STUDENT WORKERS: TRAINING, EVALUATING, RETAINING PARTNERS IN INFORMATION LITERACY INSTRUCTION

Presenters

Kat Barden & Cindy Schoolcraft

Mobius Conference, June 2010

WELCOME!

Introduction Overview Philosophy/Mission Structure Selection Training Evaluation Retention Refine/Reflect Discussion

STUDENT WORKERS AT REEVES LIBRARY

Library student workers are an important part of the circulation and reference team. Research has shown that the number one predictor of a patron’s likelihood of asking for assistance is a positive prior interaction/relationship with the staff member. For this reason, our student workers provide the primary point of service for user services and are an important value added context of the library’s information services.

STRUCTURE

•General Public Service Assistant •Circulation Assistant•Extended Late Hour Shift for Circulation Desk•Resource Sharing Assistant•Public Service Assistant•Serials/Tech Services

Internships•PR•Marketing

HIRING

Highly Desirable Student Workers are:

•Good communicators•Inquisitive learners•Problem solvers

They are: •Dependable•Work well in a group environment•Take direction well •Are adaptable

TRAININGStaying on track!

STUDENT WORKER TRAINING

A comprehensive skills assessment and progressive training for student workers in circulation, serials assistance, and informational assistance.

PUBLIC SERVICES STUDENT WORKER TRAINING-OVERVIEW Reeves Library has approximately 46 student workers in

the Public Services area. The procedure for hiring, training, and evaluating student workers is as follows:

Interview Hire check list Orientation/Manual Online Library of Congress numeration library quiz Competency Checklist Mid-year Self Evaluation * note: non-returning student

workers are given the formal Student Employee Evaluation

Reception for Student Workers Orientation review for returning students End of year formal Student Employee Evaluation Student Feedback and Response Reception for Student Workers Senior book selection and plating

The student evaluation process provides information, training, and feedback. The 3 month self-evaluation gives the student an opportunity to categorize and to articulate learning, the staff an opportunity to underscore key points/ procedures /expectations, and the supervising staff member an opportunity to provide meaningful feedback to the student and to use the student comments to target training needs for the future.

Student Receptions at the end of each semester give the staff an opportunity to thank the students for their hard work.

Senior student workers are invited to select a book from the general collection and it is plated in their honor.

Orientation: •Overview•Introductions•Review Expectations•Includes a walk through of the library

Intention: •To raise comfort level•To establish a rapport with the students•To give students points of contact with staff for future need

Task specific training is done one-on-one and in groups during shifts depending on the position. The approach is mentor - style. This provides ongoing reinforcement, evaluation, and accountability. Staff in charge of the library are utilized. It’s a crazy first month!

Every student documents their training using The Training Progress Report.

As part of the training, every student completes the LC EZ training program to introduce or review Library of Congress ordering.

Periodical Carrels Patron Assist TallyMobius Books Patron Count SheetL C Order TimesheetBook Drop Periodical ChecklistArthur Catalog Desk SignILL Microfilm ReaderVideos Special CollectionsRobinett Room Due date CardIDS Room Information DeskOvernight Checkout Click “Close”Headphones Schedule Calculators

Pop up Box Change boxBellConfidentialLaminatingFaxCopy MachineReserve Material

This game is review, instructional, and group building.

Other ideas for ongoing training:

Visual Instructional Reinforcement- To deliver information in a different media

EVALUATION: PERFORMANCE & KNOWLEDGE BASE

On going feedback

Ongoing communication and supervision; be present and available to the students.

LC EZ ON LINE INSTRUCTION PROGRAM RESULTSrewards the students who excel and

Provides valuable information to the staff about who can fill in for the shelvers, do shelf reading, etc.

NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK SHELVING DRILL

– winner Premchai Sushophit

Mid-Year Evaluation

Within the academic year, worker retention is nearly 100% so rather than doing a full evaluation in December, we ask student workers to do a positive knowledge based personal evaluation..

A time to review and reflect, for the student and the staff

Recognizing that evaluations happen just before exams, we ask how can the process review, summarize, and build up the student’s experience as they move into a very stressful time. Also, we want the process to help them decide if working in their present position is a good fit for them and for the library?

RETENTION

HOW CAN WE HELP BUILD A COMMUNITY THAT PROVIDES SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGES MUTUAL ACCOUNTABILITY?

REFINE /REFLECT

We quickly realized that our student workers function as one of the largest active clubs on campus. Some of their /our “extra curricular activities” were: