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Who Trains Distance Librarians?

Who Trains Distance Librarians?. Jack Fritts & Anne Marie Casey. Introduction. More libraries serving distance learners What training is needed for librarians? What training opportunities exist? How are those opportunities delivered?

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Who Trains Distance Librarians?

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  1. Who Trains Distance Librarians? Jack Fritts & Anne Marie Casey

  2. Introduction • More libraries serving distance learners • What training is needed for librarians? • What training opportunities exist? • How are those opportunities delivered? • How can we adapt current training data to the needs of distance learning librarians?

  3. Some History • D. L. in the U.S dates to the 1830s • D. L. grew as new technologies evolved • Guidance for D.L. library services • 1963 – first ACRL Guidelines • 1982 – first OCLS Conference • 1991 – ECLSS established • 2008 – ACRL Guidelines become Standards

  4. Training Librarians on the Job • Formal training • New employee orientation • Peer training • Formal mentoring • Conferences & workshops • Campus training • Informal training • Being thrown into the deep end • Networking

  5. Research Design • Five groups identified to survey • Distance Learning Section Leadership • Regional Campus Libraries D.G. • LITA Distance Learning SIG • OCLS Conference listserv • Offcamp

  6. Methodology • Thirteen-question survey • Available for one week in December 2009 • Do not know how many the survey reached • 141 responded

  7. Questions • What is your current position? • In what type of library do you work? • Do your job responsibilities include service to distant learners? • How did you become involved with distance learning?

  8. Questions, continued • Did you receive any training in distance learning librarianship in library school? • What kind of on the job training did you receive in distance learning librarianship? • Have you received training in distance librarianship through conference or workshop attendance?

  9. Questions, continued • Have you received training in distance learning librarianship from: • ALA • ACRL • ACRL Distance Learning Section • ACRL Regional Campus Librarians Discussion Group • LITA Distance Learning SIG • Other

  10. Questions, continued • What training formats would you recommend for distance learning librarians? • Have you been a distance learner?

  11. Questions, continued • Are you a member of any of the following? • ACRL Distance Learning Section • LITA Distance Learning SIG • Regional Campus Librarians Discussion Group • United States Distance Learning Association

  12. Questions, continued • Have you ever attended the Off-Campus Library Services Conference sponsored by Central Michigan University? • Do you have any comments about the issue of training for distance learning librarians?

  13. Demographics

  14. How respondents received training

  15. How respondents received training

  16. How respondents received training • Library School • Yes and no. No formal coursework but did my degree online • Please! My library degree was in 1974! I wasn’t even using an electric typewriter. • I received my MLS with a concentration in distributed/distance learning librarianship • Kind of – our reference class focused on email and chat

  17. How respondents received training • On the job: • Learned by doing – started over 15 years ago • Trial by fire :) • Personal study • I’m learning it as I go. • Training materials provided for position and edited as needed. • Learning about best practices from faculty

  18. How respondents received training • Conferences or workshops: • Nothing that was specifically labeled as “training’ • Off Campus Library Services Conference • DLS activities at ALA, various related conferences like Virtual Ref Desk • Only some events at ALA. Planning to attend everything at Midwinter and be at Offcamp

  19. Recommended Training Formats

  20. Recommended Training Formats • All of the above – depending on the situation • Orientations, shadowing DL librarians at other institutions • Blog, wiki, podcast • Taking a DL course before teaching one • Discussion groups • Spend time with DL faculty • Networking and sharing experiences • Mentoring • Local interest groups

  21. Results • Many evolved into their jobs • Many wear multiple hats • Workshops and webinars • Foundation in MLIS degree programs • DLS has strongest potential for training

  22. Conclusion • How do we develop training? • Can DLS take the lead? • Mentoring programs such as CLS? • Hybrid conference programs? • Webinars? • Your ideas?

  23. Comments and Questions

  24. Contacts Jack Fritts Benedictine University Jfritts@ben.edu Anne Marie Casey Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University caseya3@erau.edu

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