Talk Table: Training

It is indeed a small world. I was waiting in line for the green line inbound subway this morning when my colleague from the Northeast region came along and tugged on my backpack! Unfortunately, we were so busy gabbing we got onto an E train (the only train that does not go to Hynes and we didn’t get off at Copley), and had to get off at Symphony, exit to the street and get back on heading. Fortunately, they opened all the doors and we didn’t have to enter at the front of the train and pay again. Long story short: I didn’t make it here for the 8:30 session, and I really wanted to hear Terry Trueman!

With 45 minutes to kill, I decided to drop in on a talk table. I went to “Learning When There is No Time to Learn: Managing Staff Training and Development” (there is something a little ironic about librarians at conference focused on CE…going to a session about training instead of a training session – isn’t there?). All the tables were full and people were lounging in the doorway, straining to hear the discussion.

Public libraries everywhere are understaffed. I hear from my regional members “I just can’t get out,” and we’re working hard to bring on-site training to member libraries, beefing up online options, and trying nontraditional times like 4-6PM. Some of the success stories shared:
One-hour programs at lunchtime, staff is comped for the hour and should use the time that day or within the next week

• Mandatory trainings (2 sessions a year to 20 hours a year)
• Training as part of union contract or job description
• Staff days with a focus on fun and team-building, as opposed to training required for a job
• Staff days with varied training options
• Staff trained by peers
• Staff assisted with planning staff development day
• Road Show workshops brought out to branches

Questions & issues included getting training buyin from people who just wanted to do their job and be left alone, and what union issues arose with mandatory trainings. I got some great ideas and an interesting resource: the American Society for Training and Development at http://www.astd.org/astd