that is more knowledgable about the technology their patrons are interested in provides better customer service. The staff can also create a better community of learning and sharing with each other their knowledge and expertise. In a time of budget and economic crisis, staff can be more useful and spend their time more wisely.
I found the most applicable part of the book is the continuing theme of the process that Houghton-Jan identifies as vital to successfully creation of instructional technology training. She uses a method called ADDIE: Analyze, Design, Develop, Implementation and Evaluate.
Analyze- assess staff (or target training group) skill level before training. Not only focusing on what they need to know, but what they want to know. Identify customer demand, how does the training support the mission of the group or organization, what is the return on investment? Evaluate current trainings and identify areas for improvement.
Design- Create goals and objectives that follow the SMART method: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time Bound. A purpose statement that fits within the goals and objectives should frame the program design and content.
Develop- Take the goals and objectives identified to create a training session that supports many different types of learning styles and properly equips the instructor with the basics and keys for successful instruction while giving them encouragement for creativity, flexibility and adaptability when instructing a diverse group of individuals.
Implementation- To move forward after creating the instructional technology training, you must market to get those who will become instructors interested in attending. A mandatory training may bring attendees, but you can not force them to retain information or get them excited about bring the new information back to their library. Show them why they should care and why the training is actually worth their time. Create buy-in and incentive to engage your audience, work with their interests and real life experiences. Take a multi-generational approach to the training by offering equal learning opportunities and have the same expectations with no assumptions of learning levels, but an understanding for all.
Evaluation- Identify what works, and what does not. Seek feedback that identifies where there is a need for improvement and the areas in which the training excels. Measures of success will determine if the time spent on training equals the anticipated amount of improvement identified in the design stage. There may be structural or organizational problems that need to be addressed and resolved in order to make more effective training sessions.
Overall I found this book extremely useful, especially if you are in charge of “training the trainer” for any sort of instructional technology program. An overview of qualities of a of good tech trainer is worth the effort of tracking down this book to improve your skills.
Despite the growing budget challenges that public libraries face, it is still necessary to attempt to keep up with the latest information technology and try to offer and share that information with the public. There is evidence to support that a staff that is more knowledgable about the technology their patrons are interested in provides better customer service. The staff can also create a better community of learning and sharing with each other their knowledge and expertise. In a time of budget and economic crisis, staff can be more useful and spend their time more wisely.
I found the most applicable part of the book is the continuing theme of the process that Houghton-Jan identifies as vital to successfully creation of instructional technology training. She uses a method called ADDIE: Analyze, Design, Develop, Implementation and Evaluate.
Analyze- assess staff (or target training group) skill level before training. Not only focusing on what they need to know, but what they want to know. Identify customer demand, how does the training support the mission of the group or organization, what is the return on investment? Evaluate current trainings and identify areas for improvement.
Design- Create goals and objectives that follow the SMART method: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time Bound. A purpose statement that fits within the goals and objectives should frame the program design and content.
Develop- Take the goals and objectives identified to create a training session that supports many different types of learning styles and properly equips the instructor with the basics and keys for successful instruction while giving them encouragement for creativity, flexibility and adaptability when instructing a diverse group of individuals.
Implementation- To move forward after creating the instructional technology training, you must market to get those who will become instructors interested in attending. A mandatory training may bring attendees, but you can not force them to retain information or get them excited about bring the new information back to their library. Show them why they should care and why the training is actually worth their time. Create buy-in and incentive to engage your audience, work with their interests and real life experiences. Take a multi-generational approach to the training by offering equal learning opportunities and have the same expectations with no assumptions of learning levels, but an understanding for all.
Evaluation- Identify what works, and what does not. Seek feedback that identifies where there is a need for improvement and the areas in which the training excels. Measures of success will determine if the time spent on training equals the anticipated amount of improvement identified in the design stage. There may be structural or organizational problems that need to be addressed and resolved in order to make more effective training sessions.
Overall I found this book extremely useful, especially if you are in charge of “training the trainer” for any sort of instructional technology program. An overview of qualities of a of good tech trainer is worth the effort of tracking down this book to improve your skills.
April 22, 2011
Technology Training in Libraries sparkles with author Sarah Houghton-Jan's well deserved reputation for jargon-free, plain-talking, and humorously honest help for readers: "...having staff members who are not adequately trained in technology trying to support library users is like having a cardboard egg carton holding up an SUV," she suggests (p. 5) in a statement that could easily be applied to workers in many other organizations.
The book, in fact, offers plenty for those outside of libraries. Early on, for example, Houghton-Jan provides a list of "essential technology training topics in libraries" and other potential training topics--nearly all of which could just as easily be adapted within a nonprofit or commercial organization looking to develop a cutting-edge workforce (pp. 6-7). Employees in libraries are clearly not the only ones who need to master technology terminology; understand how to effectively use email, web browsers, and online search skills to the benefit of the customers they serve; and be able to avoid ergonomic problems caused by improper set-up of employees' (and customers') work stations. And the writer's list of areas of future growth--cloud computing, surface computing, open source software development among them--are equally applicable and important to workplace learning and performance programs in nearly any professional setting today.
The extensive recommended resources listings and bibliography at the end of the book, furthermore, are icing on a well baked cake, leaving readers with plenty of useful resources. Those in search of dessert as well as a substantial main course will find both in Technology Training in Libraries, and we all owe Houghton-Jan and her publisher a round of applause for making the information available in such a concise fashion (103 pages of text, followed by the additional resources already mentioned).
The book, in fact, offers plenty for those outside of libraries. Early on, for example, Houghton-Jan provides a list of "essential technology training topics in libraries" and other potential training topics--nearly all of which could just as easily be adapted within a nonprofit or commercial organization looking to develop a cutting-edge workforce (pp. 6-7). Employees in libraries are clearly not the only ones who need to master technology terminology; understand how to effectively use email, web browsers, and online search skills to the benefit of the customers they serve; and be able to avoid ergonomic problems caused by improper set-up of employees' (and customers') work stations. And the writer's list of areas of future growth--cloud computing, surface computing, open source software development among them--are equally applicable and important to workplace learning and performance programs in nearly any professional setting today.
The extensive recommended resources listings and bibliography at the end of the book, furthermore, are icing on a well baked cake, leaving readers with plenty of useful resources. Those in search of dessert as well as a substantial main course will find both in Technology Training in Libraries, and we all owe Houghton-Jan and her publisher a round of applause for making the information available in such a concise fashion (103 pages of text, followed by the additional resources already mentioned).
July 28, 2011
Not what I expected. Aimed at technology training for library staff, not the public. Liked the idea of a technology petting zoo. And creating my own technology skill list. Also timely for my brainstorming meeting on "23 Things".
October 7, 2013
Chapter 2 was interesting on developing a skills list and technology training and innovation plan.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews